Stuck in the 80's

[gasfreak]

And I dont mean the big hair bands,I am talking about all year long and the end of last year I have been shot in the low to mid 80's just about everywhere I golf.Dont get me wrong I have had 3 or 4 off games were I will shot in the 90's.The courses I usually play courses in the 110 to 120 slope not realhard courses but just about all I have around me.Just wondering what I can do to shave a few more strokes off or should I just keep playing and see what comes of it.

[KEEPITSIMPLE]

usually, when you are a mid handicapper an improve short game would do it, and it is not just chipping and putting. How are your wedges??

[gasfreak]

they could be some better but not too bad,right around the green I am pretty good and confident.I would say from around a hundred I could use some work to get them a little closer to give shorter putts.And I do work on that as much as I can thats why I ask if I should just keep hammering at it and it will come or is there some other secret.

[Game]

If I were you I would keep track of these statistics on your next 18 hole round and post them in this thread so we can help you.

Your Score (obviously)
Greens in Regulation
Fairways in Regulation
Up and Downs
putts

that would allow us to help diagnose your problems better

[KEEPITSIMPLE]

well, in that case, you have to work on your swing.

There may be "secrets" to the swings that many folks are not ware of,but it is no secret the only way to truly become a better player is hit the ball better,I mean I am sure anyone could putt better but I got to be a decent player by being a ball striker and that is my story and I am sticking to it.

[gasfreak]

Ill just keep hacking at it,and practice as much as possible and I will keep better track of my game to see were I need the most improvement thanks

[rhodes81]

Course management was a huge part to me finally getting in the 70's. I stopped trying stupid shots and realized sometimes bogey was a good score. Sometimes after a bad shot, you just have to take your medicine and that took me forever to realize. When those double and triple bogeys start becoming bogeys, you would be amazed at how quick a score can drop. I started planning for my misses more and quit chasing sucker pins. I also committed to my wedge game and started making sure i was on or near the green everytime from 130 and in. Do that and you will be in the 70's.

[Bigtank]

A couple things that helped me.

1. Where am I hitting my 2nd shot from? This can lead to a lot of things. Am I 90 out in the rough, am I 160 in the fairway. I found that I try to be 110-120 out, which meant at a few of the locals courses, I have to back off and hit a 3 wood. I like to get up and put one out 300-310yds, but If I only need 260-270 for my ideal approach distance than suck it up and hit the 3 wood. The course I play a great deal, is not that long, but very tight, and small greens. I furiously practiced that distance and feel cofident with it. I can hit my 54 all over that distance - fade, draw low, high, tight lie or out of the rough, I know that distance in my sleep.
2. How is my putting. I practiced on 10-12 footers, because this is a distance I see alot on the greens. I find that I make alot more of those, and my score went way down.
3. can I consistenly control my chipping distance. That way when I do miss a green I know what to do.

[x-man]

I'm in the same boat. Haven't gotten into the 70's yet. Have been in the 30's quite a few times but always do something stuipid on the other side to ruin it. I have been working a lot on my chipping, pitching and putting. Also I have been working on my driver a lot cause one of my problems was getting myself into trouble off the tee. Either ob with a penalty of course or in jail and have to go sideways. One last thing I working on is course management. Been hitting my hybrid off the tee a lot more. I'd rather have a mid iron approach from the fairway than have a wedge but who the heck knows where it is. I feel like i'm getting close to it being there. Sure hope i'm right

[wrx_junki]

If you are serious about getting into the 70's, you should definitely keep a lot of stats and notes. Don't just practice without thinking, practice with a purpose. Keep track of what you tee off with and if it was a pull/push and draw/fade. Keep track of putts after GIR, sand saves, up and downs. Scoring averages on par 3's, 4's, and 5's. Of course over analyzing isn't always the best but keeping notes and stats will help you see where you need the most practice. Good luck in getting to the 70's.

[Arsenal8807]

You just need to look back at your scores and see where you could have made shots instead of left them out on the course. I know for me, I was +4 on the front nine and then was +9 on the back. Had I gone +4 or +5 I would have been under 80 which would have been my first but I started +3 through 10,11; I wasn't too happy but continued to play on and managed a 84. Second time I hit 84, usually I score 87 or 86, today I shot an 87 and I was happy because I had good round by my standards, plus I have only been playing seriously for about 3 months now. (Used to play about 1 or 2 times every 3-4 months about 4 years ago in high school)..

Just look back on your holes and take notes every hole. Look at where you placed each shot and how you hit your second, third, etc. # of putts too. I have started to strike the ball a little better than before and my putting has improved. Those combined with your short game and wedges will help lower your score as well.

[CalBoomer]

The only thing that helps improve one's game is lots of concentrated practice on specific weaknesses. Maybe try spending at least half of your golf time practicing. Now, if you respond by saying that's no fun, well then that probably explains your problem.

[gasfreak]

Thanks for all the replies,yes I think practice is just about as fun for me as golf itself.So when I go to the range after figuring what I need to work on should I maybe only take those clubs and work on that distance instead of just beating ball through the sky.And some of the people I play with are not very good but really good company if you know what I mean,so I think no competition factor lets me try to go at some of them sucker pins and take risky shots that being my fault not theirs.I will just practice more and basicly just tighten up my game and I think it will come.

[gasfreak]

By the way do you guys ever have a bad round and if so what is the average score and how often?

[saevel25]

My bad round are usually the low 90's, were i usually shoot about 18 over par or so. I can really do bad and still keep it around 90-92.

Saturday i shot an 83 (par 70), i was 6 over through the first three holes. Nothing like wasting shots around the green. I wasted 4 shots around the green. 4 shots means breaking 80.

[goblue107501]

I was in a similar position several years ago. I was stuck in the 80's. I had (still have) a great short game that saves me a bunch of strokes per round. If not for my short game I would have been in the 90's. For me to break 80, it had to be a perfect round (for me). The one thing that turned my game around was to take a series of lessons to fix my swing.

I was in the 80's because my swing wasn't any good. You can practice all day, 7 days a week, if your not doing things correctly, you will never improve. You might hit some great shots and shoot some better scores every once in a while, but in order to improve you game you need to fix your swing. You can only go so far with a bad swing, the flaws will always show up.

[ks8829]

Some tips to help you play in the 70's.

1) start to say play in the 70's vs breaking 80
2) keep records of the following:
a) putts per hole, front and back and 18 holes
b) up and downs to one putt
c) greens hit on regulation
d) frairways hit
e) sand saves
3) play with better players
4) have a pre shot and pre putt routine
5) practice your short game 80% - 90% of your practice time
6) practice putting everyday
7) practice putting and chipping prior to playing 18 holes

[saevel25]

Also can't we say its not breaking 80, really what is the handicap you want..

If you play a par 70 course, and hit 79, guess what on a par 72 course you got an 81. So really should you say, i want to shoot less than 8 over par, is a better way to say it.