Breaking 80 Thread

[MuniGrit]

2 minutes ago, Shindig said:

I believe it.  The truly sad thing is I made the turn in 40, then started thinking about what my score for the round could be... guess which two holes were my two triples?

(My sole double was on hole 3, a comedy of errors followed by a great putt from the fringe and a tap-in)

Three of my last four rounds are sub-85 (84, 84, 83-ESC-82), while I previously hadn't broken 85 since last July.  So, hopefully I get a few more chances to break 80 and get used to having a score capable of it... and then one of these days.

I have a friend that has never broke 80. We were playing a couple months ago and he was having the round of his life. He was 3 over with 2 holes to go when it got too dark. I told him you have to come back in the am and finish those two holes but he didn't think it was that big of a deal. I would have been there for sure.

[lastings]

I can't even count the number of sub-80 rounds I would have had in my life if my doubles and triples were just bogeys.  

It sucks to look at, but I've accepted this is the life of an 80s golfer.  And I don't even get many birdies. About .7 per round, per my stats.   But, I think all us mid-80s guys are the same.  We've all learned how to get a bunch of pars in a round--8,9, sometimes 10 or 11..  but we haven't figured out how to keep the big numbers off the board or how to get enough birdies to offset the big numbers.

one day though...  we'll get there. 

Edited July 7, 2017 by lastings

[Hacker James]

another point I forgot to mention in my last round was that the only holes I used driver on were the par 5's. It took a bit of discipline to pull out the three wood off the tee and to use a bit less lofted club on even some of the short holes, but I realize that I have lost a great deal of distance over the past year or so and pull out a hybrid where I would normally use a mid length iron. I hit 8 of the first 9 in regulation. " A man's GOT to know his limitations" or so sez Dirty Harry.

[Shindig]

33 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

another point I forgot to mention in my last round was that the only holes I used driver on were the par 5's. It took a bit of discipline to pull out the three wood off the tee and to use a bit less lofted club on even some of the short holes, but I realize that I have lost a great deal of distance over the past year or so and pull out a hybrid where I would normally use a mid length iron. I hit 8 of the first 9 in regulation. " A man's GOT to know his limitations" or so sez Dirty Harry.

When the driver isn't behaving, I agree.

But I think, especially if you're losing distance, getting your driver to be a club you can use to put the ball in play is going to be important to getting through the next barrier.  That's not something you need to work on during the round though.

[Hacker James]

1 minute ago, Shindig said:

When the driver isn't behaving, I agree.

But I think, especially if you're losing distance, getting your driver to be a club you can use to put the ball in play is going to be important to getting through the next barrier.  That's not something you need to work on during the round though.

Yes,most definitely. I think that using the three wood to gain accuracy will transcend into the driver as your confidence builds plus you can always revert back.

[Hacker James]

29 minutes ago, Shindig said:

When the driver isn't behaving, I agree.

But I think, especially if you're losing distance, getting your driver to be a club you can use to put the ball in play is going to be important to getting through the next barrier.  That's not something you need to work on during the round though.

I probably do not have any real evidence, but it seems like the amateur will grab the driver more often than the tour pros. I have observed many times, the commentators stating that so and so, used a fairway wood off the tee even on some of the longer holes, I assume to gain a more favorable position or approach. This strategy would probably be addressed in the book LSW although I have yet to buy it.

[lastings]

15 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

I probably do not have any real evidence, but it seems like the amateur will grab the driver more often than the tour pros. I have observed many times, the commentators stating that so and so, used a fairway wood off the tee even on some of the longer holes, I assume to gain a more favorable position or approach. This strategy would probably be addressed in the book LSW although I have yet to buy it.

It is definitely true that Pros leave the driver in the bag more often than amateurs..   but, there are different reasons for that.  

1) a pro's swing is much more consistent with every club.  if a Pro has a tight fairway a bad swing with driver will be in the rough, whereas a bad swing with 3-wood or iron might still stay in the fairway.  an amateurs bad swing is much worse.  bad swing with driver is shanked into the woods.  bad swing with 5 iron is shanked into the woods.   if the consequence is a lost ball whether you are holding a Driver, 3 wood, or long iron, you might as well go for the gusto.   nothing to lose.  

2) courses are often designed to be tighter and more hazardous where a pro wants to hit his driver, while being intentionally wide open and safe where they want to hit a shorter club.   makes for an added risk/reward for them to choose driver or not.   Amateurs have such varying distances and play from varying tees, so the course isn't always set up that way for them..  

 

 

 

 

[Shindig]

Yup, what @lastings said ... plus they're more likely to play a course where being in the fairway matters.

[TropicalSandTrap]

I have been playing for 30 years and much of my career has been in the 7-12 hdcp range. I have never been below a 5 hdcp. 

Fifteen yrs ago I didn't have access to golf and took like 5 years off. When I returned I was able to go wrong back to the mid-80's pretty quickly but couldn't get below 80. 

I then played the ladies tees a few times. I noticed the scores were not all that much better. I then a long iron off the tee (still from ladies tees). Tried to set the tee shots up where a perfect drive would be from the back tees. After a few rounds I was able to identify the scoring aspects of my game that needed improvement. Accuracy with full shots from Thebes's 90-150 range, and general shortgame work. Also the importance of placing the ball in play off the tee rather than just trying to get it as close to the green as a possible. 

After some range work with mid irons for accuracy, and a couple of rounds, I was able to shoot even par from the ladies tees. Next round out from the white tees I was in the 70's again. I was really able to identify the way to score on the course and put myself in position to hit the greens in regulation on longer approaches how to mitigate a bit. 

 

I know some golf schools have what they call "short courses" for this very purpose.

I no longer look at the tees as ladies or seniors or pros or whatever, but rather just identify the tees by distances. Do I want to play a 6000 yard course today, or do I want to go 6300 or 6500?  

 

Another tip is to go out and play a practice round on a scramble type format but just by your self. Hit tee balls, take your best one. What you will gain is an appreciate for what you are capable of on a hole. If you just play what you think is a hard hole and for on it, you might not ever get over the hump on that hole. See what your best shots give you on that hole so when you are playing a real round you know what to expect. For example I did this yesterday, there are a couple of par 5's on the course that I never knew if I could reach in two. One of them I was able to get to, and I know where a good spot is and what I need to hit to get there. He others I was not, so I know playing hen that I can approach them as easy three shot holes. ALso, there are a couple of par 4's that have some length to them. But now I know where a tee shot gets me, and I know even with a good tee shot I will need a long iron in. It is helpful to know what to expect from a hole when you get to the tee. 

[dennyjones]

1 hour ago, TropicalSandTrap said:

Another tip is to go out and play a practice round on a scramble type format but just by your self. Hit tee balls, take your best one. What you will gain is an appreciate for what you are capable of on a hole. If you just play what you think is a hard hole and for on it, you might not ever get over the hump on that hole. See what your best shots give you on that hole so when you are playing a real round you know what to expect. For example I did this yesterday, there are a couple of par 5's on the course that I never knew if I could reach in two. One of them I was able to get to, and I know where a good spot is and what I need to hit to get there. He others I was not, so I know playing hen that I can approach them as easy three shot holes. ALso, there are a couple of par 4's that have some length to them. But now I know where a tee shot gets me, and I know even with a good tee shot I will need a long iron in. It is helpful to know what to expect from a hole when you get to the tee. 

I do this sometimes from the forward tees but I also do the opposite and use the worse shot of the two.   My practice rounds don't always consist of two balls but if I'm waiting on a group in front of me I do.  

[TropicalSandTrap]

Using the best shot is a good way to learn the hole, learn your abilities on the hole, what to expect, etc...  learn how to conquer that par 4 that seems so difficult and that you have never seemed to make par on. Learn what position to be in on that tricky par 5 in order to get a scoring club in your hand on your approach shot  get comfortable with hitting the green on those par 3 holes  

Im not advocating starting to use mulligans. But rather commit to doing this with two or even three balls for a round and see what happens. 

 

We are all different, but this has worked for me in the past. 

Edited July 10, 2017 by TropicalSandTrap

[TropicalSandTrap]

For example:

that par 4 that you never seem to be able to get to. Always seems like you have a big shot in and when you step up on the tee you are totally psyched out. 

If you have played that hole using your best shot, you will have a new feel for it. When you step up to the tee your thought might be different. Instead of thinking how hard the hole is, you might be thinking: "if I hit the tee shot solid (not great, but solid), I will be between those bunkers." (You know this because you have hit a few out there). "If I am between those two bunkers, that's 185 in. But it's not a soft 185, it's a little incline and I need to hit it the full amount" (and you know this because you've hit a few shots from that spot. And you also know that from 185 it's difficult to put it close, and the goal is really to just get up to the green to give yourself an up and down chance for par and make no worse than a bogey.)

 

or that 330 yard par 4 that looks easy on the scorecard but you keep messing up (or just not capitalizing on). You might realize that your driver doesn't gain anything for you and that maybe a 3W off the tee puts you at say 115 yards which is a nice number. It might tighten up 20 yards down the fairway and hitting the tee shot that gives you the easy wedge in is a better play than trying to hit driver to a tighter landing just so you are hitting a 56 degree instead of a wedge or 9 iron. 

 

The drill will also also help you realize what a scoring hole is (scoring opportunity)  instead of being satisfied with a 4.6 average on that 330 yd par 4 we just discussed, you might realize that this is now a consistent 9I in for you, and that you should be optimistic about a birdie Chance and disappointed with a bogie because you have seen what you are capable of on that hole.  You know where you need to be to put a scoring club in your hand and you know how to hit that scoring shot from 130 or wherever  

 

This drill might also show a player player how much work their scoring clubs need. If you are 80-140 yards out, you should be pretty accurate. If you are missing greens from that distance, then you know what to work on at the range. And then next time you do this drill you might see that from 130 you hit all 3 shots on the green within 20 feet of the hole as opposed to the first time you tried it and you only hit one on the green. (This is a benefit of playing the short tees too). 

 

Like I said, this is just something that has worked for me in getting over the hump from shooting low to mid 80's to being able to break 80 with some frequency. 

Edited July 10, 2017 by TropicalSandTrap

[Harp stein]

I shot a 79 (+9) in July 2015, and have spent the past 2 years trying to get back there. My scores have gotten more consistent over that time, but I've not had a magical round since then.

Last year felt like a lost year, I just wasn't hitting my irons consistently and chipping was hit/miss. This year, I feel like I'm getting closer. I shot a pair of 80s (+9, +10) in the Spring and have found a couple areas to improve on since then.

• Late last year I started using a 9I for chips where I have room to run, that has helped immensely in getting up/down.
• I went to a pencil grip on putts inside 10' and it's early, but seems to be helping. I have been atrocious from 3-5', making < 50% on 4-5 attempts per round.
• Realized a couple weeks ago I have gone back to my old habit of taking the club inside on the backswing, which was the source of pulling my irons left a lot. So I've been working on that.

ironically I've gone to playing 9 holes more often over the last few months, so don't get a chance at breaking 80 as often. Wife lets me out more often if I'm gone 2.5 hours instead of 5-6 hrs. Breaking 40 has been my new goal and I have several of those in the bag this Summer!

Someone mentioned not using driver, unless you move up tees (feels like that defeats the purpose) to account for the loss of distance I don't see how that helps. If I'm looking at a hybrid or 5I into the green, the odds of a GIR at that point are probably halved compared with hitting a 8I or 9I. Obviously play the hole and if driver distance is tight or risky, you lay up but you'd have to be pretty special with long irons to make that work on every hole.

Anyway, great thread and good luck to everyone trying to break 80. Looking forward to seeing some success stories on here soon!

[Shindig]

12 hours ago, Harp stein said:

Someone mentioned not using driver, unless you move up tees (feels like that defeats the purpose) to account for the loss of distance I don't see how that helps. If I'm looking at a hybrid or 5I into the green, the odds of a GIR at that point are probably halved compared with hitting a 8I or 9I. Obviously play the hole and if driver distance is tight or risky, you lay up but you'd have to be pretty special with long irons to make that work on every hole.

I agree completely.  Unless the driver is going to literally cost you more than you gain, use it.  Rough isn't a problem at most courses we play, but the 5I vs 8I approach shot difference is. 

[MacDutch]

If you shoot in the 80s, you need a driver that is consistent. Or have a really long and consistent play with other clubs. Driver is full of technology and should not be a difficult club for them who try to break 80.

Yesterday I played a shorter course and had several approaches from within 110y due to a consistent driver 230-240y. The wedges were sharp and I made 3 birdies, scored a 77 on a par 72.

Consistency is key. If you are not that long (anymore?), play a sub 6000y course to break 80 for the first time. You need to get used to go low. Think in good shots, not in 'if I end making 2 bogeys I will break 80'. 

Edited July 14, 2017 by MacDutch

[Jack Watson]

Play em one shot at a time.  Live in the now.

[amished]

Does it count if I shoot 79 on a par 70 course?    It was a struggle today, but made some crazy pars from places I normally don't hit out of, just was able to scramble, get close to the green and allow my short game to make up for some of the errors in my long game.

[allenc]

Just finished a 2 day tournament at Paiute in Las Vegas.  Saturday I shot 39 on the front, Sunday I shot 38 on the back.