Break 80: The 6-6-6 Concept

[golfsidekick]

Hello guys, I made a video and would like any and all feedback. 

 

I was thinking about how we all try break 80. We go out there looking for the age-old recommendation of 11 pars and 7 bogeys. 

How many times have you stood on the damn 15th tee +7 and thinking, I'm gonna blow this round? Or make a couple doubles early on and then throw the breaking 80 idea out the window? I have blown up so many rounds by keeping count of my score relative to par, in pursuit of a SCORE on every hole.

I thought about how we can simplify the process and focus less on outcomes and more on the baby steps to build that sub 80 score. So I figured, all we really need is 6 greens in reg, 6 up and down scrambles and then 6 holes to do what you like almost, but still focusing on getting the ball in the hole in the least strokes.

No counting score as you play, just writing the number into the card and putting it away at the end of each hole. No thinking about the double bogey we made, or how we need par here and there. Anyway, let me know what you think.

I'm going to try get more into the mental side of the game as I have been working on that more recently and had some significant breakthroughs I hope to share with you players. 

Edited August 27, 2018 by golfsidekick

[iacas]

I have never heard of "seven bogeys and 11 pars." People know they'll mix in birdies, doubles, etc.

I think I don't see that much difference between "six up and downs" and "six greens in regulation" and saying "forget results oriented thinking." If you're already thinking of those things on the first tee, you're thinking not only in the future, but you're thinking about results. They're just different results than your 7/11 saying.

I think a much better video than your 6-6-6 thing would be titled "How to become a better golfer" and would focus on the fact that to break 80 consistently you need certain skills to do it. The golfer in the video is a better golfer than almost everyone who hasn't broken 80.

I also think you should read the FAQ and site rules regarding promotion of commercial endeavors here.

[saevel25]

35 minutes ago, golfsidekick said:

How many times have you stood on the damn 15th tee +7 and thinking, I'm gonna blow this round? Or make a couple doubles early on and then throw the breaking 80 idea out the window? I have blown up so many rounds by keeping count of my score relative to par, in pursuit of a SCORE on every hole.

Never really. I had an instance where I was going to break par. On the last hole, I bailed out right, there is OB left. It's not like I hit a bad shot. I just didn't think I could reach this fairway bunker and I did. It's still better than OB right. I ended up getting a bogey and still breaking par.

I never think, "I'm going to blow this round!".

Here are some stats that match up with golfers who break 80 (75-80 range)

FWY% - 48%
GIR% - 47%
Putts/Hole - 1.79
Scrambling - 30%

A 50% scrambling isn't that difficult to achieve, but it's a pretty decent short game. Try to hit about 9 GIR. Focus on practicing to be able to do that, improvement with your long game.

[Patch]

I never think much about my scores when playing. Yeah, I use a target score of 80, but that's all it is, just a target. 

When I occassionally do break 80, it just happens. I put some good touches on the ball, and made alot of pars that round. 

[David in FL]

6 to do whatever you want?  😱

I know what you mean, but the whole premise seems focused on trying not to screw up, rather than playing to the best of your abilities.

 

 

[Shindig]

They say the devil is in the details, but I'm not convinced six GIR will get it done, even with another six ups-and-downs.  The sort of long game that produces only six GIR + enough near-GIR to get up and down six times probably isn't making good work on the remaining six to play those in bogey average, especially since chipping in on a near-GIR probably happens far less often than failing to get down in three. 

Alternately, one with a good enough long game to get enough near-GIR to get up and down six times is probably already breaking 80, likely due to having more than six GIRs.

[NM Golf]

The guy in this video, I am guessing the OP, should break 80 because he swings it well enough to break 80. There is no magic concept to break 80. Just like any level, breaking 100, 90, 80, 70, it has to do with hitting the ball well enough, consistently enough, to get around the course. 

If you are looking for that magic thing to help you break that next scoring barrier...it's called lessons and practice. And even then some of the scoring barriers are unattainable by some people. Not everyone has the physical talent to be a a sub 70 or even sub 80 player.

[GolfLug]

20 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

The guy in this video, I am guessing the OP, should break 80 because he swings it well enough to break 80. There is no magic concept to break 80. Just like any level, breaking 100, 90, 80, 70, it has to do with hitting the ball well enough, consistently enough, to get around the course. 

If you are looking for that magic thing to help you break that next scoring barrier...it's called lessons and practice. And even then some of the scoring barriers are unattainable by some people. Not everyone has the physical talent to be a a sub 70 or even sub 80 player.

^^^This. I have broken 80 only once this year but have played only half the rounds and have had even less practice. Was on track last Saturday with good driving at helm all day (no misses), until I blocked a tee shot on 15 deep into trees, then blocked another tee shot with an iron in an attempt to play safe on a shortish par 4 on 16 into water, then pull hooked a 9 iron from 138 out on 17, also in water. Finally finished fine with a ho-hum par on a par 5. Ended up with nice fat 83. Not sure what to learn out of that. 

[billchao]

6 hours ago, golfsidekick said:

How many times have you stood on the damn 15th tee +7 and thinking, I'm gonna blow this round?

Never. I don't know where I stand on the 15th tee and I have never thought, "I'm gonna blow this round."

6 hours ago, golfsidekick said:

Or make a couple doubles early on and then throw the breaking 80 idea out the window?

I throw the breaking 80 idea out the window when I wake up in the morning. I'm just not good enough yet.

6 hours ago, golfsidekick said:

So I figured, all we really need is 6 greens in reg, 6 up and down scrambles and then 6 holes to do what you like almost, but still focusing on getting the ball in the hole in the least strokes.

50% scrambling? Isn't that scratch level?

I'd bet I could hit 6 GIR and 6 pars scrambling and still shoot 85.

[gbogey]

You certainly can break 80 this way but if you want to do it consistently you are going to need more GIRs, probably more than 8 and a 25-35% scrambling percentage is more realistic over a longer term unless you develop an elite short game.  Of course anything is possible - I once shot 81 with 2 DBs and only 1 GIR but that clearly was an unusual round.

You may want to google "How to break 80 in 6 weeks."  Okay, really dumb title - when I first read the article I was in the mid-upper 80's and thought "how stupid."  But as my game improved I learned that while 6 weeks is pretty unrealistic, I think the 6 steps to break 80 are pretty valid for most players.

[Groucho Valentine]

I admit, i have also fallen prey to the 11 par and 7 bogey SCAM. 😫

25 minutes ago, billchao said:

Never. I don't know where I stand on the 15th tee and I have never thought, "I'm gonna blow this round."

I throw the breaking 80 idea out the window when I wake up in the morning. I'm just not good enough yet.

50% scrambling? Isn't that scratch level?

I'd bet I could hit 6 GIR and 6 pars scrambling and still shoot 85.

I stand on the first tee and think "how am i gonna blow this round" 

[billchao]

36 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

I stand on the first tee and think "how am i gonna blow this round" 

Not me. I go to the course thinking, "This is going to be a career round." Reality usually sets in pretty quickly after that, but a breakthrough is always just around the corner.

[DaveP043]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

Not me. I go to the course thinking, "This is going to be a career round." Reality usually sets in pretty quickly after that, but a breakthrough is always just around the corner.

I stand on the first tee, and think "Hit it at that white house, that's the left-center of the fairway."  Even though I'm usually aware of where I stand, I do my best not to let that influence the way I make decisions, or how I swing.  And if I'm not having a great day, I'm still thinking of how I can shoot 83 instead of 85.  At least for me, I don't think any goals further away than my current shot are effective.

[billchao]

4 hours ago, billchao said:

I'd bet I could hit 6 GIR and 6 pars scrambling and still shoot 85.

http://www.gamegolf.com/player/billchao/round/1906917

I got curious so I looked. The closest I got was 9 GIR and 2 up and downs, so 7 holes of whatever. Shot 84. And no, I didn't make any birdies "as we all do" 🙄

Must have been that extra whatever hole that did me in 😜

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

At least for me, I don't think any goals further away than my current shot are effective.

Same here. I'm focused on the shot that's in front of me. Not the next one, not the last one, not what score I need to shoot in the coming holes or what I've already shot. This one and what I need to do with it.

[NM Golf]

One of the best pieces of advice my father ever gave my was "only the next shot counts." He hammered that into me. You cannot concern yourself with things like the last shot you hit (good or bad) or the next hole or whatever. Hit the next shot, go find it, and hit it again.

You can count up your score once you're finished.

[Dunit507]

What I did was took my scorecards for the last month or so at my home course and figured out where my problem holes are. I know 1-3 some days I’m already +3. I know I have a tendacy to limp in and blow 3 shots on 16-18. So I thought about why? I know 1-3 issues was poor preparation. 1 is 346. It’s a driver and a sand wedge if I get the ball in play. Warm up before I play instead of getting out of the car and walking to the 1st tee. Bingo. Now I not only have been making par at 1 but giving myself looks for birdie from 10-20ft. Being loose and ready obviously carried over to 2/3 over the last couple rounds. I’ve been no worse than +2 after 3. I’ve been +1. There were times I’d be +4 or +5. The other bad stretch is 16-18. Well I still haven’t been able to figure out 17. Bogeyed it last 2 rounds. Today I was even on the back with 6/7 greens and I still find a way to make bogey...... but at least I know where my issue is and what hole I need to really focus on...... 

to summarize, and to shoot lower scores you have to break the course down into chunks and figure out what holes are costing you strokes and what you can do to fix them.

[gbogey]

One trick I used to use - I often played a par 71 course where, IMO, 5 of the toughest holes were in the first 7.  So I used a handicap system to keep track of how I was doing versus my goal of 79.  The real point was that this kept me from being discouraged if I was +3 after 4 or +4 after 5, because based upon the toughest holes I might be only 1 stroke behind what I needed to shoot 79. Worked for me.

[onthehunt526]

On 8/27/2018 at 1:37 PM, billchao said:

50% scrambling? Isn't that scratch level?

I'd bet I could hit 6 GIR and 6 pars scrambling and still shoot 85.

50% I believe is scratch level.

@billchao You could still shoot 100 theoretically doing this. The 6 birthday holes could be 6 10s. 

When I shoot in the 70s. I typically hit 7 to 9 greens. Get up and down 3 or 4 times. And usually have a stupid hole or two offset by birdies. Today I probably would've shot about 84, even though I made 3 birdies.