Breaking 100 - 90 - 80

My last lesson tonight was with a student who went from scores of 115, 112, 112, 115, and so on, to recently shooting 103, 103, 103, 103, and feels that he just doesn't know how to get it below 100. He's dyeing to shoot 99 and just can't seem to get it done.

Is anybody else in this boat? Are you close to 100 but just can't seem to get it done? Or, have you got there before but can't seem to do it consistently?
Maybe it's 90, or maybe it's 80 you are after.


I will share my break 100 strategy tomorow when I have a little more time to write. In the mean time I would like to hear your stories about breaking 100 or breaking 90 or 80 or what ever level you are striving for.

Good Golfing

I struggled with the driver, due to slicing, this lead me to plenty of trouble, in the rough, in the trees, short distance off the tee, OB, hazard,etc.

For me the key to breaking 100 was to fix the driver, or use a hybrid/wood to tee off and hit more fairways.

Not trying too hard to go for GIRs, doing course management, having a better shortgame.

hi punkrockpga

yes, i'm belong to one of them.

i have been struggling to play below 100, and most of my games are between 103 to 105.

i have track my stat for the pas few games, my FW hit is about 50% to 70%, but my GIR sucks, it can be as low as only 10%. My average putt is about 2.2 to 2.4

Overall, my short game is terrible, and i have almost zero confident whenever i did my chipping or pitching. I believe if i can improve in this area, i should able to break my 100, the only thing is i dunno how....haha !!

looking forward to your write up on breaking 100 strategy.

snowman

Breaking 100....hmmmm

I think its important to have one go to shot and not worry too much about trying to master the full 14 clubs in ones bag....

That is why I decided to reduce the number of clubs in my bag....used to have only 8, then I increase to 12, then 13...and recently 14...and now back to 13 again.

still cant break 80

always screw up almost break

Same here......cannot break 80
Issue is with short game.
Whenever I miss GIR, I cannot get up and down consistently.

If I can improve my < 100m shot to 1 chip/pitch and 1 putt, I guess I can break 80

Peisay...today I still got problem to break 90 lor.... still yet to break 90....
trying very hard to play better lor... I will work hard...
gambateh....

maybe u try too hard?

weesern wrote:

maybe u try too hard?

maybe lor.....

My amateurish 2 cents' worth view on how to break 100.

1) Keep the driver in the bag except for some wide, inviting and safe holes for shiokness (cannot always play too safe otherwise the fun factor will drop but best to be disciplined if possible).

2) Practise with 3-wood or 19-degree hybrid to tee-off until it is the go-to club for teeing off.

3) Make sure one can advance (note I say advance, ie, wormburner also can) the ball with a 19-degree or 23-degree hybrid off the deck for 2nd shot assuming no hazards. It's still key to be able to launch your shots so improving your ball striking should be high on your priority list.

4) Remember the golden rule, putt-chip-pitch in that order of preference for short game.

5) For long putts, just think of placing the ball near the hole for easy tap-in. No pressure.

6) Avoid the sand bunker like the plague. I presume those who cannot break 100 typically have a crappy sand save stat.

7) Never follow your friends' iron choice. You have to know your TRUE yardage. No egos. It's hard to whip out a 5-iron when everyone is reaching for their 7-iron.

8) Understand basic choices on club selection. Uphill +1, headwind + another 1, etc.

9) Some basic course management skills is useful. Set up on the side of the hazard and aim away from it helped me quite a bit.

10) Understand how the lowest point of your arc changes as the terrain changes. This minimizes fat and thin shots.

These are the practical tips I can share. Still trying to utilize them everytime I'm on the course.

I broke 100 by working on my ball striking thanks to youtube videos and golf digest mags. Broke 90 with Jhan18's coaching. He taught me proper fundamentals, tee to green.

Now im happy if i can keep it at low 90s. I play once, twice a month max, so i deserve my hcap. These days its abt the latest and greatest in equipment, just for kicks

whatever techniques or methods, one thing is for sure. Gotta put in the hours!

Shorthitter once told me
Dun be so hard on yourself cos u are not a pro
Just enjoy the game

Finding difficult to break 90 because of GIR %... only recently with the help of trackman and indoor golf then I realise how important carry is. Once I am know how far the carry is... less things are on my mind and I am able to focus on the swing. At least for me, get me off trouble hitting too long or too short and better chance of avoiding bunkers.

Errr.... Hit straight????

Short game, putting and mental strength.

IMHO, to improve score:

1) Course Management (eg. When to attack or when to lay up, play to your strength)
2) Work backwards from Green to Tee (ie. Be good at Putting then proceed to Chipping, Bunker shot, Pitching, Irons & finally to Woods)

No. 2 doesn't sounds macho as lots of people likes to practice their long game more often than their short game.

FYI, I struggling in the high Nineties.

*Comment deleted*

Betting helps improving the scores.... trust me....... Cos it teaches you to commit on your shots. So every shot is needed to be premium. So even at the tee shot, it needs to be premium. People always says that keeping the driver in the bag helps lowering the scores. Yes if your fwd distance is long enough. If i have to tee off with a fwd and 2nd shot still needs to be premium due to distance, then i might think twice about that decision.

Every single touranment in the PGA is about betting if you ask me. You think they are bothered about the world rankings? They are more worried about making the cut and getting paid.

I agreed with what Duffader say. I play with a friend recently and his first 9 was something like 20+ over...before 2nd nine, he told me his last game as very good and he play his best score. I ask him why, he say probably becos of the bigger betting.

So wat happen next...hehehe...you guess..

bro 4dtoto, my guess would be that you emptied his pocket?

no lah... I just ask him want to up or not so taht he can play better.. so up a little and true enough, his score for second 9 reduce to only 10+....

Moral of this, tell me need to have some pressure to commit to the shots. too much no good, too little, depend what is your purpose of playing golf..

Even if no betting, I am fine.. pressure myself to play better than last game.

I subscribe to duffable's comment about betting improving scores cause I am a truely indeed a testimony to that. Put the moolah on the table and I will ensure that I come home with the lowest possible score

I remember my first golf game after i got my hcp two years ago.

Hazard - 1 penalty
water - 1 penalty
more than 2 putts, every additional putt - 1 penalty.
double bogey and above - 1 penalty.

ANd this was in warren off the blue. End of the game, i got 19 penalties.

The following week, played the same thing, i broke 100.

Bro duffader, I agree with you that betting generally improves the scores.
But I also think betting prolong the game cos ppl take more time on greens.
Or is it only me?

Anyway, there are indeed some ppl who play well when betting.
Howeve there are also another type......when presurre come, they fail cos they put too much focus into it, think too much and at the end did not commit.

Always 2 side to the coin, just my 2 cents.

skybobo wrote:

Bro duffader, I agree with you that betting generally improves the scores.
But I also think betting prolong the game cos ppl take more time on greens.
Or is it only me?

Anyway, there are indeed some ppl who play well when betting.
Howeve there are also another type......when presurre come, they fail cos they put too much focus into it, think too much and at the end did not commit.

Always 2 side to the coin, just my 2 cents.

True... u take a longer time on the green.. but it also means whilte you are walking around the greens, there will be 7 pair of eyes looking at you. So which is more pressurizing.... missing a putt, u will forget it on the next hole already.. but always having the thought of slow play will taunt you for the whole game.

FOr me, the longer i think about the putt, the higher chance i will miss. So always trust it and execute it. the longer you think, the higher the adrenalin, which means you have a higer chance of missing it. So try reading the line, trusting it and just putt it. You will be amazed by the results.