- Account
Existing Members Login to My Account
- Handicap Tracker
Free Membership Register New AccountUSGA Club Membership Join a Local USGA Club Establish a USGA Handicap
|
|
117 Views 62 Replies
1 Like 
|
|
My goal this year is to break 90. I shoot consistently in the mid 90's and some of that is putting which I am working on.
I am just curious - what was your ah ha moment on breaking 90 or even 80 (goal for next year). What tip or exercise would you suggest I practice on a regular basis to get those numbers down. I am a pretty good (though short) driver and my woods/hybrids are pretty solid. Long irons I sometimes hook to the right and short irons I sometimes hit behind the ball. Thanks for any suggestions! |
|
|
| # 1 7/20/2010 8:22:32 PM |
|
PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! Work on your short game,PUTTING,BUNKERS,UP & DOWNS,CHIPPING,PITCHING.AND the mental part of the game & course-management.
here are some drills you can do at home. SWING BROOM DRILL, 5 SET OF 25 SWINGS WITH A BROOM at 75%.take it easy,swing easy,note on the last 5 swings you have left, swing at 100% TIRE DRILL,SWING AT 50%,NOTE,NOT A HARD SWING!! EASY SWING.this will stop you from hitting behind the ball and make you hit down at the ball. 3 sets of 15 easy swings,note: use an old IRON like a 4 iron,you can also use an old Driver..BOOM! Also if you want more distance,add this too your workout:note: use an 10lbs or 15lbs dumbbells 3 sets of 15 reps of bicep curls 3 sets of 15 reps of triceps 3 sets of 15 reps of shoulders INDOOR PUTTING ON A PUTTING GREEN OR CARPET" 200 PUTTS FROM 3FOOT & 200,CHIPPING FROM 8FOOT 200 PUTTS FROM 8FOOT & 200,CHIPPING FROM 15FOOT Note:do this for 21 days straight,and i bet you will break 90 this year! |
|
|
| # 2 7/20/2010 8:34:15 PM |
|
Short game is the key. Also practice putts from 3, 6, 9, and 12 feet. With these points of your game sharp, missing the green will not be that bad. Getting up and down will be almost automatic.
Also get comfortable and consistent with what you are doing in your swing. It all comes with practice .... And you will have 90 beat ..... |
|
|
| # 3 7/20/2010 9:20:33 PM |
|
Well I'm trying to do this right now. Shooting 90 is not cool when you're trying so hard to shoot 89. I would say just hit fairways and putt well. If you miss 12 fairways the whole round then good luck breaking 100. And if you have 40 putts then good luck breaking 110. I had 29 putts in that 90 round and hit 6 fairways out of 14. That just shows how vitale it is to keep the ball in play.
|
|
|
| # 4 7/20/2010 9:27:18 PM |
|
I broke 90 for the first time a few years ago, and now break it a few times a year (twice this year already, though!!), but certainly not everytime I play.
What worked for me: * Treat "bogey golf" as "par". * Get on the green in 3. If you do that, you have a shot at par, and a 2 putt for bogey. A single par in a round of bogeys will break 90. * Don't sweat a double - just know that you'll need an extra par to even it out. * Avoid the blow-up holes. Make it a goal to avoid the snowmen at all costs. You can still bounce back from a 7, but 8's and over will kill you. * If you get into trouble, take your lumps. Don't try for the hero shot, you'll only make it worse. Example - you flub a tee shot and it only goes say 50 yds. Your goal is still the same - get on in 3. You have made the next shots slightly harder, but a 3 wood and a hybrid will still get you on in 3. If you hit into tall rough, wedge out safely and then go for the green. * As everyone else said - short game, short game, short game. A 1 putt can save bogey from double, or turn a bogey into par. A good chip or pitch to be on in 3 can let you score par instead of bogey. * If you have a bad front 9, focus on breaking 45 on the back 9. Erase the front from your memory and stick to your game plan. Once you know you can break 45 for 9, you can break 90 for 18. I have found that the "on in 3" mentality works really well....makes things seem reasonable and not impossible. In fact, the first time I broke 90, I shattered it and shot an 85. Still my best score. Good luck!! Let us know when you do it!! |
|
|
| # 5 7/20/2010 9:57:50 PM |
|
Power13 is right play bogey golf play 3s like 4s 4 like 5s and so on i do this and i have broken 90 3 times (89,89,87). Just play with in yourself don't try to hit the long shot. I myself am not a long hit but i keep my ball in play......oh and practice on the short game will help alot too.
|
|
|
| # 6 7/20/2010 10:19:47 PM |
|
Thank you all for your ideas/suggestions. I will definitely keep practicing and will let you know how it goes. I am working on my upper body strength too and trying to just get more fit overall.
|
|
|
| # 7 7/20/2010 10:56:28 PM |
|
My ah-ha moment came when i started playing at least twice a week. My game changed dramaticly when i played more. Sounds simple i know, but in a two year period i went from a 18 handicap to a 6.5.
|
|
|
| # 8 7/20/2010 11:09:01 PM |
|
Just keep playing and play well...You will break 90 soon...
|
|
|
| # 9 7/20/2010 11:12:59 PM |
|
For me, my scores lowered when i finally started driving the ball straight and getting a little more distance.
However my advice to you would be let it come to you. If you get so focused on breaking 90 it will become a grind. Golf should be fun not work. You might even consider not tallying your score after 9 you will have an idea in your head on how you are playing. seeing ow i shot 50 i gotta get going or great i shot 40 i got it easy. might change your approach for the rest of the round. Good luck |
|
|
| # 10 7/20/2010 11:17:10 PM |
|
Considering your description of your game, I'd say keep playing. It'll happen on its own.
(and I'm tempted to say don't fool around too much with what you're doing already ... sounds like you know your game and are learning to tweak it yourself) |
|
|
| # 11 7/21/2010 1:50:01 AM |
|
The first time I broke 90 was a total surprise. I knew I was playing well, and at the end of the round when I added my score up I had to redo it..... twice!!!!!! I had shot a 85!!!!!!! I was so stoked that I played another round and broke 90 again, with a 89! That was in Feb or March of this year, and I have gotten as low as a 81 since. But I have also scored over 100 a few times since too! For me it comes and goes, I find that if I try to hard I usually get a big number. For me a thourough warm up does the trick. It lets me know what to expect from swing with every club for that round. Anyway..... don't worry, it will happen when you least expect it!
P.S. It feels great too! |
|
|
| # 12 7/21/2010 5:55:29 AM |
|
By looking at your stats, I would have to agree with you. Your averaging 40 putts per round according to your stat meter. The average should be no more than 36 putts per round or 2 per hole. With successful up and downs around the green even at 30%, you should be able to get your average putts down to around 32, which should be the difference in you breaking 90--I try and practice putting at least once a week for 30 minutes. I just stop by a local course when I'm passing by and practice 5',10' and 20' putts for 30 minutes. Give it a try and make that time. You'll see a big difference in about 4 weeks time.
|
|
|
| # 13 7/21/2010 6:22:22 AM |
|
I joined the STRACKA FRIENDS GOLF TOUR, SFGT, this year. I never have had the opportunity to play any kind of competitive golf. I wondered just how it would affect my game knowing that I had to declare ahead of time that a certain round was going to be a "tour" round.
I found that my mind set did indeed shift, and my low 90s average dropped by nearly 10 strokes REGULARLY. I have dropped to a 15 handicap after starting the year with a 22. Why? Golf coourse management and realistic risk assesment. I study what shots NOT not try and where I do NOT want to miss. Where I may have taken a higher risk at a CHANCE of pulling off a magnificant shot, I used the teachings of Dave Pelz in his book "Damage Control" along with my own common sense. "Let's not make matters worse" is one of my mantras. So, for me, taking less risk and studying the course that I was playing made a huge difference in my ability to score well. I am now honestly disappointed if I shoot above 85. |
|
|
| # 14 7/21/2010 6:46:40 AM |
|
TLaVan
Golf coourse management and realistic risk assesment Could not agree more If you can keep the ball in play. 1 shot out of bounds will add atleast 2 shots to that hole if not more. Shots around green is a must to improve on, if you blade a chip across the green it hurts your mind game. Try to two put every green if more that 15 ft away on a green try to get close to make 2nd putt, sometimes if you go for the long putt you may go by the cup and here we go again. these are some things I found work for me I have dropped my handicap from a 36 to a 16 in less than a year. Its not only short game. They say drive for show and putt for doe. True but you still have to get there to putt so work on every shot. good luck it will happen |
|
|
| # 15 7/21/2010 9:45:28 AM |
|
For me to Break 90 then to break 80 was not to think about the score. You know playing good. So those last hole or two. Just play them like you have been playing. To know you have to par the last two holes will make it very hard to do. Play your round then add them up
|
