Breaking 100/90/80

[Josh Parker]

I searched and know there may be a topic on this but I didn't find it...

How do you get to that next mile marker in this game we call golf?  How do you break 100/90/80 consistently and what does it take in your golf game to get there?

I know that we are going to get a bunch of different answers when it comes to breaking that next mile marker, but I think that's what I find interesting about this topic.

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Reducing the big number on the scorecard. At each level it’s about minimizing triple bogeys, double bogeys and then bogey.

Improve course management, inside 125 yards and putting. 
 

 

[Josh Parker]

15 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Reducing the big number on the scorecard. At each level it’s about minimizing triple bogeys, double bogeys and then bogey.

Improve course management, inside 125 yards and putting. 
 

 

Agree, but at each level what is that next focus item?  

Breaking 100 - Keep ball in play and minimize 3 putts or triples to "x" number of times.

etc....

I think it progresses as you hit those milestones and the focus changes.  You start to develop different skills and I think that's the part that is interesting.  

 

[Jnoble89]

Great thread @Josh Parker. I know for me personally, the biggest key to breaking 100 this year was to minimize penalties. I can't tell you how many strokes I added to rounds at the beginning of the year because of hitting shots OB. Once I got that settled down a bit, it was easier to get into the 90s consistently. Breaking 90 was a completely different ballgame. Much like @RickyBobby_PR said, eliminating as many double bogeys as possible, which meant reducing the number of three putts I had per round. The one week where I shot a 41/40 on two consecutive 9 hole rounds back to back days, I had no score higher than a 6, one birdie in each 9 hole round, and pars on 3 or 4 holes. Best golf I had ever played. So to break 80, one would imagine the elimination of multiple bogeys per 9 OR offsetting with a birdie here and there would be the key.

Goal for next year is to break 80!

[Josh Parker]

2 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

Great thread @Josh Parker. I know for me personally, the biggest key to breaking 100 this year was to minimize penalties. I can't tell you how many strokes I added to rounds at the beginning of the year because of hitting shots OB. Once I got that settled down a bit, it was easier to get into the 90s consistently. Breaking 90 was a completely different ballgame. Much like @RickyBobby_PR said, eliminating as many double bogeys as possible, which meant reducing the number of three putts I had per round. The one week where I shot a 41/40 on two consecutive 9 hole rounds back to back days, I had no score higher than a 6, one birdie in each 9 hole round, and pars on 3 or 4 holes. Best golf I had ever played. So to break 80, one would imagine the elimination of multiple bogeys per 9 OR offsetting with a birdie here and there would be the key.

Goal for next year is to break 80!

And that's why I wanted to make this topic.  I find it interesting because I do think there are certain elements of someone's game that helps them break thru to that next "level" and there are certain things that have to be done at each level.

Breaking 100 is absolutely about keeping the ball in play and sometimes that means leave the driver in the bag.  Well, that was my case when I was learning... LOL.  I also believe this led me to learning to play the longer irons earlier in my process and that helped me as I progressed.  

Breaking 90 - Minimizing the Triples and Doubles but I also think that has to do with realizing the need to not attempt the "hero" shot and punch back out into a clear approach shot.  Focus on scrambling and short game.

Breaking 80 - In addition to the above, for me, it was becoming more mentally aware of where I needed to hit the ball on the course and understanding the danger areas.  If/when I miss a green, what will make that up and down possible. 

I have said multiple times on here that my driver has always been my weak point.  It's a huge focus on practice and I know that in order to hit my goals, I have to have it ironed out.  The strong part of my game is my short game.  I don't worry about bunkers or being just off the green because I have focused on having an arsenal of shots and again have focused on where I can miss to limit exposure.

[Jnoble89]

1 minute ago, Josh Parker said:

And that's why I wanted to make this topic.  I find it interesting because I do think there are certain elements of someone's game that helps them break thru to that next "level" and there are certain things that have to be done at each level.

Breaking 100 is absolutely about keeping the ball in play and sometimes that means leave the driver in the bag.  Well, that was my case when I was learning... LOL.  I also believe this led me to learning to play the longer irons earlier in my process and that helped me as I progressed.  

Breaking 90 - Minimizing the Triples and Doubles but I also think that has to do with realizing the need to not attempt the "hero" shot and punch back out into a clear approach shot.  Focus on scrambling and short game.

Breaking 80 - In addition to the above, for me, it was becoming more mentally aware of where I needed to hit the ball on the course and understanding the danger areas.  If/when I miss a green, what will make that up and down possible. 

I have said multiple times on here that my driver has always been my weak point.  It's a huge focus on practice and I know that in order to hit my goals, I have to have it ironed out.  The strong part of my game is my short game.  I don't worry about bunkers or being just off the green because I have focused on having an arsenal of shots and again have focused on where I can miss to limit exposure.

I feel like we are nearly one in the same person, driver is my biggest Achilles heel as well. When it's working, like those 40/41 rounds, it's a huge boost for me. When it's not, it's penalty strokes left and right. 

Totally agree on not trying "hero" shots as well. I default to a punch to the fairway now instead of trying to hit a shot I MIGHT successfully accomplish 3/10 times. 

The other area I would say I need to develop a go to shot for is kind of what for me is "no man's land" where I'm lets say 30 or so yards from the green. I too often think that I can hit a nice little lob wedge and get it close, but I usually leave it short or thin it. I need to just trust a bump and run style shot or low chip with a GW, which I have much more likelihood of success with. If I'm going over a bunker of course that changes but otherwise need to learn to leave the high lofted clubs in the bag. 

I've definitely got plenty to work on over the winter so that I can come out of the gate strong in the spring! 

[Josh Parker]

7 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

I feel like we are nearly one in the same person, driver is my biggest Achilles heel as well. When it's working, like those 40/41 rounds, it's a huge boost for me. When it's not, it's penalty strokes left and right. 

Totally agree on not trying "hero" shots as well. I default to a punch to the fairway now instead of trying to hit a shot I MIGHT successfully accomplish 3/10 times. 

The other area I would say I need to develop a go to shot for is kind of what for me is "no man's land" where I'm lets say 30 or so yards from the green. I too often think that I can hit a nice little lob wedge and get it close, but I usually leave it short or thin it. I need to just trust a bump and run style shot or low chip with a GW, which I have much more likelihood of success with. If I'm going over a bunker of course that changes but otherwise need to learn to leave the high lofted clubs in the bag. 

I've definitely got plenty to work on over the winter so that I can come out of the gate strong in the spring! 

I think I hit driver twice in yesterdays round.  I am waiting on the new shafts to get here and have one in the driver that I don't like at all so I hit it on 2 holes I know has room for the slice and then it was 4 iron or 3 wood off the tee.

[tdroma98]

I agree Jason, great thread @Josh Parker!  Breaking 100, then 90 then 80 then 70 was a process. Taking lessons to understand the swing.  A lot of time at the range to hopefully develop the good swing habits from the golf lessons.  

Building off the positive shots, after breaking the numbers: 100, 90 & 80.  
The biggest positive for me was developing a routine.  Practicing with a purpose, not just going to the range and seeing how many balls you can hit & how fast you go through a bucket of balls. Developing a routine that does not require a 2 minute preparation before each shot, LOL. 

For me personally, during my quest to break 100/90/80, it was important to read instructional, including the mental approach to the game.  I'm a fan of Dr. Bob Rotella & for me the book having the most impact was written by: Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott: Every Shot Must Have a Purpose. The two ladies were Annika Sorenstam's instructors.  The book taught me about implementing routines & thought process while approaching a shot.  Certainly eliminating the big numbers will contribute to lower scores, but how? Course Management & playing within your abilities.  Putting your ego in your pocket.  Just because Tiger hits a 6 iron 210 yards from a bunker over water, is that a practical club & shot for mere mortal weekend warriors? 

Lastly, fine tuning the short game was really the key to consistency, for me.  I've become a very good chipper around the green, saving many shots a side, which equates to lower scores.  You are not going to hit 18 of 18 greens. Accept that. A wise older man once told me, what are you getting angry for, you hit your approach shot 25 feet from the pin & have a putt for birdie. You are not going to hit every approach shot inside of 10 feet. Accept it. What's the bonus for hitting the 20-25ft from pin? You make the birdie or you walk off with an easy par.  That for some reason has resonated with me & is part of my thought process.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

Agree, but at each level what is that next focus item?  

Breaking 100 - Keep ball in play and minimize 3 putts or triples to "x" number of times.

etc....

I think it progresses as you hit those milestones and the focus changes.  You start to develop different skills and I think that's the part that is interesting.  

 

If you are trying to break 100 reduce the number of triple bogeys or worse. You do that that by not marking a bad result from a shot worse. Don’t play hero shots, understand what you can and can’t do. Practice all aspects of the game but give more attention to wedge play including chipping/pitching and bunkers and also putting. Reduce the number of 3 putts that lead to bigger numbers. A simple way to break 100 is to play every hole as one par more, so par 5s are now par 6s, par 4s are now par 5s and par 3s are now par 4s. Pick a club off the tee that is appropriate for the shot that you need to keep the ball in play and so on til the ball is in the hole. 

trying to break 90 then you have TK or prevent doubles from becoming triples and bogeys from becoming doubles. At this point there is probably some better control of shots, course management has probably improved a bit as has wedge play and putting. But practicing those areas is still a priority.

breaking 80 is harder than 90 and 100. You can’t have many doubles so preventing bogeys from getting to a double or higher is priority. Making safe shots and not leaving oneself in a bad position around the green.

 

[Josh Parker]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

If you are trying to break 100 reduce the number of triple bogeys or worse. You do that that by not marking a bad result from a shot worse. Don’t play hero shots, understand what you can and can’t do. Practice all aspects of the game but give more attention to wedge play including chipping/pitching and bunkers and also putting. Reduce the number of 3 putts that lead to bigger numbers. A simple way to break 100 is to play every hole as one par more, so par 5s are now par 6s, par 4s are now par 5s and par 3s are now par 4s. Pick a club off the tee that is appropriate for the shot that you need to keep the ball in play and so on til the ball is in the hole. 

I like this thought process of adding a stroke to each hole and playing that approach.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

30 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

I like this thought process of adding a stroke to each hole and playing that approach.  

The biggest issue with this approach is ego. Too many have the goal of breaking 100 or 90 and will only try to do it using driver or FW off the tee. The goal has to be broken down to 1) breaking 100 or 2) breaking 100 using driver/wood. If the goal really is to just break 100 or 90 then if they put ego aside and treat each hole as an extra stroke on par then almost everyone can be under 100 and if they have a couple good holes where they make normal par they will break 90.

if the goal is to break 100 or 90 with driver/wood then it gets into reducing errors off the tee and minimize the damage after a bad shot. Ego comes into play here too because the golfer starts to think about what’s needed to make some score on that hole or where they are score wise to that point and then attempt shots that they don’t have in the bag or have a low probability of success like trying to fit the ball in a narrow gap in the trees rather than punch it out sideways or backwards.

[Josh Parker]

5 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

The biggest issue with this approach is ego. Too many have the goal of breaking 100 or 90 and will only try to do it using driver or FW off the tee. The goal has to be broken down to 1) breaking 100 or 2) breaking 100 using driver/wood. If the goal really is to just break 100 or 90 then if they put ego aside and treat each hole as an extra stroke on par then almost everyone can be under 100 and if they have a couple good holes where they make normal par they will break 90.

if the goal is to break 100 or 90 with driver/wood then it gets into reducing errors off the tee and minimize the damage after a bad shot. Ego comes into play here too because the golfer starts to think about what’s needed to make some score on that hole or where they are score wise to that point and then attempt shots that they don’t have in the bag or have a low probability of success like trying to fit the ball in a narrow gap in the trees rather than punch it out sideways or backwards.

100% agree!  When the driver isn't working, it stays in the bag for me.  I will hit iron off the tee all day long.  Do I have a longer shot into the green... yes, but I'm in play and know I can be on the green or close to it and chip/putt.  

 

[Bossfan]

Finding more fairways on tee shots and avoiding 3 putts are a good start. Avoid big mistakes. The thing that really helped me was realizing if I get on in 3 that still gives me a chance at par. I average a few strokes less than 2 putts per hole. This got me from averaging over 90 to mid 80s. If I could improve my approach average maybe I can get under 80 more often. 

Edited November 16 by Bossfan

[StrokerAce]

2 hours ago, tdroma98 said:

I agree Jason, great thread @Josh Parker!  Breaking 100, then 90 then 80 then 70 was a process. Taking lessons to understand the swing.  A lot of time at the range to hopefully develop the good swing habits from the golf lessons.  

Building off the positive shots, after breaking the numbers: 100, 90 & 80.  
The biggest positive for me was developing a routine.  Practicing with a purpose, not just going to the range and seeing how many balls you can hit & how fast you go through a bucket of balls. Developing a routine that does not require a 2 minute preparation before each shot, LOL. 

For me personally, during my quest to break 100/90/80, it was important to read instructional, including the mental approach to the game.  I'm a fan of Dr. Bob Rotella & for me the book having the most impact was written by: Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott: Every Shot Must Have a Purpose. The two ladies were Annika Sorenstam's instructors.  The book taught me about implementing routines & thought process while approaching a shot.  Certainly eliminating the big numbers will contribute to lower scores, but how? Course Management & playing within your abilities.  Putting your ego in your pocket.  Just because Tiger hits a 6 iron 210 yards from a bunker over water, is that a practical club & shot for mere mortal weekend warriors? 

Lastly, fine tuning the short game was really the key to consistency, for me.  I've become a very good chipper around the green, saving many shots a side, which equates to lower scores.  You are not going to hit 18 of 18 greens. Accept that. A wise older man once told me, what are you getting angry for, you hit your approach shot 25 feet from the pin & have a putt for birdie. You are not going to hit every approach shot inside of 10 feet. Accept it. What's the bonus for hitting the 20-25ft from pin? You make the birdie or you walk off with an easy par.  That for some reason has resonated with me & is part of my thought process.  

both great books and quick reads with easy to digest info! 
I've gotten down to a single digit cap w/o lessons or a course membership anywhere and it takes work but some of it can be done and a portion of it without a club in your hand.

alignment, aim, strategy, etc.
such simple things that some people I play with overlook. they hit a good shot but it hits the tree 150 yards away and they wonder why. it was right where they were aiming. 
strategy is a simple word that can get overcomplicated. sometimes bogey is a good score. pros can hit banana cuts and huge hooks around trees etc - you can't and don't try.
look at what the course is asking and think before hitting your shot. 

once you get the club in your hand:
in my experience the number 1 reason for double/triple/quad, etc bogey is hitting the ball either OB our out of play (requiring a punchout)
whatever I do from the tee box I don't think about how far I can hit it I think about what is the best shot that keeps the ball in play - sometimes that means playing some of the par 5s in 3 full shots.

the second reason for BIG scores is mishits from 100 and in. chunking a wedge, blading a chip, etc.
do whatever it takes to get the ball on the green as quickly as possible. 
forget about spinning it back in the hole, chipping in, getting it to 5 feet. JUST GET IT ON THE GREEN.
once your on the green PRACTICE LAG PUTTING. don't try and make long putts. odds are against you (and even pros!) get it to a reasonable distance where you can make the next putt.
this isn't as easy as it sounds but will help minimize your 3 putts.

final thing for me was mid-irons/approach shots. don't get caught up in GIR... try 'greenside' in regulation instead. if it's on the green, great... if not, get it close.

lastly - avoid bunkers - either greenside of fairway. most of the public driving ranges I go to don't have practice bunkers and one of the golf adages I've always found true is to never hit a shot during a round that you haven't practiced. if you have practice bunkers - great! - once you get the technique down it's pretty simple but hitting a shot out of a bunker is typically different than any other shot on the course.

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

22 minutes ago, Bossfan said:

Finding more fairways on tee shots and avoiding 3 putts are a good start. Avoid big mistakes. The thing that really helped me was realizing if I get on in 3 that still gives me a chance at par. I average a few strokes less than 2 putts per hole. This got me to averaging over 90 to mid 80s. If I could improve my approach average maybe I can get under 80 more often. 

I’ve broken 80 on multiple occasions with only hitting a handful or less fairways and have shot mid 80s hitting 8 or 9 fairways. I don’t play many easy courses
 

A former coach had me tracking whether I have a shot towards the hole after my drive using a scoring system of 1-5 with 5 being no shot. Not being in trouble off the tee is important, but having some shot at advancing the ball towards the green is going to help. GIR is a more critical stat than fairways hit.

id rather be closer to the hole and in the rough than further back in the fairway

Edited November 13 by RickyBobby_PR

[RickyBobby_PR]

To further the point on fairways hit not being as important as people think.

https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/study-accuracy-versus-distance/

Not to mention strokes gained showing the similar that closer in the rough is better than further away in the fairway 

 

[Josh Parker]

8 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

To further the point on fairways hit not being as important as people think.

https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/study-accuracy-versus-distance/

Not to mention strokes gained showing the similar that closer in the rough is better than further away in the fairway 

 

This holds true a majority of the time for sure. Course, hole and player dependant can play into the thought process as well.

I have my least favorite par 5 at my course and when the driver isn't working I play a 4 iron to the bottom of the hill so that I'm on a flat surface and not an uphill/sideways lie and then hit my second to the next flat area which leaves me about 135 in to the elevated green. But I understand the risks I have on that hole with a ball above my feet and on a slope.  I take out the hook shot and danger. 

[StrokerAce]

one of the best follows on Twitter/X....




This exact same thing happened with someone I played with my last round. Par 4 with fairway bunkers so he grabs an iron and ... yep, hits it right in the bunker!
I grab a 3w and go over and have a birdie putt and he ended up with a long bogey putt which turned into a double.

He should have hit his driver.

[RickyBobby_PR]

44 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

This holds true a majority of the time for sure. Course, hole and player dependant can play into the thought process as well.

I have my least favorite par 5 at my course and when the driver isn't working I play a 4 iron to the bottom of the hill so that I'm on a flat surface and not an uphill/sideways lie and then hit my second to the next flat area which leaves me about 135 in to the elevated green. But I understand the risks I have on that hole with a ball above my feet and on a slope.  I take out the hook shot and danger. 

Hole layout plays a big role in my choices off the tee. I used to play a course where a draw was a better angle than an fade based on where the tee box was and the tree line down the left. The cart path was on the right side of the hole and there was no room between the path and trees on the right which were dead if all but one area if you went in them. My preferred fade and the amount of room down the left inside of 200 yards made taking it over the trees or just inside them allowed me to have a clear shot at the green from the rough which wasn’t that thick or if it moved a little more to the right I would be on the fairway. The chance to score well from either spot unless I hit a bad shot was going to be the same.

im always looking at what’s my best route to score and weighing the risks of playing a shot that will almost for certain be in the rough

[BLD7]

I think when it comes to breaking into the next scoring level there are some generalities we've all heard, that quite honestly, hold true for everyone. Breaking 100 is about eliminating penalty strokes and double bogey or worse. Breaking 90, keep those bogeys as bogeys and not doubles. Breaking 80, well course management and shot execution.

As I look back on my own progression, here are my notes.

Breaking 100 meant hitting a playable ball off the tee (eliminate penalties) when I figured out how to hit the driver in play, it translated to more playable iron shots. When that happened, there were a lot less triple bogeys on the card. Shooting 99 or better became a regular event.

Breaking 90 was recognizing that I was finishing a round with the same ball (more often than not) I started with. That was the penalty elimination work from the breaking 100 effort. To get 89 or better regularly I had to improve short game and putting. When I eliminated 3-putts, I significantly reduced the number of double-bogeys or worse. And as a result of my improving iron play, some of those putts were starting to fall, resulting in a birdie here or there.

Breaking 80 has been an exercise in course management. At this point I have decent control over my swing so picking the proper targets into the green has been key. Also, not compounding that occasional mistake that makes me think to myself (where did that come from?) has been great for consistent scoring. If I'm executing shots well and picking the best spots to aim then I'm able to break 80 (and have) regularly. If I get a penalty, I have learned that taking the bogey on the hole is ok as the worst outcome. My mental process changed too in these situations to help me break 80. I stopped thinking on the next tee box that I needed to "make up for that bogey" instead I was now thinking only about the shot at hand and going through my routine so that I could execute. Which reminds me, having a regular routine over both full swing shots and putts is crucial to regularly break 80 - for me it is part of the requirement.

(Bonus answer) Fortunately I am in a place where Im working on how best to score par. It seems that now that course management is part of my routine, and my execution capabilities are pretty good, I'm on to the what does it take to be consistent with these things? And how do I continue the pursuit of perfecting execution? When I figure that combination of things out, par 72 seems like it will be a regular occurance. Also, more 1 putts will be crucial in that effort. So, as mentioned in the 2024 goals - being consistent, and holing more putts likely will be the key for me to get to par.