Learning how to break 80 is a relatively simple task once you learn all the basic shots. It’s now just a matter of putting it all together to shoot in the 70’s. Follow these 9 golf tips to get you into the clubhouse with a career low score.
9 Tips to break 80
1) Work on the Lag Putts Before the Round- Right before you go to the tee, spend 10 or 15 minutes putting. Keep in mind the putts that are really going to make or break your round are the lag putts. Really concentrate on “dialing in” the distance. You want to have two putts all day, with tap ins for the second put.
2) Use Your Favorite Club Off the Tee- Face the facts. If you can’t hit the driver and keep it in play off the tee, then don’t use it! Use the club you can hit the longest, yet still keep it in play. Getting off the tee and keeping it in play is the most important part of playing a good round.
3) Play Your Own Game- This is closely related to the last tip. Play your own style of golf. Don’t worry about how others are playing the hole- what they are hitting off the tee, what club into the green, or what kind of short shot or putt. Only you know your strengths and confidence in certain shots. Try to play the best you can, not like someone else.
4) Play to Your Strengths- You know your strengths, play to them. Try to put your ball in positions that allow you to use your strengths on every hole. This is different for everyone, but just having this thought is a game changer. Do you draw the ball? Make sure you are coming in from the correct side of the fairway. Are you good at the 150 yard shot? Lay up to that distance, etc…
5) Swing Easy Into the Wind- Swing smooth and easy when hitting into the wind. You’ll put less spin on the ball and hit it straighter. Realize you’ll have to hit more club and rely on the short game to get you a par or bogey.
6) Minimize the Damage- Don’t try that “one in a million” shot when you can play the ball away from the hole and guarantee a par or bogey. Knowing when to back off can save you 2 or 3 strokes on one hole. That’s the difference between a 77 and an 80.
7) Lay Up- If you can make the water, fine, take the chance. But you know when to suck it up and lay up! “There are no pictures on score cards” as they say, and the taunting of your playing buddies will be a thing of the past when you shoot a 76.
8) Play the Shot You Have that Day- Don’t fight the shot you are playing on the day of your round. If you can’t seem to stop hitting the draw, then just aim right. Same with the slice. Don’t struggle against the shots you keep playing. Use them to your advantage. You now know where the shot is going to end up!
9) Stick to a Routine- Having a routine before every shot will help you in those pressure shots coming down the stretch. Stick to a precise routine and you’ll keep your mind off the consequences of every shot.
There’s 9 tips to keep in mind as you learn how to break 80. If you can use your skill and keep these mental aspects in the back of your mind, you’ll be shooting in the 70’s in no time.