There are many different strategies for breaking the various milestones in golf. The one I want to talk about today is breaking 80 consistently. I chose this benchmark because it fits my game for the start of my 2023 season. I always want to break 80 when playing any golf course. It is my target score that helps me develop my course management strategy. To break 80 consistently, there are several aspects of my game that I need hone. My process is fairly straight forward as it was developed over years of practice.

To Break 80, I have six aspects of my game that I have developed that usually assure a lower score. Of course, like all players, I do have games where I do not perform to expectations resulting in a higher score, but we will not talk about those. 😉 That happens and I do not sweat the small stuff. To consistently break 80, I need to do the following:

1. Practice Putting
2. Work on your wedges for all distances
3. Practice around the green (within 25 yards) including out of bunkers
4. Aim to the middle of the green side of the pin
5. Start swinging all clubs under control. This will vary between clubs
6. Work on course management

As you can see, my focus is from the pin outwards. To truly lower my score and sustain this level of excellence, my short game has to be at the forefront of how I play golf. Many players overlook the strokes lost around the green. Amateurs think that hitting the ball long to get the ball close to the green is where strokes are saved and in some cases this is true. However, chipping and putting account for a third of our score during a normal round. Therefore, to break 80 consistently, our short game must be the focus.

“We use the phrase Greens in Regulation (GIR) to describe the number of times a golfer is on a par 3 in one shot, a par 4 in two shots and a par 5 in three or less shots. But let’s flip that stat to “Greens Missed in Regulation” (GMR). The scratch (zero handicap) golfer misses seven to eight greens a round, the 85 shooter misses 14 to 15 greens and the 100 shooter misses all the greens on average.”

“That is why short shots constitute 60 to 65 percent of the game (putting alone is 40 percent). So the 85 shooter will take roughly 50 to 55 short shots a round. Yet 90 percent of the requests I get are for full swing lessons. In other words, 10 percent of golfers want lessons on the shots they play 65 percent of the time and 90 percent of golfers want lessons on shots they play 35 percent of the time. Go to a driving range or any practice facility in the country. If you see 20 golfers practicing at that facility, I’m betting that 17 or 18 will be hitting balls, and maybe two or three will be chipping or putting.” 

https://www.golfwrx.com/65177/its-time-to-work-on-your-short-game/

If you are still not convinced, have a look at what Mark Crossfield has to say:

The percentage of golfers who consistently break 80 varies. I read as low as 2% and as high as 21%; personally somewhere in between is likely the actual number. It is difficult to know for sure because of the poor ability to collect accurate stats. Regardless, there are much fewer golfers breaking 80 than many suspect. I know I consistently break 80, but have been known to shoot higher depending on many factors.

Regardless of where your score stands, developing a strong short game is key to lower golf scores. I have espoused this for years: start at the pin and work on your game outwards. And if you are ever in doubt on how to approach this seemingly daunting task, seek your local professional for advice and/or lessons.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links…..today!