My quest to break 80...

[LeftDaddy]

New to the forum. Renewed golfer after a 20+ year hiatus. But, successful in many other endeavors in my life, much of which I attribute to a logical approach to training and a solid mental game. Take this post for what it's worth, simply as food for thought.

 

...but was too fixated on my score. I choked.

 

I would argue that the fact that you posted this thread indicates that you are, indeed, still fixated on your score, and specifically, breaking 80.

 

It's not a mental issue right now at all. I haven't "choked" on 15 or whatever thinking "I'm finally going to do this". That did happen two years ago. But I've shot between 80 and 85 for every single one of my last 10 rounds, but in all of them I've finished stronger than I started.

 

. Putting has killed me the last two rounds. I thought I was an ok putter until the rest of my game started putting pressure on my putter...

 

Is it possible that you start every round with the hope/expectation that maybe TODAY will be the day that you break 80, and thus you "choke" before you even really get started? Then once you've blown (in your mind) the chance to break 80 after several bad holes, you "relax" and go back focusing on the moment instead of the outcome? Outcome-based thinking is results killer in almost all endeavors, especially individual sports.

 

Again, this free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it...! Keep grinding and you'll get there.

 

- Alex

 

I know what choking feels like, and I'm not choking right now. I'm "fixated" on 79 just because "why not have a goal?" I get that the advice is to forget the score and just go through your routine and play each shot as best you can, and I mostly do that. My "fixation" on 79 isn't a fixation at all. I've come so close over the past month so many times that I'm now convinced it will happen, just a matter of time. I definitely have enough game now to someday break 80, but also not enough game yet to do it consistently. There was a time where I wasn't sure if it would ever happen. That isn't the case now. I know it will. And honestly I feel a 74 is in my future pretty darn soon too, the way I'm playing. But I definitely have to putt better to make that happen.

 

[pearsonified]

At some point, it's more about mindset than skillset.

 

The best guys I know...well, you can't squeeze a bogey out of these SOBs. That's because their mindset is to protect par, and whenever that's in jeopardy, they buckle down, focus, and find a way to knock it in without losing a stroke.

 

Bad holes are going to happen, but you need to be steely, unrelenting, and committed to getting back on the par-or-better train the second you walk off the green.

 

Those are your strokes—don't let the golf course take 'em!

[Swible]

Agreed about mindset. I am an 11.1 trending down BIG because of my last 4 rounds. 79 72 77 and the almighty 70. What got me here was 2 big pieces.

 

1. Switched to a mallet putter as I am a notorious 3 putter. HUGE difference

 

2. Mindset , not adding my score.. I figured this out on the round where I shot par. I was 3 under with 3 to go. 3 putted 16 from 25 feet. 3 putted 17 from 16 feet and, while in complete panic mode, 3 putted 18 from 6 feet. lol. My playing partners were in complete shock. I decided right there that i would write down each holes score and move on. Worry about the total after the round.

 

That being said, the 70 was pure luck in my opinion. 3 chip in birdies and 2 looong lag putts that fell in. Did have 3 legit birdies from under 6 feet.... all 3 were par 5s.

 

Looking forward to my updated index. lol. Wont be winning much money in my league in the near future.

[Swible]

Agreed about mindset. I am an 11.1 trending down BIG because of my last 4 rounds. 79 72 77 and the almighty 70. What got me here was 2 big pieces.

 

1. Switched to a mallet putter as I am a notorious 3 putter. HUGE difference

 

2. Mindset , not adding my score.. I figured this out on the round where I shot par. I was 3 under with 3 to go. 3 putted 16 from 25 feet. 3 putted 17 from 16 feet and, while in complete panic mode, 3 putted 18 from 6 feet. lol. My playing partners were in complete shock. I decided right there that i would write down each holes score and move on. Worry about the total after the round.

 

That being said, the 70 was pure luck in my opinion. 3 chip in birdies and 2 looong lag putts that fell in. Did have 3 legit birdies from under 6 feet.... all 3 were par 5s.

 

Looking forward to my updated index. lol. Wont be winning much money in my league in the near future.

 

Sorry about the double post. ?

[Juan73]

I have read all the posts on this thread... and have a few observations.

 

While I have read over and over how Leftdaddy smashes his drives and only had four balls out of play in the last 4 rounds... and that he has short irons into the greens. What I have not read is "How many greens in regulation" are hit in each round?

 

To lower your score there are lots of ways and good suggestions. However, you have to hit at least 9 greens consistently to be a consistent 79 golfer. Note I wrote consistently. There are days when you will make lots of putts, there are other days when you three putt a lot or miss short putts. There are some days when you miss a green and you will chip it close or even hole out. Then there are days when your chipping/bunker play seem to desert you....

 

Hit more greens by improving your iron play and you will break 80 consistently.

 

So let us know your GIRs and what specifically you are doing to improve them.

 

If you just need a confidence builder, play from the red or forward most tees ... so you can experience what it is like to go low. Don't count the results as part of your goal to break 80, as you most assuredly will from the closer tees,... just think about what you learned. The apply these lessons as you move back.

 

From my personal experience, I am not a natural athlete, I just work hard. In the last 3 years I have focused on improving my Greens In Regulation since I know that will allow me to shoot lower more scores consistently. When I started I was only hitting 5 GIR a round... in the last 20 rounds I have averaged 12 GIR (the lowest was 8 and the highest was 14). My average score has been 78.1. I do have double bogies, though no triples, and have some 3 putts as well as 1 putts. In fact my average putts per round is about 35-36. While I am hitting the GIRs I am not always close to the hole.

 

My focus has been on improving my ball striking, mostly my iron play. I still have a LONG way to go, but, I do not need to be tour level or perfect to play in the high 70s/low80s.

 

ALSO, don't focus on one part of your game in exclusion to others. Maybe divide your practice time differently. But you must continue to practice your short game, your approach shots, and your driving... every time out.

 

Looking forward to following your progress.

[Justmuckit]

The post above beat me to it.

 

I've been on the quest to break 80 for the first time as well, and finally did yesterday...with two doubles and a triple.

 

The only way that's possible is to make birdies, which means hitting more greens and giving yourself opportunities. As someone posted before, there's no hard and fast rules to breaking 80. Hell, I backed that 79 up yesterday in my second round with an 82 and I could make the argument that the 82 was the better round. I hit half the greens I did in the 79 round and had no birdies. Funny game, golf.

 

From reading your posts, OP - it sounds like you just need to clean up your iron play and putting a bit and you'll get there.

[LeftDaddy]

I did some analysis on my game years ago and came up with a model that predicted my score quite well. # of GIR was the biggest predictor, along with course rating. Years later I saw a golf magazine article with almost the exact formula I came up,with.

 

So GIR is apparently important, which makes a ton of sense.

 

But how is it you work on getting more GIR? It's a bit of an "output" metric (i.e. it requires a decent tee shot and a good approach shot, but it isn't as easy to say "I'll just go make sure I get 9 GIR next round"). So how does one improve their # of GIR?

 

And to answer your question, I actually don't know how many GIR I've had in my recent rounds.

 

Finally, to be clear, I'm "smashing" (your word, not mine) my driver relatively speaking. Two years ago I only barely hit driver. I was hitting 3 wood at least 10 times per round (and scoring reasonably well). I just recently discovered a swing thought about two months ago that has turned my driver into a weapon (again, relatively speaking).

[Juan73]

 

So GIR is apparently important, which makes a ton of sense.

 

But how is it you work on getting more GIR? It's a bit of an "output" metric (i.e. it requires a decent tee shot and a good approach shot, but it isn't as easy to say "I'll just go make sure I get 9 GIR next round"). So how does one improve their # of GIR?

 

And to answer your question, I actually don't know how many GIR I've had in my recent rounds.

 

 

You are exactly right, GIR is an output metric. So to improve my GIR I needed to improve my ball striking. So I have worked hard and continue to work hard to be a better ball striker. The better I hit the ball, the better I score. If I hit the driver longer, straighter and in the fairway, ... it improves the chances I get a GIR. If I hit my irons more cleanly, and in the direction of the center of the green .. it improves the chances I get a GIR.

 

For me, GIR is the best measure of one's ball striking skills.

 

And here are some other things that I focused on as I manage my way to a lower score through better course management:

 

I know my misses and focus on hitting the center of the green on almost all my approach shots into the green. I know hitting the center of the green will leave me long putts on occasion. However, this is better for me than being in the bunker, or short siding myself, or... you get the point :-)

 

GIR on par 3s. The ball is sitting on the tee, which give me the best chance to hit it cleanly. There are usually 4 Par 3s, so I particularly focus on making sure I hit the green. If so, in a round of golf I will have 4 GIR.

 

GIR on par 5s. Here I have the best chance of hitting a poorer shot and still get on the green in regulation. Again, I focus on how to play the hole to best enable me to get a GIR. Sometimes the most cautious route is the best. In some cases I have even hit a three wood off to the tee to insure I start in the middle of the fairway. Also on most courses there are 4 par 5s, So I have a chance for 4 more GIR.

 

So if I am able to execute my plan, I have 4 GIR on the par 3s, and 4 on the par 5s. So I have 8 GIR. If I do not three putt any of these holes, or even one putt them. I have 8 pars. So that should get you from 90 to 82. You simply need to make a par on 3 of the remaining 10 par 4s and you will break 80.

 

This sounds theoretical. But I use this approach. In my last 23 rounds I averaged 3.2 on the par 3s, and 5.21 on the par 5s. So while I focus on GIR on these holes, I am not always able to make it happen. Which fits with my sense that my ball striking has to continue to get better as well as my course management skills. On the par 4s I averaged 4.42 strokes.

 

Wishing you success on your quest to break 80.

[troublelove]

if you want to improve your GIR numbers, forget the pin locations and aim for the middle of greens no matter where the hole is.

 

If you are playing somewhere with normal size greens then this will improve your GIR, your scrambling and your 3 putt %.

 

A research piece was done by a College in conjunction with the EGU a few years ago. The other two controllables which can improve your scores (for amateur golfers) is taking less club off the tee on sub 385 yard par fours (you score better when playing from the fairway) and taking more club when playing into the green (the majority of trouble tends to be at the front.

[SNIPERBBB]

if you want to improve your GIR numbers, forget the pin locations and aim for the middle of greens no matter where the hole is.

 

If you are playing somewhere with normal size greens then this will improve your GIR, your scrambling and your 3 putt %.

 

A research piece was done by a College in conjunction with the EGU a few years ago. The other two controllables which can improve your scores (for amateur golfers) is taking less club off the tee on sub 385 yard par fours (you score better when playing from the fairway) and taking more club when playing into the green (the majority of trouble tends to be at the front.

 

One simply does not aim at the center of the green. That may be your intended ending point for your shot. You should think more, "what is point to aim at for my normal shot shape to get me to the middlw of the green?"

[Juan73]

if you want to improve your GIR numbers, forget the pin locations and aim for the middle of greens no matter where the hole is.

 

If you are playing somewhere with normal size greens then this will improve your GIR, your scrambling and your 3 putt %.

 

A research piece was done by a College in conjunction with the EGU a few years ago. The other two controllables which can improve your scores (for amateur golfers) is taking less club off the tee on sub 385 yard par fours (you score better when playing from the fairway) and taking more club when playing into the green (the majority of trouble tends to be at the front.

 

One simply does not aim at the center of the green. That may be your intended ending point for your shot. You should think more, "what is point to aim at for my normal shot shape to get me to the middlw of the green?"

 

Nice clarification. Which fits with my comment above, that I know my shot tendencies. I mentioned hitting the center of the green, not necessarily aiming for it.

[HoosierHacker89]

Breaking 80 is really pretty easy task to complete once you've done it a couple times. don't keep tract of your score. It gets in yours head to know where you stand.

[SNIPERBBB]

This goes for fairways as well.

[LeftDaddy]

So basically what I'm taking from this is (a) improve my ball-striking, and (b) aim so that I play toward the middle of every green. This definitely makes sense although I could nitpick the "middle of the green" advice when on occasion that is a bad play due to length of putt or the slope of the putt that leaves, but at least I'm putting I guess.

 

I feel like I've worked on ballstriking for the better part of two years (to recap...was striking it well...tore an ACL 2.5 years ago...post surgery have never really recovered my ballstriking ability although have shown flashes of brilliance). I chalk this one up to "I will come out of the other side of this a much better ballstriker, but in the moment it sure sucks". I'm getting very close on the ballstriking...very close.

[Juan73]

So basically what I'm taking from this is (a) improve my ball-striking, and (b) aim so that I play toward the middle of every green. This definitely makes sense although I could nitpick the "middle of the green" advice when on occasion that is a bad play due to length of putt or the slope of the putt that leaves, but at least I'm putting I guess.

 

I feel like I've worked on ballstriking for the better part of two years (to recap...was striking it well...tore an ACL 2.5 years ago...post surgery have never really recovered my ballstriking ability although have shown flashes of brilliance). I chalk this one up to "I will come out of the other side of this a much better ballstriker, but in the moment it sure sucks". I'm getting very close on the ballstriking...very close.

 

I had some serious problems with my back for a couple of years, and lost a lot of distance which I still have not gotten back. So I understand the impact of surgery.

 

Here is my data from today. Using the strategy I suggested above.

 

I shot 75 which is 3 over par.

I hit 10/14 fairways (only one time I was far enough off that I had to hit a shorter shot than I would have liked. Glad it was on a par 5)

I hit 13/18 GIR

I had 34 putts (no three putts)

I had 1 birdie and 4 bogies

 

I hit all four Par 3s and Par 5s in regulation.

 

You are right about "middle of the green" since you have to be good at lag putting or you could end up with a few three putts. I am a pretty good lag putter... here are my distances from the hole today in feet starting with the first hole.

 

15, 18, 20, 33, 37. 40, 30 (made this putt for a birdie), 15, 24, 30, 62, 31, 3 (got up and down for a par), 29, 37, 63, 27, 15.

 

I averaged about 31 feet from the hole on those greens I was on in regulation. According to PGA Tour stats, players only made about 3% of those at 30 feet. So I do not expect to make a lot from that distance :-)

 

Now I will admit I did something STUPID on the 18th hole. I was in the fairway, 143 from the hole. The pin was just behind a bunker which was just over the water. Instead of going for the left side of the green where there was no danger, I was an idiot and wanted to try to birdie the last hole. And hit it in the bunker barely 10 feet from the pin. I did not get up and down... and ended up with a bogey. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID

 

I am sure your ball striking will improve.... I will be awaiting your post when you can say, "I broke 80!!" Cheering you on.