Golf instruction is always changing, but the best advice is timeless. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we highlight the greatest pieces of advice from teachers and players in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we’re looking back at our February 2001 issue for tips on how to break 90.
Golf is a game of milestones. FIRST, it’s about making your first paragraph. Then, you start focusing on the points. The first time you break 100 … 90 … 80. It’s an exciting move.
If you are reading this article, you probably find yourself in the same boat. And based on the title, you are among the many who want to break 90 for the first time.
If that sounds like you — you’re in luck. Back in the February 2001 issue of GOLD Magazineour editors put together a piece that explains the easiest way to break 90 for the first time. Follow the advice and you’ll be on your way to posting scores in the 80s.
How to subtract 90
Having trouble getting your game into the 80s continuously? Maybe it’s a psychological problem: Too often golfers get stuck in a comfort zone (say, the low 90s), where the hurdle to take it to the next level feels insurmountable. Note this: Unless you have a severe case of the yips or shanks, there’s no reason why even the shortest hitters can’t consistently score in the high 80s.
Here’s proof of how easy it is.
All you need is 1 sec
If your course has a category of 72, 89 points is 17-plus. That means you only need to make one par during the round to break 90. But remember that one par is all you need as long as you make the other 17 holes. Anything worse than bogey, and you need more pars. This illuminates the biggest key to scoring in the mid-handicapper: Eliminate your double bogeys (or worse), and breaking 90 is a snap.
What to work on
There are three potential double bogey offenders: penalty strokes (water hazards, out of bounds), modified shots around the green, and three putts.
As a straight hitter, you’re probably not flirting with out-of-bounds pins, so maybe your ball gets wet a few times around. If so, you are taking unnecessary risks. Avoid trouble in almost all situations, and play for bogey if necessary. It may sound harsh, but you’ll be surprised how many fours you make if your target score is five. Besides, any number is more satisfying than six or seven.
Take the same route around the vegetables. If your good shots are mixed with a few flubs, you may be suffering from a lack of energy, or you are trying to hit those shots too accurately. Keep your short game simple: Stick to the basics of chipping and pitching, and try to place the ball as close to the hole as possible. But, above all, be sure to include your next photo. Don’t try to be a hero if failure means missing the green.
Three-putting is all about awareness, and it starts before your ball hits the green. As you read your chip or pitch, look at the green. Without putting too much pressure on yourself, know that leaving a putt flat or uphill greatly reduces your chances of three-putting. The same goes for your initial, or lag, putt. Always look at the angle you choose for your second putt, and allow a miss to finish on that side. You’ll be surprised how many second putts you make if none of them are slippery, downhill benders.
Put it all together
If you can eliminate these mistakes – penalty strokes, swinging shots, and three putts – breaking 90 won’t be a problem. Instead, he will threaten to break 80. Consider this a goal, and proof that good golf isn’t just a question of hitting good shots not to strike the unfortunate.
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