Shoot Better Golf Scores - Break 80 Fast

If you already break 90 regularly, your next scoring plateau is breaking 80. The plan outlined below, will not only help you figure out your weaknesses, but will also help you manage the course better. Golfer willing to put this plan into action will improve their scores and can break 80 faster. Here's the plan.

Identifying Weaknesses

Keeping accurate stats, every round will help you to identify weaknesses. You should keep track of putts, up, downs from 40 yards, and closer, up and downs from the sand, greens in regulation, fairways hit, penalty shots, up and downs from 100 yards and closer and your score. This will help you to see exactly which areas you need to work on the most.

Averages Necessary to Break 80

Putts per 18 holes - 32 or less Up and downs from 40 yards - 50% or better Up and downs from the sand - 50% or better Greens in regulation - 10 or more per round Fairways hit per round - 10 or more per round (may vary depending on how much trouble each course presents) Penalty shots - 1 or less per round Up and downs from 100 yards and closer - 33% or better

What to Work on if...

Putts average more than 32 per round - This could mean you need to work on a couple of things. The obvious answer is putting, but an inflated number of putts can also be caused by poor chip and pitch shots. If your up and down percentage is average or better, but you are taking too many putts, you need to work on long putting. However, if your putts are high and your up and down percentage isn't very good, you need to work on long putting, chipping and pitching.

Up and downs from 40 yards are less than 50% - If you don't get up and down at least half the time, you need to work on one of two things. You either need to work on chipping and pitching or you need to work on short putts. If you consistently hit good chips, but miss the putts, it's not a chipping problem, but a putting problem. However, if you consistent leave 10 foot and longer putts after a chip, you need to work on your chipping.

Up and downs from the sand are less than 50% - You probably won't have that many opportunities per round, but you still need to get a sand save every other time you end up in the sand. Most of the time if this percentage is low; you need to work on sand shots. Work on getting the ball out of the sand consistent, and then work on getting it close to the hole.

Greens in Regulation are lower than 10 per round - If you don't get to the green with a birdie putt 10 times per round or better, you may need to work on your iron game. Of course, if you don't hit the ball in the fairway and you consistently need to punch out from trees or take penalty strokes, you may need to work on your tee shots.

Fairways hit per round less than 10 per round - Sometimes this number is a bit skewed because you can miss the fairway all day long by a few yards and still hit greens. This happens and some golf courses are very forgiving. However, if you're not hitting fairways at a good rate, you may need to work on your driver or consider mixing in a hybrid or wood for some of the narrow tee shots.

Penalty Shots more than 1 per round - Usually golfers that take more than 1 penalty shot per round cannot control the ball off the tee. This means you need to work on your tee shots and learn to hit hybrids, long irons or woods from the tee on holes with trouble.

Up and downs from 100 yards and closer worse than 33% - Getting up and down from 100 yards and closer (not counting 40 yards and closer) is very important. You won't have a large number of opportunities, but the holes that offer these shots present good opportunities for birdies. These can help you break 80 and shoot lower scores. If you don't get up and down from 100 yards and in very often, you need to work on your wedges.

Adding Course Management to the Plan

After identifying your weaknesses and adjusting your practice time to make your weak areas stronger, you need to work on managing the course. Course management can lead a golfer capable of shooting 85 to breaking 80 faster than anything else. Every course is different and every golfer plays differently. Understanding what you're capable of and what you don't do very well can help you manage the course better.

For example, if you normally have that one blow up hole, you can eliminate that will better course management. It could be as simple as hitting a hybrid or iron you trust off the tee you struggle from the most. Course management includes taking trouble out of play and taking advantage on easier holes. You should always try to give yourself a yardage you like and can consistently hit from with good accuracy.

Instead of trying to reach every par 5 in two shots, you may want to consider hitting less than driver from the tee, hitting a second shot to a yardage in the fairway you like, and landing on the green in regulation with a wedge. These are great opportunities to shoot lower scores and you will use a more accurate club allowing for a birdie opportunity. Consider taking a course management lesson and really look at your stats to figure out what you need to do to break 80 this year.

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