Breaking 80 (@people who have done it)

[Anoetic]

But you’ll always know it didn’t really count ?

?….true….I missed a 3 footer for a 59 in my heyday….and that’s what I keep telling myself as I wasn’t 12 under par at the time ?‍

 

[Mel Smooth]

That is probably true but is it actionable.?
PGA tour pros average 2.92 strokes from the fairway at 150 yds, so asking someone struggling to break 80 to do something similar is probably a tough ask.

Probably not consistently, but personally that’s what I’d be looking to do from that range. Shot 2 over gross on our front nine last week (with a double on the first - so played the next 8 holes level par) the key for my game is my iron play, if I’m on it, I can give myself birdie putts from that range.
I guess the point is, practice hitting your short irons. I never, ever try to squeeze yardage out of anything from 7 iron down. Accuracy is the primary thought in my shot, if that means going up a club, then I will.

 

[CountLippe]

There's a big difference between doing it on a Par 72 to a Par 68.

Assuming you mean a Par 72, the first time I did it - it took years - I basically kept the ball in play.

I had no birdies and about 40 putts, however every tee shot was in play and every approach was either on the green or a short chip.
I found the jump from low 80's to breaking 80 took a long time. It was like a eureka moment.

Subsequently I found breaking 75 alot easier - the time and effort put into being competent in all aspects of the game came together.

 

[Backache]

The advice, as always, is short game and at least 75% of practice should go in to the short game remembering a 3 ft putt in to the hole counts as 1 shot and 300 yard drive counts as 1 shot.

I think the shibboleth that because shots count the same they are of equivalent importance was well and truly blown out of the water by Mark Broadie when he published strokes gained.

To reduce the drive and putt to the ridiculous if you hit a 300 yard drive onto a green six inches from the hole and sank the putt, both strokes count the same but virtually no active golfer would consider that their contribution was of equal importance in gaining the albatross.

Every golfer in the world will sink virtually every six incher. There are relatively few who can achieve 300 yards on a regular basis and fewer still who can do it accurately. The example would obviously require luck as well but long and accurate driving separates good golfers from weaker golfers more than putting from three feet.

I do not disagree though that someone who is close to breaking 80 might make the fastest gains to make the breakthrough with their shortgame.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Become a good iron player, that's the club you are using to set up scoring opportunities.

 

[Imurg]

My first handicap round was an 80 on a par 68, SSS 65.
After about a year I was regularly breaking 80
My method was to simply keep the ball in play and avoid the doubles and triples.
Having said that, once you get so far you can still make a triple and a double and still break 80..just like I did today..
The 4 birdies helped a touch....

 

[Orikoru]

Become a good iron player, that's the club you are using to set up scoring opportunities.

Depends on the course. I could easily play round my course and only hit an iron three times. Most seem to be driver, wedge or driver, hybrid/wood.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Depends on the course. I could easily play round my course and only hit an iron three times. Most seem to be driver, wedge or driver, hybrid/wood.

Wedge is a iron last time I looked ?

You're a young man, ditch the hybrids and learn to hit irons, it will make you a better player in the long run.

 

[Orikoru]

Wedge is a iron last time I looked ?

You're a young man, ditch the hybrids and learn to hit irons, it will make you a better player in the long run.

Fair enough on the first point. Disagree on the second.

 

[clubchamp98]

There's a big difference between doing it on a Par 72 to a Par 68.

Assuming you mean a Par 72, the first time I did it - it took years - I basically kept the ball in play.

I had no birdies and about 40 putts, however every tee shot was in play and every approach was either on the green or a short chip.
I found the jump from low 80's to breaking 80 took a long time. It was like a eureka moment.

Subsequently I found breaking 75 alot easier - the time and effort put into being competent in all aspects of the game came together.

Imo the last sentence in your quote is the only thing that matters.
Being a good golfer takes time and practice.
That’s where the confidence comes from to go low.
You need to be good at everything to play single figure golf =79 gross
Then it’s between the ears .

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Fair enough on the first point. Disagree on the second.

I'm aware of your fear of practice, don't be scared of getting better.

Give it a go you'll enjoy the challenge, you've reached a point in your golfing life where you can either accept being a mid teen handicapper or go and do something about getting better before you get old and decrepid like the rest of us ?

Played 36 yesterday and crippled today.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm aware of your fear of practice, don't be scared of getting better.

Give it a go you'll enjoy the challenge, you've reached a point in your golfing life where you can either accept being a mid teen handicapper or go and do something about getting better before you get old and decrepid like the rest of us ?

Played 36 yesterday and crippled today.

This topic isn't really about this so I'll keep it quick, but when I was using 6 iron it didn't go any further than the 7, I deduced that I needed more swing speed to get the best out of it, which I don't have. Hybrid works without any extra effort so I'm happy with that. Hitting balls at a driving range just isn't fun, it's boring. I don't have infinite time to play, I'd rather spend that time on the course.

 

[hovis]

Don't think so. Practice to improve the worst part of your game. For me, it's the short game. Last time I broke 80 I missed 8 greens & dropped 8 shots. It was only because I was having a good day with the driver & didn't 3 putt that I did it. On a normal day I'll miss more greens & fail to get down in two & shoot mid / high 80s.

That advice was from Rob rock. He said if your swing is good enough to hit your driver with consistency then all the other clubs will work reasonably well too. Have to say, I always break 80 when my driver is working.
Obviously if you want to get better then the other clubs will need attention too. He was specifically talking about the easiest way to get to a 9 handicap

 

[Deleted member 3432]

This topic isn't really about this so I'll keep it quick, but when I was using 6 iron it didn't go any further than the 7, I deduced that I needed more swing speed to get the best out of it, which I don't have. Hybrid works without any extra effort so I'm happy with that. Hitting balls at a driving range just isn't fun, it's boring. I don't have infinite time to play, I'd rather spend that time on the course.

Swingspeed gains are fairly easy to pick up with better technique.

A few lessons, some practice to keep swing in decent order and you're on you way ?

Us seniors on the other hand are trying to stop swingspeed falling off a cliff....

 

[Deleted member 3432]

That advice was from Rob rock. He said if your swing is good enough to hit your driver with consistency then all the other clubs will work reasonably well too. Have to say, I always break 80 when my driver is working.
Obviously if you want to get better then the other clubs will need attention too. He was specifically talking about the easiest way to get to a 9 handicap

Interesting that one, yesterday my iron play was excellent but struggled with the driver. 2 iron came out and stayed out. Unfortunately the driver cost me a treble in the afternoon which undid the good work of my morning round.

 

[Orikoru]

Swingspeed gains are fairly easy to pick up with better technique.

A few lessons, some practice to keep swing in decent order and you're on you way ?

Us seniors on the other hand are trying to stop swingspeed falling off a cliff....

Just not how I want to spend my time. I don't go into the garden with a football and practise my kicking technique, I just turn up to the game and play. I don't go down the tennis courts and practise hitting forehands into the fence, I just have a game of tennis with someone. It's fine, honestly.

 

[Springveldt]

That advice was from Rob rock. He said if your swing is good enough to hit your driver with consistency then all the other clubs will work reasonably well too. Have to say, I always break 80 when my driver is working.
Obviously if you want to get better then the other clubs will need attention too. He was specifically talking about the easiest way to get to a 9 handicap

Totally agree. Shot in the 70's 6 rounds in a row due to the driver being dependable in that I was confident of what the shot was going to do every time. Shot 86 last night when I had no idea what my driver was doing but my mid/short irons were great. Really if I had any brains I would have put the driver away and used my 3 hybrid to tee off with. Nearly every time I've shot in the 70's it's because I've drove the ball well, haven't been 3 off the tee and I've only had to play maybe 1 or 2 at most recovery shots that day.

Even last night one of my PP's shot 77 (he's off 12 now, used to be 9 a couple of years ago) and again it was because he actually got off the tee safely. It was probably the first round in a few years that he hasn't lost a ball off the tee and was never in any trouble.

 

[jim8flog]

Us seniors on the other hand are trying to stop swingspeed falling off a cliff....

A comment I am totally in line with - now 40 yards down on my irons compared when I was at my longest.

 

[bradleywedge]

I can and probably have birdied every hole on our course, but for me to break 80 it is all about keeping doubles off the card.

7's, 8's and higher for me.

 

[Bobthesock]

Depends on the course. My old place had bunkers to the left and right of most greens with not much trouble short. 1 day I hit everything 10-20 yards short of the green on purpose and got a par or bogey every hole.
My mates weren't impressed but I'd broken 80 for the first time and won the comp as well.