Breaking 80

[Orikoru]

In his classic book "Modern fundamentals" Ben Hogan states:

'Within six months - as soon as that - an average golfer who has applied himself intelligently should be coming close to breaking 80, or actually break 80'

Now I've wondered about this a lot in the past given my long progression towards breaking 80 - and I'm thinking that maybe what Hogan is saying is that were the untutored - though maybe not new - golfer to pick up his book and follow what he writes of in his method and approach - then they'll be breaking 80...

I think it may a bit pushing it a bit for the complete newbie to be close to or breaking 80 within 6months - but maybe Hogan meant that - he was most probably not short of self-assurance.

I think Hogan was talking out of backside there, personally.

 

[FairwayDodger]

It's about cutting out the double bogeys. If you get out of position, take your medicine and try to get up and down for par instead of taking on a high risk shot you can't pull off in a vain attempt to hit the green.

Do that, chip and putt steadily and breaking 80 is on.

 

[ger147]

I agree with some of the comments above about the short game making a huge difference, but one interesting article I read earlier talked about hitting greens in regulation. If you aim at the flag each time, you might miss narrowly but end up not having a putt. Whereas if your in the middle of the green, you will probably 2 putt.

The article suggested that hitting the following numbers of greens in reg, helped your break the following milestones:
6 GIR: break 90
9 GIR: break 85
12 GIR: break 80
The tour hit 60-70% GIR, which is roughly 12 a round

Whilst I agree with the principle that hitting more GIR's will lead to lower scores, you don't have to hit anything like those percentages above to break 80.

My 1st ever sub-80 competition round was this year and I hit 5 greens in regulation...

 

[FairwayDodger]

Whilst I agree with the principle that hitting more GIR's will lead to lower scores, you don't have to hit anything like those percentages above to break 80.

My 1st ever sub-80 competition round was this year and I hit 5 greens in regulation...

Indeed, 12 GIR and 6 single putts is scratch golf. Sounds easy.....

 

[Dasit]

As long as you are near green in reg on majority of holes breaking 80 is on.


Like on the fringe, or a simple chip/pitch within 10 yards of the green. You should be getting the majority of these up and down.



Actual green in reg can be misleading, as sometimes you are more like to finish in 2 shots off the green, than on the green in the wrong place.

 

[HankMarvin]

I think Hogan was talking out of backside there, personally.

lol.... how dare you question what the Great Ben Hogan says, he was one of the best in the business and knows more about golf than you will ever know.

 

[ger147]

It's about getting as many possible holes in Par or better for me. Sounds daft but if you're happy making a string of bogeys then you'll probably continue doing so and struggle to break 80.

Getting up and down is deffo the key. I had a run of 10 holes last weekend when I made 9 Pars and just 1 Bogey. I only hit 5 of those greens in regulation and got up and down 4 out of 5 times on the others.

 

[FairwayDodger]

It's about getting as many possible holes in Par or better for me. Sounds daft but if you're happy making a string of bogeys then you'll probably continue doing so and struggle to break 80.

Getting up and down is deffo the key. I had a run of 10 holes last weekend when I made 9 Pars and just 1 Bogey. I only hit 5 of those greens in regulation and got up and down 4 out of 5 times on the others.

Did you break 80 though?

 

[ger147]

Did you break 80 though?

Not this time, no. 1st 6 holes were crap, had my good 10 hole run then finished bogey triple for an 82. Folded like a.cheap tent when I realised 2 pars to finish for a 78

 

[FairwayDodger]

Not this time, no. 1st 6 holes were crap, had my good 10 hole run then finished bogey triple for an 82. Folded like a.cheap tent when I realised 2 pars to finish for a 78

Need to cut out those doubles!

 

[ger147]

Need to cut out those doubles!

Managed to crow bar 3 doubles into my 1st sub-80 comp round this year so still plenty of scope to go lower.

 

[Orikoru]

lol.... how dare you question what the Great Ben Hogan says, he was one of the best in the business and knows more about golf than you will ever know.

All respect to the man of course, but if he really said any amateur golf should be able to break 80 within 6 months, then that is just plain daft. You would have to have a natural flair for it to achieve that. Like the best guy at my club, when I played with him he said his first ever handicap was 9. But for every one of him there's someone like this other chap I played with, who plays off 28, has been playing for many years and has regular lessons and still can barely break 100.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Managed to crow bar 3 doubles into my 1st sub-80 comp round this year so still plenty of scope to go lower.

Pretty good 15 holes then! :thup:

 

[thesheriff]

In his classic book "Modern fundamentals" Ben Hogan states:

'Within six months - as soon as that - an average golfer who has applied himself intelligently should be coming close to breaking 80, or actually break 80'

Now I've wondered about this a lot in the past given my long progression towards breaking 80 - and I'm thinking that maybe what Hogan is saying is that were the untutored - though maybe not new - golfer to pick up his book and follow what he writes of in his method and approach - then they'll be breaking 80...

I think it may a bit pushing it a bit for the complete newbie to be close to or breaking 80 within 6months - but maybe Hogan meant that - he was most probably not short of self-assurance.

Did this quote come with any context? On it's own it does seem a bit far-fetched. I wouldn't expect anyone to break 80 within 6 months of picking up a club whether they applied themselves intelligently or not. Applied themselves religiously and exclusively, however, it might seem more achievable. After all it might be possible to fit as much golf into 6 months as some of us do in a few years.

My 2 pence on breaking 80 (having done it once with a 76) is I agree that good chipping is the differentiator. I've hit the ball well enough to break 80 plenty times, but when I actually made the score, it felt like I was going to get up and down from anywhere.

 

[S17er]

I've probably broken 80 about 10 times and the common denominator seems to be that I have been totally relaxed and not worried about the score. Not played as much this year and only managed it once and that was unexpected as shot +7 on front 9 and -1 on back 9 for a 78.

Best medal score is 80x3 but have shot 75x2 and other sub 80 rounds off the same tees with no card in hand.

Agree with others that chipping and putting is so important for sub 80 rounds.

 

[Val]

As long as you dont knock a load of shots out of bounds the difference between shooting low 80 s and into the 70s is purely down to chipping. Getting up and down is the key.

I tend to agree but it’s not always the case, my 2 best medal scores are 78 twice and in neither did I chip and putt well, I hit a higher % of GIR than normal.

 

[Karl102]

As long as you dont knock a load of shots out of bounds the difference between shooting low 80 s and into the 70s is purely down to chipping. Getting up and down is the key.

My best is a 76 and I had 3 birdies and got up and down for par a few times... short game has been none existent since :rofl:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Miles away this season. It's in there and I've done it at my current course. Hopefully going forward I'll be doing it regularly with an improved short game and new swing

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Indeed, 12 GIR and 6 single putts is scratch golf. Sounds easy.....

Yup 9 GIR and two putts, plus close to the green 'in regulation' and 50% chip and one putt - single figures golf - easy