How to Break 80 in Golf?

Breaking 80 is something that many golfers strive for since it signifies they are coming closer to scoring in the 70s.

How to Break 80 in Golf

Learning how to break 80 in golf is a lot easier than you think when you break it down, but it does involve more than just a strong swing and a little luck.

You’ll need a plan to help you navigate the course with each stroke.

Here is what you should know about breaking 80 in golf

What Does Breaking an 80 Mean Exactly?

Since the majority of professional golfers, with a few exceptions, consistently shoot considerably below 80, shooting 80 or less is a great achievement for amateurs.

When Tiger Woods won the 9–10 age division at the Junior World Golf Championships in 1984, he broke 80 for the first time. He was just eight years old.

Tiger shot an 81 at the 2002 Open Championship, the first time as a professional golfer he failed to break 80.

When Rory McIlroy shot an 80 in the final round of the Masters competition in 2011, despite being in first place after the third round, it was one of the failures to break 80 that received the most attention.

How to Break 80 in Golf?

Here are some tips and tricks which will help increase your chances of breaking 80 in golf.

Warm Up Before Playing

It’s difficult to shoot low scores if you don’t warm up for at least 20 minutes before hitting the first tee. So, plan ahead and arrive at least 45 minutes before the tee time.

After you’ve paid and loaded the cart, do some golf stretches to familiarize yourself with the greens and loosen up your body.

The purpose of a pre-round warm-up is not to modify your swing or to try out new techniques. It’s all about loosening up and getting ready for the first hole.

Shot some chips and putts after you’ve hit 20 to 30 balls. Learn the pace of the greens by practicing a variety of putt lengths. Spend 15 minutes on the range and 15 minutes chipping and putting if you have 30 minutes.

Put In Plenty of Practice

Hours of practice are the finest foundation for playing a solid game of golf. You don’t need to spend money on new equipment, but you do need to make the most of the time you spend on the golf course.

This means you must approach each exercise with a clear goal in mind. Take the time to understand how to practice golf properly, and your scores will improve.

Master the Wedge

Master the Wedge

If you’re like most golfers, you’ve got three or four wedges in your bag. The most important thing to remember is how far you hit each wedge.

You should aim to have a full distance and a 34-yard distance where you choke up the club by an inch or two.

At the range, concentrate on hitting different distances and experimenting with different ball flights.

By knowing how to hit each distance from 125 and in, it will allow you to make more birdies and save more pars.

Spend More Time on Putting

If you want to break 80 quickly, focus on your putting more than anything else. The fringe and green account for over 40% of all of your shots.

However, most amateur golfers avoid putting practice entirely.

Instead, devote as much time as possible to putting drills and perfecting your putting routine. According to research, it is most useful to practice from 4-15 feet and 25 feet or more.

Take Note of Distances and Percentages

Because you’re now scoring in the 80s, it’s reasonable to presume you’re familiar with your distances and percentages.

If you want to break 80, you need to comprehend these concepts better.

You should be aware of your average distance with each club as well as your maximum distance.

Your percentages are equally vital, which means you should know how frequently you hit each club properly and how frequently you hit your selected shot well.

Save the Bogeys

Learning how to break 80 in golf is about making fewer huge numbers rather than more low scores.

When aiming to break 80, double and triple bogeys will ruin your round.

What is the most effective strategy to save bogeys? It all comes down to course management and clever play. Let’s look at a handful of instances.

Assume you drive into the woods. You have two alternatives. Try punching it to the green or chipping it back to the fairway.

The punch shot may help you preserve par, but it is hazardous and may result in a double bogey or worse.

You can make an easy bogey if you chip it back to the fairway.

You’re struggling on a hole and face a difficult 25-foot par putt. You may go for it and risk 3-putting, or you can lag it near to the hole for an easy bogey.

Take Weather Conditions Into Account

We all know that you don’t always have the option of choosing your golf days. However, if you have considerable leeway, look for a prognosis that is suitable for scoring.

Soft greens might appear the day following a big rain. Avoid windy days as well if you can.

Don’t Think About It Too Much?

Stop thinking about breaking 80. It may sound foolish, but it is one of the finest things you can do.

If you go onto the first tee with the intention of breaking 80 or shooting your greatest score ever, you’ve already lost.

For the vast majority of golfers, this will increase pressure and make your nerves considerably more sensitive and tense during the already challenging game.

Summary

Those were just some of the great tips and tricks out there that you can use to increase your chances of breaking 80 in your next game of golf.

As much as practice, skill, and luck come into play, it is also very important that you gain control of your mental attitude towards breaking 80.

This is because if you spend too much time thinking about breaking 80 as you go about the golf course, the chances are that you will lose focus on the current shot that you are trying to make and the added pressure could turn a great game into a stressful one full of silly mistakes.

Garratt Shmidt
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