what do I need to do...

[titleistnutter]

...to break par?

im 15 and play regularly off 9 (UK) and would regard myself as a sporty person with good hand/eye co-ordination etc. I have been playing seriously for 3 years and my lowest round is +3, tho i regularly play to 5 or 6. So, my question for all you pros, scratch golfers and the like out there is, what do I need to do to break par and become a scratch golfer? obviously there is no single answer to this but there might be something in it. For example, I've had 3 lessons in my life, having more would presumably help...

THANKS GUYS!

[johndeere10]

(1) Get a Scotty Cameron putter..... All Titleist and you putt with a YES putter??? Something deeply wrong there....

 

(2) Practice! Practice! Practice! (short game, around greens, putting)

 

(3) Lessons from PGA professional or teaching pro

 

(4) Give it time and be patient

 

(5) All else fails use a pencil with an eraser... LOL Just kidding

[hattrick3518]

lessons help, just be really commited, i am out on the course everyday for a couple hours, i love working on things and getting better, i work with a pro 2-4 days a week, and it really helps, its good to get a teacher who is as into it as you are. for example if i have a big match or something and im nervous my coach will come to the range with me and help me work things out. just really helpful. be commited and take all the help you can get :drinks:

best of luck

[j2nielsen]

There really isn't any quick way to do it. You have to put in A LOT of practice time. But you should focus on three things:

 

1 - putting first from 6 feet and in and second from 20 to 10 feet. The flat stick is the secret to scoring. You have to find a way to practice putting under pressure, like you can't go home till you make 20

 

2 - wedge play from 125 to 85 yards. You have to put the ball within 20 feet everytime you are in this range

 

3 - Driver, you have to confidently step to every tee knowing that you can put yourself in the fairway in that 125 to 80- range.

 

If you get really good at all three you will end up with 14 - 16 birdie putts that are makeable and you will be able to make at least 3 to 5. That gives you a good chance at getting under par.

 

At least that is my humble opinion and it has worked for me. But, there are a lot of better players than me, so they might have a different approach.

[raidernut1234]

Shoot 71 :drinks:

[titleistnutter]

thats an excellent way to look at it as far as i can see. You concentrate on every shot and have a target zone which obviously helps. Thanks guys, I've learnt a lot already.

[titleistnutter]

(1) Get a Scotty Cameron putter..... All Titleist and you putt with a YES putter??? Something deeply wrong there....

 

working on my dad as we speak :crazy:

 

"i thought you wanted to switch to taylormade?"

 

" :drinks: "

[expunge]

3 - Driver, you have to confidently step to every tee knowing that you can put yourself in the fairway in that 125 to 80- range.

 

Sheesh..lol. That's a long drive ever hole. What if the hole is like 460? 320 yard drives all the time?

[Swingtheclub]

Great answers from everyone.

 

Lessons are important. I would say practice twice as much as you play, and practice your short game from a hundred yards in at least two thirds of the time when you are practicing. So like two hours on the short game and one on the long game.

 

When you do play always have a clear game plan.

 

Learn to make sure you are committed to a shot before you hit it.

 

 

Never ever dog it , if you are shooting 85 work your butt off to shoot 84.

 

Most important learn how to break your comfort zone. Thats the little thing in your brain that makes you triple bogey the last hole the first time you get close to breaking eighty. It always trys to bring you back to what you are comfortable shooting.

 

The perfect example is that guy that shoots say 82 normally . How often does a guy like this shoot 36 on the front nine and turn around and shoot 46 on the back. The fun thing is the same guy might shoot 46 then shoot 36 the comfort zone works both ways.

 

The way to break out of your comfort zone is really quite simple. Practice practice practice, then everytime you play try and beat your last score by a shot. But like I told you before grind grind grind.

 

Make keeping score very important, add it to your game. Keep stats too greens in reg fairways putts.

 

 

Watch out for certain holes becoming a problem, comfort zone. Lets say you hit it in the left rough everytime you play hole number four. Change the way you play the hole, tee off from a different spot use a different club.

 

Good luck you will get there.

[SadTrombone]

That old cliche, "One Shot At A Time"

 

...oh...and make more birdies than bogeys.

 

Seriously, put yourself in position on every hole to have a putt at a birdie, a chip at a birdie at worst.

 

Practice putting, wedges and driver. Those 3-5 clubs will impact your score (IMHO), more than any other 3-5. If you know you can up and down it from anywhere, your iron play will improve because you'll have less pressure to hit it close/knock it on. Once you know you can hit it down the middle every time, there's no more pressure on your driver.

 

Play what works. Don't get caught in the trap I did. I used to hit a beautiful nice mid trajectory fade. Every shot. No matter what. Then I decided I wanted to work it both ways....7 years later, I'm finally playing decent golf again.

 

If you hit a draw every time, hit a draw every time. If it's a fade, hit a fade every time. If You Can, don't force it, but if you can...aim at the center of every green and work the ball towards the green. Worst thing that will happen is you'll hit it straight and be in the middle, or double cross it and be on the other side of the green. Still putting for birdie.

 

Don't quit and good lucK!!!!

 

-mini

[hed0nisticpat]

Some great answers in here.

[titleistnutter]

how many putts should a scratch golfer take on average? I took 44 my last round, no joke. Is a new putter in order?

[Swingtheclub]

the average tour player is probably 29 to 30 putts per round.

 

I talked before about how much time and practice your short game needs.

 

44 putts is horrible but I have done it many times.

 

Other than hot streaks I am a much better putter at 58 than I was at 25.

 

Mainly I have a much better routine. It allows me to think my way through putting challenges better.

 

I would suggest reading some Dave Peltz to learn technigue.

 

Honestly If I was young I would either learn to putt left hand low (cross handed for a right handed player) or with a belly putter, or a combination of the two.

 

I have a belly putter , but it does not fit perfect and I could never get comfortable with it outside ten feet. I do use it to practice sometimes for my ten footers and in.

 

I also imagine sometimes my conventional putter is a belly putter. I make some great strokes this way, but its a bit of a mechanical thought for the golf course and that messes me up sometimes. So I reserve that for the practice green as well.

 

I would much rather be a great putter than a great ball striker if given the choice. practice practice then practice some more.

[ace036]

Short game, short game, short game.

[leekgolf]

There really isn't any quick way to do it. You have to put in A LOT of practice time. But you should focus on three things:

 

1 - putting first from 6 feet and in and second from 20 to 10 feet. The flat stick is the secret to scoring. You have to find a way to practice putting under pressure, like you can't go home till you make 20

 

2 - wedge play from 125 to 85 yards. You have to put the ball within 20 feet everytime you are in this range

 

3 - Driver, you have to confidently step to every tee knowing that you can put yourself in the fairway in that 125 to 80- range.

 

If you get really good at all three you will end up with 14 - 16 birdie putts that are makeable and you will be able to make at least 3 to 5. That gives you a good chance at getting under par.

 

At least that is my humble opinion and it has worked for me. But, there are a lot of better players than me, so they might have a different approach.

 

AMEN. If you add course management. Know where you absolutely cannot miss.

[bmaas03]

3 Words.

Greens In Regulation.

 

Do that, and you'll always be putting for birdies. Of course, you need to work on putting as well.

Who knows...you might even reach a par 5 in 2...then you have 2 putts for a birdie.

 

Concentrate on GIRs on the tough holes, make your pars, then move on to the easier ones and try to make birdies there by sticking a shot close by doing the things that have been mentioned already.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

Read this thread below. It's full of great information on going scratch (and lower):

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22272

[Chairman7w]

Great advice above - really some excellent stuff. I would also suggest reading, "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose".

 

It's all about the mental side of the game, and, judging by what you've described, you've already got a great handle on the physical side of things. This book is fantastic about kenk7us2002 said, "Being committed to every shot."

[titleistnutter]

my mental game really lets me down. I've read golf is not a game of perfect by dr bob rotella, so ill give this a try to. Thanks

[Angenend]

play some rounds from really close up. get used to scoring those low low numbers. then the pressure if off when playing from farther back. before i ever broke 80, i decided to play from the reds one day, shot 71. So when I moved back to the tips, breaking 80 was way less scary. now it's every other time i go out.

[Chairman7w]

Very interesting Agenend, I'm gonna try that!

[drewspin]

1) Putting

 

2) Short game = practice, practice, practice

 

3) Play within yourself and do not compound mistakes. Be your own caddie: If you hit it into a bad spot -- immediately hit it out to the fairway in one shot, sideways if necessary -- do not compound a bad situation trying to be a hero making a difficult recovery attempt. Take a bogey and be happy it wasn't a double, or worse.

 

4) Target approach shots to the green on the fat side of the pin (don't aim at sucker pins and reduce short-side misses).

 

5) Stay below the hole with approach shots - especially on fast greens.

 

6) Favor accuracy over length with tee ball.

 

7) Move through the round one stroke at a time and have a plan (purpose) for each shot before it is played -- then mentally let go of each shot after it is played - both bad shots and good shots. Stay in the present (not the past or future). This is MUCH easier said than done.

[JOSEPHLB]

Do not get married.

[mikpga]

SEEK & EXPLORE.

 

LEARN HOW TO SCORE.

 

SEEK RELIABLE GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION.

 

PLAY WITH THOSE MUCH BETTER THAN YOU.

 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF & ABILITY.

[bpalmer21]

how many putts should a scratch golfer take on average? I took 44 my last round, no joke. Is a new putter in order?

 

Less than 30. Not a new putter, more putting practice. Quality practice, read Dave Pelz, genius, IMHO.

 

 

Short game, short game, short game.

 

Very true.

 

 

my mental game really lets me down. I've read golf is not a game of perfect by dr bob rotella, so ill give this a try to. Thanks

 

All his books are great, his book called "The Golf of Your Dreams" is directly related to your question.

 

Do not get married.

 

Or date anyone to serious, if you feel guilty cause your at the course and not with her, its to serious. But make sure your getting ___ good for golf stress.

 

Just remembet that its not going to happen overnight, and there will always be hurdles. When you get to scratch, you gunna want to get to a +2 then +4, etc. At your age there is no hurry, and you have the luxury of not having a job, or any serious commitments.

 

Get with a good teacher, so you can build solid habits to build on.

 

Read 75% less on this forum, and practice 100% more.

 

Play the hardest golf courses you can find, then compete on them. Being good is pointless unless you can win.

 

I can go on and on, but just remember you get out what you put in.