I broke 80 - by a lot

[khalespace]

After 20 years of on and off golfing with the last 3 years desperately trying to break 80. I finally did it yesterday playing from Blue tees and shot 77. My previous low scores were 81, 81, an 82. In the past occasionally I have shot +2 or +3 many times on a front 9 but couldn't follow up with a +4 or +5 or better on the back 9 often collapsing in the last 2 to 3 holes. In this round I hit 13/14 Fairways with my fades and 12/18 greens. My average driving distance is around 240. My strength is shots between 30 to 100 yards with my 3/4 swings. I also had a good putting day. I am so excited to get over this hump and hope to keep playing in the 70s and occasional low 80s going forward and finally be a single digit handicap golfer.

 

Here are the reasons that have helped me to break 80:

1) Golf Simulator in my garage. I am spending 1 to 1.5 hours everyday practicing hitting 20 to 160 yards. I don't hit long clubs in my garage because it is too loud and can be dangerous. I especially focus on the 1/2 swing and 3/4 swing shots and chipping distance from 20 yards to 100 yards. 

2) Eliminated my slices with the driver. Previously I have 2 to 5 big slices per round. Now it is down to 1 per round. I still have a fade because my club path is still 1 to 2 degree left but it is really consistent now.

3) Preshot routine - I religiously follow a preshot routine and preputt routine now.

4) Stay in the present - between shots I try to be aware of my surroundings. Feel the wind, feel my steps on the grass, enjoy the beauty of the golf course.

5) 20 feet putting matt - I spend 15 minutes a day just making straight putts on the matt with 6 ft, 12 ft and 18 ft distances.

6) I avoid aiming for the pin all the time. I favor the safe side of the greens and avoid being short sided. My chipping practice with the simulator gives me confidence that if I have green to work with, I have a decent chance to save par.

7) Drills -

    a) short swing hit hard and stop quickly

    b) towel 5 inches in front of ball drill 

Edited July 1, 2023 by khalespace

[SNIPERBBB]

So what did you shoot? Post and card doesn't say? 

[khalespace]

1 minute ago, SNIPERBBB said:

So what did you shoot? Post and card doesn't say? 

I shot 77. I usually just write a dash for par and 1 for bogeys, and 2 for doubles.

[tthomasgolfer605]

1 minute ago, SNIPERBBB said:

So what did you shoot? Post and card doesn't say? 

48 under the card says. 

[Nels55]

Nice round, way to bring it home!

[Zitlow]

34 minutes ago, tthomasgolfer605 said:

48 under the card says. 

The head guy in North Korea routinely shoots 48 under par. 

[SNIPERBBB]

10 minutes ago, Zitlow said:

The head guy in North Korea routinely shoots 48 under par. 

That's just when he plays executive courses, when he plays par 72's he's 54 under 

[phizzy30]

Congrats bro, that's awesome.  I shot 72 at Los Serranos North course last week.  Lowest round of the year for me as well.  Must be a SoCal thing........

[phizzy30]

4 hours ago, khalespace said:

After 20 years of on and off golfing with the last 3 years desperately trying to break 80. I finally did it yesterday playing from Blue tees and shot 77. My previous low scores were 81, 81, an 82. In the past occasionally I have shot +2 or +3 many times on a front 9 but couldn't follow up with a +4 or +5 or better on the back 9 often collapsing in the last 2 to 3 holes. In this round I hit 13/14 Fairways with my fades and 12/18 greens. My average driving distance is around 240. My strength is shots between 30 to 100 yards with my 3/4 swings. I also had a good putting day. I am so excited to get over this hump and hope to keep playing in the 70s and occasional low 80s going forward and finally be a single digit handicap golfer.

 

Here are the reasons that have helped me to break 80:

1) Golf Simulator in my garage. I am spending 1 to 1.5 hours everyday practicing hitting 20 to 160 yards. I don't hit long clubs in my garage because it is too loud and can be dangerous. I especially focus on the 1/2 swing and 3/4 swing shots and chipping distance from 20 yards to 100 yards. 

2) Eliminated my slices with the driver. Previously I have 2 to 5 big slices per round. Now it is down to 1 per round. I still have a fade because my club path is still 1 to 2 degree left but it is really consistent now.

3) Preshot routine - I religiously follow a preshot routine and preputt routine now.

4) Stay in the present - between shots I try to be aware of my surroundings. Feel the wind, feel my steps on the grass, enjoy the beauty of the golf course.

5) 20 feet putting matt - I spend 15 minutes a day just making straight putts on the matt with 6 ft, 12 ft and 18 ft distances.

6) I avoid aiming for the pin all the time. I favor the safe side of the greens and avoid being short sided. My chipping practice with the simulator gives me confidence that if I have green to work with, I have a decent chance to save par.

7) Drills -

    a) short swing hit hard and stop quickly

    b) towel 5 inches in front of ball drill 

Did you play Mile Square?  The score card looks very familiar.........

[khalespace]

52 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

Did you play Mile Square?  The score card looks very familiar.........

Yes, Mile Square Park. Basically my home course so it helps.

[phizzy30]

4 hours ago, khalespace said:

Yes, Mile Square Park. Basically my home course so it helps.

Love that course.  Played there last year and made an eagle on hole 4.  Ended up shooting 76.  One of the easier layouts in the OC, IMO. 

[khalespace]

After breaking 80, I am unable to repeat the feat again after 5 rounds. In all 5 rounds, I was able to shoot 2 to 4 over on the front 9 or back 9 but unable to put together two good nines. Best score was 82 and worst was 87. Somehow I am unable to keep focus for the entire round and always getting sloppy for a few holes resulting 1 or 2 doubles or triples. How do you maintain focus for 18 holes?

[MPStrat]

13 minutes ago, khalespace said:

After breaking 80, I am unable to repeat the feat again after 5 rounds. In all 5 rounds, I was able to shoot 2 to 4 over on the front 9 or back 9 but unable to put together two good nines. Best score was 82 and worst was 87. Somehow I am unable to keep focus for the entire round and always getting sloppy for a few holes resulting 1 or 2 doubles or triples. How do you maintain focus for 18 holes?

It’s not a matter of focus IMO. The same swing and golf game that makes your pars, can also make triples. Guide me through the doubles and triples and how they happen. 

[Nels55]

30 minutes ago, khalespace said:

After breaking 80, I am unable to repeat the feat again after 5 rounds. In all 5 rounds, I was able to shoot 2 to 4 over on the front 9 or back 9 but unable to put together two good nines. Best score was 82 and worst was 87. Somehow I am unable to keep focus for the entire round and always getting sloppy for a few holes resulting 1 or 2 doubles or triples. How do you maintain focus for 18 holes?

You are what your scores say you are which is a golfer who is averaging around 84 strokes per game and has broken 80 once.  You are scoring as expected and at your current level you will break 80 every now and then maybe once per 20 rounds or so.  If you want to lower your average so that you will break 80 more often you simply need to keep on improving your game! 

 

I do hope that you are able to enjoy your average rounds and not get overly frustrated when it becomes obvious that you are not going to shoot your lifetime best on any given day.

[Sp4zRX]

40 minutes ago, khalespace said:

After breaking 80, I am unable to repeat the feat again after 5 rounds. In all 5 rounds, I was able to shoot 2 to 4 over on the front 9 or back 9 but unable to put together two good nines. Best score was 82 and worst was 87. Somehow I am unable to keep focus for the entire round and always getting sloppy for a few holes resulting 1 or 2 doubles or triples. How do you maintain focus for 18 holes?

I broke 80 for the first time at the start of the year, a 78. Since then I have posted scores from 82-92. Then I recently posted a 74! Of course that was followed by a 87 and 92 😭. But at least I can say, compared to last year, my best rounds are obviously better but more importantly, my worst rounds are better. My worst round last year was 105. Keep it up, the path to lower scores isn’t linear. 

[khalespace]

43 minutes ago, MPStrat said:

It’s not a matter of focus IMO. The same swing and golf game that makes your pars, can also make triples. Guide me through the doubles and triples and how they happen. 

During the last round, I was 3 over after 8 holes. The 9th is a difficult 416 yard into a 10 mph wind narrow hole with water on the left. 

 

1) Driver would mean 30% chance in the water or in the rough on the right. So I hit a good 3 wood for 200 yards in the fairway.

2) With 215 yards left and into the wind to the hole and no chance to reach with 3 wood, I decided to hit an 8 iron and then an 80 yard 3/4 shot which I am pretty good at. However, the fairway was not even and ball was above my feet which I always hate. I hit and the heel hit the ground causing the club face to turn and I pulled the ball way short and left. Luckily the high grass prevented the ball from going into the water.

3) Since the ball is next to the water, I don't have a stance. I hit it backward 7 yards into the fairway with 127 yards left.

4) I hit my 9 iron 130 yard but into the wind I needed an 8 iron. However, my partner has taken the cart to the green. I got lazy and tried to hit my 9 iron hard and pushed it into the right bunker.

5) My bunker shot just went off the green 1 feet

6) Putted to 2 feet

7) Into the hole

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by khalespace

[Sean124]

24 minutes ago, khalespace said:

During the last round, I was 3 over after 8 holes. The 9th is a difficult 416 yard into a 10 mph wind narrow hole with water on the left. 

 

1) Driver would mean 30% chance in the water or in the rough on the right. So I hit a good 3 wood for 200 yards in the fairway.

2) With 215 yards left and into the wind to the hole and no chance to reach with 3 wood, I decided to hit an 8 iron and then an 80 yard 3/4 shot which I am pretty good at. However, the fairway was not even and ball was above my feet which I always hate. I hit and the heel hit the ground causing the club face to turn and I pulled the ball way short and left. Luckily the high grass prevented the ball from going into the water.

3) Since the ball is next to the water, I don't have a stance. I hit it backward 7 yards into the fairway with 127 yards left.

4) I hit my 9 iron 130 yard but into the wind I needed an 8 iron. However, my partner has taken the cart to the green. I got lazy and tried to hit my 9 iron hard and pushed it into the right bunker.

5) My bunker shot just went off the green 1 feet

6) Putted to 2 feet

7) Into the hole

 

How far to the green if you hit driver in the pond? 

[khalespace]

15 minutes ago, Sean124 said:

How far to the green if you hit driver in the pond? 

180

[MPStrat]

I would hit driver there all day. I wouldn’t want to risk having a 214 yard shot with the ball above me feet. 
 

But the thing that killed you was the duffed 8i. 

[Sean124]

5 minutes ago, khalespace said:

180

I think you need to hit driver here. With 3 wood, you’re leaving yourself too far to reach the green and a difficult layup. 
 

If driver gets wet, at least you have a yardage to get around the green in 3.

[MountainKing]

2 hours ago, khalespace said:

During the last round, I was 3 over after 8 holes. The 9th is a difficult 416 yard into a 10 mph wind narrow hole with water on the left. 

 

1) Driver would mean 30% chance in the water or in the rough on the right. So I hit a good 3 wood for 200 yards in the fairway.

2) With 215 yards left and into the wind to the hole and no chance to reach with 3 wood, I decided to hit an 8 iron and then an 80 yard 3/4 shot which I am pretty good at. However, the fairway was not even and ball was above my feet which I always hate. I hit and the heel hit the ground causing the club face to turn and I pulled the ball way short and left. Luckily the high grass prevented the ball from going into the water.

3) Since the ball is next to the water, I don't have a stance. I hit it backward 7 yards into the fairway with 127 yards left.

4) I hit my 9 iron 130 yard but into the wind I needed an 8 iron. However, my partner has taken the cart to the green. I got lazy and tried to hit my 9 iron hard and pushed it into the right bunker.

5) My bunker shot just went off the green 1 feet

6) Putted to 2 feet

7) Into the hole

 

 

Playing way too conservative in the wrong spot to start.  It looks like you have 50 yards or so to work with to the right of the water to miss, the water shouldn't really be an issue off the tee with that much room.  The rough to the right isn't dead, and neither is a tee shot in the water. Do anything you can to avoid putting yourself in a spot where you have to layup on a par4.   More tho, this is just a case of compounding errors.  If you're not comfortable with a lie, you'd be much better off just trying to punch up a shot rather than play a full shot off of it .

[khalespace]

On 8/14/2023 at 4:22 PM, MountainKing said:

 

Playing way too conservative in the wrong spot to start.  It looks like you have 50 yards or so to work with to the right of the water to miss, the water shouldn't really be an issue off the tee with that much room.  The rough to the right isn't dead, and neither is a tee shot in the water. Do anything you can to avoid putting yourself in a spot where you have to layup on a par4.   More tho, this is just a case of compounding errors.  If you're not comfortable with a lie, you'd be much better off just trying to punch up a shot rather than play a full shot off of it .

I think I should have hit driver. If I hit the fairway, I will have about 160-170 left. If I ended up in the right rough, I can still lay up.