Can you break 80...

[Gobble_It]

if your drive is short (~200-220yrds) and with a good short game ?...Or it's just not physically possible ?

[Marcos]

I am in that category and break 80 sometimes.I dont work on my game at all but i play everyday.Not getting better,just more consistant.Our course has a 122 slope from the whites,and 68.2 rating at almost 6000yrds.The only way to do it is work on your short game.I usually shoot in the low 80's most of the time,so it is possible.

[jvincent]

Yes. Just don't try it on a course that is much longer than 6400 yards or so.

[HTN2]

Sure its possible, you have 7 bogeys to play with, as long as you NEVER have worse than a bogey, and if you really do have a good short game, you're likely to break 80 fairly often.

[BC MIST]

if your drive is short (~200-220yrds) and with a good short game ?...Or it's just not physically possible ?

Haven't seen 220 yards drives produce a 5 under 67 on a 6300 yard course, since yesterday.

[gbower]

Were you getting that much out of your driver.

Great round Lyle

[Michael]

Haven't seen 220 yards drives produce a 5 under 67 on a 6300 yard course, since yesterday.

What course?? My personal best is 69.

[mjf]

I suspect you could put just about any pro on a 7000 yard course, take all the woods out of their bags and they would break 80 with ease.

[gbower]

Michael it was at Greensmere during the first round of Senior Intersectional qualifying.

Wish I had got half his points

[funk-like]

I break 80 all the time - my index is 6 - I don't hit it very long - over 220 is a bonus. My key is hitting fairways - currently I'm hitting 90%. I then have 3, 5, 7, 9, woods and can hit greens with those from 200 yards down to 165 yards. You do need a good short game, I average 1.7 putts per green, and the greens I miss, I get up and down about 50% of the time. I use my putter from the fringe alot, and make a lot of 1 putts from there.
I mainly play at Predator and Talon - both over 6600 from the Blues and I break 80 about 1/2 the time from those tees.

It is possible, you have to hit it straight, get close or on the green with your second shot and not do worse than a 2 putt.
If you are a short hitter, you may never hit it 300 yards, but you can get it in the fairway, up to or by the green and then get up and down or two putt for par.

[Big Johnny69]

I break 80 all the time - my index is 6 - I don't hit it very long - over 220 is a bonus. My key is hitting fairways - currently I'm hitting 90%. I then have 3, 5, 7, 9, woods and can hit greens with those from 200 yards down to 165 yards. You do need a good short game, I average 1.7 putts per green, and the greens I miss, I get up and down about 50% of the time. I use my putter from the fringe alot, and make a lot of 1 putts from there.
I mainly play at Predator and Talon - both over 6600 from the Blues and I break 80 about 1/2 the time from those tees.

It is possible, you have to hit it straight, get close or on the green with your second shot and not do worse than a 2 putt.
If you are a short hitter, you may never hit it 300 yards, but you can get it in the fairway, up to or by the green and then get up and down or two putt for par.

You are now my first call for a scramble!!!!

[LBH]

You are now my first call for a scramble!!!!

Hey what about me?

I break 80 regularly as well but I'm no 220-yd drive hitter...

And I play with funk-like all the time - it's boring whatching hit all those fairways. Sometimes, he barely makes it to the fairway but still hits it...

[Big Johnny69]

Hey what about me?

I break 80 regularly as well but I'm no 220-yd drive hitter...

And I play with funk-like all the time - it's boring whatching hit all those fairways. Sometimes, he barely makes it to the fairway but still hits it...

I just said he was my first call.....second and third calls have yet to be determined.

[mpare]

I no longer hit my three wood longer than 220 in the air, and I can still score in the 70s without my driver.

Feel free to call me for clean-up detail. I can make pars from the strangest places.

I just said he was my first call.....second and third calls have yet to be determined.

[BC MIST]

It is possible, you have to hit it straight, get close or on the green with your second shot and not do worse than a 2 putt.
If you are a short hitter, you may never hit it 300 yards, but you can get it in the fairway, up to or by the green and then get up and down or two putt for par.

Amen.

Except for play at the highest level, to score well, golf is a game of accuracy. Unless you can put the ball where you need to put it, one will never shoot the numbers one is potentially capable of, regardless of how far one hits it.

That 67 included a handful of toed drives that barely went 200 yards but they were all in the fairway. Fifteen greens, 27 putts, (140' of putts,) 8 birdies, while not the norm, still indicate that accuracy is the key. Many of my comments here have centred around NOT buying the latest "game improvement" club(s) but rather spending the time and money learning how to swing down on plane with a flat lead wrist, the true secrets to keeping the ball in play, and putting with a stroke that keeps the face square to the line - simple "secrets" to scoring low.

[Gobble_It]

Congrats on your 67 sir. You sum it up nicely here - accuracy and consistency are the key to low score.

Kudos to all who have broken the 80 plateau.

I found that to get anywhere close to breaking 80s, all facets of the game have to be spot on - from the tee, to the long fway shots (those 180-200 yrd shots to or close to green are quite daunting) , short pitches/chips and most important of all you have to have an excellent putting day (sink all those 3-7 putts and lag those long ones)....
Over 18 holes that demands quite a mental focus.

You cannot have a off-day for part of your game and hope for any chance getting close to 80...As a weekend warrior (forgot to mention that ) I guess that consistency is not there.

Amen.

Except for play at the highest level, to score well, golf is a game of accuracy. Unless you can put the ball where you need to put it, one will never shoot the numbers one is potentially capable of, regardless of how far one hits it.

That 67 included a handful of toed drives that barely went 200 yards but they were all in the fairway. Fifteen greens, 27 putts, (140' of putts,) 8 birdies, while not the norm, still indicate that accuracy is the key. Many of my comments here have centred around NOT buying the latest "game improvement" club(s) but rather spending the time and money learning how to swing down on plane with a flat lead wrist, the true secrets to keeping the ball in play, and putting with a stroke that keeps the face square to the line - simple "secrets" to scoring low.

[Eldred]

Amen.

Except for play at the highest level, to score well, golf is a game of accuracy. Unless you can put the ball where you need to put it, one will never shoot the numbers one is potentially capable of, regardless of how far one hits it.

That 67 included a handful of toed drives that barely went 200 yards but they were all in the fairway. Fifteen greens, 27 putts, (140' of putts,) 8 birdies, while not the norm, still indicate that accuracy is the key. Many of my comments here have centred around NOT buying the latest "game improvement" club(s) but rather spending the time and money learning how to swing down on plane with a flat lead wrist, the true secrets to keeping the ball in play, and putting with a stroke that keeps the face square to the line - simple "secrets" to scoring low.

Lyle, would you say the approach shots for those par 4s are also close or just inside 200 yards? If that the case, then I take your long irons are with great accuracy.. I find that That the problems with most not so good players like myself.. I can put the drives out there 250 on regular basis, the 180 second shots are a different story. If the chips are not close and worse, the 3 putts, I can see how the scores can quickly add up.. Hope this isn't too off topics, but would like how low handicappers normally handle those par 4s or 5s.. I'm a 17 index and the success I have with par 5 so far is going for two instead of laying up (lack of short games at the moment) ironically, that how I'm able to make birdies with two putts....But that alos risky and not the right approach long term..

[BC MIST]

Lyle, would you say the approach shots for those par 4s are also close or just inside 200 yards? If that the case, then I take your long irons are with great accuracy.. I find that That the problems with most not so good players like myself.. I can put the drives out there 250 on regular basis, the 180 second shots are a different story. If the chips are not close and worse, the 3 putts, I can see how the scores can quickly add up.. Hope this isn't too off topics, but would like how low handicappers normally handle those par 4s or 5s.. I'm a 17 index and the success I have with par 5 so far is going for two instead of laying up (lack of short games at the moment) ironically, that how I'm able to make birdies with two putts....But that alos risky and not the right approach long term..

Obviously depending on the length of the hole, wind and terrain firmness, approach shots do vary from wedge length to 4 wood length. I don't have any long irons in my bag, but start at 5I and woods are 2W, 4w and 7W. One advantage I now have is that I can manouevere those longer clubs, 4W and 7W, both ways and can hit them shorter distances depending on the kind of lie which is advantageous when the ball is in heavy rough or on a side hill.

Since I can't hit par 5's in two, I use a range finder to determine what length shot I need to avoid trouble and to get the ball to 60 or 80 yards, the distances of two of my wedges.

Nothing unusual in the above except that I accept my weaknesses of being a short hitter and a lousy chip/pitcher hitter and emphasize my strength of being accurate and a good putter. I don't gamble unless there is a 75% chance of making the shot and in so doing making a large number is avoided, another 'secret' to lower scoring. Coming back from a few bogies is easy but the doubles cause pain.

[Marcos]

Lyle,would you think that its a good idea to lay up at say a comfortable yardage(100 yrds or so)and get it close to the hole on the on par 4's to have a better chance of getting a par on my third shot or to go for it in two even if my accuracy on 150- 180 yrds shots is not that great?Appreciate the input.Its mostly on par4's of 375 yards and more that give me problems.I have never tried to lay up and have one putt to save par.

[Fade]

yes, definitely possible!!! probably possible to get under 70 as well, but as many have said, depends on the length of the course/its holes.

like if a course is 6000-ish yards, but has 230 par 3s, then it's tough, but then you better birdie those short par 4s & 5s &/or get up and down for par a lot

i've seen people shoot 75 with 2 or less GIRs ... chip and a putt or chip in on almost every hole!!

[BC MIST]

Lyle,would you think that its a good idea to lay up at say a comfortable yardage(100 yrds or so)and get it close to the hole on the on par 4's to have a better chance of getting a par on my third shot or to go for it in two even if my accuracy on 150- 180 yrds shots is not that great?Appreciate the input.Its mostly on par4's of 375 yards and more that give me problems.I have never tried to lay up and have one putt to save par.

The best answer I can give is to do whatever is necessary to maximize the probability of making the lowest score. If you have trouble with the 180 yard type shots and there is trouble near the green(s), i.e., bunkers, water, then it may be a good idea to avoid them. On occasion, it may even be advantageous to miss long versus laying up short since most holes have their trouble more in front of the putting green than behind. For example, in an OVGA seniors event yesterday at Smith's Falls #7, I selected my 80 yard club for a 75 yard shot to a pin location just over the water. Hit it slightly fat, ended up in a horrible lie, in the hazard from which I made bogey. The smart move, ( I've never bragged about my intelligence) would have been to play long, at least 85 yards, to guarantee a par, possible a birdie. Got greedy and paid the price.

If your chipping and putting is good, try laying up occasionally on those par 4's that you have trouble with, and see what happens.

[Dunny]

I break 80 about 10 times a year and an average well struck drive for me is only about 230. I think it's the fact that I've been hitting the driver short for soooo long it has helped me get very accurate with my long irons and hybrids.

[Dunny]

PS, I also putt like a champion

[leftylucas]

I have broken 80 a few times and rarely get more than 230 on my drives. Those 80 breakers were almost always due to some nice chipping off the green and those one putts getting in the hole. Rarely had any birds on those rounds. I never really got in trouble or have 1 or 2 bad holes so its is very possible.

[BrianGarson]

My friend never hits it much more than 225 and he breaks 80 every 3rd or 4th round. We're also playing the whites though.

[quinner]

Have you ever heard of Corey Pavin?

[nokids]

still trying to break 90. i've been oh so close. 3 putts and lost balls are killing my score.

[Gobble_It]

I witnessed the feat first hand after a round with a gentleman on a golf course in the Prairie. The man is probably in his 60 (he said he has retired) and shot 73-74 while I managed an 86

Most of his drives barely went pass mine (~220) but they are straight as arrow...I only saw him got into trouble once the entire round and he managed to bogey the hole. His wood / iron play are immaculate. Everytime I looked up, he had another GIR...His short game was spot on with any put < 7 feet would go in.

He doesn't have that pro look swing or power to get a smashmouth drive but he kept the ball in play in every hole. It was a humbling lesson for sure but I was the least embarrassed with my round and more at awe how he can be so consistent and got a score like that.

Mind you he is a member at the golf course and played there 3-4 times a week but it is to show that you can get a good score by having a consistent game and knowing how to manage your way around the golf course.

[Leejanzen]

I had one summer when I was still in highschool where I broke 80 5 times or so (77 being my best score). I would play from the blues on my home course (where 4 of my sub-80 rounds occured). I probably averaged about 215 off the tee (ie, took driver, 3W or 2I on the 415 yard par-4 second hole). Putting has always been one of my strengths and was blessed to have a course in my town with fast, fair greens, especially for Northern Ontario.

I moved to Ottawa 8 years ago, after being a mid-80s kind of golfer, and over the first 6 years here, I probably played a total of 12 rounds. My scores were in the 110-120 range (I lost whatever I had). Last year, I played 8 times and broke 100 (twice)for the first time in 7 years. This year, I've played about a dozen times and have played consistently in the high 90's to 104 range. I only had two deviations from those scores. I dropped a 112 at Les Vieux Moulins but a couple of weeks later, I scored an 86 at Pineview (7 strokes better than my next best round of the past 8 years). Maybe I'll break 80 again next year.