Breaking 80: The Amateur’s Guide For Golfers

If you are new to the game of golf, you have to agree that it is one of the most complex sports of all. However, it is also one of the most exciting games, and for anyone willing to learn, it is not hard to follow. Breaking 80 is one of the golf terms that newbies in the game might not know about. However, it is something many golfers aspire to achieve. Read on for detailed information on how to break 80 in golf.

A simple explanation of what to break 80 means will do you good before detailing how to do it. One of the first rules of golf is that you should know the average and maximum distance you play with each club. The percentage you play on the course is just as significant as the average and maximum distance.

You should know to add up to your percentage on the course, including how frequent your success in hitting your preferred shot is and how frequently you achieve the perfect hit with each of the golf clubs. Breaking 80 is vital to many golfers because it is proof that they are getting closer to scoring the 70s, which is a preserve of skilled golfers.

What Is The 80% Rule?

Breaking 80 is not as hard as you think as long as you do not overthink stuff and avoid making simple and costly mistakes. The 80% is basic and straightforward. It stipulates that if you cannot hit a shot 80% of the time, you have no reason to play on the golf course. Therefore, it is vital that you first practice during your learning curve to hit the shot 80% of the time before playing real golf on an actual recognized golf course.

If you lack the consistency to break 80 during your practice sessions, chances of breaking the same during a competitive or friendly game are too slim. Failure to reach the same could lead to double bogeys or anything worse than that, which you should try to avoid if you aim to break 80.

Some players are stuck at 90, which is not an exciting thing in golf. If you make it to the 70s, people look at you differently, and you get the recognition you deserve, which every player wants. Breaking 80 is a huge accomplishment, but getting there comes with frustrations and too much struggle for some players.

You also have to forget the myths surrounding breaking 80 or shooting 79 or lower than that if, you want to achieve what you want. If you are privy to the myths of how to break 80, the clear picture is as follows:

• It is perfectly okay to make a few birdies or even none at all. You do not have to chase a ton of them to break 80.
• It is essential to hit fairways, but even if you fail to do so, it is okay because you can still break 80 even after missing over half of your fairways.
• Hitting a ton of green to beak 80 is also not that important. You can hit only six and still break 80.

If you want to feel the thrill and excitement of breaking 80, the following tips are helpful enough to get you going in the right direction.

Tips on How to Break 80

The following tips are easy to execute, and they will help you reach the goal that everyone on the golf course longs for. All you need is some practice, and you are good to go.

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Tip One: Maximize distance with the right driver

One of the reasons some players lack distance is because they use the wrong drivers to maximize their distance. Many others focus so much on how far professional golfers hit their balls, forgetting that they too need help occasionally to maximize speed; otherwise, why else would they be going for training?

Reasonable distance does make a huge difference. However, obsessing over distance leads to overthinking and eventually to dismal performance on the golf course. The challenges you need to address when trying to break 80 should be course management, control, and accuracy.

It would be best if you also hit consistent high distances to make a few birdies. You also need to fit a good solid driver if you are to achieve consistency.

One of the many mistakes many golfers make is purchasing their drivers blindly without custom fitting them first. The reason for this could be that they believe every claim that the manufacturers make about their products. Hanging onto these claims is a mistake, and you should have your driver custom fitted by someone that knows what you need to maximize speed and break 80.

Tip Two: Improve your putting skills for short putts

Of all the golf swings, putting is the simplest to make because you do not have to deal with roughs, bunkers, or out-of-bounds. Your target is right there in front of you, and the surface is perfectly smooth, yet some players still cannot do it right. If you are aiming to break 80, you should pay more attention to improving your short putts.

The assumption is if you are ready to break 80, you already have your way with your chip shots and can manage putt shots five to six feet away from the hole. The following tips will help you to improve your short-putting skills.

• Be specific about the start and end of your putt into the hole for more success
• Breathe in and out gently before you take that shot without holding in your breath
• Do not let missing putts bring down your confidence or demotivate you
• Focus on the point of contact to ensure you hit the ball square before initiating the stroke
• Have a clear plan and execute it well to ensure you hit a good putt
• Maintain a bold and clear putting mindset
• Maintain fluidity when taking the shot and you can do this by continually moving your eyes and fine motor muscles until you take the stroke. Being tense and stiff will spoil your short putt
• Take your time sharpening your pre-putt routine to avoid carelessness, hurry, fear, and anxiety when taking the shot putt

Tip Three: Increase and pay more attention to your golf knowledge

If you want to break 80, you must do everything possible, including improving your understanding of golf rules and instructions. Many new players assume that learning about golf has more to do with swinging better than it has to do with anything else. However, learning everything you can about golf improves all aspects of your play on the golf course.

Improving your golf knowledge also enables you to grasp the game better and make significant progress toward achieving your goals. Fortunately, for you, the golfing industry has numerous instructors and professional coaches that can take you through everything you need to know about golf instructions, bettering your skills, and breaking 80, among other things.

More knowledge also helps you view how you play more straightforwardly and improve what you are not doing right. Understanding your swing and the natural ball flight can help you to navigate the golf course with more confidence and positivity.

While we are still garnering more knowledge about the game, you should also know everything it takes to break 80 per golf statistics. To make it simple for you, this is what you will learn.

If you are playing on a par 72-course, you will need 7 bogeys and 11 pars. Statistically speaking, this means that in regulation, you will most likely hit 5 to 6 greens. It also means that most likely, you will miss 12 to 13 holes in regulation on the green. It also means that you might manage to hit 5 or 6 one-putt greens, get up on 5 or 6, and have no 3-putt greens.

Again, the meaning of this is that you will have at the most 30 to 32 putts. You might also need to play 7 to 9 holes off-tee to hit 5 to 6 greens. If this explanation is confusing, here is a summary that will help you grasp the details better.

• Total Putts- 30 to 31
• Greens in Regulation- 5 to 6
• Fairways Hit- 7 to 9
• Blow up Holes and Others- 0

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Tip Four: Learn to master and control your scoring clubs

Another way of how to break 80 is by dominating and controlling your scoring clubs. Scoring clubs are the ones that help you to score what you are aiming for per your skill level. A golfer trying to break 90 will not use the same scoring clubs as a person aspiring to break 80 or 70. What are the right scoring clubs?

Assuming you already have your drivers fitted, the other scoring clubs that can help you break 80 are the wedges. Wedges are short irons with heavier soles and more loft than regular irons. They are instrumental between the greens and 100 yards out. If your drive yardage on par is over 250 for men and 200 for women, you will need a wedge to get back to the green if you hit a solid second shot.

Another occasion you will need to play a wedge is using 1 to 2 holes per 9-course. The courses are short, and you will need a wedge if you want to drive the ball, as you should, especially if you have to hit the second shot onto the greens.

For each round of golf, the number of times you play your wedges should at least be five or six. The wedge shots need to be extremely solid if you need to set yourself up for a birdie. Making at least two birdies for every round is one of the surest ways to break 80 because you can confidently make bogeys. How to break 80- Learn how to master and control your scoring clubs, especially the wedges.

Tip Five: Use your strengths to play the cards right

Using your power to play your cards right is an essential aspect of the game that will help you break 80. The concept of using your skillset and individual strengths is to help to get into the game strategy. Knowing your natural ball flight, perfect swing, and what you are exceptionally good at, is the best cards you can use on the course.

Using your skillset to play your cards right also means you need to have the necessary patience to work with what you get from the course. For example, if there is a hole not living up to your skillset, try to avoid pushing it. Rather than chasing the birdie, play to avoid the bogey because it will give you a better chance of playing your best on the upcoming hole.

Tip Six: Focus more on mental errors

Another easy way of how to break 80 is to focus on mental errors to eliminate unwanted strokes. Even though the following tips might seem like something you would naturally do on the golf course, it is easy for them to slip your mind in the quest for success. Adding the following tips to your game routine will set you up for success.

• Before pulling out your clubs, pay extra attention to the slope and wind
• Take note of the tee box markers because if you set up to angled tee box markers, you could get off the target
• Almost every player wants to hit the fairways, but you do not have to do it. Instead, pick a target off the tees and align yourself properly with it for the best chances of breaking 80
• Think hard and carefully about club distances and whether you can manage to get the distance you need in two
• Ensure that your loft is adequate to get you off the bunkers
• Mind your feet and shoulders and always keep your putts lined up
• Professional golfers look at their shots from four angles because they take time to read the greens. Do the same if you want to break 80

Tip Seven: Use past success

Recalling your past success on the greens and every hole you shot can help you swing better, gain more confidence, gain distance, and break 80. Past successes are also a reminder and an assurance that you can birding, and parring every single hole on the greens. Try to recall what you did in the past to get that success and try to replicate the actions.

Focus on that one hole that you know has your number or name written on it. I do not mean literally, but in your head, you envision that hole. Put a plan in motion and execute it once you get to “your hole.” It would help even more if you do not think much about the hole until you are on the tee box.

Wrapping it up

How do you break 80? The science behind breaking 80 may seem very complex to some players, mainly those new in the game, but you understand everything clearly, once you get the hang of it. Breaking 80 is a big deal for most golf players, and they will do anything to achieve that feat. With the help of the above factors, you can break 80 easily and join the list of celebrated golf players.