1. Putting

If you want to break 80 you need to be sinking putts that matter and have very little unforced errors. You cannot afford to be missing 3 or 4 footers. If you get your putting decent, it will be significantly easier for you to break 80. The difference between shooting 80 and 79 may only seem like one stroke but believe me, it is the biggest difference in the world.

I have shot 80 many times and I’ve also broken 80 many times. I find the trick is to have good lag putting and really think about where you want to have your second putt from. Really putting in the effort and taking an extra 15 seconds could save you a lot of strokes.

 

2. Placing Your Shots

if you step up to the shot and only have the flagstick in mind, there is a good chance that if you miss your target, you will miss by a significant amount. The key is to understand where you would want to leave yourself a putt and what would be a practical shot. Everybody loves going for the pin but the players who shoot low scores know how to get the shot done. Aim for the fat part of the green and try and shape the ball into the flag, this was a trick that Jack Nicklaus always said to do. If you aim for the fat part and try to draw it in or fade it in, you will either execute the shot and be very close to the hole, or you would hit it straight and be on the green.

It is really a win-win, now of course if you have a 90 yard shot to the pin, well that is way different because I would say go for it. Just remember, if you aim small you miss small. Even when you’re teeing off, think about where you want the next shot from and the distance you would like to have. Placing your shots is one of the best things you could to help you break 80.

 

3. Play For Your Miss

Whether you’re on the tee or on the fairway, always think to yourself where you would want to miss the ball. Whether it’s left, right, in the bunker, left rough or right fairway, just keep it in mind and swing through. You should also play for your miss, this means that if you are overdrawing or fading the ball, aim right or left and play for it. This will be the key to helping you be in a better position around the green or in the fairway.

Using this tactic will help you always be in a good position and will help you stop hitting the ball out of play or in the hazards. If you hit a big sweeping fade, well then club up and aim left, the worst thing you can do is try to fix your swing on the course. Just play for the shots that you were hitting on the range or just in general. I can assure you this will help you out immensely on the course and will play a major role in your quest to break 80.

 

4. One Shot At A Time

One shot at a time, remember that. It doesn’t matter what you did on the last few holes or what you want to do on the next few, just think and try to put all your focus on planning out the shot you have to hit at the moment. It does not matter what you did on the last few holes or what difficult holes lie ahead, the only thing that can make a difference is the current shot. So every time you catch yourself getting anxious or stressed, just put it into perspective that anything good can happen if you focus on the next shot you have to hit.

Think positive and instead of having negative thoughts, think about the opportunities that you have to improve your score, believe me, you never know what could happen. You could end up draining back to back birdies to get back for that double you made on 6. Just FOCUS on one shot at a time and be CONFIDENT.

 

5. Breathe, Just Breathe

Whenever you feel stress or anxiety about the next hole or just a lot of pressure, take a big deep breath, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This is scientifically proven to help relax your muscles and feel less tense. Turn that pressure into excitement and step up to ball with so much confidence. instead of thinking of all the possible ways you could screw up, think about the many ways you could stick it tight or sink the putt, or bomb the drive down the center.

Just focus, zone in and realize that you are a damn good golfer and you could probably pull off the shot multiple times during practice. You CAN DO IT, so Breathe, Just Breathe.