For golfers, breaking 90 for the first time is a big deal. But as they get better and their goals shift, breaking 80 can also start to look like a possibility.
But you need different skills for each one, and they are all important for reaching your goals. Jeff Smith, a teacher, talked about the differences between the two at GOLF’s 2023 Top 100 Teachers Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz., in December of last year.
Smith says that the first step is to be honest about how good you are at the game. How many balls do you hit out of bounds each time? How well do you play short? With a 30-yard wedge shot, how many times can you get on the green? This will help you figure out what parts of your game need work, and then you can work on those.
Smith, who teaches at Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, Fla., says, “To break 90, you are generally underestimating how important the short game is. And I don’t mean being a whiz or anything; I just mean being able to hit it in one from the bunker or just off the green.” “The shots that didn’t go in; the easy ones we can usually handle quickly.”
Read More: Brooks Koepka taught me ten lessons in 32 minutes.
Smith says that beating 90 is mostly about having a better short game and getting the right coaching, which would help players be more consistent and smarter.
“If you are trying to break 80, you probably play a lot of golf and have taken some lessons,” Smith said. “But you may not have broken 80 yet because you are inconsistent off the tee, like hitting two duck hooks and a push fade in the same round.” “On the other hand, breaking 90 is just coaching, and you can usually get better quickly after a lesson.” It’s sometimes the easiest things that make a difference. For example, a new player can quickly learn how to chip well. When you turn 80, it might take a little more time or time spent with a teacher working on skills and improving your short game.
Smith says that a good review of your own game is the first and most important thing to keep in mind. He says that golfers too often say they are a low-90s shooter, but for some, that means they make one or two mulligans, like missing a 3-footer here and there, or they take a handicap max score on a hole instead of finishing it.
Smith says that players like that are often the hardest to teach because they think their scores are lower than they really are.
“That score is made up.” “After two months of working with them, they shoot a real 93 and think, ‘Hey, I’m not getting any better.’ But those sevens you’re writing down mean you hit it seven times,'” Smith says. “We need to be able to accurately identify what they are shooting at before we can set a goal.” Things like that can be a little sad. You shouldn’t be too negative, but you should be honest about where you are.
After that, all that’s left is to choose the right teacher, make a promise, and get to work.
The post How to Break 80 vs. Break 90, According to a Top Teacher appeared first on Golf.
