How To Break 80 In Golf: The Ultimate Guide For Golfers

Golf is one of the most challenging games, and playing it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Yet, the challenges and cutthroat competition it puts at every stage are what hooks you towards it.

By now, you would have been familiar with its fundamentals like swing and overall mechanical and non-mechanical aspects of the game. 

But there are tons of wrong practices that only a few can score better, especially when breaking 80 in golf. Being a golfer, I can relate to the situation as I have achieved the benchmark.

However, many of my colleagues (excellent golfers) haven’t achieved it till now! Hence, I’ve covered a comprehensive guide that will help you move closer to your goal.

What Is The Significance Of Breaking 80 In Golf?

Doing so would turn you into a low handicap and improve your golfing skills. Some players under this bracket, while achieving this goal, become a single-digit handicap.

Thus, you can officially call yourself a good golfer. However, it is not easy, as only 2-5% of golfers can break 80 consistently. Therefore, you need the most effective practices to achieve the same!

What Are The Myths About Breaking 80 In Golf?

When it comes to breaking 80, the first step is clearing your mind from many misconceptions. Yes, at this stage, you would have many in mind, and before clarification, you cannot entirely focus and practice correctly toward the goal.

Below are the common myths about breaking 80 in golf:

• Think about breaking 80 constantly 
• Make maximum birdies possible 
• Hit more than half of the Fairways 
• Hit pretty of greens 
• Sink putts from above 10 feet 
• Firing pins centrally
• Hit birdie putts left and right 
• Hitting every shot that comes your way 
• Not making bogeys 
• An instructor is essential

Instead, you can make birdies, but not necessarily. Besides, you can miss more than 50% of the fairways and shoot only 6-7 greens per round. Moreover, you can fire pins from left and right and even make birdies from the same direction.

Instead, you should focus on the things given below:

• Avoiding double bogeys
• Put tee shots in motion
• Avoid three putts
• Having a short game warmup routine

The goal should not be about being a veteran golf player but rather being steady with your game!

How To Break 80 In Golf Consistently? 

Breaking 80 in golf consistently and breaking 80 otherwise are a lot different. Both require different levels of practice and time to achieve the goal.

However, the initial one is time-consuming and challenging, so let’s dig into the details!

1. Knowing Your Game

To consistently break 80 in golf, you must be aware of your game. It includes knowing Your strengths, weaknesses, areas of improvement, and shot patterns.

Further, you should know how accurately your shots reach and not how far you want them to be. 

By thoroughly understanding it, you can select your clubs better and plan your game accordingly. Besides, you should know your “misses.”

These refer to shots that you intend to hit, but it doesn’t go as planned. It helps to strategically plan your game and minimize the impact of misses on it.

Though working on areas of improvement is of utmost importance, don’t forget to leverage your strengths to achieve your goal.

Breaking 80 does make you a low handicap, yet you don’t have to be perfect in every part of the game, as nothing is ideal.

Therefore, hit high lofted shots with better control, chip the ball closer to the pin, and aim towards making a birdie and avoiding a double bogey. 

Don’t forget to analyze what prevents you from reaching a goal. It can be a type of shot, clubface position, putting, or hitting out of bounds.

2. Checking The Equipment

Checking the equipment does not involve buying a newer one; neither does it aim to have the most expensive equipment with you.

Most of your equipment would have problems that require some professional tweaking. Before that, ensure that your clubs are perfectly designed to minimize the negative impact of your game.

Like clubs with a larger clubhead, forgiving clubs, flexible shafts, and similar, they match your performance and help you meet your goals.

Therefore, you can use a launch monitor to check if there’s something wrong with your equipment or get it checked by an instructor. 

If so, you can ask a professional club fitter to tweak it to match the intended performance.

3. Developing A Practice Plan

Breaking 80 is not a cakewalk, but you can make it with the proper approach. You need a properly structured practice plan that has the right approach to your abilities and goals. The first step should be to devote time to your practice daily. 

Next, create a practice plan containing a breakdown of your weekly time working on the sport. Don’t forget the aspects of the game which need improvement.

These include Chipping, putting, driving, and similar areas. You should dedicate 40% of your time to practicing weaker areas. 

Thus, you can address your weaknesses and confidently strengthen your game. Devote the rest 60% of the time to iron shots, bunker play, or similar aspects, which are potential hazards.

Lastly, write your practice plan and ensure you execute it daily.

4. Setting Achievable Goals

Everyone’s situation varies; hence, you should set only achievable goals to break 80 consistently.

It sounds ideal if you commit to practicing golf for an hour daily, but unrealistic for most golfers due to constraints or work commitments. So, it’s more practical to balance playing golf and dedicating time to practice.

When you are a golfer who can play and practice the game twice a week, you should have a proper strategy based on your skills. Like if you’re currently playing in the mid-90s, it might take years of consistent efforts.

In contrast, if you are in the mid-80s, you might see progress in a matter of months. Setting achievable goals is essential from the perspective of practice time and performance. By analyzing your flaws, you can figure out the gaps that obstruct you from your sport, etc. 

For example, if you had 33 putts in the last round, you should set an achievable goal of keeping 30 or fewer putts in the next round.

This would enhance your putting skills. Moreover, you can even score a few birdies with more sinking into the hole. 

But an unachievable goal like 20 putts directly after 33 would discourage you. Therefore, aim to keep yourself motivated throughout.

Check Out: 21 Golf Tips For Beginners: Take Your Game To The Next Level

5. Mental Game Improvement On The Course

Mental Game can be both an asset or a liability to your gameplay. If you master the skill, then it can reward you with more significant victories in golf, but if not, then it would be a hindrance.

You don’t have to make much effort to improve your mental performance or take any therapy for the purpose. 

Doing so involves three easy tips!

Stop Thinking About Breaking 80 In Golf

The primary step is to stop thinking about the goal. Doing so won’t help you focus or help in any way but would create undue pressure unnecessarily.

Besides, golf is already a bit complicated to master, so think about playing, not goals. 

Therefore, think only about the course, figuring out the best approach to the shot, analyzing tee shots, and other aspects to master it.

Snap The Rubber Band

Again, an absurd tip is to play one shot at a time. Most of you think that you are practicing it, but it doesn’t happen in reality. While playing one shot, your mind wanders into the future playing another shot. 

Thus, you cannot think of one and mess up the game. Instead, aim should be the shot you are currently playing.

If that’s difficult, which happens with most golfers, wear a rubber band on your hand and snap it when you are zoning out into the future shot.

Conquer Your Mindset 

Golf is a remarkable sport, so you would feel differently about it. For some, it would be your prettiest escape from work, while for others, it might be a fitness activity, or for the rest, it would be your hobby.

However, obstructions in your goal, misses, slicing, smashing Penalty shots, or bogeys might spoil your mood. 

Thus, learn to relax, take a deep breath, and play. Throwing away your clubs, hitting the balls, and such activities are pointless for you, leading to later regrets. 

Even if you feel you are not playing at your optimum levels, you can take a break or try to understand why it’s happening. It’s always better to take a deep breath, rest, meditate, and begin again!

6. On-Course Strategy

After knowing the essentials, executing them in the correct manner and time is of utmost importance. Besides, playing on the range and course has a lot of variations; therefore, you must be familiar with the latter as well.

Golf Course Management Is Essential

Breaking 80 in golf requires preparing for a low handicap like a single digit. Therefore, with gradual practice, you will better know how to plan your hits strategically.

The biggest misconception is that the middle of the green is always the best target for your shot. But it is not true. Focus on one side of the fairway. 

For instance, when you hit the left side, you get a better idea of the angle to approach your next shot from the right. To do so, consider the green layout, position yourself, and approach your game accordingly. 

Next, pay attention to the pin at the center of the green. It’s upon the fairway that you should approach correctly. Most of you choose the central path for the same, but left or right works as it minimizes miss. 

So, your ball would land closer to the pin, and you can make a birdie in the next shot. 

In contrast, shots in the center can also lead to Penalty shots or might panic you, disrupting your game flow. Besides, always aim to face an uphill putt from a longer distance and shorter. 

It will give you more control over the speed and trajectory of the ball. Hence, it’s more likely to sink and even make a birdie.   

Moreover, being a long-time golfer monitors your strengths and weaknesses. So you can strategize your gameplay and think of recovery shots accordingly. It thus minimizes risks and misses and makes your goal easier!

Pre Round Warm Up 

Getting on the course and directly aiming for the tee shot is one of the golfers’ biggest mistakes. You cannot hit lower scores or break 80 this way. 

Therefore, get to the place a minimum of 45 minutes before. In the first 15 minutes, stretch and exercise to loosen your body and give it flexibility. 

Further, in the remaining 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes practicing on the range and the rest of the time pitching and chipping.

Tee Box Strategy

When you are at the stage of breaking 80, you have already come far in being a better golfer. Thus, it’s time to avoid silly mistakes and have a tee box strategy. 

So, don’t just grab a driver and swing aggressively; instead, assess where it is good to hit and where it’s worst. Choose the apt club, approach your shot smartly with either the correct tee box strategy, and you are all set!

Approach Shot Strategy

Before you take up your club to play, always keep a check and study the green. This includes figuring out the distance to the flag, the worst spot to miss the shot, and even the best one.

Aim for the former one to succeed. Not all, but the majority of the Greens have a slope from back to front.

So, when your ball is a few yards short of the pin, it will lead to an uphill putt, and more numbers improve your score.

But it’s not mandatory, so always check the slope. 

Strategy For Playing On A New Golf Course 

Golf is considered one of the toughest sports in the world. A cherry on the cake is when you have to play on a new golf course. Surprisingly, there are several ways you can be ahead of your competitors. 

Begin by researching the course on Google, viewing its photo gallery for the track preview, and searching on forums and even YouTube to learn more about it. 

Next, use a Yardage book and GPS. Maps help you check for physical hazards on the course, the topography, the distance, and lots more. Talking to a local caddy further helps. 

Another major tip is to reach there early and assess the course better. Afterward, don’t get nervous about your game according to the new course, and focus on playing instead of breaking 80.

Sometimes You Have To Be Aggressive

Golf is also about mastering your moods and emotions. While it shouldn’t be aggressive, your conduct toward the ball should be aggressive in certain situations. 

A wise golfer will know when to be aggressive in gameplay without harming anyone and when not. This is what excellent golf course management refers to. At times on the course, you would have to putt at a more incredible speed or go towards the right for the pin or similar situations. 

For a little extra speed and greater force, be a bit aggressive with your shots. Yet, it shouldn’t be dangerous for anyone, and try to make it fruitful as much as possible.

Though there’s a risk, the reward should be worth it!

There Are Multiple Shots To Play

You should train yourself with different kinds of shots, such as Stinger, Chip, Putt, etc, to break 80. Thus, depending on different situations, you will have the required shots in your mind’s bucket list to play effectively. 

There are multiple approaches to playing every shot. These involve using different clubs, altering shot trajectory, varying the ball’s spin, and similar. 

Further, you can hit the ball high, low, straight, curve, right, or left, depending upon the best way to avoid hazards. It improves your gameplay, reduces time on the course, and helps you improve your score.

Smart Decisions Lead To Better Scores 

Under this bracket, when you are looking to break 80 in golf, you are already familiar with the fundamentals, tricks, and even mechanical aspects of the game.

What’s astonishing about breaking 80 is that the players play similarly to those in the 70 bracket. So, how are they distinct? 

Well, your smart decisions will determine how well you play, and soon will also make up to breaking 70. Both players of these categories play average, but the smart play attitude determines the champion. 

When your ball is in a hazard, like a rough or similar, you think of using a 3-wood club to make a shot at rescuing it.

Yet you are unsure whether you can hit it well, whether it is convenient for you, and whether you are confident or not! So, you are not ready to consistently break 80 in golf. 

While lower handicaps analyze the scenario, think of their capabilities, and make decisions based on the success rates. Thus, they avoid unnecessary risks and prefer making a bogey better than having a poor scorecard.

Incorporating Golf Technology

Golf is increasingly adopting technology in various ways. One of the prominent examples is using a GPS unit, launch monitor, or distance measuring devices.

Further, recording your gameplay also gives you a better analysis. It helps you analyze quicker so you can improve faster. 

You can also use other devices that measure your wrist angle at setup and perform similar activities. Therefore, you can play more smartly and save a lot of time.

Conclusion

When breaking 80 golf, you can streamline your journey by following a well-structured plan. The first is to declutter your mind from all kinds of myths you have about the goal.

Next, your aim should be to achieve your goal with consistency. So, first, become familiar with your game, including strengths, weaknesses, and hazards that lead to misses.

Your equipment is another set of tools that can spoil or improve your game. Hence, check if it is proper. You don’t need an expensive set, but once that minimizes negative impact and integrates proper design for it.

Next, create a practice plan covering warmup routine, range practice, and even Chipping, pitching, etc. 

Don’t forget to set achievable goals. Most of you would think about “how many putts per round to break 80”; the answer is 30 or fewer.

However, setting the goal of 20-25 putts per round to break 80 is quite an unachievable goal that would demotivate you when executed.

You should be proper with on-course strategy and even conquer your mindset on the course for breaking 80 golf.