Welcome to our breaking 90 page!  You're playing well at times, have some good shots and making some pars, right?  But, you tend to have a couple of blow up holes that are killing your scores.  You'll need to stay focused more to avoid the big numbers.

We are not going to talk about swing path or arm angles.  We will leave that to your local teaching professionals.  This page is dedicated to the mental side of the game, short game fundamentals and putting.  The goal is to get you to start thinking about a plan to shoot 89 and lower.

MISSION 89:

Course knowledge is one of the most important issues for amateur golfers.  The more you play the course, the more you'll know what trouble to avoid, giving you the best chance to succeed.  Start looking at the course map to determine where you would ideally like to be on each shot for each hole. 

You're good from tee to green, but the short game gives you trouble.

• Let's break down the score card.  On a par 72, you will need to shoot a maximum of 17 over par for 18 holes.  That's 0.94 over par per hole.
• It's basically bogey golf that you will need to maintain throughout the round, plus one par.  If you get a double bogey on one hole, you'll need a par or better the next to keep pace.
• Let's make an assumption that you can get to any green in 2 shots on a par 4.  A chip and a 2 putt will give you a 5.  Bogey golf puts you at a score of 90!  If you can start making some 1 putts, an 89 is within your grasp.
  
• Next time you want to practice, instead of hitting the driving range go to the putting and chipping green.  Although you don't get the same feeling of crushing that scuffed-up range ball as you do knocking in five foot putts, if you want to bring your scores down you must become a good chipper and putter.
• Getting up and down is really an art form.  Sometimes you need to get creative.  You'll need to learn how to hit flop shots, bump and runs to get that ball as close as you can for an easy tap in.
• Making 5, 10 and 15 foot putts are important.  Practice these putts religiously.  And try them from all angles such as downhill, sidehill and uphill.
  
• You need to learn to lag the ball from 30 and 40 feet to within 5 or less to the hole.  The game gets a lot easier when the ball's sitting next to the hole and your playing partner calls it good.
• When was the last time you went to the practice sand trap?  You will find those nasty bunkers from time to time on the course, and it's important you can feel confident that you can get the ball within 10 feet for a realistic chance to save par (but at worst bogey).  Blasting the ball over the green becomes a real mental downer and can give you a big number.

Green Strategy:

• You must know where the holes will be on any given day.  Find the pin sheets where you can plan your strategy.
• Pros have a partner to work with, their caddy, who knows what every inch of the green will do.  You get this information without a caddy by playing a course multiple times and taking notes on where the breaks will be on each green.
• There are two components to putting:  Knowing where your putt line is and executing the putt.  If you know for sure what the line is, you'll be much more confident stepping up to execute your putt with the right speed.
• What putts do you feel most comfortable with?  Most right handed golfers like a straight uphill putt or a slight break to the right uphill putt.  Figure out where on the green will get you that type of putt.  Put yourself in the best position possible to get the best result possible.
  

You're good around the green but the tee and fairway can get adventurous:

• The wildness from tee to green is skyrocketing your score.  Are you playing from the rough and sand a lot?  Course management is key for you.
• If you don't hit your driver well, let's pull out a club you have a lot of confidence in, ala Tin Cup and his 7 iron.  We don't encourage the Tin Cup method, but being comfortable with your clubs is extremely important.
• Do you hit a three metal (wood) off the tee more consistently?  How about a longer iron or even a hybrid?  Sure it's not as fun as trying to blast the driver, but what you are trying to accomplish?  Staying in the fairway and out of trouble is key (as well as a lot more fun).
• Go to the driving range and work on picking out a target.  Many amateur golfers hit shots without caring where they go on the range.  Treat it like you're actually playing.  This procedure will get you more focused mentally when playing each shot.

SCENARIO:  Let's say you're looking at a 530 yard, slight dog leg right par 5 with bunkers squeezing the fairway.  The green is guarded by another bunker in the front.  The strategy here is to avoid those trouble spots while getting you in position for bogey or better.  Let's say you typically hit a slice.  You'll want to aim slightly left with the plan to put the ball on the left side of the fairway.  This keeps you away from the bunkers and gives you a good look at the green with your line taking you away from the other hazard in the fairway.  If the bunkers are within your driving distance, consider hitting a long iron, 3 metal (wood) or even a hybrid that you're comfortable with.  This will keep you out of the bunkers and out of trouble.  Don't play to reach the green in two.  Play it as a three shot hole.  Now that you're short of the traps, you can take a good swing to try to get near the 100 yard marker.  Position A!  If your tee shot is 200 yards and your second shot is 200 yards all you have is 130 left to the flag.  Great position to be in to take a high iron over that meaningless trap, right at the flag.  A par is looking good.  If you do get into trouble, play your third shot to get around the green with an easy chip.  A chip and a putt still gets you a 5 and a two putt gives you a 6.  Remember, bogey golf is what you're shooting for and we know playing like this, you'll pick up a couple of pars along the way.

Mental Focus bringing you down?

• Concentration and execution are important in most sports, but extremely important in golf.
• Don't let a bad shot take you out of your game.  Regroup, forget about it, and think about what the next shot will require to get you back on track.
• Golf is a mental game and it's a chess match with yourself sometimes.  As soon as you lose mental focus, calm down and concentrate on the next shot.  If you can't, then forget about your dream round for that day, flag down the drink cart and enjoy a beautiful day on the links.

Mission accomplished?

We're not naive enough to think that after reading this section that you'll go out and shoot 89 today or tomorrow.  But hopefully with these tips you can begin to start thinking in a way that will give you that chance to reach your new low.  Use our forum to discuss what others are doing in their quest.  And, if you do card a number in the 80's, please come back to our forum to tell us all about it.  We love a good success story.

Good luck and may your bounces be kind!