Previously, using the Shot Scope Six, we shared with you how to break 100, and now that you know how to break that, let’s look at how you can break 90, and keep breaking it when you play.
As a reminder, our friends over at Shot Scope suggested six stats that can help players break scoring barriers in golf. Here they are:
Shot Scope Six:
- Number of tee shots in trouble
- Greens in regulation
- Multiple shots inside 70yds to hit the green
- Number of three putts
- Missed putts inside 5ft
- Driving distance
Before we get into how to break it, what does a golfer who shoots in the 90s golf game look like?
Score in the 90s – Benchmark Data
From this table, the stats that jump out revolve around tee shots, approach play, and on the greens.
Starting at the tee, there is potential to save several shots.
A golfer who breaks 90 will have 4 troublesome tee shots per round, compared to 6 for the player who shoots in the 90s: fewer penalty strokes, fewer chip outs, fewer dramas result in lower scores.
Fewer dramas in the sense that there is no quicker way to rattle your confidence than sending a few balls into shrubs never to be seen again, after all, confidence is a big part of the game.
Keeping your tee shot in play will help you to keep a level head, save you from losing balls, and save you some strokes.
Plus, it makes it a whole lot easier to hit greens in regulation when you aren’t in trouble for a third of your round.
How many greens in regulation do you need to hit to break 90 consistently?
Golfers who routinely shoot in the 80s average 5.4 greens in regulation per round, which is just shy of 2 more than those carding something in the 90s (5.4 vs 3.6 GIR).
The golfer breaking 90 has two fewer troublesome tee shots and hits two more greens per round… coincidence or correlation? You can make up your own mind.
Hitting more greens in regulation is key to lower scoring because getting up and down is not easy. The average golfer successfully gets up and down every 1 in 3 attempts – 2/3s of their attempts are unsuccessful and result in dropped shots.
If you want to save some strokes instantly, aim for the middle of the green, ignore the flag, and make sure you have enough club.
For all approach shots, the typical amateur, 15hcp, leaves 1 in 2 approach shots short of the green.
There is still room for improvement once on the green, and again, it’s pretty low-hanging fruit, which is good.
To go from shooting in the 90s to the 80s, you must have one fewer three putt, which seems very doable.
If you want your score to start with an eight, then you can have no more than 3 three putts in a round. Wayward tee shots may knock you off your stride in terms of confidence, but three putts are king when it comes to getting the blood pressure to rise.
To keep yourself cool, calm, and collected on the greens, work on your lag putting and putts inside 3ft.
On long putts, like 20ft plus, if you can get your first putt inside 3ft, then you should be able to say goodbye to three putts. How come? Well, Shot Scope benchmark data reveals that a 25hcp golfer holes just shy of making 9 in 10 attempts inside 3ft.
Get dialled in on distance control and be confident at draining those 3-footers.
Small improvements in a couple of key areas can help you save a lot of strokes. The full Shot Scope Six comparison between scoring in the 90s and 80s can be seen below:
Shot Scope Six – Break 90
The Shot Scope Six is by no means an exhaustive list of stats when it comes to breaking scoring barriers, but they are simple to track and reap great rewards.
If you want a seamless, subscription-free method of tracking the six and over 100 other tour level stats, check out Shot Scope performance tracking products. We have GPS watches, rangefinders, and more to help you get the most out of your game.
Know your game with Shot Scope.
