Really starting to pick up golf and working to consistently break 100. Feel like my game is making a lot of progress. I would love to hear the wisdom of this board on the top 2-3 things for a new-ish golfer to begin working on to really drop some strokes. Would love any and all feedback! TIA.

It always begins with the basics.

Grip, setup, ball position, rhythm, tempo, ...........

But it always ends with dropping the club into the slot that allows you to approach the ball from the inside with maximum compression and power.

Most new golfers try to lift the ball in the air with their irons because it seems natural.... and in doing so, their weight falls away from the target. Good golf shots come when you're center of mass stays in front of the ball and you compress it. Other than that, the golf swing is really just about arc, plane, and a square club face.

A lot of good physical tips above so I'll go from the mental standpoint. Approach each hole as a par 5 (to break a 100 you can consider par 5's par 7's assuming 4 of them on the course). That way you don't feel as much pressure on a par 3 when you don't hit a good tee shot, if you make a 5 you're right on track, when you make a 4 you 1 shot ahead of schedule.

'03ag said:

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khaos288 said:

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Don't lose balls off the tee
Get near the green in regulation
Only chip once
Never putt 3 times

If you can follow 3 of those 4 on every hole, you'll break 100 every time.

If you can follow all 4, you'll be a very strong golfer.

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I went out with this goal during my last round. I was 4 for 4 on most holes. Did have a few 3 putts. Never missed the fairway off the tee, but did dump 2 in the water from the fairway on one hole. The resulting 10 and a few 3 putts kept me from breaking 90, but I did shoot 95. I was never in danger of shooting 100+

My mindset right now needs to be bogeys=pars, pars=birdies.

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Perfect. Yeah I feel like having attainable goals and sticking to the plan makes golf SO much easier.

Got a tight fairway with water left? Just don't hit driver. Try to get near in reg. Then just make sure you get on with your chip.

Once beginners stop trying to bomb every drive, attack every pin, hole every chip, and putt decently, they are no longer beginners.

khaos288 said:

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'03ag said:

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khaos288 said:

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Don't lose balls off the tee
Get near the green in regulation
Only chip once
Never putt 3 times

If you can follow 3 of those 4 on every hole, you'll break 100 every time.

If you can follow all 4, you'll be a very strong golfer.

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I went out with this goal during my last round. I was 4 for 4 on most holes. Did have a few 3 putts. Never missed the fairway off the tee, but did dump 2 in the water from the fairway on one hole. The resulting 10 and a few 3 putts kept me from breaking 90, but I did shoot 95. I was never in danger of shooting 100+

My mindset right now needs to be bogeys=pars, pars=birdies.

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Perfect. Yeah I feel like having attainable goals and sticking to the plan makes golf SO much easier.

Got a tight fairway with water left? Just don't hit driver. Try to get near in reg. Then just make sure you get on with your chip.

Once beginners stop trying to bomb every drive, attack every pin, hole every chip, and putt decently, they are no longer beginners.

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I think a lot of beginners have trouble executing this plan because they don't know what it means. I know I have. That's why I really tried to focus on it last time.

They tend to think of it as "don't mess up your chips." What is really means is be smart with your chips. That's why sometimes to avoid chipping twice you need to aim in safe areas and not attempt perfect chips. Don't dump a chip in a bunker because you tried to land a flop on the fringe. Get that mofo ON the green at all costs. You want to be on the green in regulation+1 as often as possible.

There are many ways to chip. Some more difficult than others, and a good player chooses which one fits the situation. OP, we are not a good players. Pick the easiest style of chipping and focus on that for now. Sometimes a different style of chip will get you closer to the hole. Ignore the desire to try that. Do want you can do consistently. Also, putt as much as possible from off the green.

So much great feedback, love it! Thanks all. Like the idea of approaching everything as a par 5... also thinking bogeys=par and par=birdie...

'03ag said:

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khaos288 said:

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'03ag said:

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khaos288 said:

---

Don't lose balls off the tee
Get near the green in regulation
Only chip once
Never putt 3 times

If you can follow 3 of those 4 on every hole, you'll break 100 every time.

If you can follow all 4, you'll be a very strong golfer.

---

I went out with this goal during my last round. I was 4 for 4 on most holes. Did have a few 3 putts. Never missed the fairway off the tee, but did dump 2 in the water from the fairway on one hole. The resulting 10 and a few 3 putts kept me from breaking 90, but I did shoot 95. I was never in danger of shooting 100+

My mindset right now needs to be bogeys=pars, pars=birdies.

---

Perfect. Yeah I feel like having attainable goals and sticking to the plan makes golf SO much easier.

Got a tight fairway with water left? Just don't hit driver. Try to get near in reg. Then just make sure you get on with your chip.

Once beginners stop trying to bomb every drive, attack every pin, hole every chip, and putt decently, they are no longer beginners.

---

I think a lot of beginners have trouble executing this plan because they don't know what it means. I know I have. That's why I really tried to focus on it last time.

They tend to think of it as "don't mess up your chips." What is really means is be smart with your chips. That's why sometimes to avoid chipping twice you need to aim in safe areas and not attempt perfect chips. Don't dump a chip in a bunker because you tried to land a flop on the fringe. Get that mofo ON the green at all costs. You want to be on the green in regulation+1 as often as possible.

There are many ways to chip. Some more difficult than others, and a good player chooses which one fits the situation. OP, we are not a good players. Pick the easiest style of chipping and focus on that for now. Sometimes a different style of chip will get you closer to the hole. Ignore the desire to try that. Do want you can do consistently. Also, putt as much as possible from off the green.

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You're 100% right. If you aren't hitting an 8 iron chip on bump and runs to a quality spot on the green when possible, you're doing it wrong. Flops and high chips are ONLY when necessary, and are rarely necessary. That's if you're behind a bunker and there's no way to the green without going over.

• Eliminate penalty strokes (keep drives in play)
• Practice Lag putting (and putt whenever possible off the green)
• Practice 3 footers

Pay attention to the mental/attitude situation after you've hit a bad shot or sustained a big score on a hole. If you can reign it in and sincerely not have it affect subsequent shots, your score will be many strokes lower. And when you figure that out, let me know what the secret is...

'03ag said:

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Also, putt as much as possible from off the green.

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This is what I came to say.....I see too many high handicappers trying to hit a miracle chip from 10-15 feet off the green with short grass between them and the putting surface. a large percentage of the time, they chunk one barely onto the green or skull one across the green. it's important when you're trying to break 100 or even 90 to either putt those or learn to bump an 8 iron or something....get the ball rolling as soon as possible. you're way more likely to give yourself a putt you can make that way and at worst 2 putt.

Goodbull_19 said:

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So much great feedback, love it! Thanks all. Like the idea of approaching everything as a par 5... also thinking bogeys=par and par=birdie...

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I came here to say exactly this. Try to make bogies.

Hank Haney's tips:

1) eliminate penalty strokes
2) avoid "two-chips"...this occurs when near the green and taking two shots to finally chip it on (usually a chunk or skull)
3) avoid 3 putts

These are great tips, but dive one level deeper and discuss "how" to accomplish these...my thoughts:

1) eliminating penalties
If there is water short of a green for example, take whatever club it will take to ensure getting over the water. Don't take clubs that you have to hit perfect or good to stay away from trouble. Bomb it to back or over the green a bit....you will have a chip but it's better than a penalty. points 2 and 3 will address the chip situation you put yourself in, but you have eliminated a penalty. 9/10 times you aren't gonna hit that longer club perfect, so the distance gets cut off and you will be on the green anyway.

2). avoid two chips
you have to practice your short game....good fundamentals with stance, ball position and impact position. Just being able to not duff a chip will plummet your score, as well as make number 1 above an easier situation

3) avoid 3 putts
better chipping will help here, as will just better putting...my suggestion is to not even line up any putt outside of 12' - you statistically aren't gonna make many of those anyway. Learn how to get your distance control locked down and you will two putt all day. The right distance on a poorly selected line will usually result in very makeable second putt. It is ALL about distance control.

3 things
Never use your driver just tee off with a three wood.
Every yardage and approach shot into a green should be to the center of the green. Don't aim for flags.
Use your putter around the green as much as possible instead of chipping.

I was going to bring the "don't 2 chip" That is huge. 2 chip likely means double bogey.

And hazard short or not, err toward hitting more club than you think you need. Amateurs have a major tendency to underclub. That results in small misses becoming big misses. So if you ever feel in between, go longer.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Go to the driving range. A lot. Don't forget to putt and chip when you are there.
Not just a few days before you play either. Try twice a week, or at least once a week. Do that for 6 weeks and you will see dramatic improvement. You don't have to get the big bucket. Get a small or medium bucket and a couple tall boys.

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Great advice as well, a small bucket once a week with putting and chipping either before or after, you can do in about an hour, will make great improvements. During the school year when my daughter has dance class, on my day to take her I spend the 90 minutes so she is in class at the range and putting green. It's noticeable when I'm not doing that.

Move up a set of tees or even two.

NColoradoAG said:

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bdgol07 said:

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I think I remember Bob Ellis telling us during one of my Golf elective classes that 50% of all golf shots are from 100yds and in. Work on being accurate with wedges first, then getting off the box efficiently and keeping the ball in play.

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I think beginners trying to break 100 need to work on keeping the ball in play as the number one goal. Spraying balls OB and in hazards every time you hit a tee shot is the quickest way to high scores.

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This is true. I speak from much....much...experience.

Make sure to get some anti-slice tees! This will be your best tool for keeping the ball in play and for the low price of $9.99

https://www.amazon.com/Orlimar-OR07254-Anti-Slice-Tees/dp/B004LFW8PU

Chipotlemonger said:

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I also disagree with the advice to just use a 3W and never use the driver. The biggest game improvements will come from getting the big dog working for you. Long and in play. Plus, they are some of the most fun shots to hit in golf when you nail them.

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Agree completely. Same with the "focus more on the short game" advice early on. Your long game needs to get you on or close to the green in reg consistently, or you are pissing in the wind. Plus, the better ballstriker you become, that will actually help your pitching/chipping consistency as it is helping develop the hand/eye needed to do it all well

proudaggie02 said:

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1. Driver is by far the most important club to get good at with a full swing.
2. Putting: become automatic inside 3 feet, really good in the 4-8 foot range, and practice speed/lag putting quite a bit. It's easy to get a serviceable putting strike; the rest is repetitions.
3. Chipping: watch Mickelson's videos. Get good at a low, running chip (with 8, 9, PW) when you have a lot of green and are near the green. Get good with hitting different types of shots with SW. Don't take on more risk than is required.

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Agree with #2 and #3, but not #1. When you're trying to break 100 consistently, you need to get that first shot in the fairway with a reasonable distance most of the time. I can hit my 5 wood off the tee and get 185-190 yards straight almost every single time, no stress or fuss. My driver goes a little further, but dispersion is much higher. My scores are lower when I'm not having to chip back into the fairway from behind trees or taking drops because the ball went OB. Find a reliable tee club first. If that's a driver, bonus. (Breaking 90, though, yes you're going to have to get your driver sorted.)