Break 90: 10 Tips to Shoot in the 80s

How to break 90 consistently?

To break 90 consistently, focus on improving your short game by practicing chipping and putting regularly. Good players work on course management to avoid risky shots and minimize penalties. An easy way to be more consistent is to develop a reliable pre-shot routine. Stay positive and maintain a calm mindset throughout the round.

Don't get us wrong - we know that breaking 90 is one of the most challenging golf milestones to pass. Any golfer still trying to burst through this particular marker may be surprised to discover that, according to data from the National Golf Foundation, a mere 26 percent of all golfers shoot below 90 consistently in a full 18-hole round. In comparison, 45 percent of all golfers regularly post scores above 100.

While shooting a score in the 80s isn't exactly a straightforward task, if you can develop an ability to limit your mistakes and play bogey golf, you will be breaking through the 90 barrier in no time. Working on your driving, approach shots, short game, distance control and all other aspects of your game will obviously lead to better scores, but that's something all golfers know...

So, to help you in that quest, we've listed some standout tips which will give you a better chance of going lower than ever.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #1 Consider Golf Lessons

We wanted to get this one in straight off the bat. While it's certainly possible for you to break 100 by accepting certain deficiencies in your golf game, your attempts at breaking 90 may all be in vain if you fail to address any obvious swing flaws.

The best way to arrive at a golf course ready to go low is to do the necessary work at the range/short play area. To ensure you're working on the correct improvements, get a golf coach to take a look at your golf swing.

While it's always an idea to get in-person golf coaching, online golf lessons are becoming more and more popular.

A great tool to help you find elite-level golf coaches and work on your golf swing remotely is the Skillest app. You can connect with your chosen coach and send them videos of your swing before arranging a digital lesson. With Skillest, you're only ever a few clicks away from improving your golf game.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #2 Have a consistent Practice Routine

In between rounds, the easiest way to get lower scores is to spend some time at the driving range and short game area of your local golf course will help you improve each area of your game.

The CORE Golf app is an excellent companion for your driving range sessions (available on iOS only). The app helps you fight driving range boredom and allows you to practice with a real purpose, which in turn will make you a better golfer and break that dreaded score barrier.

There's a built-in discipline tracker that's a great way to keep you accountable for your practice sessions and after you tell the app which days of the week you want to go practice, it will send you timely reminders. Your only focus can then be on practicing better to you can play better golf.

It's stacked with detailed golf drills and personalised plans, while it presents a progress tracker that makes it super simple to track your improvements. Each drill has a specific goal considering your skill level, and as you get better, the drills get harder.

The CORE Golf app. Practice Better. Play Better.

On the day of your round, arrive at the golf course in good time to allow around half an hour of warming up. Swinging a golf club on the tee box a couple of times before teeing off doesn't really count as a warm up.

Next time you're going out to play, spend equal periods of time going through the bag hitting your driver/woods, irons and wedges, before finally focusing on putting before you tee off. You don't have to hit great shots - it is a warm up, so that's the only goal!

In particular, it's vitally important that you get at least 10 minutes on the putting green before hitting the first shot. Getting a feel for the speed of the greens, as well as reminding yourself of the fundamentals of your putting stroke, will only benefit you during the 18 holes.

Find your pace on long putts and spend some time over shorter 'knee-knockers' to develop pre-round confidence.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #3 Start Strong

You'll likely feel nervous on the first tee, and that's OK. The world's best golfers experience nerves in the same situation. The key for you on the first tee-box is to avoid letting this anxiety take over and to remember to employ your pre-shot routine as you would on any other hole. And if you hit a poor shot, remember - the next shot is always the most important.

Breaking 90 is all about avoiding disasters, staying away from triple bogeys and playing a steady round of golf. Don't try to crush that first tee shot. Instead, really focus on making a slow, smooth golf swing and you'll likely hit it solid. Now... you're on your way.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #4 Focus on Accuracy NOT Distance

If you're looking to break 90 for the first time, get distance out of your mind immediately. Accuracy is king. Middle of the green is queen. The biggest difference between bad and golfers in terms of course management is where they aim at.

When golfers fail to break 90, it's rarely because they don't reach a par-5 in three shots, or a long par-4 in two. Instead, they miss out because they waste so many shots by going OB or by hacking out from pretty penal rough.

This is where good course management can pay dividends. You might want to consider the club you're taking on each tee-box by adequately assessing the danger up ahead.

A hole with wide fairways and no OB might be a green-lighter as far as the driver goes. Conversely, a tighter and more unforgiving hole might be better tackled with either a hybrid or long iron.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #5 Level-Up Your Lag Putting to avoid 3-putts

When you do manage to find a Green in Regulation, the chances are you will still be quite a distance from the cup. Learn to lag it close, and you can steal a shot off the course in your quest to break 90.

Of course, developing the touch to lag it close doesn't just appear overnight. You'll need to work on your pace control and putt visualisation on the practice green in between rounds.

Check out this lag-putting drill below from the great Phil Mickelson on Odissey's Youtube Channel:

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #6 Take Your Medicine - No Hero Shots

As an extension of the 'accuracy' thought above, better players keep the ball in play. So, if you can do that, you'll limit the number of times you're scrambling to make 'your par' and avoid the double bogey.

If you do manage to find yourself blocked out in the rough, the sensible play will be the right play. Amateur golfers tend to go for the hero shots way more than they should - the pros take their medicine, why shouldn't you?

Make sure you can hit a basic punch shot to get yourself out of trouble and back in the fairway. Don't try to be a hero. It rarely goes well.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #7 Use the Same Club for Chipping

When you're somewhere around the green, there's an immense benefit to be gained from using the same club when chipping. The predictability that comes from using a familiar club means you can narrow your focus to the chosen landing zone - and trust the strike.

Of course, there will be times you need to be a little more creative - perhaps when chipping over a bunker - but, in the main, try to settle on a 'favourite' club for those shorter shots around the greens. Whether it's a sand wedge, a pitching wedge, or even a lob wedge, choose one, learn what it does and stick with it. Only hitting a "single shot" with your wedge shots will for sure help you get more up & downs, or at least avoid having second shots around the green.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #8 Don't Count Your Score

When you're on the golf course with a number in mind, this tip is probably going to be the hardest to stick to. We're not referring to totting up the numbers on your scorecard exclusively; it's just as potentially destructive if you let your mind wander and start counting scores in your mind as you walk to the next tee.

If you count your score during a round of golf, the pressure will build, and it's very likely to have an impact somewhere in the back nine.

FYI: If you don't want to count score, you can still play your round with the Hole19 app in tow. Enable the 'GPS Only' mode and you will still get your distances to front, middle and back of the green, without needing to log the number of strokes.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #9 Practice Positive Self-Talk

Whether you practice it inwardly or aloud, self-talk can be an extremely powerful tool on the golf course. How many times have you drawn on negative past experiences of a particular hole - or entire golf course - and how has that impacted upon the outcome? The mental state of a golfer directly impacts their golf game - every golfer knows this.

Self-fulfilling prophecies await around every corner in golf. If you expect a negative outcome, you'll get one. Try to revert your focus from what has happened in the past, to what lies before you. Banish those thoughts of slicing one OB and visualise the ball plum-centre of the fairway.

Golf isn't easy, so learn to give yourself a break.

'I can't putt today at all' is a pretty negative statement. Instead 'I can putt better that this' draws on positive memories from bygone rounds.

Golf Tips to Break 90 - #10 Don't Panic

No matter what happens out there on the course, don't panic. Don’t deviate from your plan. If something goes wrong, keep your head in the game and stay focused on playing the percentages.

If you miss out on breaking 90 this time, it's not the end of the world. But if you manage to use these tips every round you WILL get there. Good luck!!!

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