Do you want to shoot in the 70s more often?
If so, you need a solid practice routine to break 80. What got you to break 100 and break 90 are not the same drills/routines that are needed to break 80.
Today, I’ll help you develop a solid practice routine so you show up prepared. No more wasting time on the driving range, hoping to get better.
I’ll provide data, accessories, and other tools that will help you work on your weaknesses and hopefully break 80 sooner.
Practice Routine to Break 80
To break 80 consistently, you need to become a single digit handicap golfer – close to a five handicap. Let’s get the stats of a five handicap from this article to see how your game stacks up.
Five handicaps…
- Hit 49% fairways in regulation (learn more about tee box strategy here).
- Average 4.27 strokes on par 4’s that are 300 yards… which means most golfers need to improve their wedge game (more on that below).
- 44% of the time makes bogey or worse (about 8 holes per round).
- From 75 yards is more likely to make bogey than birdie (typically from playing too aggressively).
- Only make 63% of putts from 3 to 5 feet, which is why putting is so important.
Key Takeaways
- Breaking 80 is a great goal for most golfers and requires a solid practice routine to make it happen.
- The best way to start breaking 80 is to analyze your statistics and see which areas of your game need the most improvement.
- For example, if your strokes gained driving is the worst statistic, spend more time in practice with your driver. This might mean getting a custom fitting, hiring a coach, or speed training.
- Another key aspect to break 80 is improving your putting. The best amateurs are the best putters, so make sure to spend plenty of time on the practice green.
Keep reading to learn creative ways to improve your practice routines and break 80 sooner.
Study Your Statistics
Whether your goal is to break 90, 80, or become a scratch golfer, it’s important to study your game. When you track your statistics, it makes it easier to identify where you need to improve. Otherwise, you’re taking an uneducated guess based on weaknesses you might see during an average round of golf.
If you aren’t tracking statistics yet, I can’t recommend it enough. Your stats will give you an objective picture of your game and make it easy to create the ideal practice plan.
To get started, use Arccos Golf – which is now aligned with the PGA Tour – using their sensors. You can also add the link feature so it’s easier to track or pair with your Apple Watch.
Analyzing Your Stats
Once you have data about your unique game using strokes gained information, it makes it easier to spend your practice time correctly. Listen to the data, as statistics don’t lie!
Plus, Arccos dashboard has tons of information and helpful tips on where you need to improve. If you don’t use Arccos or prefer a different software, study which of the four stats are the weakest in terms of strokes gained.
The big four are off the tee (tee shots), into the green (approach shots), around the green (scrambling) and putting. Spend the majority of your practice time on the two weakest areas and keep following the tips below.
Start Speed Training
If your goal is to break 80 consistently, there’s a good chance you need to improve your driving distance. Countless studies have shown that lower handicaps average longer distances off the tee.
If you’re ready to shoot in the 70s more often, commit to a speed training routine. You can do it with speed trainers like The Stack, Rypstick, or SuperSpeed Golf. Each protocol takes about 15–20 minutes, only 2-3x per week.
The other way to speed train is to hit 50 golf balls 1-2x per week and focus on speed above all else. Do not worry about accuracy, focus on hitting balls hard and use a launch monitor to measure your swing speed. If you want a cheaper option, you can always use a speed radar device too like the Sports Sensors.
Wedge Work
Breaking 80 comes down to scoring better inside 125 yards. Spend time in practice dialing in your distances so you can take advantage of close approach shots.
Here’s how…
Knockdown Wedge
If you have the Rapsodo MLM2 Pro, this is super easy to do. You can add in multiple distances and it’ll track your success rate. For example, during some sessions I might do 55 and 75 yards. Others I might practice at 60 and 80 yards.
This helps me get clear about my lob wedge distances for partial shots. Which you’ll definitely need to know how to do if your goal is to break 80 consistently.
Chipping Challenge
Breaking 80 will require you to increase your scrambling when you miss the green.
To do that, set a goal for your short game practice and hit 20–50 shots (you set the goal) inside a 3-foot circle. These should be pretty straightforward chips like bump n runs or easy pitches.
After you hit your goal, set another goal and hit more difficult shots like greenside bunker shots, flops, and bad lies. Change the parameter to a 6-foot circle (or 8–10 feet if you’re a higher handicapper).
This gives your short game practice some more structure and quantifiable goal. You can buy these circles to easily identify a 3 or 6-foot circle. Or, make sure to check out Keep it in the Black, which is a great short game training aid.
Putting Practice
Putting is one of the most important parts of golf, especially if you want to shoot in the 70s. As noted in Golf Monthly, “Look at the stats of the average 8-handicapper and they claw back shots from the course on the green. Analysis by Arccos shows that a typical 8-handicapper will average 33.4 putts per round.
Or put it another way, as the par of a hole presumes two putts, the typical 8-handicapper is around 3 under par on the greens but 11 over in getting to the green.”
That’s a very revealing stat and why it’s so crucial to work on your putting. Aside from our best putting drills, here are a few good tips for putting practice.
Work on Speed (30–40 Footers)
Spend a lot of time during putting practice working on speed control for 30–40 feet. Why this range? Because it’s the average length birdie putt you’ll have on the golf course.
From this distance, speed is more important than line.
Make sure to have a clean strike and see how many balls you can get inside a three-foot circle. You don’t even have to putt to a cup either, putting to a tee or ball marker can help narrow your target and improve lag putting.
See Short Putts Go in the Hole
In putting practice, spend a lot of time on the 3-6 foot range. These are key to saving shots every single round and will be paramount in your quest to break 80.
The biggest tip for this area is to make sure and keep your head down long enough.
Too many golfers try to peak too early and lead to mishits and pushed putts. Try to “hear” the ball in the hole vs. see it, so your left shoulder doesn’t come up.
If you can’t make it to the golf course as much as you’d like, invest in an indoor putting mat. Paired with other training aids like the DevilBall and PuttOut Trainer you can practice at home too.
Routine Practice
Finally, don’t forget to consider practicing your pre-shot putting routine.
Just like you do with a full swing, you want to have a set of rituals before every putt. This will help you commit to your putt and start line.
A pre-shot putting routine is different from a green reading routine. On certain days make sure to take one ball, your ball mark, and play 18 simulated holes on the practice putting green.
Go through your full routine on every putt, just like you would during a round of golf. Mix up your distances – hit some from 30 feet, then 6, then 2, then 14, etc. Try to simulate a round so you can show up to the golf course prepared.
I’d argue this is one of the best ways to improve your putting practice.
Practice on the Golf Course
If you’re close to breaking 80 regularly, the range and short game area are great, but don’t forget to practice on the course if possible. This is a little more difficult as golf continues to soar in popularity since 2020. However, if you get the chance, it’s an awesome way to spend your time and hit shots that you can’t hit at the driving range.
Learn more about practicing on the golf course here. And more about the benefits of playing solo golf here.
Keep a Practice Journal
Finally, it’s a great idea to keep a practice journal (or note in your phone) so you can document your progress. You can track your sessions, log notes on any swing changes, and record your favorite golf drills.
Learn more about the benefits of a golf journal here.
FAQs About Breaking 80
Do you have more questions about breaking 80? If so, the answer to the frequently asked questions can help in your journey.
How to break 80 in golf consistently?
Consistent work ethic above all else. You’ll need to master nearly every type of shot in golf, improve your mental attitude, and play semi-regularly. Don’t expect to never practice or play and break 80 all the time.
How many golfers can break 70?
Very few. According to the USGA, only about 2% of golfers are a scratch handicap or better (known as plus handicaps).
It’s important to note that handicap doesn’t mean average score, either. For example, a scratch golfer (zero handicap) doesn’t always average par. Handicap is your playing potential, not the average score you shoot.
Learn more about getting started with handicaps here.
What percentage of people break 80 in golf?
Depending on where you read, it’s between 3-6% of all golfers who can break 80. As noted in the previous question, handicap doesn’t mean average score. So to break 80 semi-regularly, you’d probably need to be a 3-5 handicap.
My Experience
Breaking 80 is a great goal and one that can inspire you to work hard, get lessons, and play a lot of golf. When reviewing the data from various sources and drawing on my own experience, I focus on three clubs more than anything else – driver, lob wedge, putter.
Here are my biggest pieces of advice with these three clubs.
- Driver: Your driver is key to getting off the tee and setting yourself with good approach shots. Play one shot shape, speed train regularly, and consider downloading the Tour Tempo app (I added distance nearly overnight and improved my sequencing).
- Lob wedge: You’ll need this club a ton inside 75 yards, so make sure to practice with it a lot. Learn more about the tricky 50-75 yard shots here.
- Putter: As the data shows, putting is a big area to improve for the average five handicap. Spend a lot of time inside five feet to make the most crucial putts during the round.
Final Thoughts
Breaking 80 is something you can do with the right practice routines.
Try out the different ideas and review your stats so you can create an effective practice plan. The sooner you practice with purpose, the sooner you can shoot in the 70s.
For more tips and tricks to lower your handicap, read these articles next:
Michael Leonard
Michael is an avid golfer of 25 years who played in high school, college, and now competes in Arizona amateur events. He is a full-time writer, podcast host of Wicked Smart Golf, and mental golf coach.
