Beyond the Basics: How to Lower Your Scores with Smarter Golf Strategy
You’ve put in the time. You’ve learned how to grip the club, you’ve developed a consistent swing, and you can make solid contact with the ball (most of the time). You’ve moved past the initial awkwardness of learning golf and now find yourself firmly in the next stage of the journey: the quest for improvement. This is where the game truly begins.
Once a golfer has the basics down, the focus shifts from how to hit the ball to where to hit it. Your questions are no longer just about mechanics; they’re about results. How can I finally break 100, or even 90? How do I stop wasting shots around the green? What should I actually be doing at the driving range besides hitting a bucket of balls?
This is the transition from being someone who plays golf to becoming a golfer. It’s about thinking your way around the course, practicing with a purpose, and understanding your own game. Let’s dive into the strategies and drills that will tangibly lower your scores.
The Golfer’s Holy Grail: How to Break 100 (and 90)
For most amateur golfers, breaking 100 is the first major milestone. Breaking 90 is the next. The secret to achieving these goals isn’t about hitting more perfect shots; it’s about hitting fewer terrible ones. The key is to eliminate the dreaded “blow-up” holes that ruin a scorecard. This is accomplished through smart course management.
Master the Art of “Boring” Golf
Your new goal is to make a bogey, or at worst, a double bogey, on every hole. If you can make a double bogey on all 18 holes, you’ll shoot a 90 on a par 72 course. That should take the pressure off immediately. You don’t need pars and birdies; you need to avoid the 7s, 8s, and 9s.
- The “No Hero Shot” Rule: Your ball is behind a tree. The old you might try a miraculous, low-hooking shot through a tiny gap to reach the green. The new you, the strategic golfer, sees the easiest path back to the fairway. You take your medicine, punch the ball out sideways, and live to fight another day. Taking a penalty stroke is almost always better than attempting a one-in-a-million shot that could lead to a much higher number.
- Rethink Your Tee Shots: The driver is not always the right play. If a hole is narrow, has water hazards, or features out-of-bounds stakes lining the fairway, consider using a 3-wood, a hybrid, or even a mid-iron off the tee. Hitting your tee shot 30 yards shorter but safely in the fairway is infinitely better than being 30 yards longer and in the woods.
- Aim for the Middle of the Green: When you’re hitting an approach shot, resist the temptation to aim directly at a flag tucked in a corner or behind a bunker. Your target should always be the center of the green. This gives you the largest margin for error. A slight miss-hit will still likely find the putting surface, whereas aiming for the flag could bring sand, water, or thick rough into play. A 30-foot putt is far easier than a difficult chip from a bad lie.
Practice with a Purpose: Your Driving Range Plan
Walking up to a driving range with a large bucket of balls and no plan is a great way to get some exercise, but it’s a terrible way to get better at golf. Mindlessly hitting driver after driver will only reinforce your bad habits. Effective practice is structured, deliberate, and simulates the conditions you’ll face on the course.
Structure Your Session
A simple and effective plan is the 50/50 rule. Dedicate half of your bucket to your short game (clubs from a pitching wedge down to a sand wedge) and the other half to your mid-irons and woods. The majority of your shots on the course are within 100 yards, so your practice should reflect that.
Instead of hitting the same club 20 times in a row, play a virtual round. Visualize the first hole of your home course.
- Hit your driver as if you’re on the tee box.
- Based on where that shot “landed,” choose the iron you’d hit for your next shot.
- Finish the “hole” with a wedge shot.
This method forces you to change clubs and targets with every shot, just like you do on the course. It trains your mind and body to adapt, rather than grooving a swing with only one club.
Know Your Distances
The driving range is the perfect place to figure out how far you actually hit each of your clubs. Many amateurs overestimate their distances, which leads to poor club selection and missed greens. Use the yardage markers to chart your carry distance (how far the ball flies in the air) for every club in your bag. Write it down and keep it with you. Knowing that your 7-iron consistently flies 145 yards, not the 160 you hit one time with a tailwind, is game-changing information.
Winning the Game Around the Greens: Essential Short Game Drills
The fastest way to slash strokes from your score is to improve from 100 yards and in. A great long game is impressive, but a reliable short game is what produces low numbers. You need to develop a go-to chip shot and become automatic with the putter from inside five feet.
Chipping and Pitching Drills
- The Ladder Drill: Place towels or headcovers at 10, 15, and 20 yards from you. Using one wedge, practice hitting shots that land at each distance. This drill helps you develop a feel for how different swing lengths affect your carry distance.
- One-Club Challenge: Go to the practice green with only one club (a sand wedge or pitching wedge, for example). Practice hitting a variety of shots—low runners, high soft floaters, standard chips—by only changing your ball position and hand placement. This teaches you incredible versatility.
Putting Drills That Actually Work
- The Clock Drill: Place four golf balls in a circle around the hole at three-foot intervals, like the numbers 12, 3, 6, and 9 on a clock. Your goal is to make all four putts in a row. This builds immense confidence on the short putts you need to make to save par or bogey.
- The Gate Drill: Find a straight putt and place two tees on the ground just slightly wider than your putter head. Place your ball in the middle. The goal is to swing your putter through the “gate” without touching either tee. This drill gives you instant feedback on your putter path and helps you strike the ball in the center of the face every time.
By shifting your focus from just hitting the ball to managing your game, practicing with intent, and sharpening your skills around the green, you’ll be well on your way to breaking those elusive scoring barriers. The journey is long, but with the right strategy, your next personal best is just around the corner.
Ready to Put Your Strategy into Practice?
You have the knowledge and the drills to start shaving strokes off your game. Now, it’s time to apply that strategy on the course. Take the next step in your golf journey and put your new course management skills to the test.
Call us today at (610) 681-6000 to book your tee time and start shooting lower scores.