Trevor Ng
Breaking 90 in golf is a milestone that many golfers aspire to reach. It requires a combination of strategy, practice, and the right equipment. To break 90 means to achieve a score of 89 or less over 18 holes, which is an average of slightly better than bogey golf. This guide will provide tips and strategies to help golfers consistently break 90, improve their short game, and eliminate common mistakes that can impact their score.
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What You'll Learn
Warm up before the round
Warming up before a round of golf is crucial to avoid injuries and shoot lower scores. Even a 30-minute warm-up is enough to get your mind and body ready for the round.
It is recommended to arrive 30-60 minutes before teeing off to get yourself into a good starting position on the first hole. While PGA Tour players arrive 90-120 minutes early, this is a bit excessive for most everyday golfers.
Before arriving at the course, you can foam roll and stretch your piriformis and perform the 90/90 hip mobility stretch.
Once you're at the course, you can start with some dynamic stretches like arm circles (thumbs up and down), trunk rotations, side bends, and bodyweight squats.
Then, head to the putting green and get a feel for the greens. Spend 5-10 minutes doing 5-10 putts from three feet, aiming to confidently roll them in. Then, move back to six to eight feet and take two or three efforts. Finally, find a hole over 20 feet away and take two or three putts, trying to get as close as possible.
After warming up your putting, you can move on to chipping. Head to the chipping green and practice chips that are no more than ten yards from the hole.
Finally, you can head to the driving range and hit a few balls with different clubs to targets at varying distances. This will help you prepare for the different situations you may encounter on the course.
By following this warm-up routine, you'll be physically and mentally ready to play your best golf and break 90!
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Know your core shots
Knowing your core shots is essential to breaking 90 in golf. Here are some tips to help you develop this skill:
First, it's important to understand that you don't need to master a wide variety of shots to break 90. Instead, focus on a small number of core shots that you can execute consistently well. These core shots will be your go-to options when you're on the course, and they will help you manage different situations effectively.
To develop your core shots, start by identifying your strengths and the clubs you can hit consistently well. This might be a particular wedge, iron, or wood. Practice with these clubs, and learn to trust your data and your abilities with them. For example, you might find that your 7-iron is your go-to club for consistent strikes, even if you can't hit them as far.
Next, work on controlling the dispersion of your misses. This is crucial in reducing the impact of off-center hits and keeping your game on track. The fade and the overdrawn ball are useful techniques to keep you in play and avoid costly snap hooks and slices.
Additionally, focus on your scoring clubs (9, PW, and wedges). These clubs are rarely used at full swing, so learn to control 50-75% swings effectively. This will help you manage your approach shots and improve your accuracy.
Finally, practice your short game diligently. Fine-tune your skills within 100 yards of the hole, especially your wedge play, chipping, and putting. Develop a reliable go-to shot, such as a bump-and-run, that you can execute confidently under pressure.
Remember, breaking 90 is not about perfection but about smart play, consistent practice, and mental toughness. Knowing your core shots and when to use them will significantly contribute to your success.
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Focus on the short game
When trying to break 90, your short game is crucial. It can account for 60-70% of your total score, so improving your short game will lead to immediate improvements overall. The short game allows you to recover from mistakes and limit the damage to your scorecard.
To master the short game, you need to consistently perform basic techniques. Control your distances, trajectory, and accuracy. Practice your chip shots on the practice green and course to gain distance control and accuracy. A basic setup for a simple chip shot involves allowing about 60-70% of your weight shift to remain on your front hip and front foot, while making a "big" putting stroke, ensuring you follow through lower, like a putting stroke.
Additionally, focus on getting the ball on the ground quickly and rolling towards your target. Avoid high, fancy short game shots unless you are stuck behind an obstacle. Learn to "hit the in-between yardage" shots, which is essential for breaking 90.
You can also improve your short game by watching golf on TV or YouTube. Observe the club selection, landing areas, and short game shots of the pros. See what they do in their pre-shot routines and try to emulate their discipline and focus.
Finally, work on your lead wrist geometry to gain confidence in your short game. The "lead hand chipping" drill will help you learn to chip with your left hand only. Practice this daily until you can hit a chip/pitch shot cleanly.
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Use forgiving equipment
If you are looking to break 90 in golf, one of the key things to consider is your equipment. Using forgiving equipment can help to combat mishits and improve your game.
Forgiving golf clubs are designed with a low centre of gravity, which helps to achieve a higher launch and longer shots. These clubs can be a great aid if you are struggling to break 90. Examples of forgiving golf clubs include:
- Drivers: Ping G430 Max, TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus Driver, Callaway Paradym Driver, Cobra LTDx Max Driver
- Fairway Woods: Ping G430 Max Fairway, TaylorMade Stealth 2 Steel Fairway, Callaway Paradym Fairway, Titleist TSR 2 Fairway
- Hybrid: Titleist TSR2, Callaway Men’s Paradym, TaylorMade Stealth 2 Rescue
- Irons: Ping i230, Titleist T300, Mizuno JPX Forged, TaylorMade P790
- Wedges: Callaway Jaws MD5, Ping Glide Forged Pro, Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore
Additionally, the shaft of your golf club should be flexible enough to promote forgiveness. A flexible shaft gives golfers an added spring into the impact for exceptional energy transfer and rapid ball speed.
It is also important to consider the type of golf ball you are using. Different golf balls have varying characteristics, such as spin, feel, and flight. To break 90, choose a ball that provides a good balance between distance and control. If you focus more on the short game, higher compression-rated, 3-piece balls are advantageous. However, if your swing speed is slower, distance golf balls may be a better option. Experiment with different golf balls to find the one that suits your playing style.
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Learn from your misses
Even the best golfers in the world miss shots, so don't beat yourself up about it. Instead, focus on learning from your misses and turning them into opportunities.
First, you need to identify your common misses. This is where tracking your practice or getting some practice sessions in on a launch monitor can be useful. Once you know your most common misses, you can start to work on them.
Let's say you tend to miss a bit to the right. On a straight par 4 with out-of-bounds down the right, aiming down the middle brings the out-of-bounds into play. So, managing and playing for your misses on that hole might look like aiming down the left rough. Similarly, on an approach shot with a pin tucked on the right side of a large green with bunkers protecting it on the same side, you might aim for the left side of the green. That way, if you miss, you're not penalized as much as you would be if you aimed directly at the pin and missed to the right.
Another example is if you tend to take big divots with your shots. In this case, you can practice holding the clubhead off the ground and making swings like you would to hit a baseball or a golf shot off a very high tee. This will promote a more around-the-body versus up-and-down swing.
Remember, it's not about eliminating misses completely, but about managing them so they don't derail your round. So, the next time you miss, take note of what happened and think about how you can turn that miss into an opportunity to improve your game.
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Frequently asked questions
Breaking 90 in golf is defined as shooting an 18-hole score of 89 or less. This means that you need to shoot 17-over or better.
To break 90 in golf, you should focus on your short game, such as chipping and putting. You should also play it safe—avoid taking penalties, stay out of bunkers, and don't try to make difficult shots. Instead, take an extra club on approach shots and focus on controlling your swing.
You should assess if your golf clubs are holding you back. Your driver should be relatively new and made by a major golf brand. Your irons should be "game improvement" irons designed for your skill level. You should also have some basic equipment, such as a golf towel, umbrella, and glove.
