One of the first big scoring barriers in any golfer’s journey is breaking 100. It might not seem like much to golfers who shoot consistently low scores, but for many weekend warriors, the quest to post a score in double digits is fraught.
No matter your current skill level, you likely remember breaking 100 for the first time. It’s an achievement worth celebrating — and the first in a series of scoring barriers that frustrates golfers each and every year. But hey, you’ve got to start somewhere.
If you’re someone who’s hoping to break 100 for the first time, worry not. While it may seem like a daunting task, posting a score in double digits is easier than you may think.
In a recent post on X, legendary instructor Hank Haney provided his advice for someone hoping to break 100. It’s all simple, applicable and easy to implement. Follow his guidance and you’ll soon breaking that elusive scoring barrier, too.
1. Eliminate penalty strokes with driver
If you can’t find the fairway off the tee, you have little chance of ever going low. And if you can’t find the golf course off the tee, you have little chance of breaking 100. So, the first step in your quest to break 100 should be developing a driver that you can keep in play. That doesn’t mean you need to be in the center of the fairway off each tee. Rather, you need to develop a shot that doesn’t cost you penalty strokes several times per round. Do this, and you’ll save tons of strokes.
2. Learn a go-to chip
When a pro gets around the green, they have tons of different shots they can use to get the ball close and save par. if you’re trying to break 100 for the first time, you only need one shot to be successful. Now, “successful” in this scenario means simply finding the green in one shot, but when you’re trying to break 100, that’s all you need. Figure out how to consistently hit a simple chip shot that gets you on the green — it doesn’t matter where! — and you’ll be in great shape.
3. Develop a bunker shot
Bunkers can give even the best players fits, and they often spell doom for recreational players. With that in mind, it’s crucial you figure out a way to escape the sand each time you find a bunker. Learn the basics of a bunker shot and practice hitting it over and over again. The ball doesn’t need to nestle up next to the hole for the shot to be considered a success. Just getting the ball out of the hazard is a great place to start. Learn how to do that every time and you’ll have a leg up over your fellow hackers.
4. Focus on speed
Eliminating three-putts is low-hanging fruit that anyone can point to in your journey to lower scores, and the best way to doing that is focusing on speed. Most three-putts are the result of poor speed control on the greens, and if you want to three-putt less, you need to have the proper touch to get the ball close. Focus on lag putting for a majority of your practice time on the greens and you’ll soon see your three-putting percentage drop.
