The best advice to break 90, according to low handicappers

Golf is full of milestones, but one of the biggest for recreational golfers is breaking 90. Once you do that, you graduate from hacker to weekend hero.

Those who have passed that hurdle probably remember the joy of achieving that goal. It may not be the same as slipping into a green jacket, but it’s still something worth celebrating.

For those who haven’t quite reached that mountain yet, the dream of breaking 90 continues. And here at GOLF.com, we want to help you achieve that. Below, you’ll find the best advice for breaking 90 from the single-digit handicap minority in the workforce.

Nail your basics, play mind games

Breaking 90 for the first time is a milestone in any golf career. Don’t get too frustrated if you haven’t crossed that limit yet. Your time is coming. That being said, you can do a few things to grease the wheels a little. First and foremost, you need to familiarize yourself with your setup. You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget the basics when emotions are running high. With a solid setup, that’s one less thing to worry about and you reduce the chances of making an avoidable mistake.

The second piece of advice is to play well. Too many egos and expectations of golfers are what end up ruining their rounds. Instead of putting pressure on yourself to make a long par-4, attack it like you would a par five. This adjustment gives you more breathing room and increases your chances of making bogey or better. Also, on a par-72 course, you have to make par or better on one hole to break 90, which seems more likely, in my opinion. My last trick is to distract myself by playing short matches, see if you can hit three over those holes. -Maddi MacClurg (6 handicap)

Keep the driver playing

I know what you’re thinking. What’s this braggadocio about combining disability with breaking 90?! But these days the guys I play golf with a lot are content to keep things in the double digits as well happy sneaking below 90. And the biggest key I’ve noticed since they’ve started shaving off some strokes: When they find a way to keep the ball in play off the tee, it makes a difference. I beg you to find a way to stop losing shorts. Golf is difficult enough from the fairway; there’s just no way to win if you play in the trees, drop in the water or hit 3 again. You can’t do it!

Now look, I’m not one of those old school “3 bell off the tee” counselors. The driver is the biggest club and flies the longest. Find out how to beat it in play. Take a lesson. (Seriously, take a course. Maybe a few courses.) Hit the grade. Then enter the course to learn your tendencies and learn where the driver goes when he is nervous, tense, tired, under stress, mood, etc. Don’t get too caught up in bombing – we’ll get to that later. And be kind to yourself. This is a tough game. May you also start on the right path. -Dylan Dethier (+2.6 handicap)

Get comfortable with your feelings

Back when I was a teenager trying to break 90 for the first time, the biggest challenge I faced was breaking through the mental barrier of action. I knew I had the power to break that magic number, but my mind was always distracted. I can’t tell you how many times I went down the back nine with a chance to post a score in the 80s, made a big mistake and messed up.

There at the end he did break 90, I remember feeling completely comfortable with this situation. I’ve been there many times before and I’m scared. You will get a shock when you approach any golf landmark. The only way to combat those feelings is to be comfortable with them.

If you’re trying to break 90 for the first time, the best advice I can give is to put yourself in that position as many times as possible. You probably won’t achieve your goal the first (or second or third) time you’re in the mood to do so – but that’s okay! Every time you get to that place, you learn to manage emotions little by little. Keep knocking on the door and eventually you’ll break in. Then, it’s time to focus on breaking 80. -Zephyr Melton (4.6 handicap)

Avoid the explosion

I’ve played a lot of golf with my mom this year, and she’s great in the scoring area. He averages in the low to mid 90s but I know a high-80s day is possible for him! Whenever he has a good round, or even a good side of nine holes, we’re talking about a difference maker. For him, it’s often the same thing each time: avoiding an explosion. He hits it straight and keeps it in play consistently, so the most common disruptions tend to happen on the green, something like a bunker problem or an inverted chip compounded in three or four putts. It’s really hard to break 90 when you have a few 8s on the card, so avoiding those momentum killers is important.

Distance is also an important factor, so I would suggest making sure you play the right tees. Even from the forward players, the mother cannot always reach all 4 parameters according to the law. Therefore, the goal becomes to make those holes par 5. And some par 5’s become 6’s. Being realistic about your range ability helps a lot with the mental challenge of breaking 90. Make it a goal to get to the green in as few shots as possible, hitting your club with the most confidence every time. It may also help to think of each hole in the circle as a 5th section. Two sides of “even and even” takes you to 90. Comparing the par 3s and bogeys on the par 4s and 5s on the par-72 course makes it… 86! Doesn’t that seem possible? There is also a good mental lift from being “double-under” after stage 3. —Jessica Marksbury (9.8 handicap)