Your initial strategy is right. Breaking 90 (par 72) is 17 bogies and a par. Stick with that. However stick with it on an individual hole basis. Meaning if you double the first hole the second hole strategy doesn’t change. Chasing a bad shot or trying to do something out of your normal will only lead you to higher scores over the long run.
I played between a 2 and 5 for 20 years. I made a lot of birdies and a lot of bogies. Could never get down to scratch until I understood that avoiding bogies is the fastest way to lower my scores not chasing birdies or bad shots. The same will hold true for you with bogies and doubles.
1 Like
Consider Fight/Flight and Dopamine.
- You just topped that 5i from 160. Fight or Flight? Now you’re 130, maybe even rough. Aim for the pin over danger (fight) or center of the green (flight)? Flight.
- Dopamine falls because of the difference b/w expectation (solid 5i) and result (topped). Motivation, concentration falls.
Dopamine is all about expected result. If you’re shooting ~95, forgive yourself in advance for about 1 mess-up per hole. That’s the math. Knowing that may actually reduce the amount that your dopamine falls after a bad shot.
Steph Curry misses a 3-pointer and doesn’t mind, but miss a free throw and feels more annoyed.
I try to approach every shot as if the past didn’t actually happen. If I hit a good tee shot at the first hole of my home course, the hole is now a 120-yard par-3. If I top the same tee shot, the hole becomes a 300-yard par 4 from that spot. If you hit a great drive, put it in the past, and play for the lowest score, on average, from wherever you end up. If you hit an awful shot, do exactly the same.
I always try to get as close to the hole as I can, without taking on too much risk. Only you can estimate how much risk you take on with a driver, instead of a 5-iron, but I’d generally recommend that you hit driver whenever it makes reasonable sense to do it. As long as it remains in play, you’re better off with a mis-hit driver than you are with a mis-hit 5-iron.
2 Likes
I’m in the same boat as you - consistently shooting low 90’s and trying to break that elusive barrier. What I’ve found has given me success is just consistently focusing on the next shot, and not keeping track of my score. Also, forget about calling holes bogey, double, triple etc. and start calling them 1, 2, 3 instead. It’s a small thing but I found it promotes a more positive mindset.
1 Like
Welcome! What you say makes complete sense. When we get caught up in what we think we should score on a hole, it can lead to some poor mental mistakes. The only shot the matters is the one in front of you 
1 Like