Can you break 90 in golf? Yes, you absolutely can break 90 in golf! Reaching this score—an average of 9 over par on an 18-hole, par-72 course—is a huge milestone for many amateur players. It means you are moving past the beginner stage and starting to play solid, respectable golf. Breaking 90 requires more than just raw talent; it demands smart practice, better golf swing mechanics, and great on-course management. This guide will show you the clear steps to lower your score and achieve this goal. We will focus on practical steps to help with lowering golf score across all parts of your game, leading directly to handicap reduction.
The Math Behind Breaking 90
To break 90, you need to shoot an 89 or lower. On a standard par-72 course, this means you can have 17 “blow-up” shots spread across 18 holes. Think about how most golfers shoot scores in the high 90s or over 100. They often have multiple triple bogeys (three over par) or worse. To fix this, you must aim for pars and bogeys, not doubles or triples.
Here is what an 89 looks like in terms of pars and bogeys:
| Target Score | Par (x) | Bogey (x) | Double Bogey (x) | Total Holes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 18 |
| Score | 6 | 12 | 8 | 26 strokes over par |
| Total | 78 + 11 = 89 (Assuming 4 pars) |
The key is limiting those bad holes. If you can turn four potential double bogeys into single bogeys, you save four shots immediately. This simple change is often the fastest route to lowering golf score.
Mastering the Fundamentals: Golf Swing Mechanics
Solid play starts from the ground up. You do not need a Tour-level swing, but you need repeatable contact. Focus on these basics to improve consistent ball striking.
Hitting the Fairway More Often
Improving driving distance is great, but accuracy is king when trying to break 90. Hitting one lost ball or one shot into deep trouble costs you two or three strokes right away.
Focus on Tempo, Not Power
Many amateurs try to swing too hard off the tee. This ruins timing and leads to slices or hooks.
- Smooth Takeaway: Start your swing slowly. Think “one, two” as you bring the club back.
- Full Shoulder Turn: Make sure your back faces the target at the top of your backswing. This creates a better swing path.
- Weight Transfer: Feel your weight shift to your front foot as you hit the ball. This creates power naturally without forcing it.
Tee Height Matters
For your driver, the ball should sit about halfway above the clubhead when the sole of the club rests on the ground. Too low, and you hit down on it (a bad move for a driver). Too high, and you might top it. Experiment to find what gives you solid contact.
Solid Iron Play: The Secret to Approach Shots
Most bogies come from approach shots that miss the green badly. You need decent contact to control distance.
Divot Placement
When hitting irons, you want to hit the ball first, then take a small divot after contact. This means you are descending slightly on the ball—the proper way to compress an iron shot.
- Practice Drill: Place a tee slightly in front of your golf ball. If you hit the tee first, you are swinging up or scooping the ball. Focus on sweeping down for clean contact.
Ball Flight Control
Learn what your 7-iron does. Does it fly high? Low? When you know your typical carry distance with each club, you can trust your yardages and aim for the center of the green. This is vital for consistent ball striking.
On-Course Management: Playing Smarter, Not Harder
This is where the biggest score improvements happen for players shooting in the high 90s. It is not about hitting perfect shots; it is about avoiding disastrous ones.
Accept Your Misses
The best players know where their ball is likely to go when they miss. If you slice badly, aim down the left side of the fairway. If you hit a fade, aim slightly left of the target.
- Never Aim for a Hazard: Do not aim directly at a bunker or water, even if you feel great. Aim for the largest, safest part of the fairway or green.
Course Strategy: When to Lay Up
This is critical for lowering golf score. If a water hazard protects a short par 5, or if a tight fairway is lined with trees, do not try to reach the green in two shots.
- The 150-Yard Rule: If your second shot will leave you with an awkward pitch or chip over water from 150 yards, consider laying up to a comfortable 100-yard or 120-yard distance instead. A guaranteed bogey is better than a potential triple bogey.
- Know Your Limits: If your 7-iron usually goes 140 yards, do not try to smash it 160 yards just to reach the green. Hit an 8-iron or 9-iron toward the middle of the green.
Course Strategy: Reading the Greens
Do not rush your reads. A slow putt is better than a fast putt that goes three feet by the hole.
- Walk Around It: Look at the putt from both sides of the ball. Look from behind the hole toward your ball, too. Gravity is your biggest factor.
- Pace is Key: If you get the pace right, a slight misread will still leave you close. If the pace is wrong, even a perfect line will miss widely.
Short Game Mastery: Saving Strokes Near the Hole
Around 60% of your strokes happen within 100 yards of the hole. Improving your short game mastery is the single fastest way to break 90. You must focus on getting up-and-down (getting the ball on the green and one-putting) frequently.
Essential Chipping Techniques
Chipping gets the ball on the green; pitching flies it higher. For players breaking 90, focus mostly on low, running chips.
The Bounce and Roll Strategy
Use a lower-lofted club (like an 8-iron or 9-iron) instead of a sand wedge for chips where you have plenty of green to work with. This keeps the ball low. It bounces once or twice and then rolls toward the hole, which is much easier to control than high-flying flop shots.
- Setup for Consistency: Keep your stance narrow and square. Place the ball slightly back in your stance. Keep your wrists firm. Your weight should favor your front foot (about 60/40).
- The Pendulum Swing: Make a small, putting-like swing. The length of your backswing dictates the distance. Trust the loft of the club to do the lifting.
Mastering Bunker Play
You cannot afford to spend three shots getting out of one bunker.
- Blast, Don’t Scoop: The sand explosion is necessary. You need to hit the sand about an inch behind the ball.
- Open the Face: Open the clubface slightly to let the bounce move through the sand.
- Full Swing: Use a fuller, faster swing than you think you need. The sand slows the club down. If you use a half-swing, the ball will stay in the bunker.
The Power of Practice: Refining Your Skills
Practice time should be smart, not just long. Aim for quality repetitions that focus on weak areas. This aids in handicap reduction.
Drills for Consistent Ball Striking
Dedicate 50% of your practice time to full swings, but use alignment aids.
Alignment Stick Work
Place one alignment stick pointing where you want the ball to go (the target line). Place a second stick on the ground where you want your feet to align (the body line). Ensure the lines are parallel. This instantly shows if you are aiming incorrectly.
Landing Spots Drill
When hitting irons on the range, do not just aim at the farthest target marker. Pick a specific yardage flag or a small target (like a yardage sign) 150 yards away. If you hit the target three out of five times, you move up a club. If you miss, stay at that distance. This builds true distance control.
Dedicated Short Game Practice
If you have 60 minutes to practice:
- 20 Minutes: Putting (on varied slopes if possible).
- 20 Minutes: Chipping and pitching from different lies (firm fairway, light rough).
- 20 Minutes: Full swings, focusing only on the first three shots of the hole (Driver, then fairway wood/long iron, then short iron).
Putting Consistency: The Scorer’s Secret Weapon
Three-putts kill rounds. If you can eliminate all three-putts, you can often break 90 immediately. Focus on lag putting and distance control above all else.
Distance Control Drills
Your goal inside 30 feet should be to get the ball within a 3-foot circle around the cup.
The Gate Drill
Place two tees about 18 inches apart, slightly wider than your putter head. Hit putts through the “gate” focusing only on speed. If you miss the gate, you need to stabilize your stroke.
The Ladder Drill
Place balls at 10, 20, and 30 feet. Try to make the 10-foot putt. If you make it, move to the 20-foot putt. Try to stop all 20-foot putts within 3 feet of the cup. Move to 30 feet. The goal is controlling speed when fatigued. This builds putting consistency.
Grip and Stance Refinement
Many players press down too hard with their lead hand, causing them to pull putts.
- Light Grip Pressure: Use a light grip, almost like you are holding a tube of toothpaste without squeezing the paste out.
- Eyes Over the Ball: When putting, your eyes should be directly over the ball or slightly inside the target line. This ensures you see the true line clearly.
The Mental Game: Course Strategy and Confidence
On-course management involves mental toughness as much as physical skill. To shoot 89, you must remain patient, especially after a bad hole.
Dealing with Bad Shots
Every golfer hits bad shots. The difference between a 100 shooter and an 89 shooter is recovery.
- The Next Shot Mentality: Once the ball is hit, it is done. Do not dwell on the slice or the bad chip while walking to the next shot. Focus only on the club selection and target for the next swing. This keeps your mind clear for consistent ball striking on the next tee.
- Don’t Chase Lost Strokes: If you are on the right side of the fairway, and the pin is on the left side over water, do not try a heroic 7-iron draw to save par. Play safely to the center of the green and take your bogey.
Tempo and Routine
Develop a simple pre-shot routine for every shot, whether it is a driver or a 15-foot putt. A routine grounds you and promotes better golf swing mechanics.
- Visualize the shot and target.
- Take one or two practice swings mimicking the real swing.
- Step into the ball, take one final look, and execute.
Sticking to this routine builds confidence and predictability, which is essential for handicap reduction.
Analyzing Your Game for Progress
How do you know if your practice is working? You need to track stats. Simple scorecards are not enough. Track these key metrics to guide your practice toward lowering golf score.
| Statistic | Goal for Breaking 90 | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fairways Hit | 50% – 60% | Too many penalty strokes if lower. |
| Greens in Regulation (GIR) | 30% – 40% | Means you are hitting good approach shots. |
| Putts Per Round | Under 32 | Highlights putting consistency. |
| Up-and-Down Percentage | 45% or better | Measures short game mastery. |
| Double Bogeys or Worse | Limit to 3 per round | Eliminates “blow-up” holes. |
By focusing practice on the areas where you are weakest—for instance, if your Up-and-Down percentage is low, dedicate more time to chipping techniques—you ensure your effort directly contributes to handicap reduction.
Final Thoughts on Improving Driving Distance and Overall Play
While accuracy is more important than raw distance, if you are looking to add yards to your drive, focus on technique, not brute force. A lighter, faster swing due to better golf swing mechanics often yields more distance than a jerky, hard swing. Incorporate rotation drills where you focus on spinning your core toward the target.
Breaking 90 is about eliminating the big numbers. It is about accepting smart bogeys and capitalizing on achievable pars. Master your short game, manage the course like a pro, and commit to solid fundamentals. You are one step closer to consistent sub-90 scores.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How many hours a week do I need to practice to break 90?
A: You do not need excessive hours. Aim for 3 to 4 dedicated, focused practice sessions per week, totaling 4 to 6 hours. Make sure at least half of that time is spent on putting and chipping, as this is where most strokes are saved for lowering golf score.
Q: Should I use a rangefinder to improve my on-course management?
A: Yes. A rangefinder or GPS device removes guesswork from your yardages. If you are aiming for a precise 125 yards, knowing the exact distance prevents you from over- or under-hitting, which is vital for consistent ball striking and handicap reduction.
Q: What is the hardest part of the game to fix when trying to break 90?
A: For most players, it is putting consistency. People spend hours on the driver, but poor speed control on the greens causes far more lost strokes due to three-putts. Dedicate serious time to distance control drills.
Q: Does improving driving distance matter more than iron accuracy for breaking 90?
A: No. Accuracy and approach shots matter much more. A drive in the fairway that leaves you 140 yards to the green is much better than a 280-yard drive in the woods that leaves you hacking out sideways. Focus on fairway contact first.
Q: What score should I aim for on par 3s?
A: Aim for par. If you miss the green, your goal should be an easy up-and-down for par. If you cannot reach in two, focus on getting on the green in three (meaning a comfortable chip shot for bogey) to maintain your on-course management strategy.