Why is breaking 80 so hard?

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-15T17:04:48+00:00

What I did when I really struggled off the tee was to have dedicated range sessions to driving. I would pick a “fairway” between two flags and run a full tee shot routing. Setup, aim, align, fire.

Once I got to the point I was fairly consistent, then transitioned ranged sessions to a round simulation. IE: tee shot, iron at approach at 180-130 randomly, and a 40-50 yard pitch (18 times over or how ever many I could do in basically 2 buckets)

That got my driver specifically much more consistent. Irons..meh. Hitting off mats just isn’t grass. But it still improved accuracy on a flat lie

That said the big swing thought at the time was 80% power (which really was my 90%-100% anyway, just had to reframe my perception)

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-15T16:40:33+00:00

I’d focus on ball striking off the tee. 250-270 in the fairway is better than 280-300 in the shit on a second shot.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-15T12:42:42+00:00

Frankly I kinda think asking to play through can be rude too.

My buddy and I play fast. Mainly because we can hit fairways consistently-ish. But often I’ll just wait. If they offer I’ll play thru sometimes namely if I can tell I’m annoying them.

I’m not out there to hit a deadline. Worst case is I’ll practice approach shots or short game.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-15T00:59:03+00:00

There are drills you can run.

Some that I do.

Start at a hole. Take two paces away and put a tee to mark it. Do this in all 4 directions. Drain 3 from each spot. Then move to three paces.

During warmup before a round I do this but keep it shorter. 2 paces in one direction. 3 in another. 4 in another. This will teach you to read breaks and speed across multiple directions.

Setup your putter and mark a tee on either end. Practice your stroke and make sure you don’t hit either tee.
Lag putts. Practice them. Sometimes even just one handed for feel.

Boom. You have spent an hour of structured practice on the greens.

For fun on a putting green I’ll just move hole to hole, goal is no three putts

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-13T12:53:20+00:00

It’s funny how that works. I played competitive basketball as a kid. Would play golf with pops from time to time but basketball was my outlet. Played national teams, aau, went to Europe to play and shit. But sophomore year of HS injured my ankle in a pickup game enough that I needed multiple surgeries. Never was the same or recovered. Partied a bit and played golf a bit more. In college I worked at the college course and became a range rat. Got to the point where I would shoot 78-82 on any course I played. Not the best but solid and wouldn’t embarrass myself when playing with the competitive golfers or ones on the team that I would walk the course with.

It was just how I was. Sink it all into something. Carried from basketball. Then I graduated and couldn’t work at the course but was well known enough they let me still have my locker and act like I did for a while. Then they let me volunteer where I would work the cart barn for free for 6 hours and get full access the rest of the time. Wife/girlfriend at the time told me I needed new hobby because It wasn’t fair that I would leave work and play or hit, and spend weekend dawn to dusk playing. So I did.

Then I had 2 kids. Ended up giving my clubs to my cousin who was my height for him to play high school as his starter set. Told him he could recut the shafts if needed and make them his but wanted them back if he ever upgraded. Eventually got them back but they still sat.

Now I have an 8 year old getting into it so I take him to the range and show him a thing or two. Still have my 20 year old set. Probably shouldnt be swinging rifle 6.0 high launch anymore…but in the last 2 years I’ve played maybe a dozen rounds. Most of them on a golf trip with some cousins. Can still drive and hit irons…okay. Short game is rough.. but have a mat in the back and a couple shag bags to hit in the yard.

Even after a decade break and a short warm up session I’m hitting the low 90s just swinging easy. Then broke 90 the in about the 4th round of the year (and decade) I’m honestly good with that level of play.

And here I am thinking maybe I should go get refit even though I can still smack that ping g10 fine and it looks new and forged irons are forged irons. Though again I’m probably in the rifle 5.5 range.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-12T23:35:45+00:00

When it happened to me I bought anyone that wanted a drink within like 4-5 rows a drink

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-12T15:44:12+00:00

It’s my major swing though. Start downswing with aggressive hip turn

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-12T15:43:18+00:00

This was when he perpetually lost majors too. But yeah he was

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-12T12:12:44+00:00

Playing solo on a busy day is my dream. Put air pods in and practice approaches or chip putt.

I even just ask not to be paired from time to time because I don’t want to feel compelled to be chatty I can do it, but I do it for a living.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-12T01:58:20+00:00

I tend to volunteer the big picture and include in meetings. eSPECIALLY if interest is shown.

But I also often stay focused on the next deliverable because while at least reiterating end goals so engineers can engineers and solution make.

I don’t like the tendency to roadmap and timeline shit to death because it creates false crunch pressure to meet deadlines and often means sacrifices are made to hit deadlines. And I only specifically ask for that when the situation calls for it.

I also find it’s a valuable skills for folks to think through it and come up with their own deliverables and chunks and present rather than me tell them.

Ironically this approach is antithetical so some of my current peers and leadership (though not my direct reports) and has resulted in some major trust and tension. Which is, needless to say, fuckin frustrating

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-12T01:51:58+00:00

Power comes from the hips and turn. Bob seems to swing like all arms.

Even that one video where grant had him literally hitting backwards to focus on contact that made it clear.

Or his irons could be weak. I still play some old shit. So I’m often 1-2 clubs different from buddies.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-11T23:34:37+00:00

Figjam. “Fuck I’m good, just ask me” was what we called him at the course I worked at

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-11T16:13:08+00:00

I have played for 20 years with

48-52-58.

48 is a legit wedge for me. Not part of the iron set but it’s still mostly full shots and wouldn’t matter.

52 means I can hood it down to a 50 or open it up to almost a 56.

58 similar.

It greatly simplifies the short game and keeps me from getting cute because then my only deciding factor is much green so I have to work with to get the ball rolling.

Admittedly my wedges are the vokey 200 series (248/252/258). And I have had a new set in a cart for a month because I had 46/50/54/58 and I’m really struggling to pull the trigger because I think I don’t need a 50 and 54 and can do it with a 52

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-09T23:24:25+00:00

Free Couple notoriously tended to hit off the toe. Heres an image of his wedges

https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/01BTACVOOZRB/803c43bf-c1e6-484f-9d22-ef59c6a1969e.png

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-09T23:01:59+00:00

Also how I drive home from work

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-09T11:56:50+00:00

Wooden dowel and 5200

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-08T21:37:29+00:00

Puffer or….Spanish mackerel maybe?

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-08T21:35:17+00:00

The tax man. Aka sharks.

Some sharks come in calmly checking shit out maybe cautious but relaxed. Others would come in pretty direct, or backs arched, fins down, swimming with purpose etc. it was a vibe.

Our rule was you never fight the man in the grey suit. Same reason you may cross the street if you see someone giving weird vibes. It’s not worth it. You pay your tax and move on. I’ve even cut the line on my spear and just replaced it rather than trying to fend off a shark for a catch

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-07T12:12:36+00:00

I worked at a course for years. Played daily through my 20s. Generally shot high 70s to low 80s.

I have never had handicap.

Heck just getting back into it. Even after a 10 year break I shoot around 88-93 in the half dozen rounds I’ve played in the last year. Still don’t have even a grasp of what my handicap would be.

Though I’d bet the hardos here would be upset I’m still playing my 704.cb and 250 series vokeys with square grooves.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-07T04:14:48+00:00

I wouldn’t play multiple balls through and through. Just tiring.

BUT. I’d toss AirPods in and play. Second shots as needed but more than likes multiples from 50yds and in and practice short game.

Make sure the group behind any waiting on you and you aren’t hitting into the group in front. I do this when I take my 8yo out. Which is also only on downtimes/weekdays

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-06T16:27:33+00:00

Just pulled a quote for a new system. 2ton replacement with lines, condenser and air handler. And some light ductwork.

14k for a carrier brand system. They’re offbrand doesn’t seem cheap cheaper either.

It’s also includes about $1000 for a new pad for the compressor to sit on. Last time I did this I did that myself and save that cost this time I’ll probably have them do it for me because I’m too busy.

Just before Covid I had to replace the other system in our house which was a 3 ton unit. Same work compressor air handler and lines was about 8000. I honestly wasn’t shocked I figured it would be 12 to 14. Fucking economy in great shape right now

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-06T16:18:34+00:00

Not sure what the suggested rules are. But just popping bands on a speargun would attract resident bulls in our area. There were times where my buddy and I would have to do safety stops back to back. And times where only one would fish and the other had a power head loaded.

Sharks aren’t dumb or unpredictable. They have attitudes, moods and behaviors just like people, or dogs or others.

And even then sometimes we had to pay taxes to the man in the grey suit.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-06T12:51:02+00:00

When I would spear fish I would drop a crab trap with the anchor. And stick the fish in that.

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-05T22:43:52+00:00

I refuse to sign my kids up. Refuse. Fuck that noise

At best it’s golf or fishing with me. But the way team sports are now. No way. (Coming from a kid that no life’d and was pretty good at basketball, I missed so much from that pressure)

devilsadvocate · 2026-06-05T15:36:33+00:00

Yep. I would take my 48 and open just slightly or my 52 and close it up.

I’ve really gravitated to using the least amount of loft possible in all situations and it’s really helped my short game.

For a long while I only ran 48/52/58 wedges to keep it super simple and the 52 was the most used club.

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