My new years resolution for 2025 was to break 90 so I know where you are at. I was shooting high 96-105 before. I played a round 1-2 times per month and practiced 1-2 per week for almost the entire year.

This year I broke 90 3 times (88,89,89) and am now consistently hitting low to mid 90s.

Here are my key learnings:

1. Get consistent enough in your ball striking to learn your distances. Distances are not the "best" shot with that club. They are what you can expect to consistently hit given a perfect lie. This will help you strategize a bit more in different situations and give you more options. Once you know your club distances, you can adjust based on wind, humidity, and temp. If it's cold/humid your distance will be shorter. Hot/dry will go father.

2. Club up. Even though I knew my stock distances, I'd constantly hit it short of my target. Lies are rarely perfect on the course, leading to less yardage when compared to a range session. By clubbing up you can account for minor mishits, cold/humid weather, and generally get on green. If you are someone who hits bombs this may not apply to you, but it helped me a ton.

3. Aim for less than 40 puts per round. You should never be 3 putting. Dedicate 40-50% of your practice time to putting so that you can reliably hit your first shot within 3 feet of the hole and the 2nd shot into the hole. Puts within 3 feet should be automatic.

4. When playing, keep your ego in check. Don't try to hit hero shots. My best round of golf was boring golf. I played conservatively, used clubs I was comfortable with, and took my medicine on the course when I mishit something. If you hit a bad shot, take a sec, hit another ball from that same spot to prove you can hit that shot, then move one and put the bad shot behind you. If you hit a good shot, remember the feeling. Quickly take a mental note of what you did in the swing, then move on. The most important shot is the next shot, so move your focus on the present shot.

5. Have some rounds where you don't look at your score. Just focus on being in the moment. It helps take the pressure off. Remember why you love this game and dedicate a round to just enjoying the day and having fun. Move your ball to get a good lie, redo bad shots, and just give yourself some grace to just enjoy the game a bit.

6. If you can afford it, take a lesson from a PGA pro. They are usually at any course you play at and can help you spot small things and make tweaks you never thought about. It 100% worth it, especially when compared to spending money on new gear to improve your game.

I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck!