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How to Shoot in the 80’s: 3-5 Footers

The 'quickest' way to drop strokes is by improving our shortage...here are a couple tips to help with the 3 - 5 footers.

Hey Quite The Chap here for GolfersRX. We asked our facebook Group what their golf goals. And a majority of them responded with “shoot in the 80’s”. So let’s do that, in today’s 60sec vid.

I have a feeling this is going to be longer than 60 seconds. Maybe it turns into a series within a series. How to Shoot in the 80’s Series inside the 60 Second Series. Inception.

First off, it really helps to know where you’re making a majority of your strokes and put a plan together to improve that specific area. BUT in today’s video we’re going to talk about the “quickest” way to drop strokes. Which is by cleaning up your shortgame around the green.

We usually only hit one tee shot per hole (hopefully) but often times the average golfer takes more than a few strokes around the greens on every hole. If you could chip the ball a little closer you’d have a better chance at getting up and down. Can you get your lag putts a little closer? You’ll have a better chance at making the next putt. If you could sink a few more 3-5 footers. You’re going to have a much better chance at consistently shooting in the 80’s.

We’re going to start with putting. I’m definitely going over the 60 seconds. Let’s sink more putts in the 3-5 foot range. That way we can ramp up our confidence close to the hole. From there we’ll start moving back towards the tee. Part of the problem when we get close to the hole is that we get in our head. Am I aimed properly? Is my stroke worthy? We think about everything EXCEPT sinking the putt. So here are two drills you can practice AND bonus you can also use on the course.

1) Stop thinking about your putting stroke. Don’t even look at your putting stroke. Concentrate on your thumb during your stroke. You’ll be amazed at how smooth your stroke becomes.

2) Don’t line up to the hole. Pick a target 2 to 6 inches in front of your ball and hit that target. Try and roll your ball over that specific little target.

So what we’re doing here is trying to forget about all the things that get in our head. Let’s get out of our own way and make some small practical adjustments to give ourselves the best chance at sinking more 3-5 footers.

Where are you adding the most strokes to your game? We’d love to hear. Leave us a comment. And if you’re not subscribed hit that subscribe button, share this video if you think it’s helpful to someone else, give us a thumbs up. We appreciate your support.

Until next time, keep it simple.

20 Comments

  1. Robert Shaw ( Bob )

    February 20, 2020 at 2:11 pm

    I have been enjoying your comments and suggestions for years ( or however long you have been doing this ). You and Mr Short Game I find quite practical and helpful. As regards where I, and my playing partners, lose our most strokes. It is near and around the green. As such I am soon to concentrate most of my listening and practice to … THE SHORT GAME.
    I will be looking out for you suggestions.
    Thanks for what you do,

    Bob

    Reply
  2. Robert Sbrogna

    February 20, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    Im a 14 I would like to break 80 I lose strokes from 20 to 75 yds usually hitting fat shots I surpose I shouldn’t complain too much I’m sevent four but I still hit the ball preaty good

    Reply
  3. Steve S

    February 21, 2020 at 6:09 am

    So over 3 minutes of blather for approximately 30 seconds of real content. You need to up your game. Mr Short game does a better job and is more fun to watch.

    Reply
  4. Brian Anderson

    February 21, 2020 at 7:29 am

    Maybe Shooting in the 80’s, in 80 seconds? Seriously, I did find my scores dropping when I worked on my short game. Those one (and zero) putts are real moral boosters.

    Reply
  5. Jim Browsky

    February 21, 2020 at 8:49 am

    Great advice Doc, mental breakdowns on and around the green can take away from an otherwise good round. the thumbs drill is thumbs up.

    Reply
  6. Jim G

    February 21, 2020 at 12:21 pm

    I agree the green is the biggest culprit for losing strokes, so good tip…. but my second biggest area is the fairway woods or longer irons — i.e., just getting to the green.So, can’t wait for you to start moving back toward the tee box.

    Reply
  7. Bob

    February 21, 2020 at 2:53 pm

    I recently got a new putter for $25 out of a barrel. I immediately loved the feel of this putter. After a couple of rounds I decided the grip was too hard and flaky, so I spent another $19 on a new grip that feels more comfortable. This putter is not magic, except that it feels good to me. I had one round about a week ago in which I finished with 7 straight 3 putts. That is obviously not good, but the amazing thing is that throughout that stretch I felt good standing over every putt, and for the most part they went about where I aimed them and about the distance I was looking for. So how did I have 7 3 putts? To take a line from Sevi, I miss, I miss, I make. The next time out I made more putts, but the point is that I remain comfortable standing over pretty much every putt. This is an amazing thing for me. In the past I have been plagued by the doubts mentioned in the video. Getting this putter has helped me to be more confident that the ball will not dart off line. I have mostly used Ping putters in the past. The new one is a Fisher with a weird looking head with diagonal arrow type lines. It is also pretty heavy, so I feel like if I get it swinging at the right speed, I don’t need to add any force to the stroke.I don’t think this is important. What is important is that it feels good to me. I have always thought that it does not matter much what putter you use (it’s the Indian, not the arrow, right?) but I am rethinking this. I think it is worth trying to find a putter that gives you confidence, if you do not have one already. A friend of mine recently got a Scotty Cameron putter as a gift. He tried it for several rounds but could not make anything, so Scotty is in the garage and he is back to his old Ping (with which he is pretty deadly). He may try the Scotty again, and maybe it will work, but maybe (this) Scotty is not the answer for him. For him, maybe the answer is the (Ping) Anser. I think this is a very individual thing. It is all about feel and confidence. Certainly it is also about green reading and a reliable stroke, and all that other stuff, but it is really great to stand over a putt and think you will make it (even if you subsequently don’t). If you miss and can still feel confident, you will probably make some at some point, and maybe your misses will be less train wrecky.

    Reply
  8. Pandora Carter

    February 22, 2020 at 4:23 am

    Thanks for the tips

    Reply
  9. James Lenavitt

    February 23, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    All misses are an opportunity to focus on what requires additional attention. It is not about outcome but rather the process it takes to get there.

    Reply
  10. Tom

    May 6, 2020 at 7:54 pm

    I am try this…
    No out of bounds, short drives in the middle
    No extra chip, out if slightly off the green
    No 3 puts

    Reply
  11. John Sterling

    May 7, 2020 at 2:50 am

    Where did you get that hat? Presentation was great also thanks. But I would really like to have one of those hats!!

    Reply
    • Quite The Chap

      May 7, 2020 at 11:20 am

      Hey John, the hat is from TrueLinks

      Reply
  12. bruce

    May 8, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    great stuff … keep it up

    Reply
  13. John

    May 8, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    I hope you can spend some time on breaking the habit I have of liftingmy head/shoulders/ eyes/hands, or some combination thereof, when shipping. I practice and think i”ve got it conquered, but I get on the course and manage to “lift up” on 60-70 percent of my ships – be they short greenside (5-10 yards off green) or longer chip/pitches. Hope you can offer something. My ball striking from tee to greenside is pretty fair, But, short game is killing my score. Thanks.
    Enjoy and benefit from your 60 second series.

    Reply
  14. Tony Huffman

    May 10, 2020 at 5:53 am

    In Arizona the Golf courses for whatever reason water the CRAP out of the bunkers. So if you are in a tournament and you tee off first you have the worst bunkers to play out of. Understood, ‘don’t get in the bunker’ but just one area that waste strokes, nobody get the chance to practice out of a soggy wet bunker.

    The other area is the extremely inconsistent lies around the green when trying to chip or pitch. Very hard to get the perfect shot from various spots.

    The only way I see to eliminate those 2 are by getting on the green instead of around the green. I play with scratch golfers and everyone makes a bad shot occasionally but that is the game of Golf.

    Love the vids!

    Reply
    • Sudipta Goswami

      May 14, 2020 at 8:13 am

      Very very helpful tips. Look forward 👍

      Reply
  15. Brian Mitchell

    June 10, 2021 at 10:54 am

    Great stuff and great style. Thank you!

    Reply
  16. Michael Barone

    June 10, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    Thumbs up!!! THANKS

    Reply
  17. Kit Lefroy

    October 14, 2021 at 4:56 am

    Love the way you get to the point quickly. 60 seconds is usually enough to get the point across. K.I.S.S. is the key. Keep up the good advice.

    Now that I am in my 80’s I have noticed that it has become more difficult to stay focussed during the swing. The result is usually a poor shot. This problem manifests itself a number of times each round. It happens at the beginning of the takeaway. I have noticed it seems to be associated with random eye movement just before starting the takeaway. Any suggestions about how to deal with this problem?

    Reply
  18. Gordon

    October 14, 2021 at 10:04 am

    I am putting straight, but I have difficulty reading the greens. Any suggestions on green reading?

    Reply

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