Breaking 100 in golf: the 5 priorities that really lower your score
When a player shoots around 100, they almost always think the problem is their swing. In reality, most lost shots come from elsewhere: penalties, wasted shots around the green and poor decisions. Here are the five priorities I work on first with players who want to break 100.
1. Eliminate penalty strokes
A ball out of bounds or in the water often costs two shots, sometimes three. On a card of 100, it's not unusual to count six or seven. It's the easiest source of lost shots to cut.
The rule is simple: on a narrow tee shot or with water in play, take the club you hit straight, even if it goes shorter. A 7-iron in play beats a driver in the trees. You will play your second shot from further back, but you will play it from the fairway.
2. Aim for the middle of the green, not the flag
Under 100, every shot into the green should have one goal: be on the green or just next to it. A pin near a bunker or an edge is a trap. Aim for the centre, always. On an average green, the centre rarely leaves you more than 10 metres from the hole, which gives you two reasonable putts.
3. One chip shot, properly mastered
Around the green, most players have too many options and not enough reference points. I ask them to master just one shot first: the little chip-and-run, ball in the middle of the stance, weight on the front foot, arms moving like a putt. The ball flies a little and rolls a lot. It's the most reliable shot, and it avoids the fat and thin strikes that cost you two shots.
4. Distance putting before accuracy putting
Three-putts really hurt your scorecard. The cause is almost always the same: the first putt stops well short or runs well past. In practice, spend more time on 8 to 15-metre putts than on short ones. The goal isn't to hole them, it's to leave the ball within a one-metre circle around the hole.
5. A simple routine before every shot
A routine doesn't need to be long. Three steps are enough: pick a precise target, make a practice swing that feels like the shot you want, then align and play without waiting. Above all, it helps you after a bad shot: instead of rushing, you come back to the same sequence.
How to know what to work on first
Over three rounds, note your number of penalties, shots around the green and putts. You'll immediately see where your shots go. That's exactly what I do during an assessment: before touching the swing, we look at the scorecard.
If you want a precise plan for your game, the Academy's Break 100 path covers these priorities step by step. And if you prefer to work on the course, the Beginner package of our Marrakech golf camps is made for exactly that.
