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What's Your Plan? How to Lower Your Scores on the Golf Course

By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on

Many golfers struggle with scoring on the golf course. Through regular practice, they may seemingly have the majority of their game at a place where they should score at certain levels but fail to do so time and time again. 
Does this sound like you? Are you a golfer that feels that your skill set does not match up with what you are scoring?
A trick my father first taught me when I was in my early teens and then what was again reiterated to me later in life when I was attempting to pass my PGA Player Ability test was this. 
Take on the course in three-hole sets, with your own personal score to achieve for every three holes. This helps you become more focused on scoring and less on mechanics and does so in a way that you are never getting too far ahead of yourself nor dwelling on past holes. 
Let’s say you want to shoot 90. Every 3 holes, you will focus on scoring an aggregate of 15. Scoring 15 on every 3 holes times 6 (18 holes total) equals 90. 
Say you want to break 85. Then shoot for a score of 14 for every 3 holes. 14 for every 3-hole set, times 6 equals 84. I game-planned this exact example with a junior student of mine for a recent tournament he played in and he did one better, by shooting an 83 and placing in a tie for 3rd. This was the first time he’s placed in an event…and he did not really even have his best stuff.
The greatest thing that came out of that second example was he started out double bogey, double bogey, birdie on his first 3 holes...a 6, 6, 2, for a total of 14, which was his 3-hole goal. 
Any other time, starting out with two doubles, he would have packed it in and been searching all day for something. On this day however, he stuck to the plan. At scoring after the round, he only then realized what he had done during that critical first 3-hole stretch...he did not even know he had made two straight doubles to start. He only knew that he was still on pace to shoot an 84.
Try putting this scoring plan into play for yourself, based on your own scoring goals. Taking a more bit-sized approach can really help keep you focused on scoring and not mechanics and do so in a way that you are never getting too far ahead of yourself or dwelling on past holes.
Brendon R. Elliott, PGA

Sorrento, FL

Brendon Elliott

Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer

After 16 remarkable years of nurturing young talent and fostering a love for golf through The Little Linksters Golf Academy, Brendon Elliott is excited to announce the transition of leadership to esteemed Coach Ricky Collado in 2025. As the baton is passed, Coach Ricky will take charge of all operations and become the primary point of contact for any Linksters-related inquiries. As Brendon steps into a new chapter, the focus will shift to launching and growing BE A GOLFER, a new academy dedicated to competitive teenage golfers. This initiative will continue both in-person and remote coaching, harnessing years of expertise to nurture the next generation of golfing talent. Further expanding horizons, Brendon will also dedicate time to One More Roll Golf Media. This venture aims to collaborate with various golf media outlets and businesses, delivering high-quality written, video, and voice content. Despite these new ventures, Brendon will remain closely connected with Little Linksters. A commitment to collaboration with Coach Ricky will continue, particularly with projects like the PGA Junior League, ensuring a lasting impact and smooth transition. “I am thrilled about the future of Little Linksters under Coach Ricky Collado’s leadership. This transition marks a change and an exciting new direction for me and the academy. I look forward to contributing my efforts towards developing competitive young golfers and advancing in the golf media landscape.” ~ Brendon R. Elliott, PGA More About Coach Brendon... Brendon Elliott is a distinguished PGA Professional who has received over 25 prestigious industry awards recognizing his contributions and influence in youth golf, most notably, the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. With numerous appearances on the Golf Channel and local news outlets in Florida, Brendon has established himself as a respected educator and influencer in the golf industry. Renowned for his expertise in all aspects of golf, he is a sought-after speaker at golfing events and panels. In the past three years, Brendon has expanded into media, writing for esteemed outlets such as PGA.com, PGA Magazine, Golf.com, GolfWRX.com, RG.org, and many others. Elliott is also part of the “Quiet Please Golf Podcast” crew and hosts a livestream show on the Golf Live App called “Monday Evening Tee Time.” Brendon’s dedication to advancing the sport has made a significant impact on the golf community.

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