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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

[Brendon Elliott, PGA](https://brendonelliott.com/), is an award-winning PGA Professional, player-development coach and nationally recognized golf writer with three decades of experience in the golf industry. As of 2026, he has been a PGA Professional for 17 years and has earned more than 25 PGA Section and Chapter honors for his work in coaching, education and player development. In 2017, he received the PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. ## Coaching Competitive Teenage Golfers Through [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home), Brendon specializes in working with competitive teenage golfers who want to improve their performance, better understand their games and prepare for the demands of high school, junior tournament and college golf. His primary focus is [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching), which allows him to remain actively involved in a player’s development regardless of location. Rather than relying on occasional lessons or isolated swing fixes, Brendon works with players throughout their competitive journey. His coaching covers much more than the golf swing. Players receive ongoing guidance in structured practice, short-game development, putting, course management, tournament preparation, performance analysis, goal setting and the mental and physical habits required to improve over time. Using video analysis, virtual coaching sessions, performance data and regular communication, Brendon helps each player understand what to work on, why it matters and how to make meaningful progress between practices and tournaments. Brendon accepts only a limited number of in-person students in Central Florida. His priority is building long-term [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching) relationships with competitive teenage golfers and their families. The goal is not simply to help a young player hit better shots. It is to help that player become more prepared, more accountable and more capable of navigating everything competitive golf demands. Brendon’s career has included serving as a head golf professional, general manager, college golf educator, career development director, academy owner and longtime junior golf leader. He founded Little Linksters Golf Academy in 2008 and led the organization for more than 16 years before selling the academy in late 2024 and launching [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home). ## Golf Writing and Media Brendon is also a nationally recognized and prolific golf writer and storyteller. He is the Senior Golf Writer for [Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/author/brendon-elliott) and has written extensively about professional golf, instruction, player development, equipment, golf history and the people shaping the game. His work has also appeared with PGA.com, GolfWRX, PGA Magazine, MyGolfSpy and several other prominent golf media outlets. Through [One More Roll Golf Media](https://onemorerollgolf.com/), Brendon provides editorial content, feature writing, consulting and media services throughout the golf industry. His background as a coach and educator shapes the way he writes, while his work as a writer strengthens the way he coaches. He understands how to explain complicated ideas clearly, ask better questions and connect the technical, strategic and personal sides of golf.