The "8-Out-of-10" Rule: The Instant Strategy to Lower Your Golf Scores and Eliminate Disaster Holes

We have all been there. You stripe a drive, but it takes a wicked kick right, and suddenly you are standing on a bed of pine needles staring at a wall of timber. The green is 150 yards away, visible only through a gap the size of a dinner plate.

Your heart starts racing. Your ego whispers, "You can make that shot. You’ve seen Tiger do it. Just thread the needle."

Stop. Take a breath. This specific moment is where your round is either saved or destroyed.
If you are serious about lowering your golf scores and finally breaking 90, 80, or even 70, you don't need a new driver. You need a new mindset. You need the Rule of 80% (or the 8-Out-of-10 Rule).
This isn't just a tip; it is the cornerstone of elite golf course management.

The Trap: The Allure of the "Hero Shot"

When we find trouble on the golf course, our brains instantly look for the most direct route to the flag. We ignore the branches, the water, and the heavy rough, focusing only on the reward.
Usually, you are looking at three distinct options:

1. The Guaranteed Escape: You chip sideways or even backward. There are no obstacles. You are back in the fairway with a clear shot at the green.
2. The Calculated Advance: You punch it forward 50-70 yards into a wider opening. You’re closer, but still have work to do.
3. Full Hero Mode: You pull a 6-iron, aiming for that tiny window in the trees to chase it onto the green.

Most amateurs choose Option 3. And most amateurs walk off that green with a double or triple bogey.

The Solution: The 8-Out-of-10 Decision

Here is the rule that will change your mental game of golf forever. Before you even pull a club from the bag, look at that "Hero Shot" and ask yourself one brutal, honest question:

"If I dropped 10 balls right here, right now, could I successfully pull this shot off at least 8 times?"

If the answer is "Maybe," "Probably not," or "I might get lucky once," put the club away.
If you cannot execute the shot with 80% certainty, the risk is mathematically too high. In golf, the shots you don't hit are just as important as the shots you do.

Why This Rule Works

Those 1-in-10 miracle shots? They are fun to talk about at the 19th hole, but they are poison to your scorecard.

• The Hero Shot Fails: You hit the tree, the ball kicks deeper into the woods, or you wind up in a penalty area. You are now hitting your 3rd or 4th shot from a worse position.
• The Smart Play: You pitch out sideways (1 stroke). You hit onto the green (1 stroke). You two-putt for bogey.

Bogeys don't kill rounds. Triple bogeys do. The "8-Out-of-10 Rule" is the ultimate defense against the "big number" that ruins your handicap.

Mastering the Mental Game

Golf is not a game of perfect; it’s a game of misses. The best players in the world—from the PGA Tour to your local club champion—are the best because they manage their mistakes better than anyone else.
Using this rule requires discipline. It requires you to swallow your pride. But let me tell you what happens when you do:

• Stress decreases: You aren't scrambling for your life on every hole.
• Momentum builds: Making a clean bogey from the trees feels like a par. It keeps you in the game.
• Scores drop: You eliminate the "disaster holes" that inflate your score.

Playing "boring" golf is the fastest way to play exciting golf.

Get The Game You've Always Imagined

Next time you are in the trees, don't try to be Seve Ballesteros. Be the smartest player in your foursome. Ask the question: "Can I do this 8 out of 10 times?" If the answer is no, take your medicine, punch out, and save your round.

This rule isn’t glamorous—but it will lower your scores faster than any swing tip I could ever give you.

Want to dive deeper into smart strategy and swing mechanics?

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This is Golf as You've Always Imagined!

Daniel is a Top 100 Golf Coach, The #1 Golf Instructor in PA, a PXG Staff Pro, a World Long Drive Coach and the Head of Golf Instruction at IMAGEN Golf the area's leading golf instruction and advisory firm, host of the IMAGEN Golf podcast and Best-Selling Author of "Unleash The Golfer Within".

For more information visit www.ImagenGolf.com or call 215-595-6299 Reach out to Daniel directly at:Daniel@ImagenGolf.com

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