There isn’t actually some “Law of 100.” It’s not like the “Law of Gravity.” I haven’t proven anything… it’s not official. But I think it could be a golf law? Haha, I don’t know. I’ve decided to write about this concept this month, rather than the many other ideas on the top of my mind, because it has come up so many times that I think the universe is guiding me in this direction. This concept has not only come up for me at a professional level, but for the collegiate girls I work with at USCB, the competitive juniors I work with, and all beginner golfers.
You do not have to be an amazing golfer for this concept to apply to you.
What is it?
So… what is this concept? The Law of 100 is something I’ve really jumped on recently. A big influence in my golf career asked me recently when I asked them for advice on a shot:
“If you had to hit this shot 100 times, which choice would result in the lowest overall average score on the hole?”
In other words, over time, what decision is truly the smartest?
Example
Here’s an example. A personal one. From last week.
I hit my drive slightly wonky… still in play, but I didn’t exactly have a great look at the green. It’s a par five. I have about 180 into the green (it was a very short hole). I am hitting out of grass but have to keep it very low under the limbs of a tree in front of me. So I have to hit it low, which means it is going to run up to the green on the ground.
This would be easier if the “access point” to the green was larger than 10 yards wide. This green had two bunkers guarding the left and right sides. They angled inward, so the front of the green was protected. In other words, it was a very narrow runway for me to get the ball to run up to the green through that opening.
A very, very, very good golfer would say to themselves that they were going to try to run it up, and if they go into the bunker, so be it — they can get up and down out of a bunker almost automatically. But I am not a very, very, very good golfer. Only maybe a very good one. My bunker game is not what you would call automatic. So for me, the bunkers were not ideal. However, I hit the low running shot under the tree, attempting to hit it between the bunkers and onto the green so I could have an eagle putt. I think you might know where I am going with this. As a “very” good golfer, I almost pulled it off. But almost doesn’t count in golf. I hit it in the left bunker.
This bunker shot was not a scary one, but things happen. I left it in the bunker and left the hole with a bogey 6.
Application
So… the Law of 100.
If I could go back in time to when I was evaluating my second shot, I would’ve had two options:
- Run it up between the bunkers and onto the green (bunkers are in play).
- Run it up short of the bunkers and have a small pitch shot (bunkers not in play).
Now let’s apply the Law of 100.
For scenario number one, if I hit 100 shots, I would probably end up in the bunker almost half of the time, leaving myself with a shot I am not so comfortable with. Yes, I may have gotten it onto the green 20–40 of the other times, but my average score would increase significantly due to the bogeys I bring into play in the bunker.
For scenario number two, I would never have a putt for eagle, but I also would (hopefully) never have a putt for bogey because the bunkers are taken completely out of play. Despite having no 3s on the scorecard (unless I were to pitch in), I would almost never have the higher numbers I would have in scenario one — resulting in a lower overall average if I were to hit 100 shots.
The Point
And that’s the point. The Law of 100 isn’t about the one shot. It’s not about being bold or playing scared. It’s about zooming out. It’s about removing ego and asking yourself what actually produces the best results over time.
Golf is a game of discipline more than it is a game of talent. The players who score the best aren’t always the ones who can hit the craziest shots — they’re the ones who eliminate big numbers. They understand that one heroic shot is never worth unnecessary mistakes.
If you had to hit it 100 times, what would your average look like?
That question alone can completely change how you manage a course.