Question about breaking 80

[nosedive32]

Finally broke 80 with a 78 on Saturday. My first round since I shot 75 and that was with a one under 35 on the back.

 

I felt a lot of pressure to break 80 for the first time and now the game just feels easier. For others who have broken 80, did you feel like it was like the floodgates opening to you playing better and more consistent golf after your first time?

[tx_rican]

Ever since I broke 80 (about 5-6 months ago), a bad round, or what feels like one, doesn't exceed 90. Hopefully that's the case when i break 70; except instead of rarely exceeding 90, it's 80.

One can only hope lol

[larrybud]

It's just one less thing that you don't pressure yourself about.

Also remember that you most likely broke 80 because you have the ability to break 80, not because you got lucky.

[Dr. Frankenputts]

It is definitely a game changer. I have gotten to the point now where if I'm not shooting in the 70s I feel like my game is off

[golfgirlrobin]

As you get more comfortable going lower, there's less stress. Less stress usually means lower scores.

I don't know that it opens the floodgates, but the standard for what constitutes a good round changes and I think that helps you keep your head in the game a bit better. You start to grind over shots to save par or bogey in a way that you don't when it's the difference between 86 and 87.

Either way, great round. Go out and do it again.

[bcgolfer01]

Great round !!!

Go back and see where you saved strokes....

or

Go back and see where you made mistakes......

Learn from it, and i hope you have lots more sub 80 rounds

[Whit1969]

Great round! It is definitely a sense of accomplishment when you break through. Now when I go out and play what I think is awful is usually mid 80s. The hardest part for me was having one hole wreck the round for me. When I start playing bad it is usually becasue I am pressing myself. When I'm not pressing to shoot at pins on every hole, and just focus on hitting the middle of the green, I play a ton better.

An example wold be a round out played last week where I played the four par 5s in 3 under but totally screwed up one hole and the par 3s. Ended up with an 84 which could have been a really good round.

[zer0]

Broke 80 once last year with a 78. Next day shot a 105. Full disclosure my back (7 spine surgeries) was hurting quite a bit that second day.

Had several rounds of 80 and 81, but could never get under 80 except for that one time.

[Ping4Lyfe]

I broke 80 for the first time last year with a 78 on a pretty easy course. It was kind of a fluke though, because it took me over half a year to do it again, and it took me like 4-5 months to consistently shoot in the 80s. However, I've shot in the 70s my past three rounds in a row including a PB 77 on a much harder course. The key for me is performing at least three aspects of my game much better than usual along with preventing any big numbers. With my 78, the 3 parts of my game were driving, approach shots and lag putting. With my 77 it was approach shots, chipping and sinking 10-25 footers. With my most recent round, a 78, it was driving, approach shots, and chipping. In all of my rounds in the 70s so far I have been hitting great approach shots (for me that's around 9 greens), keeping the ball in play and playing solid around the greens. So it didn't really open the floodgates until I broke 80 on a much harder course.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

yeah but now you have to figure out how to stay in the 70's. and that's when you start becoming a player. and it's by working on YOUR VERSION of a bullet proof pre shot routine. you watch someone who can flat play this game they do the same thing over and over and over and over and over and...... think of it, you are out there for HOURS. that's what the higher handicap player doesn't ever get better at, they don't go through the round with any refined mental approach. you don't have a consistent routine to fall back on whether your are playing well and everything is all smiles, or the shtf and grenades go off during your round, you will stagnate at your handicap range and will wild fluctuate only within it. get to work this season on a consistent routine, doesn't matter what it is, it's just what you find works for you. then adjust it to EVERY phase of your game, and do it with each of them EVERYTIME. if you can break 80 you must got some game and can break 80, it ain't luck. and I bet $100 during your 78 you were walking around out there that day zen mode and didn't even know it, and didn't even know it was happening to you, nothing spooked you out there. a finished round that I will ALWAYS be proudest of, regardless of strokes on the card, will be one I went into my routine EVERYTIME and got to that place in my golfing soul where nothing could ever hurt me, and the most important thing in that living breathing moment of my existence was that golf shot. it's freakin' intoxicating when you can get to that mental level of play. and only that place will ultimately let you unlock the VERY best you have to give this game.

[ebn2002]

Question for you guys, and I know there is no right answer, just looking for opinions. If someone shoots 77 on a really easy course, slope 108 rating 66.7, is that still considered breaking 80?

[Aimee]

my opinion...yes, technically you shot 77, which is under 80 on a par 72 course.
I shot 78 on a really easy course and I don't feel like I accomplished anything, so I don't talk about it. So there's mixed feelings about it, for sure.
On the other hand, I think it does get you over that mental hurdle if the opportunity comes to do it again (on a different course).

[Forged4ever]

[quote name='ebn2002' timestamp='1435450744' post='11846856']
Question for you guys, and I know there is no right answer, just looking for opinions. If someone shoots 77 on a really easy course, slope 108 rating 66.7, is that still considered breaking 80?
[/quote]Absolutely-

The number in the box is the bottom line and you can only plant your tee on the holes in front of you-

Playing with Slope and rating numbers is like playing with spin and LM number, lol-

It passes time on a forum but doesn't mean ........

How I ever got to Plus without those numbers I'll never understand...

Just lucky I guess

Very Well Played CB!!

Continued Success

As Always,

All the Best,
Richard

[Forged4ever]

[quote name='Kenny Lee Puckett' timestamp='1433997282' post='11730060']
yeah but now you have to figure out how to stay in the 70's. and that's when you start becoming a player. and it's by working on YOUR VERSION of a bullet proof pre shot routine. you watch someone who can flat play this game they do the same thing over and over and over and over and over and...... think of it, you are out there for HOURS. that's what the higher handicap player doesn't ever get better at, they don't go through the round with any refined mental approach. you don't have a consistent routine to fall back on whether your are playing well and everything is all smiles, or the shtf and grenades go off during your round, you will stagnate at your handicap range and will wild fluctuate only within it. get to work this season on a consistent routine, doesn't matter what it is, it's just what you find works for you. then adjust it to EVERY phase of your game, and do it with each of them EVERYTIME. if you can break 80 you must got some game and can break 80, it ain't luck. and I bet $100 during your 78 you were walking around out there that day zen mode and didn't even know it, and didn't even know it was happening to you, nothing spooked you out there. a finished round that I will ALWAYS be proudest of, regardless of strokes on the card, will be one I went into my routine EVERYTIME and got to that place in my golfing soul where nothing could ever hurt me, and the most important thing in that living breathing moment of my existence was that golf shot. it's freakin' intoxicating when you can get to that mental level of play. and only that place will ultimately let you unlock the VERY best you have to give this game.
[/quote]First Diver, and though I'm a bit late to the party(what's new ), Hats Off on a Great round!!

As you can see, the resulting follow-up rounds depend and the scores really depend on the individual, however like most human achievements regardless of the arena, level or activity, generally it becomes easier to duplicate or better that "mark" in the ensuing attempts, however this is not a universal truth.

My GF, an LPGA-M Teacher, had one student who was all over 80, with numerous 80-82s, yet there was always a hole or two, usually in the last 2-3 holes, regardless of the tract, that landed her at 80 or higher. She finally cracked the glass with a 78, and 6 of her next eight rounds were south of 80, with her best being 75.

Then Maddie had another Girl(she was 17yo) who also was all over 80, and actually had a slightly lower cap than my first example(7 versus 8) who broke through with a 77 and that was in late July and she did not break 80 again before the summer was over. As Madison told her, she was "chasing it" versus letting "it" come to her.

This was a phrase/thought that our Teacher(we shared the same Teacher) pounded into us, well, Madison accepted it much easier than I did , whether it be a shot, a score on a hole or the round as a hole, not to "force" things.

When this happens, and this is what Kenny's post speaks to and what I had such a problem with into my 20s, and that even when I was going through my PSR and visualizing, and I had been my PSR locked down in my late teens(though I've changed it over the years) and visualization shortly thereafter, I was "forcing" things mentally, and it was hit or miss.

The reason that I highlighted Kenny's post is because it is for me at least, as close as I get to absolute in this game.

I spoke to this in another thread in this section yesterday, so I will not bore you all with a repeat of my rambling diatribe

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1208124-how-to-train-your-subconscious/page__st__30#entry11944632

The very Best to You going forward and my this score be the first of many more to come

Continued Success!!

Fairways & Greens My Friend,
Richard

[Forged4ever]

[quote name='tx_rican' timestamp='1433986550' post='11729202']
Ever since I broke 80 (about 5-6 months ago), a bad round, or what feels like one, doesn't exceed 90. Hopefully that's the case when i break 70; except instead of rarely exceeding 90, it's 80.

One can only hope lol
[/quote]Great Avatar!!

HOO-YA!!

Fairways & Greens My Friend,
Richard