Under par...

[Nels55]

I have golfed for 56 years and my goal for many years has been to shoot par or better for 18 holes.  LOL I have come close in the past several times but never quite got it done until this morning.  I had 3 birdies and 2 bogeys for a 70.  LOL I saved par on 17 after one of the longest drives I have ever hit followed by two chunked shots and I was a bit nervous on the 18th tee.  I hit a 7 iron layup from the tee and had 90 yards in over a pond.  I have often visualized myself being in such a position so it felt kind of familiar.  LOL I was very happy to see a three quarter 56 degree wedge hit the green just past the flag! 

 

I am not superstitious but...  It was kind of cold when we teed off at 7:00 this morning and I had my wool cap on and a golf jacket on.  Also I did not eat anything as I usually fast for 16 hours a day and I was planning to eat a zone bar at around 8:00.  LOL I was under par at 8:00 and no way I was going to eat anything!  I kept the wool cap on until it got too hot and I had to go to my ridiculous sun hat.  I kept the jacket on even though it did get a bit warm by the end of the round...

 

I have been working on Dr. Kwon drills a lot for the last 5 months or so and it seems like I might be making some progress with my swing.  Mostly today my round was a case of good luck and very few mistakes along with making 105 feet of putts.  

 

[Hawkeye77]

Awesome! 
 

Done it a few times for 9 and still a goal for 18 and I’m greedy - might as well be 69, but I shoot 70 and I’m having a party! 
 

Based on years playing I now expect to do it in about 6 years! Inspiring!
 

 

[bobfoster]

Congratulations! Hope you were playing skins - you sure spanked your buddies 😅

[Nels55]

1 hour ago, bobfoster said:

Congratulations! Hope you were playing skins - you sure spanked your buddies 😅

Thanks! 

 

No skins today, just straight golf and no gimmies or anything even remotely sketchy.  I was really happy and I bought those guys lunch after the round.  LOL I am still having a hard time believing that this has actually happened.  Next up is shooting my age!

[Ferguson]

It's not luck.  You instituted change and it worked.   Outstanding play. 

 

Greg and Jeff, not so much.  

[Rosco1216]

Congrats!

 

where can I post bets that you will now do it multiple times this season?

[Nels55]

49 minutes ago, Rosco1216 said:

Congrats!

 

where can I post bets that you will now do it multiple times this season?

I hope you are right!  Somewhere inside I believe that I can play like that every day but I kind of doubt it though...  I have done things like this in the past that were complete one offs.  LOL I will find out a bit more in a few hours.

[Nels55]

1 hour ago, Ferguson said:

It's not luck.  You instituted change and it worked.   Outstanding play. 

 

Greg and Jeff, not so much.  

Thanks!  Lots of luck in involved, freshly cut holes with really easy pins for one thing.  Every putt rolled true which does not normally happen.  I average 31 putts per round and had 25 yesterday so normally I would have shot around 76 which would have been a really good round for me also.  I also average 6.8 big errors per round (penalty strokes, 3 putts and two chips) and I had one yesterday which is a big difference.  That stat is one that I am hoping to improve with better ball striking...

[Rosco1216]

44 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

I hope you are right!  Somewhere inside I believe that I can play like that every day but I kind of doubt it though...  I have done things like this in the past that were complete one offs.  LOL I will find out a bit more in a few hours.

It’s a mindset. Now that you’ve done it you should be able to focus on each shot individually and not dwell on where you are in relation to par during the round and just play. 

[SwooshLT]

Well done my good man.......I haven't played much with my back and all but threw up a 76 4 over first round back .......hopefully I can feed off that in this week's event Saturday.......keep us posted!! 

[MelloYello]

Congrats, now you can quit! 🙂

 

In all seriousness, you played great and it's awesome to finally check that box, isn't it? I'm actually right there with you. In addition to several rounds at level-par (72) this year, I shot a 2-under (70) and a 3-under (69) this year which marked the first times I'd been under par on 18. The 69 contained 6-birdies if you can believe it. 

 

 

Here are a few things I've noticed which have helped me repeat the accomplishment:

 

(1) Don't think about score. Have someone else keep score if possible. Thinking about where I stand is always my kryptonite. It's the last thing I want to think about if I'm just trying to play the best 18 holes I can. Tournaments are one thing, but if you're looking to set a personal record, you need to keep your mind clear. 

 

(2) Going low is about making easy pars. Focus on making your driver a strength. If you can remove the big misses from your driving, and possibly become a player who's a little on the long side, golf is 10x easier and much more fun. The more often you drive it well, the more often you'll at least have a chance to shoot a great number. 

 

(3) Going low is also about making birdies. That means (A) good driving and (B) taking advantages of the Par-5s. The latter has pushed me to be more aggressive in going for Par-5s this year. While it's taken some work on my fairway metal play (and it did lead to some initial bogeys), I eventually started becoming really comfortable hitting my fairway metals and longer irons at the green to the point where getting on (or around the green) in 2 shots is now a much more common occurrence.  

 

(4) Stay committed to normal shots and don't get cute. If you're playing well, stay committed to hitting regular tee shots and approaches and keep hitting those shots until you're done. Don't try to "manufacture" a par on the last hole by doing it some way you'd never do during a regular round. That's the fastest way to make a bogey or a double. 

 

(5) Play as if you're going to have another shot to shoot level-par the next day. Be a little fatalistic. If destiny has you making bogey on 18, so be it. If you make bogey on the last and shoot (+1), who really cares? That's a good score, too. Try to remind yourself you're capable of getting up and down. Trust that you have some ability to scramble if a tee shot or approach isn't perfect. Playing your best isn't about playing perfectly. Just be smart about where you aim. 

 

.

Edited May 23, 2022 by MelloYello

[Nels55]

82 today, back to normal! 

 

LOL confusing skill and luck can get a person into some trouble in life!  I would say that skill is when a golfer who averages 70 shoots a 70 and luck is when a golfer who averages 83 shoots a 70...

 

@MelloYello LOL I sure did think about quitting the game!

[Wooley12]

Congrats!! I broke par for 18 once as a 12HC. I was 5 over on the 7th tee and the ranger pissed me off. Said we were slow and we weren't. Holed a bunker shot to a cup I couldn't see and drained a 40' eagle putt for a 39-31 two under. Missed a straight 10' putt for 69 cause I looked up. 

 

Savor the feeling.