Breaking 100-90-80-70

[Warszawa]

How long did it take you?

After a year of mucking around the low 90's and early 100's I finally broke 90 yesterday with an 89 (with six three putts!). The relief was phenominal and it got me wondering about the time it took for the rest of the golfing community to break these milestones. With the high quality of golfers on this site I'm betting you guys and gals got in the low 80's/70's pretty quick! :beach:

[GregMarc5280]

First off, congrats on the 89, breaking milestones is great. I dunno when I broke 100 or 90, didnt really pay attention much, I just enjoyed being on the golf course. This year I quit hockey and took golf more seriously and broke 80 for the 1st time on a par 72. +6 on the front and +1 on the back.

[cwsebs09]

Breaking 100 took me about a year and a half, but this is the first year I have taken golf seriously. Since then I've been shooting consistently low 90s, still waiting to break that milestone. Good luck on continued improvement!

[alpha_pro]

broke 100 in about 2 months, broke 90 in about 4-5, and have come close but cant seem to get 70's. been golfing for a little over a year. you could say im stuck at the moment!!! it sucks...

[emc]

Started playing when I was 12 and weedy, so it wasn't a fair fight, but it took me about 8 months to break 100, a year to break 90, and 2 years to break 80. 74 is now my landmark

[Carlo]

It took me almost 2 years to break 100! However it is fair to say that I have been playing some of the most difficult and long golf course in Asia. I broke 100 on a 7,250 yards full of lakes and bunkers course.

 

I am confident that if I will be able to play easier courses I could easily break 90 at this stage. My ball striking is fairly consistent and the putting is my weakness as I have no way to practice often.

[Milo]

Congratulations on passing the latest milestone. They are all tough but for some reason breaking 90 seems highly significant as there is a big mental difference between 91 and 89. If you shoot 80s all the time you can play with cat one players and hold your own.

 

Started playing (hitting on the driving range) in December 05 with the aim being to teach myself and to be averaging about ten over after 12 months. I had no idea how tough that was going to be as on ESPN it looks dead easy.

 

First 18 in February06 was 127 and I was devastated. All the shots I had on the range never materialised on the course when I was shaking with nerves and my putting was a total joke. Second was 105 and third was high nineties. All on the same course http://www.shanghaiwest.com/ and spread over about six weeks.

 

Having practiced every spare minute and played about three rounds a week over the summer on a mixture of local courses I'm now around low to mid eighties with the best ever being two 78s.

 

I got stuck in the nineties for a couple of months. The three things that got my scores moving south again were a lot of time on and around the practice green, thousands of wedge shots on the range from 120 yards and less, and a change of clubs from MP32s to CG1 black pearls. I only bought them because I liked the look and was curious to try them but they have worked wonders and, apart from confidence, I have really no explanation as to why that should be.

 

The same guys that told me last Christmas that I had no hope in hell of achieving my goal now always ask me what the secret is. They get a bit miffed when I keep telling them that you've just got to really want it. Most of them have been 10-20 handicappers for years and they will only get worse with time because they are not that bothered. I want to shoot regular 70s so badly I can taste it and that's the secret. Practice, practice, practice and never be satisfied. Fortunately I have lots of time to put the work in and I love every minute of it.

 

Good luck to you. Enjoy the journey. That's what counts at the end of the day.

 

Best wishes,

Milo.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

I started playing golf sometime in 1996, I think.

 

100 - I believe I broke 100 in about 6-8 months of playing if I recall

90 - Took about 2 years to break 90

80 - I just barely broke 80 this year, so that makes 9 years before breaking this barrier

70 - Still working on this one.

[animalistic]

broke 100 when i was 10 or 11 years old...broke 90 at 11 or 12...80 at about 12/13 and broke 70 on my 15th birthday :beach: (cool) ..best day of my life that 68 :cheesy:

now 16 playing off 3

[hermes]

took up golf late 2004......ended up with 100's and 90's during the whole 2005 year and finally broke into low 80s last week. this was the first year with my own equipment. from 2004-2005, i had 'hand-me-downs, no name, fitted for a senior' i call a set. start of this year was just getting use to my new clubs and getting use to everything....well worth the upgrade and the money spent.....plus, i took golf more seriously. lookin for that upper 70s or consistently in the 80s.

 

holla!

[Evil R1]

I played for the first time on July 16, 2005 and Shot a 128

I started taking lessons July 18, 2005 (Hooked Instantly)

I broke 100 on Sept 3, 2005 and shot a 95

I broke 90 on Sept 4, 2006 and shot an 89

 

So, in keeping with the pattern, I am hoping to break 80 on Sept 5, 2007 :beach:

 

Thanks,

[crew_138]

My goal is breaking 80... I just haven't had to time to play much this summer. I consistenly shoot low 80's without breaking a sweat. I think not being so sloppy and taking more time with each shot would help. I make so many careless mistakes that I know I can shoot 70's without a doubt. We shall see. What factors helped you in breaking 80?

[Milo]

What helped break 80?

Only done it twice, both in the last month so I'm not a regular 70s shooter yet. But -

1. Made more greens in regulation and more one puts.

2. There were a couple of times when I benefitted from a lucky break. Had the ball rolled a bit further or a bit less I might have had a cr#ppy lie. I was conscious of this at the time and was greatful to the Golf gods.

3. Calmness and confidence. The more I am able to look at the shot and know what has to be done to pull it off the better the score.

Good luck to you.

Milo.

[Evil R1]

I think what helped me the most in breaking 90 and will probably help me the most in finally breaking 80 is working on 100 yards and in. I have been spending the majority of my time practicing shots from 100 yards and in to help me get in the hole in 3 or less. This has really payed off b/c now instead of going for it on a par 5 I just try to get it a Pitching wedge distance away from the green. I'm comfortable at that point that I can finish in 3 or less strokes. It helps keep doubles off the card and tends to yield more pars.

 

Thanks,

[markus1*]

I'm 15 and started playing golf last year in August. First 18 holes were a classy 99 and I broke 90 very soon after. This year I played several rounds in the 80s so it took me about a year. But my best round still is a 76 and in the moment I struggle to play this again as I'm putting really bad in the moment. I hope to break the 70's very soon but it will be a hard fight for sure.

[arkstorm]

I broke 100 my first season playing, about 2 months into it. But I was playing a lot, 5 rounds a week, yay college.

 

Broke 90 late that same season. Three seasons later I set a highwater mark at 83 which stuck for a while.

 

Factor in living in a cold winter climate and the occasional back surgery and it wasn't until my 7th season before I broke 80 for the first time, and I did it in a tournament, shot 78 (but it was a par 70 track). But later in that season I shot a +7 79 so I was vindicated.

 

Currently, my best ever round is a +4 76 and just as I did after every low round I've ever shot I felt like i left so many strokes on the coruse. When you shoot an 89 you think to yourself it could have so easily been an 81. When you shoot a 79 you think, if I made that lip-out putt, or given myself a few more chances at birdie I could have shot mid-70's. Then when you finally do shoot mid-70's you say, that round could so easily have been even par if not for 4 silly mistakes. You're never fully satisfied. I bet when PM shot that 59 he felt like it could have been even lower. That's why golf never gets boring and never gets old. Even par 72, here I come.

[crew_138]

WoW!

 

You must be a natural... you haven't been golfing a year and shot a 76. That is phenominal in my book. It's taken my 4 solid years to be a regular 80's guy.

 

I'm 15 and started playing golf last year in August. First 18 holes were a classy 99 and I broke 90 very soon after. This year I played several rounds in the 80s so it took me about a year. But my best round still is a 76 and in the moment I struggle to play this again as I'm putting really bad in the moment. I hope to break the 70's very soon but it will be a hard fight for sure.

[Neurotica]

I started playing golf in 1996

 

100 - in the first year

90 - in 6 years

80 - in 8 years

70 - Not yet - but is a long term goal.

[seriously_obsessed_duffer]

Started playing in March, broke 100 maybe a month ago and now find myself in the low to mid 90's regularly (though I do play the whites). The next step will be a doozy, however.

[Stuy Pegleg]

Ba_t_rds :( ...I've been playing on and off for 5 years and I'm still around 100. Maybe time to pick new sport....for me the 3-ball putter means 3 putts....

[mkirt]

I finally got the golfing bug at age 40.

 

Started with 6 weekly lessons on the basics in May of 2005. Spent an hour at the range 5 days a week until the rib injuries, muscle pulls, etc started and realized I was 40 and needed to be smart about about practicing instead of just whacking balls down range. :(

 

Played my first 18 hole round July 4th 2005 and shot 102. Within 6 months was consistently mid 90s with the occassionaly round of 100. Pushed hard to break 90 by the 1 year mark but could only hit 90 about five or six times due to that one or two blowup holes (8-10 strokes).

 

One month after the 1 year aniversary(August of this year) I shot 89 from the blues (6700 yds). I then got really consistent and shot repeated rounds of 90-91 but could not break 90 again.

 

Two weeks ago I developed the "lateral shot" problem and was reduced to playing junk balls and even the occassional range ball (par 3 course trying to figure out what happend). I shot a 105 which was the worst round in 8 months. Took some time off and just putted and chipped at the range.

 

Went out Sunday and got paired up with a couple of big hitters. First time I played with guys that drive 300+ consistently and are great golfers (2 handicap and + handicap). Since I only drive 250 on a good day, I just decided to enjoy the show and just play golf. Birdied the first hole and parred the second. Got some confidence in the stroke (no Sh@@nk) and went on to shot an 86 which is a personal best (12/14 fairways and 31 putts). :)

[bird-d]

Year 1,2 - 90's and 100's. Maybee 10 rounds in the eighties

Year 3,4 - 80's and 90's.. sometimes a 100. Shot maybe 5 rounds in the 70's low round: 76

Year 5,6,7 - Mostly low 80's..90's sometimes. More rounds in the 70's

year 8 - Big streak of 70's . Maybe 1/3 of my rounds are 70,s. Some 80's and a few 90's. Low score 75.

Year 9 - Mostly 70's, some low eighties, and a few mid-80's. Low round: 1-under 70.

[nutzongolf]

Played golf for 2.5 years--broke 100 after 6 months, broke 90 after 1 year and broke 80 after 1.5 years. Have not broken 70 yet, lowest so is 75.

[Warszawa]

To true about leaving shots on the course. Along with my six three putts I had two lip outs! And the day after I shot 94 with 11 three putts!!!!! :( 11 has to be some kind of record.

[SuperTiger18]

100 took about a year. Breaking 90 took two more years. I spent three years consistently shooting in the 80's and finally broke 80 two months ago. So five years and 10 months to break 80. Hopefully in 5 years I'll be able to say I've had a round under par.

[KingOAces]

I started playing golf in February of '05 and am a 3.1 HDCP. Breaking 100 took mabye a couple of weeks and 90 mabye a little more. 80 was the BIG hump to get over. It took me about 10 months of consistant play to finally break 80. The feeling is amazing, something you can't even describe. All I wanted to do was shoot one stroke better my next round, then one more, and another, etc. Just last week, I shot my lowest round ever (67) making it the 7th time I've broken par. I play about 5-6 times a week in season and come from a deep golfing family (3 Generations of Golf Pros), so mabye it's in my blood or something. The best advice I could give to someone aspiring to break 100-90-80 would be to practice your putting and short game (I know its cliche, but it's 100% true). All of my best rounds I've had under 29 putts and when I missed a green, I'd get up and down. Good Luck!

 

KinG

[gatorsteve]

I started playing back in april of this year and broke 100 about 2 months later then I broke 90 in about 1 1/2 months later. I haven't played since the beginning of september but have been going to the range almost every other day and I am striking the ball great so I can't wait to get out there soon.

 

steve

[Olan1987]

It took me 3 years for the first time i broke 70 and it was a 68.

[sub72round]

Been playing golf ~3.5 years now.. LOVE the game. Had countless sessions at the driving range before beginning to actually play the game.

 

Broke 100 the first month..

Broke 90 5 months later..

Broke 80 9 months after that..

Broke 70 almost 2 years after my first round ever -- a bogey-free 68!

 

I have not beat my best score since then... that alone keeps me coming back for more!

 

Although I did have my first hole-in-one on Sept. 2nd! Another milestoe achieved!! Never expected that one to happen at all!

[dachtor]

started playing seriously in the summer of 1999 at age 23. Prior to that I had only played once or twice a year. Broke 100 and 90 within 3 months of 06/1999. Broke 80 for the first time within a year of june 1999. I have never shot lower than a 74 and currently play as a 10 index. I was never able to get my rounds consistently in the 70's. In fact, I don't think I've ever shot back to back rounds in the 70's.

 

Tough game, but I make it much harder!