Best Round I have ever shot

[hackerandloveit]

So I have been playing golf for about 14 years now.  Playing with a desire to truly improve beyond slicing two streets off the course for about 5 to 6 years.  I used to not give a damn, I just wanted to go out and have fun.  Which I was, but I wanted to lower my score and get better.  So thanks to a neighbor/best friend/personal golf coach I have managed to drop my handicap to 12.3 according to the AGA.  (Arizona Golf Association).

I peeked though around 82.  I could never seem to get lower than that number.  My biggest issue was I would play well, often 2 to 4 strokes over on the front nine only to blow up on the back.  And it usually came on 2 or 3 holes where I just fell apart.  I let my mechanics get sloppy and things went down hill.  I was getting to tired at the end of the round.  I have not been as active as I used to due to bad back.(I know, pulling a Tiger here.)  Pinched nerves and a partially removed disc makes the back stiff.  I have learned to play around that for the most part though.  Just not as flexible as I used to be.

So I went out the other day for a nice morning round of golf on a weekday off.  The range was closed due to the picker being broken, so it was off to the first tee with not a single warm up shot.  I usually hit a medium to large bucket before playing.  I played with gentlemen and his elderly father.  They were both very relaxed and took their time playing.  The entire day I felt more relaxed on the course than I ever have.  I felt in the zone almost every shot.  Each shot I hit I felt like it was a nice easy warm up shot, except it went as far as normal, and sometimes a little farther.  I realized after finishing with a 78 that I wasn't tired.

I hit way to many balls before playing and was killing myself.  By the time I got to the back nine my back was always stiff as a board and I was worn out.  I play again saturday for our club outing and am excited to see how it goes.  I plan on not warming up before hand with a bunch of balls.  Some chipping and thats about it.  I think I may have finally figured out what my major issue was.

[mvmac]

Welcome to the site. Congrats on the 78!

[ditchparrot19]

Nice going!

I broke 80 maybe half a dozen times during my prior obsession with golf, but haven't done it since I came back to the game a little less than 2 years ago after a break of more than a decade. I've shot a bunch of rounds from 80 to 83, but one or two blowup holes have always done me in.

[MacDutch]

Nice score, you broke 80 and thats a goal a lot of golfers never reach.Don't count on the ' finally figured it out'. :-\ It's golf even the pro's have issues.

[David in FL]

Congratulations on breaking that 80 barrier!  It's something that the majority of golfers never achieve.

@MacDutch is absolutely right.  As soon as you start thinking you've "figured it out", the golf gods will respond with a beat-down of epic proportions.  Don't tempt them.....

[ztexz]

Congrats on breaking the 80 Barrier -- that's a fine accomplishment!

[sopel10]

Congratulations on breaking that 80 barrier!  It's something that the majority of golfers never achieve.

@MacDutch is absolutely right.  As soon as you start thinking you've "figured it out", the golf gods will respond with a beat-down of epic proportions.  Don't tempt them.....

Ha Ha, that's pretty funny.  Because it's true!

Congrats.

[PeterKratsios]

You obviously have to be swinging well, not waste shots around the green, and make those 10 foot par/birdie putts to shoot your best round ever, BUT a lot of it has to do with the mental aspect.  I feel that every time I have a good round going with only a few holes left I start thinking about it too much, and stop focusing on taking it one shot at a time! Less thinking, more swinging!

My lowest score is a 65 at the Ocean Course in Puerto Rico at the Rio Mar hotel. Love that place ever since :)

[rkim291968]

Don't count on the ' finally figured it out'.

True. If I had a penny for every time I "figure it out," I'd have enough money to hire a personal instructor.   The last time I "figured it out" was when I did 36 on front nine of a difficult course.  The next round, I did 56 on the same front 9!   Anyway, congrats to OP.

[rr1963]

Last round I played at Lackland AFB I shot 100. My best score on a non executive course. This was about 4 weeks ago.

[irishmike27]

Congratulations! I'm hoping to get back to that point this summer. I have broke 80 exactly once with a 79, when I was 16, almost 20 years ago. Since then, most round range from mid 80s to 90s. A few years years ago I shot 80 on the number four times, and it drove me crazy! I know there's much difference between 80 and 79, but 79 sure sounds much better to me...

[Dirtyzecret]

Nice one!

I think many amateurs overdo the warm up before rounds and of course ''important'' club tournaments.

Do some stretching and bending, then hit some wedges, a couple of 7 irons, some low irons and 3 - 5 drives? Then use most on time on and around the putting green!

My best score is 67 on par 72, but I think 78 on Valderrama from tournament tee is the best round I have ever done.

[rr1963]

Thanks guys. I've been struggling a lot with my driver so I didn't use it on the back nine. I also saw in a picture that my swing is really off. At my finish, my back foot was still planted. Apparently, I swing with my upper body only.

[Dirtyzecret]

Thanks guys. I've been struggling a lot with my driver so I didn't use it on the back nine. I also saw in a picture that my swing is really off. At my finish, my back foot was still planted. Apparently, I swing with my upper body only.

Your score -15 strokes with a hip movement ;)

[mdl]

Congrats.  Finally breaking 80 is a really fun accomplishment.  As others said, don't tempt the golf gods!  First time I broke 80 was a 74, 41 on the front, 33 on the back.  Didn't break 80 again for quite a while after that, and that was a couple years ago and I still only break 80 on my very best days.

Though I agree with you that with a bad back hitting 50-80 balls before the round probably was hurting you a few strokes.  Seems plausible at least that with your back issues no full swing warm ups or maybe a shared warm up bucket (10-15 balls each), and consciously trying to maintain a smooth, easy attitude and swing, could significantly help your game.

[rr1963]

Your score -15 strokes with a hip movement ;)

That wold be nice. :-D