Breaking 80 or no DBs -- which is harder?

[GolfLug]

For me a round without a DB bogey is as rare and lucky as a ending up within 2 feet of the pin after bouncing of a hospitality tent... :-))

I've had 1 round without a DB all my life but close to 10 in the 70s, IIRC (most of them in the last 2 years).

  

[Slice of Life]

I've only broken 80 one time. I've had a few rounds with no DBs. So my vote goes to breaking 80.

[TourSpoon]

My key for breaking 80 was to reduce my big numbers (doubles and worse) and then to really start converting more missed greens into saved pars by working that short game save stat. With that said, I have to say that breaking 80 is harder to do. 

On a side note, whenever I have to put down a double, I mentally pair it with a birdie (if I have one) so that I can count it as a bogie. Just a mind trick so that I keep in the now and don't give it too much credence to where it can become a game wrecker.  

[Golfingdad]

Broke 80 again today, and managed to avoid double bogeys as well .... For 17 holes.  Oops.

Reaffirms my vote. :)

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

Broke 80 again today, and managed to avoid double bogeys as well .... For 17 holes.  Oops.

Reaffirms my vote. :)

Broke 90 on Tuesday with two doubles. So there!

[newtogolf]

17 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

Broke 80 again today, and managed to avoid double bogeys as well .... For 17 holes.  Oops.

Reaffirms my vote. :)

I'm trying to consistently break 90 and no triples, breaking 80 seems like a fantasy at this point.  

[David in FL]

On July 29, 2016 at 11:43 PM, Golfingdad said:

Broke 80 again today, and managed to avoid double bogeys as well .... For 17 holes.  Oops.

Reaffirms my vote. :)

Just shot 78 today.  2 birdies, 4 bogeys, and yup, 2 freaking doubles!  

All it takes is one bad swing.

[Buckeyebowman]

I voted breaking 80. You're talking 8 or 10 over par to do that. If you have a double bogey or two, you had better be playing pretty stellar golf the rest of the way to break 80!

[Hardspoon]

Cop-out answer, but I think I'm right: it depends on the skill level of the golfer.  For a high-handicapper (someone who struggles to break 90), I'd guess they're actually more likely to have a double-bogey free round than break 80.  A bogey golfer (18 index or so) could conceivably keep the driver in the bag, play a little conservatively, and get around the course with mostly bogeys and a couple pars and shoot an 86 or something.  They're less likely to shoot a 79.  Of course, the percentages are really low; maybe something like (making up numbers) 1% to shoot 79 and 2% to go double-free.

For a single-digit golfer, whose average score is 78 or something, they're more likely to break 80 than have the double-bogey free round.  They have the overall skill to break 80, so that's going to happen, but it only takes one bad hole to double.  So, for that golfer, it might be 50% to shoot 79 and 40% to go double-free.

Most of the good golfers here have (significantly) more rounds where they broke 80 than rounds where they went double-bogey free.  Seems reasonable.

But, I'm a 23-index, and if you told me tomorrow you'd give me $1,000 if I could either A.) Break 80 or B.) Go double-bogey free for 18 holes, I'd take B without hesitation.

 

 

 

[onthehunt526]

14 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I voted breaking 80. You're talking 8 or 10 over par to do that. If you have a double bogey or two, you had better be playing pretty stellar golf the rest of the way to break 80!

Well 7 to 9 over... Like I said before I've done both... Doubles happen... even to the best players... Good players make doubles... I can be a damn par making machine at times. Doubles seem to kill momentum for guys right on the edge of breaking 80...

I know a guy who has played golf for several years... he has NEVER broken 80 his lowest I think is 82.... I don't think he's had a round without a double either... I shot my 76 last year when he shot like 84. He hits it well... Just had a bad swing or two and made a couple "others" I think he had a triple on a hole as well...

I tell everyone this... breaking 80 and having no doubles tend to go hand in hand... breaking 80 is hard with multiple doubles but one is doable.

I have a hard enough time making no DBs in 9 holes let alone 18.

[jkelley9]

23 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Cop-out answer, but I think I'm right: it depends on the skill level of the golfer.  For a high-handicapper (someone who struggles to break 90), I'd guess they're actually more likely to have a double-bogey free round than break 80.  A bogey golfer (18 index or so) could conceivably keep the driver in the bag, play a little conservatively, and get around the course with mostly bogeys and a couple pars and shoot an 86 or something.  They're less likely to shoot a 79.  Of course, the percentages are really low; maybe something like (making up numbers) 1% to shoot 79 and 2% to go double-free.

This is almost assuredly the boat I'm in. One day soon I should try keeping the driver in the bag or at home, because my driver is what gets me in the most trouble (mainly OB or lost ball penalties incurred). If I had a Game Golf still for driving it would probably show me TERRIBLE results for strokes gained on driving lol.

I've shot an 86 before with 3 lost balls on the card, lying 2 on the tee box for each. "If only..." right? lol

[Golfingdad]

25 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Cop-out answer, but I think I'm right: it depends on the skill level of the golfer.  For a high-handicapper (someone who struggles to break 90), I'd guess they're actually more likely to have a double-bogey free round than break 80.  A bogey golfer (18 index or so) could conceivably keep the driver in the bag, play a little conservatively, and get around the course with mostly bogeys and a couple pars and shoot an 86 or something.  They're less likely to shoot a 79.  Of course, the percentages are really low; maybe something like (making up numbers) 1% to shoot 79 and 2% to go double-free.

For a single-digit golfer, whose average score is 78 or something, they're more likely to break 80 than have the double-bogey free round.  They have the overall skill to break 80, so that's going to happen, but it only takes one bad hole to double.  So, for that golfer, it might be 50% to shoot 79 and 40% to go double-free.

Most of the good golfers here have (significantly) more rounds where they broke 80 than rounds where they went double-bogey free.  Seems reasonable.

But, I'm a 23-index, and if you told me tomorrow you'd give me $1,000 if I could either A.) Break 80 or B.) Go double-bogey free for 18 holes, I'd take B without hesitation.

 

 

 

Not a cop out at all - makes perfect sense.  My brother is about a 15-16 or so and he's never broken 80 but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's gotten around with no doubles a few times.

Also consider the other extreme.  Several pros will make a double or worse in a tournament round but they (nearly) never shoot in the 80's.

[The Recreational Golfer]

33 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Cop-out answer, but I think I'm right: it depends on the skill level of the golfer. 

 

 

The original question was addressed to people who shoot around 80, sometimes over, sometimes under, people who are capable of doing both.

[Strandly]

I voted double bogey.  All it takes is a random penalty or a couple mediocre shots at an inopportune time and it's game over.

[iacas]

15 hours ago, Hardspoon said:

Cop-out answer, but I think I'm right: it depends on the skill level of the golfer.  For a high-handicapper (someone who struggles to break 90), I'd guess they're actually more likely to have a double-bogey free round than break 80.  A bogey golfer (18 index or so) could conceivably keep the driver in the bag, play a little conservatively, and get around the course with mostly bogeys and a couple pars and shoot an 86 or something.  They're less likely to shoot a 79.  Of course, the percentages are really low; maybe something like (making up numbers) 1% to shoot 79 and 2% to go double-free.

For a single-digit golfer, whose average score is 78 or something, they're more likely to break 80 than have the double-bogey free round.  They have the overall skill to break 80, so that's going to happen, but it only takes one bad hole to double.  So, for that golfer, it might be 50% to shoot 79 and 40% to go double-free.

Most of the good golfers here have (significantly) more rounds where they broke 80 than rounds where they went double-bogey free.  Seems reasonable.

I talked with @david_wedzik today about it.

I said one was a measure of golfing skill (breaking 80) over the longer haul (18 holes), while one was more about luck and the occasional horrible shot (no doubles). He agreed.

If you imagine a 12 handicapper, they'll almost never break 80 from 72.0/130 tees, but they will occasionally have a round with no doubles.

The 90s golfer will almost never have a round that wins either, and the scratch golfer will almost never fail to break 80 but will have a few rounds with double bogeys, maybe even a quarter of the time.

[imsys0042]

I would have to say the double bogey free round.  Too many places on most courses where one wayward shot will ensure a double. 

I will say I have a lot of rounds where I am off but hitting straight and hence shoot low 80s with a lot of bogeys because it's a sloppy day.  Those rounds can frequently not have a DB. 

[Elmer]

I am the king of the 3 putt. Given that my home course is notorious for wicked slow greens, I can play a decent round and still end up with a DB!

[Lefty-Golfer]

if I have no doubles I am going to be right about 80 every time...so based on that I think they are the same for me...I don't make a lot of birdies so the double just kills me.