Breaking 80 or no DBs -- which is harder?

[Gunther]

Had a round today of 76 (72.4/127).  Posting here cuz it's the 1st round I've had with no doubles in 2 years but I've broken 80 7 or 8 times in that time frame.  Just reinforcing that no doubles is harder (and bragging a bit about my day).  

FYI:  all I did today was turn my left hand over maybe an eighth of an inch on my grip.  Wow.

[MrGolfguy67]

When I play my goal is to break 40 on each nine with the ultimate goal of breaking 80. A lot of the time the reason I fail at these goals is because of a dreaded DB. I could honestly answer either way because I find it difficult to break 80 but also seem to always leave the course with a DB on the card.

[Kalnoky]

Very interesting to read the answers of good golfers. I had a (much more modest) goal this year of no triple bogies, and am able to do that fairly consistently. However, I have had a few 9-hole rounds with no doubles too. It's not hard even at my level, to bogie +1 every hole. I know I can't rightly answer the survey since I've never even sniffed 80, but I think playing with no doubles is very realistic for a good golfer, If they play conservative. 

Edited October 27, 2016 by Kalnoky

[Jameson]

Based on maths, there is no doubt: breaking 80 is much much complicated than a round without DB. But, golf is not just maths, and I always have some horrible holes, so a round with no DB is never seen... I will make it though. Both.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Jameson

[Groucho Valentine]

For me, breaking 80 is much harder than playing a round with no Double bogeys... Ive shot more rounds in the 80s this year than I've had doubles or worse. 

Assuming there is no lost ball/OB etc, i feel like doubles can largely be avoided through course management. 

[Yukari]

5 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

For me, breaking 80 is much harder than playing a round with no Double bogeys... Ive shot more rounds in the 80s this year than I've had doubles or worse. 

Assuming there is no lost ball/OB etc, i feel like doubles can largely be avoided through course management. 

That makes no sense to me.  Your HCI is +1 and yet you say breaking 80 is much harder?  How is that even possible?

I shot many rounds in the 70's but very rarely did I have a round without a double bogey or worse.  In fact, the last round I played, I shout 78 with 3 double bogeys!!!  Ugh!

[bm85]

18 minutes ago, Yukari said:

That makes no sense to me.  Your HCI is +1 and yet you say breaking 80 is much harder?  How is that even possible?

Breaking 80 is a vague phrase, but the answer might be that some courses are harder than others.

Edited October 28, 2016 by bm85

[dennyjones]

I played solo last Sunday and shot an 82 w/o any doubles.   I've never broken 80 but have had a few rounds w/o doubles.   

[iacas]

38 minutes ago, Yukari said:

That makes no sense to me.  Your HCI is +1 and yet you say breaking 80 is much harder?  How is that even possible?

I shot many rounds in the 70's but very rarely did I have a round without a double bogey or worse.  In fact, the last round I played, I shout 78 with 3 double bogeys!!!  Ugh!

As we said earlier in the thread it depends on what you mean by "harder." No doubles could mean you shoot 87, but breaking 80 means you're a better golfer overall.

So at my level breaking 80 is relatively easy, but some people have never broken 80 and yet have rounds with no doubles or worse. To them breaking 80 is thus harder.

[GolfLug]

Now why didn't I think of that??  You can shoot a 90 and without making a DB . Can't do that when you break 80. ..

[Natural Patrick]

27 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

Now why didn't I think of that??  You can shoot a 90 and without making a DB . Can't do that when you break 80. ..

You can have 2 or 3 DB in a round and still break 80 if you birdie 3 or 4 holes. Almost all of my 78-79 rounds have had a DB in them unfortunately.For me regardless of how I play. It's a struggle to play 18 holes without one bad hole that ends with a DB.

[Groucho Valentine]

13 hours ago, Yukari said:

That makes no sense to me.  Your HCI is +1 and yet you say breaking 80 is much harder?  How is that even possible?

I shot many rounds in the 70's but very rarely did I have a round without a double bogey or worse.  In fact, the last round I played, I shout 78 with 3 double bogeys!!!  Ugh!

Breaking 80 aint easy, homey. Most of my rounds are actually in the mid 70's. Not much between that and an 80.  Ive shot in the 80s with no doubles at all. Matter of fact I did just a couple weeks ago. 9 bogeys, no birds. 

Edited October 28, 2016 by Groucho Valentine

[GolfLug]

11 hours ago, Natural Patrick said:

You can have 2 or 3 DB in a round and still break 80 if you birdie 3 or 4 holes. Almost all of my 78-79 rounds have had a DB in them unfortunately.For me regardless of how I play. It's a struggle to play 18 holes without one bad hole that ends with a DB.

Yes, please re-read my post. Doesn't say you can't DB or even higher in a 79. But you can't shoot a 90 when you break 80. 

It's just a silly joke a 3rd grader would possibly laugh at.

 

[onkey]

I've looked at my past 100 rounds and I have to say that it is a wash.

Rounds in the 70s: 17

Rounds with no DBs:  14

However, I would say that as an initial achievement, breaking 80 is harder.  Before I broke 80 for the first time, I had several rounds with no DBs.