The Perfect Round of Golf

[rehmwa]

What would you consider a 'perfect' round of golf?  Just 9 with your family or best friends?  Performance based?  Score based?

Perhaps you are the ruler of N. Korea and consider 18 Holes in One to be perfect......

 

I'll Start - My personal opinion is performance based.  I track stats, mainly Fairways Hit, Greens in Regulation, Putts, Penalties, etc.

Perfect Round:  (Doesn't mean perfect shots to me)

• 100% Fairways hit (anywhere, doesn't matter as long as hit)
• 100% Greens in regulation (anywhere, doesn't matter if close to flag or not, the metric is yes or no)
• 18 greens with 2 putts or better.
• It does mean one could score even par and it still counts
  • I might have to add in a subjective requirement or two - quality of the bloody marys, high solitude/isolation more than just playing solo (my preference), the condition, complexity, and beauty of the course, the climate.

I think it's neat that one could play a 'perfect' round of golf, and still lose to those that recover and scramble better.  (It makes me think about the Henrik/Phil round 4 at The Open last year.  Good examples of both types of games - Henrik certainly came close, he was hitting fairways and greens, while Phil was scrambling and recovering - both in amazing fashion.  the 'best' rounds I've ever watched IMHO)

It's also neat that one could be more satisfied after an imperfect game than a perfect game because the challenges would be more fun.

Those contradiction are just about the essence of golf (or glof) to me.

[Rainmaker]

Playing a nice course on a nice day with friends . . . .and every shot goes where I aim it.  Score doesn't matter . .but obviously would be pretty good if every shot went where I aimed it, lol. 

[DaveP043]

Rainmaker beat me to it.  A perfect round of golf would include good weather, good friends, a nice course in good condition, and relatively good play by all of the players.  I'm not sure I'd need every golf shot to be great in order to call it a perfect round of golf.

[mcanadiens]

Perfect is a word that probably ought never be associated with golf.

A great round (or maybe a best-ever round) has:

1) A personal-best for which ever course we are playing

2) Pleasant company

3) Decent weather

 

[Kalnoky]

I had a perfect round last summer. Arrived back early from a business trip, nobody knew I was home.. No emails, no text messages, no phone calls. The weather was so warm and beautiful. I got 18 holes in, which is a rarity for me. The course was empty and dry, lots of roll-out. It was a Tuesday I think. Afterwards I had an IPA in the clubhouse with another golfer and his son. Very pleasant conversation.

Best day ever.

[bkuehn1952]

I tend to over think these things so I will try to just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

A round where, when it is done, I think back and can't really say I could have reasonably shot better.  I know I won't hit every green, make every 10 footer, hit every shot flush.  Within my game there are going to be errors.  But at the end of the day, I want to be able to say that most or all of the 5 footers and less were holed.  My lag putts almost always yielded easy 2nd putts.  My approaches were either GIR or left in a decent place where there was little chance of a double.  My drives were all in play and most were at the longer end of the spectrum.

Throw in some good playing companions, decent weather and an interesting course and we are all set.

[k-troop]

A great round includes playing well on a good course with a good partner.  "Perfection is unattainable."

[Big C]

Three things for me. 

1. A good score, ideally mid/low 70's - On more long range basis, hitting good shots and feeling like I'm progressing is more important than my score on any given day. But if I'm looking at that "perfect" round? I just want the lowest score possible, even if I had to drain four 30+ foot putts to do it. 

2. Good playing partners - friends, family, or golfing buddies that I enjoy playing with. Reminiscing about the round with your playing partners after it's over is almost as fun as actually shooting it. 

3. Having something on the line: An important tournament, a pressure match, etc - Going low in a casual round is great, but doing it in a pressure filled situation is so much more satisfying

 

[DaveP043]

3 minutes ago, Big C said:

2. Good playing partners - friends, family, or golfing buddies that I enjoy playing with. Reminiscing about the round with your playing partners after it's over is almost as fun as actually shooting it. 

And getting yourself a beer, thereby cutting a waitress out of a tip?

 

[jsgolfer]

Any round of golf with my Dad.  

[bmartin461]

For me, it would be just a few basic things:

1. Pace of play - no one in front and no one pressuring from behind.  Pace of play for me is also not being partnered with slow players.  

2. Course - I truly appreciate a nice course, both in how well it's maintained and how it is designed

3. Friends - With someone who takes the game seriously but still enjoys having fun in the process

See? Basic.  

 

[Big C]

13 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

And getting yourself a beer, thereby cutting a waitress out of a tip?

 

Lol, exactly! That server probably has my picture posted along with a list of my transgressions. I may not be able to show my face there for awhile....

[marcharing]

Once shot a 66 on a 6000 yard empty course on a summers evening. Not my lowest round but I tee'd off at 8:30PM and finished at 10:05PM so one hour 35 mins. Most in the zone I've ever been in my life.

[Jeremie Boop]

Perfect round for me? Just a round at a nice pace on a nice course with good company. Bonus would be a good score, hopefully without losing any golf balls. 

[Marty2019]

A great round of golf:

1.  Pace- No one holding us up and we hold no one up. 

2. I play well.

3. Good weather.   Temperature between 65 and 82. 

4. After we finish the round, a couple of pitchers of beer in the 19th hole. 

 

[knucklebuster]

At the moment just getting out on a course and playing would be perfect.

 

[colin007]

12 minutes ago, knucklebuster said:

At the moment just getting out on a course and playing would be perfect.

 

Troof ^^^.

I played a nearly perfect (for me) 9 hole round two summers ago, played with my best bud Black Syd, about 65 degrees, no wind, played in 1.5 hrs, shot two under par with one bogey and drained a twelve footer on the last hole to shoot 34.

[Golfingdad]

1 hour ago, k-troop said:

A great round includes playing well on a good course with a good partner.  "Perfection is unattainable."

I'd agree that perfection is unattainable, but I think that it can be almost attainable.  I'll define my "perfect" round like this:

• No bogeys.
• No stupid missed putts (inside 4 or 5 ish feet).
• All shots struck somewhat solidly.
• During a competitive round on a nice course.

If I ever attain that "perfect" round or start to get close often, then I'll redefine it. :)