Age at which you initially broke par and/or 80?

[RayG]

Started playing at age 12. Didn't take it seriously until I had a drivers license at 18. Broke 80 shortly thereafter, but getting to par took until I was about 21/21. Broke par only once on a Par 71 track a few years later. Shot 2 under with the help of a slam dunk eagle from the fairway and a RIDICULOUSLY long Eagle putt of about 80 feet or something on a par 5.

[RWC]

I broke 80 while a teenager ( several ice ages ago) and came close to breaking Par (+1) several times over the years  but just never could get over the hump.

65 now and working to break 80 again while playing with hickory shafted clubs - came close couple of times last year and I'm convinced I can do it this year!

 

[phan52]

I messed around with golf in my teens during my caddying days, but never took up a club seriously until I was 26. Started out shooting 100+ but got that consistently in the 90's within a year, and consistently in the 80's within about 4-5 years. I had many opportunities to break 80 over the next ten years or so but it eventually got into my head and I would choke down the stretch. The day I finally did it with a 78 was in a final flight match in my early 40's and the last thing I was focused on was my score, just the match. After that, it became pretty commonplace. But my best score is a 76 and I never came close to shooting par, nor do I think I ever will at this point. 

[tdiii]

Small sample size, but, as of right now, 2/3rds of those who have broken par did so by age 29, and 3/4ths of those who have broken 80 did so by that age.  I thought the par breakers who did so by 29 would be a higher percentage than the 80 breakers. 

I hope it was implied that these would have been achieved on legitimate courses, not forward tees or really easy tracks and, for shooting 80, on at least par 70 tracks.  

 

[The Hook Meister]

I have never broke par. I broke eighty the first time when i was in high school. That day I found iut how good I could play when I was making putts. I shot a 74 on a par 70 golf course, I could nor make a birdie putt to save my life that day however.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Age 58.

[Lihu]

On 1/25/2018 at 11:07 AM, tdiii said:

Small sample size, but, as of right now, 2/3rds of those who have broken par did so by age 29, and 3/4ths of those who have broken 80 did so by that age.  I thought the par breakers who did so by 29 would be a higher percentage than the 80 breakers. 

I hope it was implied that these would have been achieved on legitimate courses, not forward tees or really easy tracks and, for shooting 80, on at least par 70 tracks. 

 

One thing you should include in any conclusion is that people responding to this poll have at least broken 80. Also, many people start golf late, and for them, it's not realistic to have a significant number of them that can even break 80.

[cooke119]

I've gotten into the 80s but never broke it. At my age and hitting distance I don't think I ever will sorry to say, but I'll keep trying my best and enjoying the game anyway.

 

 

[tdiii]

12 hours ago, Lihu said:

One thing you should include in any conclusion is that people responding to this poll have at least broken 80. Also, many people start golf late, and for them, it's not realistic to have a significant number of them that can even break 80.

Actually, I wasn't interest in those who didn't, so that's why I didn't ask. 

[Lihu]

31 minutes ago, tdiii said:

Actually, I wasn't interest in those who didn't, so that's why I didn't ask. 

For some reason, I guessed you are in your late 40s or early 50s. That’s why I wondered about that. Sorry if my impression was off.

[jsgolfer]

I broke 80 back was I was a teenager and broke par for the first time in my early 20’s when I was in the military.  Shot 1 under on the golf course on Subic Bay, Binitican Valley.  

[sjduffers]

I started playing at around 42-43 years old, and broke 80 first when I was 54. It took me another year or so to break 80 again, but last year at 58 I did it 31 times... I have never broke par, even for 9 holes, but was even par for 9 several times.

[GrandStranded]

23 minutes ago, sjduffers said:

I started playing at around 42-43 years old, and broke 80 first when I was 54. It took me another year or so to break 80 again, but last year at 58 I did it 31 times... I have never broke par, even for 9 holes, but was even par for 9 several times.

Wow, That's impressive. It really is. I started at 55, I'm 63 now. it took me 3 years, but then I went almost 2 more before I did it again. Ton of 89, 81's it seemed. Now I do it about 10x a year. Never sniffed par. My best is 75 on a par 71. I play in a few leagues during the week, and see guys move up a tee just for the chance to go low. I won't do it, but it's frustrating to see them "beat" the system. I live in a golf community with 4 courses. A Norman, Fazio, Love, and Dye. They're all really good layouts, but the ratings are ridiculous. You can move up from white to greens, for example, save over 500-600 yards, and only give up one or two strokes.

[GrandStranded]

19 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

Wow, That's impressive. It really is. I started at 55, I'm 63 now. it took me 3 years, but then I went almost 2 more before I did it again. Ton of 89, 81's it seemed. Now I do it about 10x a year. Never sniffed par. My best is 75 on a par 71. I play in a few leagues during the week, and see guys move up a tee just for the chance to go low. I won't do it, but it's frustrating to see them "beat" the system. I live in a golf community with 4 courses. A Norman, Fazio, Love, and Dye. They're all really good layouts, but the ratings are ridiculous. You can move up from white to greens, for example, save over 500-600 yards, and only give up one or two strokes.

Sorry, I meant 80, 81's. not 89,81

[Buckeyebowman]

I voted under 20 to break 80, and 20-29 to break par, but I'm 65 and the memory isn't quite what it was but I bet I'm close. However, it was a special set of circumstances. I was still living at home, but lucked into a job that paid me quite well! I would try to give my Mom rent money, but she'd s refuse to take it. So I'd show up with groceries instead! There was a range nearby and I practically livedl there! At least 5-6 days a week. Sometimes I'd practice and then go play 18! Golf was ridiculously cheap back them. I'd bet I couldn't do that rtoday.

[sjduffers]

On 2/25/2018 at 4:55 PM, GrandStranded said:

Ton of 80, 81's it seemed. Now I do it about 10x a year. Never sniffed par. My best is 75 on a par 71

To be fair, I play a lot, an average of 2.5 times a week, so over 100 rounds per year. And most of the courses I play are pretty easy (slope of around 115-120). My best is 74 (par 70), with several 75 (par 70,71,72). It's really a mind set change I had to go through, from the fear of succeeding to "if it happens, it happens, no big deal". Just play one hole at a time and look at the total at the end.

[rehmwa]

Broke 80 way back when I was in junior high (granted that course was borderline 'executive') - I'd play 27 holes a day because it's about all I had.  I learned a lot about weather forecasting because of golf.  In high school (small school, small district) my typical play in the mid 80's for a normal course (short tees for us kids) was pretty decent but never got far once we hit districts and state level stuff.  Built a lot of bad habits, our coach really knew nothing but he meant well.

I stopped golfing in college and restarted like 15 years ago.  Played about the same (80's, low 90's) for probably 10 years until I took a couple lessons.  Discovered modern gear.....  Shortly afterward (maybe 5 years few years) I broke par - 69 on a relatively simple 72 (6600 yards - two birdies, eagle, one bogie) at age 49 (I think).  The next yearone under at a harder course.  The next year (last year) even par at a very hard Arnie Palmer course.  Each of those I was playing and just rolling along.  the final score at the end was a bit of surprise actually - weird - I knew, but I wasn't paying real attention, just enjoying each shot.

Those days when I play like that are the reason I keep trying.  And it's ALL about GIRs.  My scoring is extremely variable - the good days are great, the bad days are terrible.

Edited February 27, 2018 by rehmwa

[WUTiger]

Started playing regularly after summer of 7th grade.

Broke 80 (shot a 77) at age 24. Shot another 77 four years later.

I've never broken par. I've been -1 after four holes a couple of times, but it didn't last.