Looking for a Hero: Who Took The LONGEST To Break 100/90/80

[sofingaw]

I know there’s a big thread asking generally how long it took for each of us, to make a big breakthrough. This is slightly different. 

I’m interested to hear specifically who took the longest to break a major score or accomplishment barrier in this game? 

Im still looking to get under 100. Been seriously playing 5+ years, but with a 3 year layoff since my first two years. Trying to make it happen this year. 

Share your struggle and success! 

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by sofingaw

[Patch]

A few years ago, I started my golf game over, basically from nothing. Had lots of rehab in my way, and a few experts telling me not to expect much from golf, if anything. Walking without a cane would be a premium. 

The personal drive was there. I had been a decent golfer before my accident. I guess that's my disclaimer.

Once back, after a year or so, playing, I broke 90. Probably something like 16 months.  Breaking 100 was no big deal. Did that easily. There were alot of 99s & 98 scores however. 

After another 16-18 months, I shot a 78, on a 6600 yard course. I was a happy camper, as were my family and friends who watched my journey. I can still break 80 to this day, when my "A" game shows up, which is not very often. 

The journey to that 78 over the 3+/- years, from nothing, involved learning how to swing a club again. Since my physical health was poor, I had to take small steps, by doing what I could, when I could. I had very little body strength to work with at the beginning. 

 I started relearning my putting, and gradually worked my way backwards to my driver. Relearning the shorter strokes first, made the longer, full strokes easier to learn. The basics of those longer, full swings, with longer clubs, were already in place. Of course, there was other physical strength rehab going on besides my golf swing. 

I won't lable myself a hero golfer by over coming the odds. Golf heros in my book are those golfers who still play the game, while being blind, or are missing limbs. Those golfers confined to a wheel chair who can still knock the ball around to their own satisfaction. The youngsters with severe medical problems having fun with a putter. Those folks are my heros. 

[Carl3]

On 4/21/2018 at 10:53 PM, sofingaw said:

I’m interested to hear specifically who took the longest to break a major score or accomplishment barrier in this game?

I was fortunate to have had a summer in HS where I played golf almost every day at a rate of 18, 27 or more holes a day. I broke 100 that summer. From that point on until my late 40's (let's say 30 years) I was lucky to play a few times a year on average. I went to college, got married and raised 4 children. But I did have a round in the low 80's in my early 20's.

But at some point in my late 40's I grew frustrated with bogey golf with rounds ranging from high 80's to mid 90's. I told myself that if I did not break 80 in 3 years then I was going to quit playing.  I began to practice my short game a lot and also bought a hybrid with the goal of keeping the ball in play on tight fairways. Well, I was able to break 80 later that season and have never looked back. I am at a point where I break 80 about a third of the time.

So now the goal is to break par. I play a lot at a 9 hole executive course where there is 1 par 4. I have played to par a few times and have played -1 a couple of times, but I don't count that as real golf. My lowest round has been 75 on a Pete Dye course from the blue tees. Maybe yet this season?

So less than 1 year to break 100, 4 years to break 90, about 27 to break 80. 5 years and counting to break par.

[ladders11]

I could break 90 as a teenager but was playing for about 15 years before I broke 80. Honestly once I did I lost a little motivation and played well the next year but got worse the two years after that.

Broke 80 a second time in the fall (par 71, I believe) and then got worse in the winter. Got back to taking my own videos at the range and have improved to the point I feel I'm hitting the ball better than ever.

It is difficult to break 80, you can only afford 7 bogies in a round; basically I figure you should hit 90% of your shots close to where you want.

[Shorty]

It depends on the course. A 79 on one course might be a good 91 on another.

My point is that if you ask someone you've never seen about their scoring they might say that they regularly shoot in the 70s or 80s. It doesn't tell you much. Where do they play? Do they know the rules? 

95 at Pine Valley might be 76 at Course X.

Edited June 8, 2018 by Shorty

[krupa]

This is my 6th season playing.  I broke 100 once last year with a 99... Golf may not be my game.

[Shindig]

I wonder if I might help on this.  Took up golf early 2006, broke 100 summer 2007, broke 90 spring 2008, still haven't broken 80.  Best round is an 81, although that had a 35 for one of the nines.  

2 hours ago, krupa said:

This is my 6th season playing.  I broke 100 once last year with a 99... Golf may not be my game.

If you enjoy it, golf is your game;  score is immaterial to that.

[vonbonds]

3 hours ago, krupa said:

This is my 6th season playing.  I broke 100 once last year with a 99... Golf may not be my game.

As long as you're having fun it's your game. I shot a 135 at my buddies golf course where 2 of the other guys shot a 98 and 99. The member shot something in the low to mid 80's (forget his score). I had a blast even though I'm by far the worst among my friends. I've also been playing a fraction of the time compared to them.

Just have fun with your friends and don't take this too seriously. That's what I'm telling myself so far and it's working.

[shooter]

I'll chime in.

Took up golf in my late 20s (fall of 2010). Practiced at the range a lot and played mostly executive 9 holes courses until the snow came. (Canada eh) 

The following spring (2011) I played my first round at a championship course, blue tees 6400 yards, par 72. Shot 98. Three months later I shot a 83 on the same course, but that was the only time I broke 90 for the rest of that golf season.

In my 3rd season (2012) golfing I would mostly shoot between 86-90 with a few 81-82s thrown in. 2013 (4th season golfing) was the first time I broke 80 and broke par on 9 holes, but I only broke 80 a few times that season. Shot a lot rounds in the 82-85 range and a good amount of 80s. That was also the first time i hit single digi handicap. Like a 9.2 index...

The last few years have been a lot of the one step forward and one step back with my game because I had a child and bought a fixer-upper and started working more.

I shoot in the 77-78 range with a few sub 75 rounds and those 83s or 84s too. 

 The days of playing 100+ rounds a season and practicing for hours daily are long gone. I made a commitment to my family and that's where my time is spent. These days, I play in a 18 hole mens league once a week and play 18 on every other weekend (if I'm lucky). That's it.  No range time. My clubs are aging and I'm using whatever ball I find, but I'm still pretty pumped that i can put a decent number on the card, and just long for the days that I can get back to pursuing the game again!

 

[cooke119]

I played off and on while working and raising my kids, (no time to play). Once my kids went off to college I started to have more time to play. I had one back surgery when I was in the Air Force (1971) and later two more (damn L5S1 disc), so every time I started to really  improve my game I had another surgery and of course a long layoff. Bottomline it took me a long time to consistently break 100. Today it depends on who shows up to play, the good Jim with an "A" game or the other guy, the bad Jim. And as stated above it depends on the course I'm playing, some have really tight fairways and I end up in the rough. I started a thread here on TST about getting out of the rough because it causes me so much trouble. But I really enjoy the game regardless of my score and my back is doing OK. I don't hit the ball that far, (my drives are around 210 to 220 yards including the roll) so I don't think I'll be breaking 90 anytime soon. Best of luck to you on your quest to break 100, keep working at it, it will come.

[Windmark]

I started playing about 8-9 years ago and I was about 42 years old. It took about a year to break 100, and for about 8 years I would score between 95-103. I was normally close to 100. Today I SMASHED through 90 with an 82. It felt awesome. 

[Effington]

Love the thread.  I've been playing roughly 5 years. including several consistent stretches where I'd practice daily.  My best round would be close to the 100 mark but probably not breaking it.

On the course, I am so nervy that I don't get solid contact often.  A couple times, my driver was working for me on the course, but it didn't get combined with the rest so I couldn't score well.  On the range, my shots often look good. 

Over the years, I've taken a total of about 8 lessons, but I'm going to up the ante now and get more regular lessons, as I'm seeing that this is the key rather than practicing more.  Plus, I have more friends now that invite me out to play, and don't want to embarrass myself.

[Fairway_CY]

I started playing in 1993.  I think the first time I broke 100 was in 1996 or 1997.  It took FOREVER for me to crack the 90 mark.  That finally happened in 2010... and then I didn't crack the 80 mark until this year (and I've managed it 3 times in the last 2 months and added a trio of 80's to that as well).

So... it took me some time for each of those achievements.  None of it came easy and, unfortunately, other than a short game lesson last year... I've done it without the watchful eye of a coach.  I believe I'd have crossed them all off my list FAR quicker if I had been able to afford lessons.  

CY

[hespeler]

Started playing in my early 30's and played and practiced pretty regular for about 6 years.  Never could break 90.  Quit the game due to frustration and some life issues that needed attention more than golf.  Got back into it seriously last year and shot an 89 last year and an 89 this year.  But it still feels as if I haven't broke 90.  I'm pretty good about counting every stroke and I just can't help but think I missed something and I actually shot 90 on both occasions.  Last year the last two holes, the greens were under repair so there were make shift greens that you couldn't even really putt on but I did hit both approach shots within 5 feet.  So it wasn't really a satisfying 89.  This year's 89 I think was actually a 90 because I forgot a penalty stroke so I still feel like I'm working towards breaking that barrier.

Now at 44 I with 2 kids I don't have that much time but I know that I definitely have the consistency, distance, and ability to be a low handicapper.  I just have to get better at closing out holes and making par more often instead of bogey.

[mcanadiens]

It's been six or seven years that I've been trying to play golf. Not real sure. My memory for such things stinks. 

Anyway, the 100 mark was broke in a year's time. Ninety was done in year two. The first time was on Dayton's easiest course, the Dales at Community Golf Club. Since then, I've managed several rounds in the 80s on a handful of other, more difficult, courses.

But never an 80-breaker.

Played the old Dales course this Sunday and pounded the crap out of the ball, but the wedges betrayed me. An 85 with the wedge bleeding at least five strokes.

I'll get it some day.

Edited July 11, 2018 by mcanadiens

[billchao]

I kind of don't get this thread. I know people who have played decades an never broke 80. You can play golf your entire life and not break X benchmark.

[Lihu]

On 4/21/2018 at 7:53 PM, sofingaw said:

I know there’s a big thread asking generally how long it took for each of us, to make a big breakthrough. This is slightly different. 

I’m interested to hear specifically who took the longest to break a major score or accomplishment barrier in this game? 

Im still looking to get under 100. Been seriously playing 5+ years, but with a 3 year layoff since my first two years. Trying to make it happen this year. 

Share your struggle and success! 

I’ve got an easy solution for you, play easier courses! Ha, problem solved! 😁

[sofingaw]

2 hours ago, billchao said:

I kind of don't get this thread. I know people who have played decades an never broke 80. You can play golf your entire life and not break X benchmark.

Really, that’s exactly what this thread is about. 

The intent is to let everyone share stories of a long process and to know they aren’t alone.

And also to show that hard work can pay off in time.

And that even if final goals aren’t always reached, again, we are not alone. 

Sure, we ‘know’ this. We ‘know’ golf is hard. But it’s motovating to hear specific stories, IMO. 

7 minutes ago, Lihu said:

I’ve got an easy solution for you, play easier courses! Ha, problem solved! 😁

Good idea!

Thanks everyone for sharing! 

Edited July 11, 2018 by sofingaw