Breaking 80

 If I have figured out one thing about golf, it is that you can always improve. It doesn't matter what skill level you are, there is always get better. Improvement can be measured in a single aspect of the sport like improvement in consistency in chipping or working on a mitigating the number of three puts in a round. It can also be measured in terms of the golfers score.

As I have played more and more golf over the last few years, I have learned about myself specifically that I cannot go out and expect my score to drop every round. I may go out one day and shoot a 88 and then shoot a 95 the following weekend. 

When I am playing frequently, there is typically a score range I shoot between. During the summer of 2021 and into the fall of that year, I saw my score range make some progression moving from a similar aforementioned range of upper 80's to low 90's to a refined range of low 80's to mid 80's. This was really a huge step for me. I didn't come out and shoot 83 overnight, but noticed over a string of rounds that my median score dropped. Looking at five rounds in September/October timeframe, I posted scores of 84, 86, 85, 85 and 81.  As the scores dropped during this period of time, I found myself with personal bests on the score card as the summer went on. First it was a 85, then a 83 and finally something I never thought may happen as a amateur golfer, breaking the 80 barrier. 

While hours of practice certainly helped lead to this personal best 79, there were a number of other factors and observations from this round that were important takeaways on my way to crossing the 80 barrier for the first and hopefully not the last time.

Going Lower Than Normal On Troublesome Holes

If you play a specific golf course enough there are certain holes that may give one trouble. For me on  The Highlands course at the Atlanta Athletic Club, one of my troublesome holes is the par four third. For a single digit handicapper, number three should not present too many challenges. My first challenge is that it plays as a long par four, for me. Playing 407 from the whites, but always seemingly feeling longer than that, I find the fairway a low percentage of the time and I always seem to be between a four to six iron on the approach shot. Even if I find the fairway, a long iron is putting my odds of a green in regulation at a much lower mark. The higher the iron on a approach shot, the higher percent change of finding a green in regulation. 

Finding success on  troublesome holes can instil confidence and can help drive a great round

On this warm summer Atlanta day, I happen to hit a good tee shot with and found myself with a reasonable yardage for my approach shot. I ended up  finding the left side of the green. With a pin placement on the right side of the green, I had a nice lag put to card a par on a hole where I often find myself with a crooked number. Flipping the script early in the round on a normal troublesome hole instilled some early confidence and helped keep the scorecard in a good position from the on set of the round.

Multiple Numbers in the Red

At my current handicap and skill level, a birdie on the scorecard is a welcome sight. Stating the obvious, one stroke under par helps reduce a golfers overall score. I consider it a good day if I card one low number in a round. On this day I carded two birdies which was a huge driver to a personal best score. My first came on the par 5 second, which is a scoring hole for a good golfer. 

Take advantage of the scoring holes on the course, par 5 4th of Highlands pictured here

It's a fairly straight forward par five nothing tricky about it.  I found myself with a sand wedge in my hand for my third shot and hit a really nice approach and had inside a five foot put for birdie, which I made. Carding an early birdie and throwing a second one on the scorecard on a hole where I had never made one in the many rounds of Highlands is one of the more memorable moments from this round.

Miss hits turning into gold

One of the signature holes in my opinion on the Highlands course is the par four tenth. It is also incredibly challenging. The hole dogs left and requires a downhill tee shot leading you into a difficult green where anything missed right is in the drink. If I took my average scores from the times I have played this hole through the years, I would be pleased if that average came out to a six. 

Approach shot on number 11 is demanding and carriers  high risk

I hit a good drive and found myself positioned well for my approach shot. For the most part on this approach shot, I typically aim to the left side of the green which is the safe play on any day no matter where the pin placement. The pin was tucked in on the right side of the green, maybe 10 yards or a little further from the water. I hit a clean approach shot, but found my trajectory on a much different line than was intended. While I thought I was lined up towards the left side of the green, my shot carried over the water and landed just a few feet from the hole. Truly a stroke of luck where 94 out of 97 times that kind of mis hit leads to a ball in the water. It wasn't a slice, as it truly had a great trajectory and my inability to accurately line up for a shot correctly actually rewarded me and did  not hurt me I sunk the birdie put and walked off the 11th green feeling like a lucky man.

Rolling Some Puts

I had six one puts on the round, four of those coming on the front nine which was certainly a driver to 39 on the first nine holes I don't know exactly how my historic history compares with one puts in a round but I would venture to guess I do not have many rounds with more than 3 or 4 one puts.  Two of the puts were over twenty feet with a low probability make.  One puts carry a lot of weight on the scorecard.

18 Holes of Focus, and the Next Shot at Hand

Concentrating for every single shot throughout the course of a four to five hour round is incredibly demanding.  Golf requires your utmost attention at all times. One laps in concentration in can lead to a blow up a hole and quickly turn a good round south. I have had rounds where things were going well and then I throw up a eight on a par four, not a good feeling. I have so much respect for the professionals who go out and throw up scores in the 60's and low 70's for four days in a row all while competing against the best golfers on the planet.

Not thinking about my score during a round is a critical mindset for me when I am on the golf course. If you are playing well it's easy to start counting your score or looking ahead at remaining holes just forecasting what you need to shoot for the remaining holes to card a certain score. Or just the opposite, counting strokes after a rough stretch can take your mind off where it should be, the next shot. This is a dangerous game and the golfer should only think about their next shot at hand. The mind is a critical factor to success in golf. 

The back nine of Highlands requires concentration and precision on every shot

It was a difficult day to be walking 18 as the round got progressively warmer in the sweltering Atlanta July humidity.  My biggest concentration laps came on the 14th hole. I wasn't counting at the time, but entering the 14th hole, I was one under par on the back nine. I hit a good drive and missed the green long on my approach. I had a tough chip shot, skulled it, and left the hole with a double bogey as a result of the mis hit. I found negative thoughts and energy entering my mind after that hole along with fatigue from the humid Atlanta day. 

While the energy factor in tough conditions can be tough to overcome at times, negative thoughts can always be set aside during a round, or in life for that matter. Any hint of a negative thought should be automatically replaced with pure focus on the next shot.  I didn't implode the rest of the round, but also did not finish as strong as I would have liked, finishing the final four holes three over par. I will never know for sure, but maintaining the right mindset for the end of the round could have led to a even lower score. 

Have Fun, Be Relaxed

Tension in golf can destroy the golf swing.  For the most part on this day, I felt relaxed and at ease. I wasn't letting swing thoughts overpower my mind and I let my swing guide me through the round with minimal thought.  If I myself tight, nervous or just overthinking during a round it typically will lead to a high score. It sounds so simple on paper, but having fun and playing at ease is a critical part to a succesful round. 

Take It Back for More

On this day July day I accomplished something that I would have said was not feasible a few years ago.  A 79, or whatever your goal may be, do not come over night.  They come through repitive practice on the driving range, sand trap, short game area and the practice green. They come with training and conditioning of the mind. They come with not letting mis hits get to you. They come with time on the course. They comes with failure and doubt. They come with constant study of the golf swing, yet never fully understanding. I know I won't shoot a 79 every round, but I also know if I don't challenge myself to reach the next threshold of success, I might not ever arrive.