Mr. Mushball

Enough, I've commented on everyone's success as I've read through this topic, but have yet to share my own journey.  Don't worry, it's short.
Started playing in 2001(ish) when a buddy wanted to hit at the range during lunch.  Took a few swing lessons, went out on the course a few times a year.  Didn't really keep track of score, at least nothing to recall.  Always enjoyed a round out though, and took the opportunity to sneak out when I could.
Got bored in 2020 being inside and lonely, so  started playing regularly again at age 45.  After a few months I thought I should be able to be able to get better at this, so I started trying to teach myself.  Got a bit better, changed gear setups a few times and got myself hitting under 120 about half the time. Lo and behold, in 2022 I hit a 94 on my home course.  Came out of the blue, but everything clicked.

Been chasing the dragon since.

However, I hit 101 on that same course this week in rain at 48°F.  Followed it up with a 106 at 46°F at Rose City (no rain), which is just slightly tougher from the whites.  Came in at 34.9 and 36.9 score differential on those rounds, which got me to a 36.7 index at the end of the season.  I'm sniffing up the buttocks of breaking 100 consistently.  

Looking at y'all, I'ma look at 90 pretty soon.  Maybe 2026.

I honestly don’t know the specifics.  Started playing when I was a teenager and stopped after high school.   Pretty sure I broke 100 in that timeframe.   Started playing again in the 1990s and remember the first time I broke 90 I shot an 81.   In the late 90s I took lessons and after the second lesson I shot 76 and have shot 70s and 80s since then.   Haven’t cracked the 70 barrier and have a personal best of 70.   

I have had many decades of playing golf. The first decade I made quite a few strides. That said when you are young and financing the sport yourself, it takes a long time to make any meaningful progress. Especially being completely self taught. My 7th and 8th year playing I would get around 40 -50 rounds in a year. After that, marriage, kids and general responsibilities change financial and time priorities. It has only been the last few years that I have been able to get back to the 50 rounds per year area and surprisingly saw me play some of my best golf ever. Not expecting it to improve much with Father Time eating up my muscle mass and silly little injuries due to the ageing process, sidelining me from the sport. Ah well, this game will always be a game in progress..
broke 100 in first year
broke 90 in the first year
broke 80 by 7th or 8th year
Played very infrequently for over 20 years (5 rounds per year approx.)
Shot scratch this year and broke 70 for the first, and so far, only time. It only took me 35 years approximately. lol

This may not sound great, but a few years ago i was consistently breaking 90.  Then something happened and my game took a wicked turn for the worse.  I was barely breaking 100.  I put in a lot of hard work last season to get me back to 90. Earlier this season I shot an 81 at one of the hardest courses we play.  From that point on I was breaking 85 almost every time out.  The rounds when I hadn't I know the exact shot that I screwed up on.  Golf is just a fun game, and the joy is definitely back in my game.  

Great story and want to hear when you break 90 and 80!

I love reading stories like this - keep after it and I'm sure you'll get there!
For me, I played a round or two in 2016, and a few more in 2017 when I bought my first set of clubs, and finally started to really get into golf in 2018 which is when I first broke 100. I steadily worked on improving my game, but sadly took nearly all of 2021 off from the game. Came back to it in 2022, and really started working on my game in 2022 and 2023, which is when I first broke 90.
I consistently shoot in the 80s now, and have shot 81 multiple times, but just haven't quite made it over the "break 80" hump. I'm determined to make it happen in 2025, and hoping it's not a one time thing.

Enough, I've commented on everyone's success as I've read through this topic, but have yet to share my own journey.  Don't worry, it's short.
Started playing in 2001(ish) when a buddy wanted to hit at the range during lunch.  Took a few swing lessons, went out on the course a few times a year.  Didn't really keep track of score, at least nothing to recall.  Always enjoyed a round out though, and took the opportunity to sneak out when I could.
Got bored in 2020 being inside and lonely, so  started playing regularly again at age 45.  After a few months I thought I should be able to be able to get better at this, so I started trying to teach myself.  Got a bit better, changed gear setups a few times and got myself hitting under 120 about half the time. Lo and behold, in 2022 I hit a 94 on my home course.  Came out of the blue, but everything clicked.

Been chasing the dragon since.

However, I hit 101 on that same course this week in rain at 48°F.  Followed it up with a 106 at 46°F at Rose City (no rain), which is just slightly tougher from the whites.  Came in at 34.9 and 36.9 score differential on those rounds, which got me to a 36.7 index at the end of the season.  I'm sniffing up the buttocks of breaking 100 consistently.  

Looking at y'all, I'ma look at 90 pretty soon.  Maybe 2026.

Of all of us on the Forum, I believe it's you who can get this done.  Git 'er done!

I'm going to claim that badge as soon as it happens!  Proof can be long in the making. 

Enough, I've commented on everyone's success as I've read through this topic, but have yet to share my own journey.  Don't worry, it's short.
Started playing in 2001(ish) when a buddy wanted to hit at the range during lunch.  Took a few swing lessons, went out on the course a few times a year.  Didn't really keep track of score, at least nothing to recall.  Always enjoyed a round out though, and took the opportunity to sneak out when I could.
Got bored in 2020 being inside and lonely, so  started playing regularly again at age 45.  After a few months I thought I should be able to be able to get better at this, so I started trying to teach myself.  Got a bit better, changed gear setups a few times and got myself hitting under 120 about half the time. Lo and behold, in 2022 I hit a 94 on my home course.  Came out of the blue, but everything clicked.

Been chasing the dragon since.

However, I hit 101 on that same course this week in rain at 48°F.  Followed it up with a 106 at 46°F at Rose City (no rain), which is just slightly tougher from the whites.  Came in at 34.9 and 36.9 score differential on those rounds, which got me to a 36.7 index at the end of the season.  I'm sniffing up the buttocks of breaking 100 consistently.  

Looking at y'all, I'ma look at 90 pretty soon.  Maybe 2026.

I'm going to claim that badge as soon as it happens!  Proof can be long in the making. 

Of all of us on the Forum, I believe it's you who can get this done.  Git 'er done!

Enough, I've commented on everyone's success as I've read through this topic, but have yet to share my own journey.  Don't worry, it's short.
Started playing in 2001(ish) when a buddy wanted to hit at the range during lunch.  Took a few swing lessons, went out on the course a few times a year.  Didn't really keep track of score, at least nothing to recall.  Always enjoyed a round out though, and took the opportunity to sneak out when I could.
Got bored in 2020 being inside and lonely, so  started playing regularly again at age 45.  After a few months I thought I should be able to be able to get better at this, so I started trying to teach myself.  Got a bit better, changed gear setups a few times and got myself hitting under 120 about half the time. Lo and behold, in 2022 I hit a 94 on my home course.  Came out of the blue, but everything clicked.

Been chasing the dragon since.

However, I hit 101 on that same course this week in rain at 48°F.  Followed it up with a 106 at 46°F at Rose City (no rain), which is just slightly tougher from the whites.  Came in at 34.9 and 36.9 score differential on those rounds, which got me to a 36.7 index at the end of the season.  I'm sniffing up the buttocks of breaking 100 consistently.  

Looking at y'all, I'ma look at 90 pretty soon.  Maybe 2026.

I'm going to claim that badge as soon as it happens!  Proof can be long in the making. 

Enough, I've commented on everyone's success as I've read through this topic, but have yet to share my own journey.  Don't worry, it's short.
Started playing in 2001(ish) when a buddy wanted to hit at the range during lunch.  Took a few swing lessons, went out on the course a few times a year.  Didn't really keep track of score, at least nothing to recall.  Always enjoyed a round out though, and took the opportunity to sneak out when I could.
Got bored in 2020 being inside and lonely, so  started playing regularly again at age 45.  After a few months I thought I should be able to be able to get better at this, so I started trying to teach myself.  Got a bit better, changed gear setups a few times and got myself hitting under 120 about half the time. Lo and behold, in 2022 I hit a 94 on my home course.  Came out of the blue, but everything clicked.

Been chasing the dragon since.

However, I hit 101 on that same course this week in rain at 48°F.  Followed it up with a 106 at 46°F at Rose City (no rain), which is just slightly tougher from the whites.  Came in at 34.9 and 36.9 score differential on those rounds, which got me to a 36.7 index at the end of the season.  I'm sniffing up the buttocks of breaking 100 consistently.  

Looking at y'all, I'ma look at 90 pretty soon.  Maybe 2026.

I'm going to claim that badge as soon as it happens!  Proof can be long in the making. 

Thank you. I contribute half of my success to MGS forum and it's members!
I'm generally not a long driver, so fairways is always a bonus for me. Recently I swapped shafts in both drivers and have gotten past 250+ consistently.
I do try to play the green approach shots smarter too, like you mentioned. I'd rather putt or chip uphill, so that's my strategy now too. Sometimes I'll risk a high hillside shot and hope it kicks to the green/pin.
 

I may have gotten noteworthy scores sometime in the distant past but my golf journey wasn’t purposeful until the start of 2024.
I started the year at >110
By the end of the Summer I got under 100.  By the end of the Fall I broke 95 consistently.
i have my off season practice plan on place. Driving range, sim sessions, Exputt putting practice and 9 hole rounds when the weather permits. So I can pick up in 2025 where I left off.
2025 goals: 
Sub 90 consistently Break 85 Break 80 (stretch goal)  

Of all of us on the Forum, I believe it's you who can get this done.  Git 'er done!

Thank you Sir. Trial and error for sure. As you stated it’s all about position and position helps in posting a score! Many ways to get there; but playing smarter sure helps!!

Spoken like someone who understands how to score. This game is all about position. Great advice. 

You have been playing well. I expect you will crush it next year. I would also offer: more important to me than FIR is in or out of position. I would much rather have 85 yards from light rough with a great angle than 165 from the fairway to a tucked pin. Also rather than just GIR I track NGiR and position. I would rather be just short in the fringe with 12 feet to the hole than middle of the green 45 feet away with a double breaker. So, stats are great, but in or out of position are premium to me. 

Man I have to dig back into my memory!
I broke 100 about 3 years into playing golf. It was in Turkey when I was stationed overseas in 1997. 1998-2004: I then broke 90s at Vandenberg AFB and halfway through that tour broke into the 80s. At the end of that tour I was in the 70s and shot a 70 there once. That score was under par and I have only been under par a couple of times and only once since I broke my back and had those 4 surgeries. 

Each benchmark is exponentially harder than the previous. Going from 100 to 90 can be hard but 90 to 80 is like 100x harder. Distance and consistency off the tee is part of it but really it isn’t the biggest thing. I think it has more to do with what you need to stop or prevent rather than what to do. By that I mean you have to limit your mistakes if you want to break 80.
Think of it as let yourself make 6 “bad” shots per round. But you have to limit just how bad they are. You may also need to redefine what bad means to you. For example, don’t think of missing the fairway as bad. But hitting the fairway bunker, or putting your drive behind a tree, is bad. As long as you have a chance to reach the green, consider it a good shot. Same thing for hitting greens. Missing a green isn’t necessarily bad. But putting it in a bunker or being short side in the rough is.
Allow yourself 6 bad shots per round. If you can two putt the greens then those 6 shots mean you should end up in the high 70s. If you can get your short game around the green sharpened and maybe even average 1.9 putts per round instead of 2.0, you could allow yourself a couple more “bad” shots and still break 80. 

Was already retired when I started playing so had plenty of time to practice and play so broke 100 in a few months and 90 in the first year. 80 took three or four years but was playing a lot, peaked with a couple of 75’s about ten years ago. Mother Nature is starting to take a toll and scores are going up instead of down but at least I’m still able to play. Will move up to the forward tees next year, already have on a couple of longer courses. Still enjoy playing as much as ever but unfortunately having more of those rounds where I have to say “at least I was able to play”.