The Joy of Breaking 80

[ole gray]

... Reminds me of my first audition for a Major Motion Picture. I had just won a Best Performance Award for Chicago Theater in 1982 and my agent got me an audition for Ricky Business. I was OK learning my lines and getting ready for the audition but once I actually got there, the waiting in the casting directors office was just brutal and the nerves really started to take over. By the time I read for the Director, I was so nervous I was visibly shaking and my voice probably went up two octaves. The equivalent to gripping the putter too tight and leaving it 15 feet short. When I left, embarrassed and dejected I thought about quitting the profession. But after a good nights sleep I was ready to get back at it the next day. Sound familiar to golf?

 

... Once I was cast in a film, it became so much easier to audition, but breaking thru is just so difficult. Exactly like breaking 80 for many. Some will always succumb to the pressure and never make it. But those that fight thru the nerves and break thru, find it much easier once they have cleared that mental hurdle. For those of you struggling just remember, ALL of us were just as nervous before our first time. Great story John and congrats to Paul!

You'd make a great coach hoss

 

 

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[tony@CIC]

... Reminds me of my first audition for a Major Motion Picture. I had just won a Best Performance Award for Chicago Theater in 1982 and my agent got me an audition for Ricky Business. I was OK learning my lines and getting ready for the audition but once I actually got there, the waiting in the casting directors office was just brutal and the nerves really started to take over. By the time I read for the Director, I was so nervous I was visibly shaking and my voice probably went up two octaves. The equivalent to gripping the putter too tight and leaving it 15 feet short. When I left, embarrassed and dejected I thought about quitting the profession. But after a good nights sleep I was ready to get back at it the next day. Sound familiar to golf?

 

... Once I was cast in a film, it became so much easier to audition, but breaking thru is just so difficult. Exactly like breaking 80 for many. Some will always succumb to the pressure and never make it. But those that fight thru the nerves and break thru, find it much easier once they have cleared that mental hurdle. For those of you struggling just remember, ALL of us were just as nervous before our first time. Great story John and congrats to Paul!

Reminds me of my yips in playing tournaments. This year I played in everyone I could - and the more I played the fewer yips I got.

 

 

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[Bags]

Yes indeed -- moving to Exeter, NH as soon as we can sell the house. Wife is moving with nearly all our stuff in a couple of weeks. I'm here until closing or first snow -- whichever comes first.

You moved to Exeter, NH ? wife and I just moved from Exeter NH to SC Myrtle area

 

 

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[GolfSpy Barbajo]

You moved to Exeter, NH ? wife and I just moved from Exeter NH to SC Myrtle area

 

 

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Lots of people tend to clear out when they hear I'm coming to town...

[Kenny B]

Lots of people tend to clear out when they hear I'm coming to town...

When are you coming back to the Pacific Northwest?  I need a heads up!

[Sluggo42]

My bud just broke 70 for the first time. He shot a 69. But still lost, heehehehe...

With that, it's been 4 days now.

 

His feet still haven't touched the ground...

[Bags]

best score even par 71 and shot 72 1 over as well I believe I will break 70 at least 10 times before my golf days are over Im 51 yrs old playing 17 yrs I feel I finally fully understand the golf swing

 

 

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[Bags]

Lots of people tend to clear out when they hear I'm coming to town...

lol come on man Exeter cool town like a mini portsmouth where did u move from? winters are brutal

 

 

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[STUDque]

Each time I go out, I have one goal: Break 80 (and don't think about it too much). Today I held it together on the front 9 (41) and had a chance to break 80 if I could turn in a better-than-normal back 9. Double par on 10 and 11 and the dream was gone.

 

 

I did this same thing when I was trying to break 90 for the first time. Just putting too much pressure on every shot and am not playing well off the tee.

 

 

 

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[chisag]

Each time I go out, I have one goal: Break 80 (and don't think about it too much). Today I held it together on the front 9 (41) and had a chance to break 80 if I could turn in a better-than-normal back 9. Double par on 10 and 11 and the dream was gone.

 

 

I did this same thing when I was trying to break 90 for the first time. Just putting too much pressure on every shot and am not playing well off the tee.

 

 

... My guess is the first time you break 80 is the first time you ignore your score and play 1 shot at a time. It is a cliche' for a reason. It's true. You have no control over the shots you have already hit. You have no control over the shots you will hit. But you do have control over the shot you are hitting. 

 

[AH1980MN]

Nanananananana...

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

lol come on man Exeter cool town like a mini portsmouth where did u move from? winters are brutal

 

 

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Minnesota, so NH winters are gonna have to show me something to be considered "brutal"   

[Rickp]

Yeah, great story, John! And a big CONGRATS!!! to Paul! But that's really one of the things that makes golf different .. when you get paired up with someone and are spending a few hours with them outdoors, you never know what sort of interesting and unique person you have just run into.

 

Interesting thought- and reminds me of a time in my younger, more "emotional" days, I was playing at Ft Campbell, KY on a particular Saturday, and I was paired with an older gentleman and we headed directly to the first tee.

 

The first three or four holes were an absolute disaster for me- perhaps three lost balls, no control (granted I was recently getting back in the game after having spent 3 years in Germany and no golf). My language was quite colorful- I probably ran through every word that I knew, a few foreign words, and was on the verge of inventing a few more...

 

We arrived at the first par 3 (4th hole, I think, a significantly uphill par 3), the group ahead of us was still on the green. As we waited for the green to clear, the older gentleman with whom I had been partnered formally introduced himself.

 

He said - "My name is Bob, I take it you are stationed here at Ft Campbell?"

 

I said, "yes, my name is Drew, and I am in First Brigade... (one of three Infantry Brigades within the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) stationed at Ft Campbell.)

 

He nodded with understanding- and a pause, which prompted me to ask "And how about you, Bob? Are you from around here, and what do you do?"

 

 

To which he replied, with a deadpan straight face (but smiling eyes) - "Yes, I grew up in Clarksville (the town just outside the base) - I'm a Southern Baptist Minister in town!!!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was very quiet for the next few holes!!!!!

I have a similar story with 3 Catholic priests that I came up in one evening and played the remaining holes with. I'm a “shop rat” been in Mfg and the language was always colorful. They didn't clue me in on who they were until during a pitcher of beer, good times.

I sure was embarrassed and they loved it.

 

 

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[Bags]

Each time I go out, I have one goal: Break 80 (and don't think about it too much). Today I held it together on the front 9 (41) and had a chance to break 80 if I could turn in a better-than-normal back 9. Double par on 10 and 11 and the dream was gone.

 

 

I did this same thing when I was trying to break 90 for the first time. Just putting too much pressure on every shot and am not playing well off the tee.

 

 

 

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it will happen

 

 

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[JohnSmalls]

You moved to Exeter, NH ? wife and I just moved from Exeter NH to SC Myrtle area

 

 

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Welcome to SC!

 

 

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[JohnSmalls]

... My guess is the first time you break 80 is the first time you ignore your score and play 1 shot at a time. It is a cliche' for a reason. It's true. You have no control over the shots you have already hit. You have no control over the shots you will hit. But you do have control over the shot you are hitting.

 

This post should be included with every set of clubs sold. I wish I would have heard/read that before I started playing.

 

 

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[AH1980MN]

There are a few "old" (sorry) sages around here, and Chisag is definitely one of them.

[chisag]

There are a few "old" (sorry) sages around here, and Chisag is definitely one of them.

 

 

... "Ole Sage" my friend. Not Old. 

[AH1980MN]

Sorry Goose! That's what I meant...

[Rickp]

... "Ole Sage" my friend. Not Old.

I was wondering how that was going to turn out!

Good stuff!

 

 

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[StrokerAce]

this is a wonderful story.... I've only broken 80 a couple of times but I distinctly remember it.  

Some days things just click and your timing is perfect and you can see the lines and putts just drop.

I hope to get into the 70's again this year.  It's a lot of fun!

[JohnSmalls]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy Stroker said:

this is a wonderful story.... I've only broken 80 a couple of times but I distinctly remember it.  

Some days things just click and your timing is perfect and you can see the lines and putts just drop.

I hope to get into the 70's again this year.  It's a lot of fun!

You're going to get into the 70's again this year. 

[wely324]

I wish I could go back to the days of looking forward to breaking a score barrier/shooting a new best score. The first time I broke 70, I shot a 68 and backed it up with an 87 the following day. The car ride home in a e46 M3, with my mom, dad, and sister in the car, it was the longest 2 hour ride home I ever experienced, still to this day I don't think I have ever felt such a sense of failure. 

nearly 20 years later managing my expectations is a big challenge, and remembering breaking 80 is a solid day, and regardless of score a better day than going into work. 

[GolfSpy SAM]

I've yet to break 80 - only just broke 90 in April of this year (that was the goal for the whole year, so...I'm clearly way ahead of my own curve ), and then shot an 81 three weeks ago - and legit could've shot 79 without a few bonehead shots and/or the three putts that lipped out dropping.  But the way @StrokerAce described it - with everything just clicking - that's how it felt.  And then my next time out shot a 95, just to make sure I stayed humble, lol.  

Love this game.  

A 70-something score is definitely out there, and soon. Especially now that I have my chipper, lol. GAME. CHANGER (said every golf product. Ever.).