Opinion & Analysis
How low can you go?
An anonymous pro golfer commented on one of my articles last month (What score makes you happy?) saying that he’d once shot a 60 and hadn’t been aware of his score at all while he was playing the round.
Since I’m no pro golfer, at any point of the 18 holes I can usually tell you pretty accurately how many birdies I’ve had that day, though granted, it doesn’t take too long to count to zero.
But it got me wondering about low scores, and how low can you go.
“I had a 76 last year. That’s my personal best,” Kenny told me around the driving range at Anaheim Hills. “I was just unconscious. I’ve only broken 80 three times in my life, so far.”
“I had 12 pars and shot an 83 once,” said Bill, while shielding his face from the sun with his arm as he waited to tee off at Marshal Canyon one Saturday morning. “Can you imagine how badly I had to play on the other 6 holes to shoot 83?”
“It wasn’t my lowest round ever but the first time I broke 90, I had to make a birdie on 18 for 89,” Manny told me over his hot dog in the snack bar at Griffith Park.
“You talk about pressure. My friend told me on the 18th tee I needed birdie. It was at Los Serranos South, the long par-5, but we were playing the white tees. Hit my third shot on to about 15 feet and made the putt. It was in from the second I hit it; the putt was perfect. I was dancing around the green.”
“I had 62 once,” and I looked kind of incredulous at the quite overweight 60 year old who I thought maybe was telling me how many donut holes he’d eaten this week. “Seriously, a 62. Course it was a 4-man scramble, but it was still fun to go that low,” and as he laughed his belly shook.
“My low net was a 63 in a tournament once,” Devin told me at the driving range. “People were saying I was a sandbagger but I just had one of those days; shot a 75 playing off a 12 handicap. I got what’s called an ‘exceptional tournament score.’”
That is exceptional, I said. “I haven’t shot another 75 since that round,” he answered, shaking his head. “The next tournament my handicap was 3 strokes lower and that time I think I had a 75 net.”
Six times on the PGA Tour a pro golfer has broken 60. Those competition-record 59s were rewarded with cash and admiration, not a handicap penalty. But how do you shoot a score that low?
“I got off to a good start one day last summer,” Arturo told me at Montebello Country Club. “I was 2-under through six holes, made the turn at 1-under and I was still under par through the 13th hole. On No. 14 I hit a great drive, then nearly shanked my second shot out of bounds. Finished with a 74 and I was pissed all day until I realized that it was still my best round ever. But I’m still upset about that shot, really… the worst shot I hit all year and it came during the best round I ever played. Strange.”
“I broke 100 for the first time last year,” Adam said while practicing his putting at La Quinta. “I’ve only been playing for two years and this summer I’m going to break 90.” He said it with the optimism of someone who still thinks golf can be mastered.
“I remember the first time I broke 80,” Larry told me in the coffee shop at Indian Hills. “I didn’t even know it until after I added it up. I knew I had a good round going and I was nervous over the 5-footer for bogey on 18. If I had known it was for 79 there’s no way I would have made it.”
I asked him if that was his best round.
“No, that was a few years ago. I’m a 9 now so I’m in the 70s pretty often. Had a couple of 75s last year, and a 73 two years ago, that was my best,” he added. “My dream is to shoot even par. My fantasy is to break par someday.”
A stooped man with silver hair was hitting long putts from one side of the practice green to the other at Griffith Park. I figured if he’d broken 90 he’d have a story to tell me.
“A 64,” he said, and I guess I looked surprised. “I had a slew of ‘em. I golfed all my life — I only putt now. I putt every day until I make one from one side of the putting green to the other. Some days it takes longer than others.”
His name is Stan. “I shot in the 60s pretty often. It was a bad day if I wasn’t at least at par. There were some great players around then,” and he mentioned a couple of names that I didn’t recognize.
“We used to play all over, but the first 64 was at Hacienda. It was in 1951, we played a lot after the war and those were good times.” I asked if he remembered any of the shots from his first 64. “Like it was yesterday. There was no drama to the end though, we’d already won the match. We were playing against some hot-shot lawyer and his partner I can’t remember — took home some good money. My guy Bill was good that day too; we would play anybody, anywhere.”
“The 64?” I asked.
“Yep, I don’t know how many of ‘em I had, there was a bunch. Never shot a 63. A couple of ‘em could have been better, but I wasn’t playing for the score, I was playing to win.”
Just like that anonymous pro, I realized.
What’s your lowest round ever and what was it like?
Let us know in the comments section below and read the first chapters of Tom Hill’s humorous golf book, A Perfect Lie – The Hole Truth 18 Holes of Golf in Pursuit of the Round of a Lifetime, at 7-ironpress.com. Get free shipping on the paperback with the code GOLFWRX, or $4 off the e-book when you enter the code GOLFWRX1 at check-out.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
RBC Heritage Tour Report: More minis, course-specific setups, Spider & GTS launches
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
Best fairway woods of 2026: The most versatile fairway woods + the most forgiving fairway woods
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
The 24 players who can win the Masters
Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB: 2026 Masters
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
J.J. Spaun’s winning WITB: 2026 Valero Texas Open
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Driver: Ping G440 Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft:...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2021 Truist Championship
Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship 2021 (now the Truist Championship) marked a significant return to form,...
Collin Morikawa WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Tour (14 degrees) Shaft:...
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
-
Equipment1 week agoWhat’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
-
Equipment2 weeks agoCadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
-
Whats in the Bag3 days ago
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
-
Whats in the Bag1 week agoCameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
-
Whats in the Bag3 weeks agoNelly Korda WITB 2026 (April)
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose on the switch to McLaren Golf, learnings from previous equipment moves
-
Tour Photo Galleries2 weeks agoPhotos from the 2026 Cadillac Championship
Joe
Aug 10, 2015 at 11:41 pm
My lowest score ever is a 67, an extremely good iron round and I didn’t have too many putts over 16 feet. That was in 1983 when I was a 2 handicap.
Since that time I have had only 2 or 3 sub 72 rounds. Now in my twilight years (75 years old) and playing to a 12, sub par rounds are only a memory and could only happen on a putt-putt course.
Damn that Windmill hole.
stephenf
Jun 6, 2015 at 8:22 pm
Lowest score was 64, but it was mostly just good midrange-to-long putting. Didn’t hit it any better that day than most days, and actually sort of scraped it around on some of the holes, but it was a nonpenal golf course, frankly, so you could go miss-miss-putt for birdie a lot (by “miss,” I mean “miss” for a scratch player, which I was). Miss the drive into the scraggly, sparse rough, get lucky enough for some kind of lie, blade it out of there on the green, make a 25-footer, or whatever. The score was more or less a fluke, and not a “best” round, really.
Later, as a plus-2, I did have a few 65s (very few — I was more of the steady 69-70 shooter rather than the 63 one day and 78 the next) and quite a few 66s and 67s. I remember one 65 in a tournament fairly well — hitting it OK off the tee, not awesome, but good enough, and hitting it pretty well with the irons. Closed with a disappointing miss on the 17th from 12 feet for eagle after a 250-yard 2-iron (not all that awesome — it was well-hit, but with the old standard Wilson Staffs, sort of hard in front of the green…well-judged, hit solidly, and on line, I guess, but it’s not like I flew it 250 and stuck it by the hole), then hit 9-iron to about four feet above the hole on #18 and saw two breaks, had to make a decision…still kinda proud of that make.
One more, a 66 I’m still pissed about: Again in a tournament round, started out (no kidding) seven under after the first six holes, hit it at least as well from that point to the end of the round and never made another putt. Had a shot at 28 on the front nine until I missed a sidehill three-footer for par on #8 and then a five-footer for birdie on #9. Missed about four from inside 7-8 feet on the back nine for birdie. Just disgusting. I really felt like a 60 or even 59 was coming that day, felt good all day, hit every putt exactly like I wanted, but they just stopped dropping. Sometimes it works out like that. Years and years later, I still hate it, but that’s golf. (I still contend that for six holes, I might’ve been playing better than anybody in the world that day. Can’t disprove it, so it must be true. 😉 )
Martin
May 23, 2015 at 4:13 pm
My best round is +4 to par, a 75 on a par 71 and last summer a 76 on our par 72 course.
The 75 was a few years ago, teed up on 17 +1 with a short par 3 and a relatively easy par 5 18th. 3 putt bogey on 17, teed off on 18 with a 3w to play safe, pushed it a bit didn’t have a full swing. Punch it down the fw, had exactly 300 yards into the green, perfect 3H. Hit one of the alltime worst shots ever, 130 yards and 80 yards offline.
Made a double for a 75.
Last summer playing with 3 guys I work with, sloppy front including 2 doubles, 41, birdies 10 and then made 8 pars for a 35 on the back.
Ryan
May 22, 2015 at 11:29 am
I find the notion that people can finish and round and not know how many under they are just crazy. I’ve tried my very hardest to immerse myself in the shot at hand for 18 straight holes and I haven’t found the secret yet. It’s just so exhausting.
Personal low is 62 on a par 70, but shot 63 on a par 72 in college. I was in the zone on both rounds but still knew where I was to par, just didn’t “care”. A few beers probably helped in both cases.
I’ve shot 30 twice for nine, both with excellent opportunities to put up the magical 29, and couldn’t do either. First time I came to the 18th -7 after 8 on the back (par 36), short par 5, got it down by the green in two, skulled a chip, chunked another, then got up and down for 30. Still burns to this day even nine years later. Second time was a par 35, came to the ninth -5 and needing birdie for 29, hit it to 8ft and lipped out the putt. That one doesn’t hurt because I didn’t choke.
Realizing over the last couple years that I need serious work on my mental game to have these kind of rounds happen more often, not just once a decade.
Sean D
May 21, 2015 at 9:19 pm
I was 18 years old in 1998. My dad was the superintendent of the course where I grew up so I played there every day and worked for him on the course. I was like a 5 handicap at the time. I think my lowest score ever at that point was a 73. Par was 71. Never shot even. It was in the fall in up state NY and they had just finished spiking the greens over a three day period. This was a muni course so there’s still sand all over them and there Bumpy as hell. It was Men’s night at the club which was on a Tuesday. I shot 66 on the worst spiked greens you ever saw. I made every putt. Thinking back about it now it was a joke. I had two bogies that day too. Whenever I go home to visit and play with my dad the old timers who still have coffee at the club every day pull me aside and say “I still remember the day you shot 66 on spiked greens.” 17 years later and these guys in their mid 80’s remember. I won mens night and like $15 bux in pro shop credit. So I’ve got that going for me.
Griiz01
May 18, 2015 at 11:38 pm
I’m 52 years old. Been playing since I was 5 years old. A lot of good rounds and a lot of bad ones. I’ve been as low as a 1 handicap but with life getting in the way I probably stay around a 9-10 handicap these days. My best rounds are when I’m not thinking. Meaning that I’m not thinking about my swing at all. I will think about where I want to place the ball or even how a shot needs to come off, but I’m never thinking about the swing (the mechanics).
When I was younger, I thrived on competition, the more pressure you put on me the better I played. I ate it up. I was too young to know better. I didn’t know I was suppose to be nervous or worried. I just knew I was suppose to do all I could to win.
Now-a-days, I just like going out and enjoying my time on the course. I don’t worry about scores, I just completely enjoy the greatest game ever played by man.
Adam
May 18, 2015 at 8:23 pm
One thing I’ve always found interesting. On my best rounds, I haven’t been the one keeping score. Lately, I’ve had some of my better rounds, but certainly not my best, and those rounds have been when I’m keeping meticulous note of stats…FIR, GIR, sand saves if applicable, putts, etc. The rounds that have been my absolute best are the rounds when I’m just along for the ride and don’t keep score other than telling my playing partner what I got on the hole. Anyone have similar experience?
Robert
May 14, 2015 at 9:27 am
I shot 62 at my home course Holly Tree CC earlier this year. It tied the course record from the men’s white tees. I didn’t make a birdie until the 5th hole and turned in 3 under. But I got crazy hot on the back nine (29). That was the first time I broke 30 for nine, and I’ve had a lot of close calls. I wasn’t even thinking about going that low until I holed out for eagle on the 16th hole which put me to 8 under. The final two holes are good birdie opportunities, so once I got to -8 I knew today was a great chance to tie or beat the course record. I made birdie on 17 making a really good 10 ft putt. The 18th is a very reachable par 5. I hit a great tee shot and had between 5 and 6 iron to the green. All I could think of was, just hit the green and give yourself a chance. I did get home in two but had probably 60ft for eagle. I hit a good putt to about 4-5ft and somehow rolled that in. Not bad considering I played 14 holes 10 under and par’d two of the four par 5’s. Pretty good feeling that day and I don’t think I’ve been so nervous on a golf course since I first broke 70. Looking back on it I don’t think I was striking the ball any better than usual, it was just a really good day with the putter. I had to make an 8-10ft par save on my second hole. I don’t make that and the whole day is probably changed. I had three other 63’s out there both from the white tees and two from the championship tees, one of them was in a pro-am. I wish I could boil all those rounds down into some kind of secret to going that low but there isn’t. Sometimes it’s just your day and you’re making all the putts, sometimes you just start hitting it close and it seems easy. It’s just golf, you never know what’s going to happen, and I think that’s why we all continue to play again and again.
RG
May 14, 2015 at 8:09 am
Wow, people posting here claiming handicaps that obviously don’t know how GHIN works should stop, it’s embarrassing.
Tom, A Perfect Lie is a good name for your book if your adding some of these replies.
Fiorenzo
May 14, 2015 at 3:54 am
74 playing in a mixed golf day with my wife as partner and sharing a cart. At the time I was playing off an 8 handicap. Due to the constant bickering I was not really aware of what was happening till the last few holes which led me to tighten up and possibly loose out on a better score. Now, years later there is not much chance to improve that score although the bickering is still there and going strong.
Ryan J
May 14, 2015 at 12:32 am
I’ve shot 68 more than a dozen times and one 66 on a par 70.
When I shot the 66 I played the first nine in 38 strokes and then finished with a 28 with a bogey. I didn’t even notice how low I was because I was frustrated with a few three putts that first nine and had three or four of those back nine birdies inside five feet.
That round was the third time I had broken 30 in nine holes but the other two ended at 68 because I got caught up in the score trying to go low.
In golf, the hardest person to beat is yourself.
Tim
May 13, 2015 at 9:41 pm
Personal best is a 74 (par 72), which includes a triple bogey on the first hole, and a double bogey on the second hole. So after starting the round 5 over, I followed it up with my longest stretch of under par golf ever including holing out from a bunker on 17 for a birdie. I knew during the round I would easily best 80 but didn’t want to do the math until after the round because I knew it’s possible I was flirting with even. Prior to that my personal best was 79.
Bob
May 13, 2015 at 9:08 pm
74. I hit the ball straight all day, got my chips one-putt close, and sank most of the makable putts I had. There weren’t any miracle shots– just a day of good golf for 18 holes instead of 14 or 15.
Joel
May 13, 2015 at 5:12 pm
I have shot 72 twice in my 45+ year golfing career. The interesting thing about each was I pulled off the birdie hat trick on the last 3 holes, 38 out and 34 in. Can only imagine the possible score without a couple of mistakes. I am working to break par this year and move my handicap below 2.0(currently 4.6).
Horace
May 13, 2015 at 4:21 pm
Shot 70 once (probably a 12+/- HC then). Had an eagle ($25 skin), three birdies, and three bogies in a weekly Sunday 4-5 person BB Tournament on a San Antonio muni with hard-pan and some thin turf. The bogies came on three holes where one competitor beat me to tee box and hit out of turn.
Joe
May 13, 2015 at 2:44 pm
Dear Stone Thrower,
An 8 handicap shooting even par should call no one a sand-bagger.
Signed,
Glass House
John
May 13, 2015 at 1:30 pm
I have only shot even par for 18 holes twice, but the second time was special. Driver, 5-iron on the 490 yard par five 18th hole for a double eagle for a 72… should have retired from the game right then and there – it doesn’t get much better than that!
Craig
May 14, 2015 at 4:13 am
What is a double eagle. It is called an albatross.
Some STUPID yank commentator calls it that. HE is not correct
-1 is a birdie
-2 is an eagle
-3 is an albatross
Sam
May 13, 2015 at 12:18 pm
My best is a 78, your wouldnt believe it but I went bogey, double then bogey on my first three holes, I then oplayed that nine in another three over and somehow I shot even on the back nine to shoot my best round to par, (I had a 75 but on a par 68). I noticed that on the back nine I just started to not care and I made two birdies in a row. I went on to place 3rd in the tournament but I know if i hadn’t gone +4 on the first three holes, it could have been and even better day.
Bob
May 13, 2015 at 9:10 pm
I believe it. You just had your bad holes all at once instead of sprinkling them throughout the round.
Blake
May 13, 2015 at 11:00 am
My best is a 62… I was -8 thru 12 and it was a par 70, so you know what crossed my mind… Anyway, the putts stopped dropping and I played par golf in for -8..
Ben
May 13, 2015 at 9:51 am
I shot 75 (+3) last summer as a 9 index. Had a great feeling before the round but that quickly faded after bogeying 4 of the first 5 holes. Settled in after that and hit 11/13 greens, made 3 birdies, and shot even par on the back 9. On the last hole I pulled my tee shot way right but then hit my 135yd uphill, blind approach over towering pines to 3 feet. I was almost emotional after tapping in knowing I just played the round of my life.
Paul
May 13, 2015 at 6:48 am
Par 73 shot 65 4 times but twice I was -7 after 9 and started thinking 60 choked my way in both times but I think my best round was playing match play a few years back tripled 3 to go 3 over finished eagle,eagle to finish 8 under on 12 no gimmies last eagle holed 8 iron my opponent was just laughing he was more excited then me I think.
Joe
May 13, 2015 at 5:26 am
Shot 59 to break my own course record of 62 last year (par 72), club championship, second round of stroke play. It was an interesting round… I demolished an entire pizza in the restaurant in between rounds so I was in a complete food coma, practically unconscious for the front 9 and part of the back. I don’t even remember clearly what I did on those holes. I didn’t realize where I was at until I eagled the 14th, happy to maybe get a skin in our side game and noticed the guys I was playing with looking at me and the scorecard nervously (they know not to say anything if I get something going). I had to ask, they told me I was -12, and I played the most nervous closing 4 holes of my life. Scraped out a birdie on 17, almost blew it on 18 by driving it through the fairway close to water but managed to get it done. One of the biggest achievements of my career and I don’t even remember most of it lol.
Progolfer
May 16, 2015 at 1:30 am
Great story Joe. I’m the anonymous profesisonal golfer he’s referring to in the beginning of the article. Isn’t it funny that on our career days, we had no idea what was really going on? Everything always slows down when I’m playing well, and I just get so into it and absorbed. That’s the key to success in golf (and life, too)– you get out of your own head and connect with what you’re doing. The rest just takes care of itself… Thanks for sharing your story.
Nate
May 12, 2015 at 9:35 pm
I was around a 20 handicap until I got serious about my game after graduating from business school two years ago. Last summer, I broke 85 for the first time playing with a coworker at a local metro. I was -1 through 6, even through 8, and finished with an 11 over 83. Was a great round but I am still kicking myself for for playing the final 10 holes at +9. I just started leaking oil on the back 9…spraying the driver all over the place!
Martin
May 12, 2015 at 8:49 pm
My best two scores are a 75 on a par 71 slope rating 124 course with a bogey, double finish and a 76 last summer on our par 72/133 course, shot 41/35.
other paul
May 12, 2015 at 7:29 pm
Played 9 holes on a local muni. Shot 38, on the 9 hole course. I have never done better then an 84.
RobG
May 12, 2015 at 4:47 pm
I’ve broken 80 about 6 times but two times really stand out for me.
I grew up playing golf around guys with money but they only gambled during their men’s league. The summer I turned 19 (legal age in BC) I joined the men’s league and my first night out, the money and prizes were on the back nine. I went out in 38 (+2) and came back in at 35 (-1). I took about $260 in birdie and skins money. Not bad for a 1st impression.
The second round (same course, same summer) I shot a 76. This one is special because 3 days prior I was sitting on the hood of my brothers car catching a ride up to the house when he gunned it and shook me off as a prank. I was wearing steel toed work boots and couldn’t catch my feet. I landed hard on the dirt driveway and mangled both my hands. I was picking rocks out of my palms for 2 days. I was playing golf with two gloves on packed with gauze and by the end of the the round blood had soaked through both my gloves. I guess the pain kept me from gripping too tight because I hit about 6 of the best shots of my life that day. Karma is a wonderful thing, I took my brother for $60.
Mike
May 12, 2015 at 3:48 pm
Broke par through 9 holes for the first time last week then sorta choked on the back. Still my best ever at a +2, 74.
Alex
May 12, 2015 at 2:19 pm
Last year I made par at my home course (71). My handicap at the time was 8 so I shot 63 net. The best thing was I was +3 on the 10th tee and I made 3 birdies coming home. The bad: I lost by 1 to a sandbagger LOL.
RG
May 14, 2015 at 8:05 am
You are obviously making this up and have no idea how GHIN works, stop you are embarrassing yourself.