In other words, if you were to wake up this morning 30 minutes before your tee time, throw your clothes on, grab your clubs, and arrive at the first tee 5 minutes before tee time, what would you shoot?
Sure, you can’t really predict these things…maybe. But I like to call this your default score. It’s not good; it’s not bad. It’s just what you shoot on a normal day.
My default score is 81. I realized this last Saturday after playing 18 holes with my friends Tom, Lewis, and Chris at Forest Crossing. Other than my driver, my golf game pretty much sucked that day. I was +10 on the 18th green with a 50 foot birdie putt. As I stood over the putt, I thought, I suck. I’m about to shoot an 82. But I canned the ridiculously long putt. I shot an 81. Suddenly, I thought to myself, Okay, things are normal.
Is there really a difference between and 81 and an 82? Not really. Neither is that impressive, unless your looking to win the C flight of your club championship. But, somehow, that 50 f00t birdie putt, and that round of 81, made everything okay–even though that was my only birdie of the round in miserable 90 degree heat.
So what’s your default score? If you woke up this morning and didn’t care how you played, what would you shoot?
May 29, 2010 at 7:20 am
Alas, my default score is about 105.
May 29, 2010 at 10:21 am
Isn’t it funny how every golfer thinks their game isn’t very good. I’d love to have an average score of 81 as mine is around 98 right now.
May 29, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I was laughing as I read your post because I quickly said 81 to myself before I saw your answer. I usually have that shot at a nice round in the 70′s in my grasp until I blow an easy hole in the middle of the back nine. Then it’s a struggle until the end, where I either hold myself together for the good round or slip to an 80 or 81. 81 beats 80 for me. I don’t feel nearly as bad when I miss it by more than 1.
May 29, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Well, it should be two shots over your handicap. For me, it’s about an 84. It’s all about whether I can make more birdies than doubles. When I do that, I break 80.
May 30, 2010 at 7:58 am
As an “8″, I agree with Charles. The quest is always for a round in the 70′s. Missing the goal by a stroke is frustrating while taking an 81 somehow doesn’t seem so bad.
I need to switch my emphasis away from the 70′s to something more ambitious, such as par. However, having started with round numerical targets (just break 50 for 9, just break 100 for 18, just break 90 for 18, etc…) it is hard to change one’s mindset. Too often my game becomes conservative near the end of a round in order to preserve a 79 rather than pushing for 72. Admittedly, the 72 is not very likely, but I might record a few more 75′s if my focus were on Par rather than 79.
May 30, 2010 at 6:14 pm
My default would be around 90. I shot an 81 once. I would love to have your problem right now.
June 2, 2010 at 12:08 pm
I don’t see how anyone can be upset at an 81, unless they’re a 70′s player..which must be who you are. On average I’ll be a 92, but I shot an 83 yesterday..so yeah..if I shot a 102..I’d be pissed too..anyway everything is relative to the player..but as Harvey Penick said..anyone who shoots in the 70′s is an expert player.
June 3, 2010 at 12:56 pm
93
October 30, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Currently 78, high was 83, and once upon a time 73. Always a plateau that is a reflection of quality practice