[armchaircaddy]

I played Angel Park - Palm Course in Las Vegas today. Par 70 Arnie Palmer design that I've played a few times. Played with my little brother, who I haven't played with in over a year who just moved to Vegas also.

Anyway, I was striping it all day but putting horribly. I'm a 13.1 index and have been flirting with 80 for a while, I've just had trouble closing a good round. Today, it all came together and I didn't even know until I got home! I carded a 42 (or what I thought was a 42) on the front 9 par 34. I closed strong with a 38 on the back 9 par 36. On the back 9, 517 yard par 5 #14 I hit a decent driver that ended up on the right rough on a hook lie. Ball was about 6 inches above my feet. I took out my FT 3h hybrid, that I hadn't even gamed until today and fired one about 225 pin high 8ft from the pin! Drained the putt for my first ever EAGLE! I was 3 under for the back 9 after that hole and feeling good. I proceeded to hit double and then 3 straight bogeys to close with a 38 on the back. I had a 12' for par save on the 18th after a bunker shot and just missed it, thinking I'd just blown my chance to break 80.

So, I get home to put my score in and I look at the card again - wait!

Scores were - 5 4 4 4 4 6 5 4 4 on the front for a 40! Back was 4 4 3 4 3 6 5 4 5 for 38! I shot a 78!!!

What an awesome day! I've been waiting to break 80 and now I can move on!

[Pdougherty]

Congrats on both the round and the eagle!!!! Eagles sure do have a way of jumpstarting rounds.

[JMOGOLFER]

congrats now you get to break 70.. never ending goals in golf. thats why its so great.

[scottland]

Once I broke 80 it got easier to keep shooting high 70s. The mental barrier is gone, and now that you've broke 80. I hover around 77-83 these days.

[armchaircaddy]

I'm really hoping that 80 was really a mental barrier. I feel like I've been waiting and waiting to shoot sub-80 for quite some time, actually longer to break 80 than 90, and it's been torture.

I forgot to mention I had an awful putting round - 38 in total. So there's at least a few strokes in there too.

[JMOGOLFER]

38 putts... so say you have 35 putts. whats that 75 hmm. its not as far off as you think. try not to think about it so much and keep working hard.

[manbearpig]

Congrats. You're on your way to 75!

[kgeorge78]

Once I broke 80, my game just became 100% better. Confidence is key in golf.

[klausdude]

armchaircaddy, on Oct 8 2009, 02:28 PM, said:

I played Angel Park - Palm Course in Las Vegas today. Par 70 Arnie Palmer design that I've played a few times. Played with my little brother, who I haven't played with in over a year who just moved to Vegas also.

What an awesome day! I've been waiting to break 80 and now I can move on!

Congratulations are definitely in order. Angel Park is a really fun track to play. As some else mentioned, one of the keys to taking it lower is your flatstick. Some days you can miss tee shots and approaches. If you can manage those misses and are putting well, the scores will follow. Just food for thought. Again, congratulations.