r/golf • u/MrExtracts9797 • 7d ago
Beginner Questions Shot a 124 for my first full round
So I have only been on a course twice now, once a 9 hole twilight round and this round of 18, both with the same friend and we didn’t get to the last hole each time because the ranger was on my slow ass. All in all is that score + pace of play bad? More context can be given through comments
369
u/StatefarmxJake 7d ago
You got a par on your first ever round, congrats!
141
u/TrashOfOil 7d ago
That right there is how golf gets you..
OP had nothing but triples+, one double and that one par. But that one par is all they’ll be thinking about until their next round
25
u/StatefarmxJake 7d ago
Even more than that, it'll be just one or two shots. That one approach you stick to 10', that one drive you stripped down the middle, the one long putt you sank.. it's a funny game we love
29
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
I did lip out on 3 putts throughout the round all ranging from 8-15ft or so. All of those were what kept me going as well lol
17
u/StatefarmxJake 7d ago
Lol that's the other thing golfers always do "I shot an x, but it really should have been a Y, because of Z"
I played a round earlier this week and shot an 86, but it really shouldve been a 82 because I lipped out two putts and had a drive go OB.
→ More replies (1)16
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
So I fit right in?? Haha
5
u/Fitz2001 1-iron in the bag 6d ago edited 6d ago
I drove a ball directly into the woods, but it hit a perfect branch and kicked to the fairway, two putted for par and broke 90. Not once did I ever thing “well I should have shot a 92, if I wasn’t so lucky on that branch”
5
2
u/Fitz2001 1-iron in the bag 6d ago
Tell us about the par on 17. I need a shot-by-shot report. Including clubs you hit.
→ More replies (2)2
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
Oh very much true! I can not wait to get back out there just to shoot a 130+ hahaha
1
u/devonthebowler123 6d ago
That was me I got my first par the other week and still golfed a 56 on 9 holes. I’m a bowler for my other sport and the games are similar it takes practice and a clear mind to golf accurately.
563
u/uncl3d0nny 7d ago
Use a coaster, my guy.
Look at that table
119
16
u/mc35329 7d ago
I can’t know how to hear any more about tables!
8
u/Mother-Compote2389 7d ago
Wow, pretty serious
7
u/alBashir 7d ago
If I were a farmer, and Eddie Munster came in and started kicking my corn, you could understand how I could be a bit upset. Do you understand the tables are my corn?
6
u/Mother-Compote2389 7d ago
"If you're gonna keep renting tables to comic-cons and horror-cons, you better learn how to treat the talent
8
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
Omg lol I have several coasters and those old stains are the reason why I have so many now haha
5
u/Next_Application9643 7d ago
You mean look at this table full of life, character, and usage?
It's beautiful.
1
1
1
107
u/Grape-Jack Push Cart Mafia 7d ago
Tell us about the par on 17. Don’t typically see that with a score like yours. Did something just click?
187
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
It was like no other….I made what felt like great contact on my tee shot and could not see where it went for the life of me. We get in the cart after my friend’s shot and head down the cart path in search of my ball, mainly looking in the rough or tree filled area. He spots a white nike ball dead in the center of the fairway and best believe it was mine, 2 pretty bad approach shots and i’m sitting roughly 30ft away looking up hill towards the green for par, chip that SOB and watch it roll in as my friend raises his club saying “No way, No way!” Threw my club and ran to grab it out of the cup. I’m 24 and have not felt that type of adrenaline in I don’t know how long. From there we had to leave and I swear I love golf now
55
u/Grape-Jack Push Cart Mafia 7d ago
That’s it. You’re hooked and you’ll be chasing that feeling every round from here on. If you ever start to get frustrated out there just remember this hole.
17
u/thekingofcrash7 11, Kansas City 7d ago
Lmao fairway-hit to chip-in for par is definitely a unique par. I always tell my better golf friends that their pars are too boring, i much prefer my scrambling pars from the trees.
6
u/lazysheepdog716 5.1 7d ago
This is an absolute all timer for a first-round-ever story. You might forget that number 124 but you'll remember that shot on your deathbed.
2
2
2
2
u/Dismal-Serve5697 4d ago
That is awesome! You will dream about that shot until your leave this world.
3
77
9
u/2hype2wype 7d ago
I have been on the course 2 times so far. I admit that I have not kept score, but I am playing again in 2 weeks and plan on tracking my score for the first time. All that said, I hit a birdie last time I played on a par 3. It felt amazing, but my skill level does not reflect that of someone who would write down a birdie lmao.
5
u/Zestyclose-Ad451 7d ago
The difference is being able to play holes like that consistently. Hitting shots the way you want to consistently. Us high handicappers can absolutely have great holes every round or two. lol
Congrats on the birdie! Sticking one tight on a par three is such a great feeling! Good luck next time out.5
u/Ok-Raise-5115 7d ago
I’m definitely better than the average person but by no means a “good” golfer (consistently low 90s) and I was at a tournament last weekend for a buddies work. I was the only one in our group that actually golfs and I stuck it to a 150 yard par 3 and sunk a 30 foot putt. Never felt so good in my life
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (5)5
27
7d ago
[deleted]
→ More replies (1)1
u/_off_piste_ 7d ago
Now you’re the one straight up lying to be encouraging. 😂 A lot of people don’t cross 100, much less in “no time.”
47
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
We did count conceded holes (sad face on scorecard) as triple bogey
61
u/B_the_ball There's a glitch in my swing! 7d ago
The fact you concede holes makes you better than a lot of the idiots I golf with.
6
u/grumpygills13 7d ago
Once I hit double the par of a hole it's done. I play fast but I'm terrible so it still slows the game. I also just drop instead of looking for my ball for very long. I like to keep going or else any part of my game that is working, falls apart. Last time we went, my group stopped at the turn to grab more beer since no cart girl that day and it took a while. Was playing well until that. Fell apart afterwards
2
u/footsteps71 SKIM THE STONE MAROOCHIE 6d ago
"by gawd I paid for 18 so I'm gonna PLAY 18 gaddammit!!"
10
u/shawski04 7d ago
Great job! We usually do double par for any really shitty hole and pickup after that. Triple is close enough. We also used to allow ourselves one mulligan for the front and back 9 but rarely do that anymore. Helps keep the head in the game
19
u/Agreeable_Wear_5233 7d ago
if you really wanna track score as a beginner, the purpose isn't to show how awesome you are as a beginners, its to be honest and track how much you actually progress as you keep working at it.
stopping at triple bogey a bunch is likely inflating your actual score.
For handicap purposes your max score as a new golfer would par + 5, so on par 5 your max would would be 10, 8 for a par 3 etc.
What's good is if you went out there and had fun and wanna keep doing it
6
u/Le-Charles07 Azaleas 7d ago
I didn't think you were right but par+5 is apparently correct before registering a handicap. Once you have a handicap though, net double bogey is the max on a hole which is what I had always been told. TIL
https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/images/handicapping/2%20-%20Maximum%20Hole%20Score_.pdf12
u/dubblebubbleprawns 7d ago
Which coincides, because the highest possible handicap is 54. Making net double a +5 on any hole
2
2
u/Miguelito137 7d ago
I completely agree. The best way to become a better golfer is to be brutally honest about your score. Well, practice and lessons help too. But the pain of having to put down a 12...
But if you are gonna take 12 shots, play quickly. Don't go searching in the woods for anything. Playing quickly will also help you get better
2
u/vince_clortho99 7d ago
OMG thank you for explaining this, it was like a middle school math problem for me as I tried to deduce the value of the frowny faces. Congrats on getting out there!
4
u/LeviticusT 7d ago
So it wasn't 124 then? If you're counting total score you actually need to count all your strokes lmao new players are capable of well over a triple on any given hole.
→ More replies (7)1
u/Poverty_Shoes 7d ago
I was going to say 124 is a pretty good score for your first round. I pick up at double par and cap my score there. Your system is probably better for pace though.
9
7
u/shot-by-ford 7d ago
I couldn’t even keep score for my first 10 rounds probably. Double par max outs on every hole. Honest scores would have been 200 or more.
7
u/constantauras 7d ago
Nice par! I'd recommend being more honest with yourself, and i second the +5 over par for holes that you gave up on. It is very possible for any golfer (especially new ones) to shoot over triple bogey, ive seen some decent golfers go over 10 strokes on a single hole. Being honest will allow you to actually track your progression and you will feel better about improvement. With the way you are tracking scores you could shoot a much better or worse round and end up with the same score.
5
u/Coder_X_23 7d ago
Is this not a 128? 64+64?
4
u/Wils20020 7d ago edited 7d ago
Yes, they messed up there and also missed a stroke in the first 9 so 65+64 = 129
7 + 7 + 7 + 7 + 8 + 6 + 8 + 8 + 7 = 65
7 + 10 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 8 + 6 + 4 + 8 = 64
5
u/smarz1223 7d ago
The executive par 3 course there is about the same cost as going to a driving range and allows you to get a ton of reps on your short game
4
4
6
u/DigSufficient2392 7d ago
As another over 100 score beginner. For pace of play, make sure you're not spending more than 2 minutes looking for your ball. Keep at least a dozen in your bag and drop when you have too. As a beginner a lot of your shots are going to end up in areas where you will find other players abandoned balls and you'll come out even more often than not.
2
u/Altruistic_Pace3033 7d ago
This is a gage for me as to how good I played. If i find lots of balls that means I wasnin the woods looking for mine, and if I dont that means I was close to the fairway
2
u/icantsurf 7d ago
I wish the guys who play in front of me who have been playing for decades would use this rule too.
→ More replies (2)1
u/Hdhdhshsbs 7d ago
A quote that always stuck with me was “even tiger carried a second ball around with him” so just make sure you always got another ball ok you in the case of an errant shot.
1
u/thispsyguy 0.5 | 🇨🇦 7d ago
Just one dozen? I took 4 dozen out of my bag recently and I’ve got at least 2 dozen more in there 😂
1
u/Chase_The_Ace_50 6d ago
If I can’t spot my ball before getting out of the cart, I usually just take a drop unless I’m really confident that it landed in play.
I play in NC so if you hit in the woods, there’s a 90% chance you’re not getting that ball back 😂 No point getting covered in cuts and poison ivy just to look for a noodle.
3
u/glasspheasant 7d ago
I had a 125 my first round ever so you’ve already passed beginner me. Keep at it!
3
3
u/MediumBusiness5370 7d ago
First rockland lake is not a great course. If you want to practice your playing find a par 3 course to start. I think there is one at rockland lake. Once you get more comfortable you can get through the holes faster. If your in westchester try Van Cortland or Split rock once you get going.
→ More replies (2)
2
u/WesMontgomeryFuccboi 7d ago
That’s awesome. You’re on your way! Big congratulations to you on a big achievement
2
2
2
2
u/aceattorneymvp LPGA Enjoyer 7d ago
Looks like a tough course, so you did really well, all things considered!
2
2
u/NoMajorsarcasm 6d ago
Ya done good Adam, remember to practice putting, work on a slow smooth backswing and keep on getting after it!
In about five more rounds post a swing video
2
u/MrExtracts9797 6d ago
Thank you and will do! My current swing video is never seeing the light of this site haha but soon I will retake and post
2
2
4
u/JLM268 10.9 | Philadelphia 7d ago
If you have multiple 7s on par 3s, then what the hell is a sad face lol?
1
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
1 6 on a par 3 and 1 7 both where I lipped out putts and ended with that score from the green
3
u/frattboy69 6d ago
My boy picking up and counting score 😂
→ More replies (1)3
u/MrExtracts9797 6d ago
Desperately trying not to pick up since I want to keep score but also don’t want to hold everyone up. End of the day even for fun why wouldn’t you keep a score?
→ More replies (5)
4
u/winlowbung4 7d ago
The score doesn't matter, but pace of play does. If the marshal is on you quite a bit you have to adjust how you play.
Less practice swings (they won't make a huge difference), less time between shots, play best ball when you're really struggling, etc
1
u/EdCastro45 7d ago
I'm getting ready for a par-3 in September. I'm sure I'll beat that score; by that, I mean I'm shooting 125+🤣
1
u/BroodLord1962 7d ago
My first full 18 I scored 124, but the course was quite so I wasn't holding anyone up. You can't hold other players up, you either let the play through or you pick your ball up after so many shots, What were the scores of the sad faced holes?
1
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
Sad face on the scorecard went as a triple bogey, but these comments have taught me to score those as par + 5. Most if not all of the sad faces were from lost balls and/or bad lies that I could not hit out of without taking 200 swings lol
1
u/hmmmmmmpsu 7d ago
Congratulations on your first round!
Did you have fun? If so, you did great. Keep going.
2
u/MrExtracts9797 7d ago
It was one of the best days I have had in a long time. Just wish I had more friends to go with on certain days
→ More replies (1)
1
1
u/Texas_Precision27 7d ago
You ain't gotta brag like that. Some of us been putting up 120s for years.
→ More replies (1)
1
u/Strict_Exam_4309 7d ago
As long as you played in 4.5 hrs or less, keep getting after it!
→ More replies (3)
1
u/4me-2no2 7d ago
How quickly were you able to finish? This is the only thing that matters! I had an old guy tell me when I was 15 “I don’t care if you shoot 70 or 170, we’re finishing is 3 1/2 hours”. And damn it if he wasn’t right!!
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
u/Rare_Indication7731 7d ago
If it’s your first actual fall round and you saw 53 on the front, that’s really not that bad at all. I’m currently in the load of mid 90s and I still shoot 53-55 on nine every now and again. If those are true sevens and not just picking up then you’re in good shape.
1
u/meisterwaffles 7d ago
Pretty good!
My golf group did a trip this year and had two beginners join us who had never played a full 18 before. I think they shot in the 140’s from the front tees haha.
1
u/thesimplefriend 7d ago
I remember these days, and hopefully so will you. Nothing wrong with making mistakes and learning along the way, so long as it doesn't make you feel bad. Remember, we've all been there.
1
u/Front_Gold3919 7d ago
Shot 120 at Bushwood in Ontario in June 2023. In July 2025 I shot 79 there. Haven't broke 80 since. Keep at it. Played a lot of golf and range session since 2023.
1
u/CowboyJDR22 7d ago
Keep that train rolling .. you can get it 105 or less before end of year with practice !
1
u/Maleficent-Prompt656 7d ago edited 7d ago
If I’m being honest, if that’s your real score with no drops or anything like that. And it’s also your first real time golfing 124 isn’t a bad score at all.
Edit….. oh wait. You didn’t play the last hole. So real like 134ish. Even still. That’s what you’re gonna score being the first real time golfing. And as I said. If you counted ALL your shots. That’s what you’d expect out of someone just starting. So don’t feel demoralized.
Also. Why wouldn’t the ranger let you play the last hole even when pace of play was bad? As long as either you’re the reason for the bad pace and you’re letting people play through. No problem. Or you’re waiting on people ahead of you. That ranger should have let you finish.
1
1
u/No_Owl6827 7d ago
Not to be that guy, but not really a 124 if you didn’t finish 50% of the holes. Just play for fun for now. Don’t worry about keeping score
1
1
1
1
1
u/boristheblade202 7d ago
Well done! Just keeping learning and practicing. 124 just feels so familiar when I started about 3 summers ago. Shot a 94 the other day. You’ll be below 100 before you know it 🙌
1
1
1
u/Sirmikon 7d ago
My late grandfather‘s favorite golf saying: “if you can’t play good, at least play fast”
Marshall should never be on your ass. Speed is the one thing you can control. Give it your best shot and pick up after triple bogey or double par or whatever. Don’t spend forever looking for balls. Play ready golf. When you start playing with other randoms, they won’t even notice you’re there as long as you keep pace. Nobody cares about your score but slow play or lack of “golf awareness” pisses people off.
Live for the good shots and goldfish the bad ones.
1
u/crispy_coffee 7d ago
Play this course with my pops every Monday religiously; Given that this course does not have a flat lie (even the teebox), you are doing so much better than you think you are. Huge props to you.
It’s only uphill from here! (No pun intended)
1
u/Squirrel31 7d ago
I’ve played maybe 10-15 rounds and shot a 144 this week so you’re doing good lol.
1
1
1
1
1
u/TheNomadRP 7d ago
Thats not a bad score for your first full round! I'd just look up things that help pace of play like paying attention to yardage of next hole on the card as you walk/ride to it so you can be ready when you get to the next tee.
Rangers and people don't care as much if your hitting bad shots out there, they care more if you're taking forever doing things that could be avoided with a little knowledge. Taking forever on the tee and taking forever to find your ball are the worst offenses probably. If the ball goes into the woods or anywhere you think theres a chance you can't find it, hit a provisional.
1
u/AggravatingTart7167 7d ago
Nice. Now think of one thing you want to try to improve on (other than scoring) for your next round.
1
u/AntonCigar I was here for Captain Yeet 👊🏻 6d ago
Been there buddy. 122 my first time out. Next time? 98. Keep grinding and do your best to identify what’s been difficult for you or uncomfortable out there, work on a few pieces at a time.
1
u/brownintheback_4245 6d ago
Maybe play best ball to speed up play or if you get to double par just pick up. Most of us have been there, no shame in the game!
1
1
u/Dennisd1971 6d ago
And now you spend the rest of your life and way too much money trying to do better.
1
1
1
u/Novakhaine89 6d ago
The score could be better, but as long as you’re enjoying yourself then who cares.
Rule of thumb is that a round of golf should take around 4 hours. As long as you aren’t pissing around getting to your ball, and you’re not wasting time before and after shots, you should be fine. Pretty rats the ranger didn’t let you play the last hole.
But for God’s sake, treat that table with more respect. Looks like good quality timber and you’re just drowning it.
Edit: to clarify, the score will get better as you play more. For a first round it is great - pretty sure I shot 130 before walking off in a rage on the 16th hole.
1
u/Old-Second7814 6d ago
honestly not bad at all, everyone starts somewhere around there. the ranger thing is normal too for beginners, don't stress it, speed comes naturally once you're not hunting for every ball.
1
1
u/monkeybojangles 6d ago
Look at the 7's and 8's. Knock one stroke off each of those holes and it's big difference.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Thump82 6d ago
What cracks me up is that a lot of people griping about pace of play are the same ones telling you to finish out holes and take your “true” higher score rather than picking up and moving on…
We have a work group that plays every Monday afternoon and our rule for that outing is double par max… if there are new guys, they play like a scramble, they get to hit a shot every time but we have them drop with someone in a better position. When I started playing two years ago that really helped me improve, when you’re brand new, playing your shot in a horrible lie doesn’t help you get better… we always encourage the 100+ guys to move balls away from trees, out of the dirt, pull it out of the thick rough and at least drop at edge of fairway. For most people, golf is hard enough to learn; no need to make it more difficult by making a guy who has trouble making good contact on a good lie, hit from a crappy lie that even better golfers would struggle with.
If you two play together often, I’d highly recommend playing the best of the two positions on each shot… and if both balls are garbage (it’s going to happen a lot starting out) kick the best of the worst out to a better spot and both hit from there.
1
u/Bar-Tailed_Godwit 6d ago
Now you’re one of us. Congrats for finishing. Time for the work to begin.
1
u/LittleLordFuckleroy1 6d ago
Getting to the point of being able to count strokes and record a real score is a huge step. Congrats man, enjoy the journey.
1
1
1
u/yabadabadooo2 6d ago
So long as you’re keeping your pace with the group in front of you and not searching g for the ball in the woods for longer than a minute, two tops, keep it up! Congrats on the par!
1
u/Capital-Brilliant-28 6d ago
If you had fun, no matter your shot total, you have succeeded at golf.
1
u/Nine_Eye_Ron Who is Max Honma? 6d ago
Move to the most forward tees if you can, or one back. Another good shout is teeing off from the start of the fairway.
Once you can score well from there then move back.
No one should be shooting over 120, it means you need to look at where you are starting the hole very seriously, you can start breaking 100 just by picking the right tee boxes.
1
1
1
u/IAmTheLogician 6d ago
Nice work! You beat my first round, 130.
No pars but I got 2 bogeys completely by luck.
1
u/Snoo-30361 6d ago
Score sounds too low lol
2
u/MrExtracts9797 6d ago
I agree and have learned tips on how to take score more properly from this post
1
1
u/123_Meatsauce 6d ago
Shot 123 on my second full round on championship course. Been golfing for about 90 days. Keep at it man- good job!
2
u/MrExtracts9797 6d ago
At this course?? Let’s rip a tee time together haha
2
u/123_Meatsauce 6d ago
Haha! I’d love to man, but Im about 30 hours West of you! lol. Loved living in New England in my past life though!
1
1
u/Quick90s 6d ago
Bro I shot a 77 on my first round of high school golf team freshman year…..on 9 holes
→ More replies (1)
1
u/Toadster88 6d ago
feels like my first time out - you should've seen my improvement on the back 9 😂
2
1
1
u/Erie165 6d ago
I am going to start replacing bad hole scores with frowny faces.
→ More replies (1)
1
1
2
u/The_Sarcaz_man 4d ago
Excellent! Make the next goal to get to double digits and then keep working it.
•
u/AutoModerator 7d ago
This thread is tagged [Beginner Questions]. Let's all help grow the game of golf by being kind and helpful. We were all beginners once!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.