As an intro, 6 years ago I shot a 76 as a 15 handicap. It didn't have a mystical or magical feel to it. I was just flat out focused, in the zone, and everything came together all at once. I actually had a two hole stretch in that round where I was +5, and I was -1 for the other 16 holes. I shot 87 the following day. I then followed up that effort by going 6 years without breaking 80. Which leads me to my mystical experience...
Last December my handicap was at an all-time high (since I began tracking) of 18. I had a couple sub-90 rounds in the early spring to get it back to the 15 range. In late spring my cat was hit and killed by a car. He was like a family member, and it hit me really hard. I hadn't been in high spirits all week, but my wife and I agreed it might do me some good to spend a little time on the golf course that weekend. I declared the round "in honor of Mags" and marked my golf balls with his initials. I started the day "off" on the range. I made a few tweaks and started to hit the ball a little better. I moved over to practice some putts, and I had a really good feel for the greens that morning.
On the first hole I hit an indifferent tee shot, approach, and chip - but I sank a 25 footer for par. On the second hole, I hit a low runner that landed in a pond and skipped across to dry land. I was on the par 5 green in 4 and I sank a 30 footer for par. I also made par on #3. I hit a few bogey bumps and I also had a double, but I managed to sneak in a birdie and I played the front nine in 41 without striking the ball particularly well.
On the back nine, I started with a bogey on #10. #11 is a long par 5 with OB running down the left. I hit a push fade and it appeared that my ball was a goner. I played a provisional ball, and I hit it further left than the original. I played another provisional tee shot (thinking that I'm hitting 5 and my round is over) that landed in the fairway. After a couple minute search, I was about to give up, when I caught a glimpse of a ball in the long grass just inside the OB. It was my original drive - I had hit a tree and gotten a fortunate bounce. I had to punch out the next one, but I at least salvaged bogey on the hole. With hope restored, I played the next 4 holes in 1 under par.
#16 is another par 5. I hit a great tee shot, and I hit a solid second shot but it ran a bit longer than expected and ended up in a bunker. I walked up to the ball, and found it only about a foot from the back lip of the bunker with a downhill lie. I had about 30-40 yards to carry to the green and the entire distance was covered by bunkers. I don't have this shot in my bag, but I was determined to attempt it. As I dug in the sand, I gazed down upon my cat's initials on the ball. Feeling helpless, I actually said out loud, "I really need your help here, Mags." I took a swing and hit just the right amount of sand behind the ball to carry the ball just on the green. I left myself about 12 feet, and two-putted for par.
After a par on #17, I walk up to #18 needing only a bogey on a short par 4 to break 80. I hit a poor tee shot followed by a poor approach shot. I was left with about 30 yards in for my 3rd shot. I hit a nervous pitch which landed short of the green. I then chipped to somewhere in the 7-8 foot range. I stepped up and knocked that bogey putt confidently in the middle of the hole.
It was a bizarre way to break 80 for the first time in 6 years. I haven't done it again this year, though I've been close a couple of times. I've been playing my best golf this summer and my handicap is now down to a 10. I'm hoping that I don't have to wait another 6 years to break 80 again.