
There was a time when I felt that breaking 80 as a thing, that I cared about, was about to pass into my rearview. It didn't happen. Didn't continue to break it with regularity nor did ever again seriously challenged even par for 18 holes. And eventually my handicap slid into the 'teens.
Still trying to put "break 80" behind me. But It is still a mental hurdle. During the most recent of my 79s, I played for a safe bogey on the final hole just so I could seal up the little moral victory (a strategy which incidentally nearly blew up in my face) rather than you know, shoot for a par, a birdie or even a miracle eagle--i.e. play golf as it was meant to be played

I felt a little poor about it sure, but I also felt nice about not shooting an eighty- or ninety-somethin. That put a nice memorable cap on a groundbreaking level of play that day. 80 or 81 on the other hand would have spoiled much of that impression.
So for the present I have to confess that this feat for me remains as the Mendoza-line. Between acceptability and like, suckage. When I am out on the course, It is in my head.
What do you think about breaking 80?