30 Golfing Milestones – How Many Have You Ticked Off?

Golf is a game of milestones - how many of these have you achieved?

Golfing Milestones
(Image credit: Getty Images)

1) Break 100

For a beginner, breaking 100 is a big deal and a target in most golfers' early days.

2) Join a golf club

Joining a golf club is always a big step for a golfer. It's a commitment to your golf game and also a chance to meet new friends, get a handicap and play in roll ups and competitions.

3) Get a handicap

An official handicap will allow you to play most of the top clubs around the country and world. It measures your true playing ability and is a benchmark for your golf each season - how low can you get it?

4) Complete a round with the same ball you started with

Not to be scoffed at as even professionals still lose golf balls. Beginning and ending the round with the same golf ball is always a bonus. It means you've kept it in play and played half decent!

5) Make a par

A big moment for beginners. Keep playing and many more pars will come!

Golfing Milestones

Do you remember your first par?

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

6) Break 90

Breaking 90 means you've played to around an 18 handicap, which indicates decent golf!

7) Reducing your handicap

Reducing your handicap is a sign that your game is progressing in the right direction. Not only that but, as your handicap gets lower, it means that you're likely to appear near the top of a leaderboard in a club competition, a massive mental benefit as it shows you've played well under pressure.

8) Make a birdie

A birdie is a brilliant moment for all abilities of golfer. Beating the par of the hole briefly makes you feel like a pro.

9) Represent your golf club in a match

Golf is an individual sport so getting the chance to play in a team is always an honour and great fun. Whether it is a home or away match, representing your club against another local one is a proud moment.

10) Hit a par 5 green in two

Golfers love to feel like they've hit the ball a long way, and finding a par 5 green in two provides them with serious bragging rights, just don't three-putt!

11) Win a club competition

Similar to getting your handicap reduced, seeing your name on top of a leaderboard is a proud moment and usually means you'll earn some sort of prize, whether it be a trophy or cash.

Golfing Milestones

Do you remember hitting your first par 5 in two shots?

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

12) Drive a par 4 green in one

Again, similar to hitting a par 5 in two, driving a par 4 in one shot to give yourself an eagle putt is pure bliss and is a great story to tell your pals after your round. Once again, just like number 9, don't three putt!

13) Play a round with no double bogeys or worse

Double bogeys or worse are the card wreckers and so easy to make. 18 holes without one means you've played some solid stuff and will likely compile a low score.

14) Hit all the fairways in one round

This usually means 14 fairways which is some very accurate driving!

15) Break 80

Some golfers will never break 80 in their lives so a score in the 70s in something to be proud of. It usually means you've played to a single figure handicap and compiled 18 solidly-played holes.

16) Play nine holes in level par or better

Every golfer dreams of being level par or better, and after playing nine holes, who knows, you might be able to finish it off! Even if you don't, it still means you've played some fantastic stuff.

17) Make an eagle

Shooting two under on a single hole is very rare and something that won't happen very often for amateur players. Savour the moment!

Golfing Milestones

How many eagles have you made?

(Image credit: Tom Miles)

18) Make back-to-back birdies

One birdie gives you something to smile about but two in a row? That's a memory you can cherish.

19) Make a 2 on a par 4

Did you drive the green and hole the eagle putt? Or did you hole an iron shot?

20) Get your handicap into single figures

One of the holy grails of golf is becoming a single figure handicapper and is a goal for many players with higher handicaps. 9 just sounds better than 10 doesn't it?

21) Get your handicap to 4 or below

Did you know you can take your PGA training if you have a handicap of 4 or below? This is definitely something to brag about with your mates.

22) Win an Open

No, not The Open. Many clubs run Opens throughout the season that members of other clubs can sign up to play in to experience a new course whilst in competition. An Open win is something to savour and the trophy can proudly sit on your mantelpiece reminding you of the day you conquered the field.

23) Break 75

Shooting 75 or better means you're on the cusp of a level par round. Golf is a seriously tough game to play, so to keep your ball under control and putt well to shoot in the low 70s is impressive stuff that only some will ever manage.

24) Break 70

Just like the above, savour the moment if you ever shoot in the 60s! Most players will never have the luxury of being able to say they've broken 70 because it essentially means you've played like a pro for a round.

25) Get your handicap to scratch

If you've done this then you can rightly say that you've mastered the game of golf. Okay, the game can never officially be mastered, but being a scratch player shows you know your way around the course, with the hours and hours of practice you have put through the years creating an extremely proud moment and something very few players achieve.

Golfing Milestones

What is the lowest handicap you've ever had?

(Image credit: Kevin Murray)

26) Play a bogey-free round

A bogey-free round is something found more regularly on the pro tours, so any amateur player who achieves this has had a sensational round.

27) Win your club championship

When it comes to club golf, the club championship is the equivalent of The Masters or The Open. Winning it (I'd imagine) feels like you're a Major champion.

28) Hit all 18 greens in regulation in one round

Even professionals very rarely do this so to hit all 18 greens is some serious laser-like golf.

29) Make an albatross

An albatross (or double eagle for our American friends) means you'll have made a hole-in-one on a par 4 or a two on a par 5! Basically, you've holed it from a long, long way away. They're very rare and most golfers will never get one in their lives.

30) Make a hole-in-one

The real holy grail of golf. Nothing comes close to making a hole-in-one. Probably 50% of golfers have had made an ace in their lives - have you?

Matt Cradock
Staff Writer

Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.


Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.


Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?

Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°

Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°

Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°

Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°

Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x