The theory goes that if you've ever parred 2 holes in a row then you should be able to do it 18 times. That of course would have to be taking into consideration the fact that making those 2 pars was on purpose and not one of the best things you've ever done on a golf course.
Let's look at it another way...most of us who have played the same course or courses for a long period of time, have at one time or another parred each hole at least once. All you have to do now is put it all in to a single round and you've got a career round in your pocket. Sounds easy doesn't it?
What usually ends up happening is that we'll par the first couple of holes, then get a bogie, and then we tell ourselves.....ok, I can birdie one of the next 2 holes and get that stroke back. The problem is you then bogie again and completely lose your thought process, or you overthink it, or you try to get too cute with a shot, or you try for the long ball, or the long shot, and then you just get angry. You're now walking off the course with one of your worst rounds in months and you wonder what happened. It started out so good and ended so bad. Oh well, that's golf.
I've thought about my better rounds many times and have tried to evaluate what it was that happened that day that made my round so successful. I've broken 80 quite a number of times. There was a time when I was breaking 80 at least every other round. I've played a lot of rounds where I was only 3 or 4 over par and that felt great. What I've realized that I did so successfully then was that I practiced with a purpose. At the range I knew what I wanted to do, I practiced what I wanted to practice, I looked for the shot that I wanted to hit, and overall I got the result I was looking for with each practice session. On top of all that, I really enjoyed it because I knew that I could take it to the golf course more times than not and get the same results.
I've only broken par once, and on a very tough course. But I've had a lot of real opportunities to repeat it and except for a shot here or there it would have happened. But then I know that those scores will come with more consistent practice and play. Practice is great but don't become a driving range pro, you know the type, great off the tee but can't find the green for your life.
It took me a lot of time and effort (and money, it's not cheap in California) to get my game to a point where I was consistent. I played for a long time with scores above 90 and on a good day breaking 90...and it felt great when I did. But it takes a concerted effort to be good at anything and it takes a want to make that concerted effort a reality. I almost always play as a single and for many years I played in groups where I watched some "guy" crush the ball and play a great round.... and I wanted to be that guy. It took work but I translated my "want" and now I am that guy a lot of the time. It's a good feeling and we all like feeling good. Here's what you should do...practice away from your buddies and then when you go play, no matter what your groups' handicaps are, you can be "that guy" in your group.
Playing to par is not easy to do. Statistics have not changed for many years and they still show that 90% of the people that play golf NEVER break 100. What I would say is that those 90% of the people never practice, even once. And that's ok too. Just don't stand over the shot after it goes WAY off line or only 10 feet in front of you and complain that it didn't go where it should have. It went EXACTLY where it should have, accept it and the rest of your round will be better. If you're a 20+ handicapper add a stroke to each hole and play to that par. Give yourself a reachable target. Golf and Life is about goals and the attainment of those goals. Make them realistic and you've given yourself a chance of reaching them.
Whether in life or on the course, par is a great score. Working consistently towards par is equally just as good. By the way, sub-par is only good on the golf course. The question is....What's your par?