I'll post some successes and horrendous failures from my many years experience.
Age: Approx 16. Saw a blonde hottie out in the surf, thinking quickly I got a mate to give me one of his ciggies (I don't smoke) and grabbed my surf board and paddled out to her. Bobbing around in the fairly tame surf I turned to her with a damp, flaccid cigarette poking out of my mouth and said "Excuse me, you got a light?". Girl burst out laughing and conversation immediately was off to a flying start. Girl commented "THAT was original!" Succes rating, 8/10. We agreed to meet up that night, a few underage drinks and a good old fashioned pash session but no more.
Age: 24ish. I was out at a pub and the song Stacie's mum was playing, as it was popular at the time. A friend introduces me to her friend Stacie. Foolishly I thought it would be funny to comment on the song "Stacie, lovely to meet you, apparently your mum has got it going on."
"Actually she's dead..."
"Oooohhhhhhh..."
...
In the distance a cricket chirped, a baby cried, a glass dropped.. Finally I said "It was lovely to meet you, I'm going to go and flush my face down the toilet.."
Success rating: 5/10. I drove her home because I felt like an utter cunt, but got a little kiss session in the car out of it but no more as she was going away to London later that week. To add insult to injury the gods of Karma gave me a flat tyre on my way home.
Age: 27. I had been at a mates birthday all day and was absolutely rooted. We were at a bar in the City. Suddenly I saw this hot Asian girl. My energy levels immediately spiked and I walked over to her. "Hi, my name is (name) what's yours?"
"(Insert name)"
"Lovely to meet you ...., I hope you don't mind me saying, you are by far the most beautiful girl I remember seeing anywhere, ever, I had to come over and speak to you and find out your name."
"Oh come on, that's way too corny!"
"Nope. The absolute truth. Thank you (name) I hope you have a lovely evening." Went to walk away..
"Here.(Reaches in to bag). Take my card. Maybe we can have coffee some time?"
"That would be lovely.."
Success rating. 10/10. We married 1 year later, and while that marriage later went to total shit and we separated, it gave me my daughter so...
I could add dozens of success stories of pick ups at bars, clubs etc that ended in either relationships or sex, they were all pretty standard "Hi, how are you?" Or random conversations started..