2009 Goals - Recap Your Year

***iacas*** · October 13, 2009

With golf season coming to a close for virtually everyone in the northern half of the U.S., it's time for the assessment thread.

Here's how this will work.

Quote your post in the 2009 Goals thread . Add some text below to share how you did.

Please do not reply to the posts of other people. This thread, like "What'd You Shoot Today," is not intended to be a discussion, but merely a list of people's goals and how they fared.

Again, here's the goals thread . I'll start it off first (next post).

***iacas*** · October 13, 2009

Practice more. I've had excuses in the past few years re: the range being closed or not build, etc., but this year I'm not going to let myself off the hook so easily. I can practice without hitting a real golf ball, for example, or in my yard hitting chips and pitches.

Reduce and then maintain handicap index below 2.0. I hit 1.8 in 2008, but it went back up right away. I want to finish the year below 2.0 this year.

Mentally commit to the next shot. I don't care if it's on the practice range or not, I want to commit to every shot. It's nearly impossible, so I'm looking for improvement, but this alone could help me to accomplish the goal above.

Continue to work on the short game. Work at home extensively with training aids like the Z-Factor, and continue to adopt and use Stan Utley's short game methods for pitching, chipping, and bunker play. I did well in 2008 with them and my short game was my saving grace in an otherwise crappy ballstriking year.

Cement my swing changes (and work with an instructor). I'm completely self-taught, but taking video of myself every few months just isn't going to cut it. I need someone else's eyes for immediate feedback in order to cement the swing changes (i.e. not my old, super-flat swing) I've been working on for two+ years now.

One round in the 60s. I don't even care if they're from a set of tees a bit further forward than I'd normally play - I want at least one round in the 60s.

Some stats: Score (avg): 76, FWY: 60%, GIR 55%, Total Putts: 29, PPGIR: 1.75, PPMGIR: 1.3.

My results:

Practice More Happened simply because I took lessons this year. Didn't practice my short game, though. Not even a total of about two hours all year, probably... Was focusing on the full swing all year. Reduce and then maintain handicap index below 2.0. Woohoo! Despite not practicing the short game, it's been around 1.4 to 1.6 all year. That shows how much my full swing improved. Next year with a balanced practice schedule should be good. Mentally commit to the next shot. Needs improvement... but I think that's always my answer. I improved on this over 2008, so it's a small win. Continue to work on the short game. Errr, oops. Cement my swing changes (and work with an instructor). Turns out I'd over-done my swing changes and/or was going about them wrong. So "cement them" went the way of the dodo. But I do feel like I've done a lot to cement what the instructor and I did work on all year. One round in the 60s. I did this at least twice from the white tees at Lake View. And my team shot 62 in a scramble in which we used all but four of my shots. Some Stats Score (avg): 75.44 (check) FWY: 55.73% (not bad) GIR: 49.0% (close) Total Putts: 29.92 (check) PPGIR: 1.85 (close, but still needs improvement. Fixed something late in the year that helps) PPMGIR: 1.38 (see above, plus the part about not practicing my short game or putting all year). Overall, I'd give myself an A- for the year. I hit some key stats and goals. The ones I didn't were somewhat intentional - I wanted to "bake in" my full swing changes and I chose to neglect my short game somewhat to do so, because my short game never got so bad I _had_ to work on it.

**ERC7.5** · October 13, 2009

Break par a few times - accomplished on one 9 last season (shot 51 on the front and 35 on the back

Single digit handicap - looking at 8 for my number

Range visits - started last season pretty good with this....then stopped

Practice with a purpose - play solo rounds (easy to do at my course) and practice shots into the green, nail my yardages down

Enjoy every aspect of the game....including putting - I'm bad about putting....

Win both league championships

Play more nice courses - need to get around

Break par a few times Success! Kinda....shot 35 in league one night. Was hoping to shoot under par for 18 though.

Blew a few good rounds that could have been Single digit handicap Not so much. It did drop though. Range visits Started getting better about this after seeing video of my swing.....but that wasn't until August. Practice with a purpose Other than range visits.....I really didn't play any rounds with the intention of practicing. Every time I showed up to the course.....someone was there to play with. Enjoy every aspect of the game....including putting Still hate putting. Win both league championships I really need to become more realistic with my goals. Play more nice courses Played a fair amount of really nice courses.

**ControlJunkie** · October 14, 2009

Average at least 60% FIR - Definitely built up to this throughout the summer, and generally had no problem maintaining it, though I'd inexplicably have a few rounds where the driver had to stay in the bag. Which leads me to...

Better overall consistency with long irons and woods - Definitely improved here as well, but I've got to eliminate the blowups and make the bad days better.

Be at the course practicing on the range or playing at least 4 days a week - I definitely kept this going from March, up until about a month ago, when the rain has prevented me from keeping the same pace.

Keep working towards a flatter swing - This is where most of my problems come from. I don't know if I get lazy, or aggravated, or what, but the first two come back to this one. Still in progress, but I definitely have made great strides forward...

Learn to shape my shots better - I got much better with going straight and hitting a fade on demand, but the draw wasnt quite as consistent. Though I'm pretty pleased with my distance, I also need to continue working on keeping the ball lower, and going high or low on demand.

Improve short game by averaging 7 ft. or less to the pin on my chip shots - Definitely accomplished this one. I holed quite a few chips, and consistently stayed pretty close to the pin throughout the year.

Improve lag putting - Started the year with no distance control whatsoever. Had gotten much better, then regressed for a little while after I switched putters, but got back to where I was previously at. Of course, if I fail to practice my putting for any extended stretch, I generally suck and I pay for it.

Luckily, I'll be able to keep working at these throughout the fall and winter, but I already have a good idea of what my new goals are for next year. I hope I'm not getting too ahead of myself here

bayareamtnbiker · October 14, 2009

1 Move to country club, play w/low handicappers, on tougher courses. DONE moved, playing mostly w/ low single digit players, learning from them.
2 Brake 80 at home course.
DONE 79 this month w/no birdies, 3 mos to spare. Have reached a higher level at last.
3 Learn finer points from experienced members
DOING

2009 accomplishments (3rd year)
GHIN dropped from 19 to 12
Won 1 tournament, placed in 3, came in 2nd in club’s “Player Of The Year”.
Drives longer, more consistent, more easy GIRs and shorter putts.
Shaping works more often than not like desired.
Fewer setup mistakes, aiming w/ more consistency and precision, fewer shot selection mistakes (still make 'em, just not as many).
Completely changed swing, grip, chipping and putting techniques.
More confident, few jitters, good performance in tournaments.

Lot's to improve on, but good progress for someone in late 50's.

PingGolfer95 · October 14, 2009

-My goals are to break 90 consistantly. Done average score is 88.
-Work on my putting a lot. Done but in the last half of season :( Got a new putter.
-Stop the slice. Done Driver I play a power fade, Irons straight shot.
-Beat my Dad. Almost Done, we both tied with 93's.

**ks8829** · October 14, 2009

Focused on the short game, putting, chipping and pitch shots within 100 yards. I also focused on iron play with a practice drill hitting irons on a grassy field.

result with more confidence in putting, higher percentage of up and down and one putts.

yesterday shot one over with 6 out of 9 up and down success with 28 putts for 18 holes. (including a double boogie in the round, 3 birdes and 2 boogies)

I did not shoot under par as planned but shot more consistent lower scores and feel under par is very near again.

**Shindig** · October 14, 2009

Consistent improvement routine. Since my life is divided into quarters, I need to schedule improvement time each quarter. This means practice with the wedges and putter at least twice a week and golf exercise at least twice.

I managed this for most of the year, especially after June.

For Winter Quarter (Jan-Mar), I don't have to be on campus until 10am any given day (but must be at 10 each day). Accordingly, I'm going to go to a nearby course and work on my short game 2-3 times per week and exercise the other 2-3 days. I have yet to determine which days for which.

Yeah, didn't do this.

I would like to break 85 by my birthday (June 28). Seeing as how I shot an 85 (on the nose) by my birthday last year, I view this as very doable.

My first time breaking 85 was just after my birthday, by about two weeks. I've since broken 85 four times, and felt like I was struggling one of those times. Good signs!

I would like to break 80 by the end of the year. I broke 100 in July 2007 and 90 in April 2008. So hopefully I can break 80 by January 2010.

To be determined. Watch this board for updates!

Don't let my golf get in the way of school. I'm making great progress in school and I'm on track to graduate in good time. In conjunction:

Despite playing lots of golf, I managed to keep this in check. I'm just short of having a dissertation topic (narrowed down to two potentials). And I've made two submissions of research papers this year, and a third is on the way.

Don't let school get in the way of golf. I still need to have a life.

Success!

**Lefty-Golfer** · October 15, 2009

I wasn't on here at the start of year. 2008 was my first year of regular golf. Prior to that it was once a month for some beers on a Saturday.

In March of 08 I joined a club, started posting scores and ended up with an index of 12.2 playing to a 14. My goal at the new year was as simple as be single index number by the end of 09...easy enough right. all it is 2.2 away.

My club in PA starts posting the rounds on April 1. I had 8 or 10 rounds in through February and March. I thought I was ready to go...By the time I returned from our annual Spring Myrtle Beach trip i was indexed at 13.?, by the end of May I was 15 playing to an 18 HC.....WTF.

So I strarted to work harder, play little smarter...fast forward to October. Index 12.4 Sigh.

I failed this years goal but at least I know why. Next year single digits baby.

**hokiebound** · October 22, 2009

Broke 100-check
Get lessons-never got around to it

**RS22** · October 23, 2009

I played golf (hitting balls or on the course) for 6-7 days a week from when I was 11 til 22. I took a few years off and only played once or twice a year the last couple years for fun w/ friends from work. This year I got the golf bug again and I just started back up. I'm going to play every weekend and hit balls several days during the week. I joined this site to get caught up on new equipment out there and get to talkin bout golf!! I'm excited for 2010

**misty_mountainhop** · October 23, 2009

1) I've always hit a reliable draw. Since a back injury 10 years ago it's been getting harder and harder year on year to maintain so for '09 I'd like to remodel things to hit a reliable fade.

Hmmm.... 1) Getting there. Playing time been very limited this year so played few rounds. Got some range time in where I'm beginning to get the hang of some sort of powerfade. Quite a bit of tinkering left to do though but hopefully I can get it nailed on for next year. Definitely worth persevering with it. 2) Lol! Not a single stride run with fitness in mind. Oh well, there's always tomorrow!

**Parker0065** · October 24, 2009

My ultimate goal was and is to get back to scratch golf or better. I did make some nice strides this year and one thing that really made a difference was I added unlimited range use to my current membership. This gave me the oppertunity to do a proper warm up before a round as well as spending time working on my game.

I worked my handicap down from 3.5 to 1.8 with one swing improvement and some solid putting. The swing change was really just working on keeping my hands ahead of the clubhead through impact to help lower my trajectory. This biggest reason I wanted to do this was to change my wedge shots from a high soft shot that I had trouble controlling distance at times to a lower shot with more spin. This was a tremendous help in getting my wedge shots from 120 yards and in close to the hole which greatly increased my average birdies per round.

As far as my putting, I really just worked on keeping my body and head more still during the stroke and putts started falling.

I believe I will reach my goal in 2010 as a scratch player and I am looking forward to playing in some bigger tournaments and testing my game next year.

Baglgolfer · October 24, 2009

I played well, but still not enough. Trying to stay commited to at least once a week. Haven't gotten my holein one yet. There's always next year.

**ks8829** · October 31, 2009

Improved my up and down percentage and putting stats with my best rounds at 1 over two times. My drivers have been consistent and learn the partial shot with my wedges and irons. hitting my fairway woods well and learn to practice to sharpen up my game.

My goal is to shoot under par before the end of the year which I feel confident I shall accomplish, in my humble opinion.

**bogeyhitter25** · October 31, 2009

I kept remaking new goals. I had 5 different sets of goals.

I definitely know that I had a really good year, though. I shot a 36 (E) which a year ago I would have thought I was kidding myself if I thought I could shoot even par. I've really worked harder than ever this year on trying to shape up my game. And it paid off. Gotta continue to work harder though.

**kfowler** · November 2, 2009

I can't seem to find my original goals but one of my main ones was to get down to a 15 HCP. I didn't think I would make it as I was hovering around 16ish. I had a late rally the last two rounds and it's dropped to 14.9 officially. That's about 8 points better than last year!!!

**mirv** · November 8, 2009

main goal: get handicap to less than 10. i'd like to be somewhere around a 7 by the end of the year.

handicap is still teetering between 10 and 12 for the most part. come to find out, my swing was already grooved and consistent, my entire problem was setting up to the ball. soooo... now we're working on THAT to hopefully have it ironed out by the time spring rolls around.

putting is better from 10 feet in, though still not to the level that i would like for it to be. i rarely sink anything outside of the 6-7 foot range, but the 10 footers are rarely more than a foot or two away from the hole when they stop, as opposed to being three or four feet away. improvement, however small it may be.

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2009 Goals - Recap Your Year

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