What Are Your 2020 Golf Goals?

[iacas]

Like our 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 threads, here's the official thread for 2020!

The rules are the same as they've been:

1. Post your personal golf-related goals for 2020. Be specific and thorough.
2. Elaborate on how you'll go about achieving these goals. Details, people!
3. Post just once, though if you reach all of your goals, you should quote your post and revise them later in the year. And set harder goals next year.
4. Keep the replies to a minimum. This thread is mostly for the posting of goals. If you want to encourage more discussion of your goals, post a copy of them in your Member Swing thread.

If you're looking to recap your 2019 goals, that topic can be found right here.

Let's hear 'em!

[criley4way]

1. My goals are:
   1. Break Par 4 times this year
   2. Shoot under 70 at least once
   3. Reduce my Handicap to US Open qualifying Eligible (STRETCH)
   4. Play >10 stroke play tournaments
      1. Win 2
      2. Average <75
      3. Qualify for Championship bracket in City tournament
2. This is going to involve a lot of work
   1. Fitness 5-7 days a week 
      1. Increase explosive power
      2. Increase stamina
      3. Increase Stability and balance
   2. Increase average drive 252-270
      1. Increase Club head speed: SuperSpeed training 3 day/week
      2. More consistent center contact
         1. Contact drills
         2. Lessons
         3. improved weight transfer
      3. <0.5 lost shots on drives per round
   3. Improved putting
      1. >95% at 3' (I gave away too many strokes this year with short misses)
      2. <2 3 putts per round: <1.8 putts per GIR
      3. 3' putts 20 in a row 4 days a week

It seems like a lot but they are all geared to WINNING.

 

Edited November 25, 2019 by criley4way
Typo

[phillyk]

1.  Qualify to at least sectionals in US Open
   1. Most of the regional qualifiers I've played in, the cut has been between -2 and even;  that is definitely something I can manage to do
   2. I always work on full swing, but short game needs to be more on point than in the past
   3. Continue with mental approach (basically trying to be happy and enjoy the round, don't get upset by anything)
2.  Lower handicap to +2.5 and keep it there
   1. Full swing is usually good, get 11-14GIR a round; partial wedges and putts inside 15ft need to be better
3.  Place top 5 in the pro ams I play in
   1. It's easy to lose focus in these events, just need to take the round more seriously

[billchao]

I only have one goal for this coming year:

• Single digit index.

I feel like the pieces have already fallen into place this year and it's just a matter of putting everything together.

The full swing should be good enough and I'm going to purchase the clubs I was fitted for to get the most out of it. If I can hit the new driver as straight on the course as I did at the fitting, I'm probably 90% of the way there. My approach shots are negatively affected by my poor driving. As for my iron play, switching to more forgiving irons is going to make my shots more consistent and my misses better. I have no business playing my current clubs, no matter how good they might look in the bag. I'm obviously going to keep working to improve my full swing.

My short game and putting have both improved and I'm only about one stroke behind a 10 handicap in both skills combined as it is. One of the things I learned late this year is how to hit partial swing shots into greens with more than just the wedges. Punchy 8i approaches and stuff like that. Contact was much cleaner and start lines much more controllable than simply taking a 3/4 wedge shot for X yardage. I'm going to work on my short game and putting next year the same way I did this year because it obviously worked (I was losing five strokes to a 10 handicap a year ago).

[Darkfrog]

1. Complete a round with 0 penalty strokes from lost ball / OB / penalty area. Came close a couple times in 2019, but not quite there yet.
2. Improve handicap index to < 15. Currently sitting between 17-18, with a year of swing lessons starting to come together my scores and index are improving. I think dipping below 15 is reasonable.
   • Continue full swing lessons to improve driving / approach shots and get more GIR/nGIR
   • Get fitted for driver or driver shaft as needed based on swing characteristics
   • Achieve consistency in putting. Right now my putting performance can turn on a dime from good to awful. Frankly I've never spent much time with green reading methodology or honing my putting stroke because when I took golf less seriously, I was usually just putting out for double or triple bogey. I probably need to consider a green reading class like Aimpoint, and putter fitting, in addition to more practice time.
   • Achieve short game consistency. Similar to putting, some days I just have no touch inside 50 yards. I've had some lessons / tutorials on short game, but just don't practice putting often enough to make meaningful improvements.
3. Eagle a par-5. Haven't eagled a par-5 in about 15 years, and this would be a morale boost to my game, as far as being able to string together quality shots with long clubs (driver/ fairway, driver/hybrid, driver/long iron).
4. Get a hole in one. Why not?

Edit: Added eagle par-5 goal.

Edited November 25, 2019 by Darkfrog

[stricklerlee]

1. For next year, I forecast my handicap to be lower than 5 handicap. I am looking for my score average to be 80. Right now, it’s 85. I am also looking to play in pats next year. 

2. In order to achieve this goal, I am committed to one or two rounds a week. So, basically, around 80-104 rounds next year. Also, practice more than usual. I think that two times a week practicing is sufficient. Practicing involves at the golf range, practice hole where I hone my short game approach, and putting for at least 30 minutes. 

Also, use the swing plane golf aide and super speed to further develop my golf swing. 

[hokie2009]

My goal this year is to get to a single digit handicap. I currently do not have an index and have never broken 100 (although I've broken 50 many times on the easier 9 of my home course, the par 35 side ... I have never broken 50 on the harder/back 9) ... but things are clicking rapidly every time out ...

It sounds outrageous perhaps but I just started to pick the game up from zero background this April and just a couple months ago abandoned the single plane setup for a more traditional approach and ... well. It's just a priority for me. I have joined a club and have ample free time to dedicate.

I have been following George Gankas fundamentals and plan on purchasing his website program, but keep making such great progress "on my own" I keep putting it off another week, another week ...

I believe I can get there by doing a few things primarily- working on being able to 2-putt very consistently (by working a lot on lag putting and then drilling from 3-5 feet very deliberately), and getting my short game to go along with it to where I can scramble successfully 50%+ of the time. Not sure if these are appropriate numbers to put on it but basically- short game first and foremost. I can keep the ball in play and hit greens already, I feel that with dedicated practice to basic good contact and attaining some excellence in short game I should be able to break 80 frequently enough to hold a single digit handicap.

And then the fun begins! 🙂

my swing thread:

 

 

[Bonvivant]

I had no goals for 2019 as I was just picking the game back up after a pretty hefty hiatus. For 2020:

1. No penalty round.

I came really close to this goal this year, and I feel that it is only a matter of time.

2. This one is a 2 stage goal. HDCP below 15 by seasons end. If I am sub 15 by July, I would like to make this a sub 12 goal for the rest of the year.

My game has come a long way in my first year of serious golf. From never shooting below 100, to getting my first eagle and having multiple sub 80 rounds on a very short full course (5000 yards CR 63.0). I think that with some minor adjustments, and improved consistency, both of these HDCP goals are achievable.

3. Play more than 60 rounds.

I plan on getting a pass that is good for 6 municipal courses, and I don't want my money to go to waste. Ideally, I will play much more than this, but 2-3 rounds a week during peak season should be more than achievable.

4. No club purchasing.

I like shiny objects sometimes (lots of the time), and I want to eliminate my desire for them to a certain extent. Going a season without purchasing something would be a big accomplishment, haha. I do need to replace my 5 Hybrid with something more suitable to the gap that I have, and I hope to do this before 2019 is out so that this goal can be on.

5. Learn to accept that play will be slow, no matter how much I wish it wasn't so.

Anyone that has seen my other posts knows how much this bothers me. I play best when I play fast, like blistering fast. I need to learn how to not get distracted, frustrated, and mean when I am playing at a 4.5 hour pace. This is more character than golf related, but I still think it belongs here because if I can hit the same shots with the same consistency that I do when I play fast all of the time my game will be far better.

6. Take at least 1 golf trip.

I have never taken a golf trip as I wasn't that serious about the game. Now that winter is here, I feel like this is something that I will need to do during the colder months to keep me sane. My good friend, @topoftheline89, and I need to start planning this one.

[Konsta]

My goals for 2020

Lower HCP from 8,6 to 2

Get on the Finnish Junior Tour (only best 50 junior players aged 8-21 in the region can attend them)

Make swing better

 

[klineka]

4 hours ago, Konsta said:

My goals for 2020

Lower HCP from 8,6 to 2

Get on the Finnish Junior Tour (only best 50 junior players aged 8-21 in the region can attend them)

Make swing better

How are you going to do accomplish those goals? What specific things are you working on? Will you be working with an instructor?

On 11/25/2019 at 11:03 AM, iacas said:

The rules are the same as they've been:

1. Post your goals personal golf-related goals for 2020. Be specific and thorough.
2. Elaborate on how you'll go about achieving these goals. Details, people!

 

[burr]

My goals are to improve score through more time on the course.  I hope to play more and different local courses, and this will mean either solo or pick up some partners from the past.  I've been trying to hook up with these good ole friends from last century and only been able to a couple times.  We trying.  My steady partner has fallen in love with my home course and does not need more;  he's looking for some consistancy and a familiar setting is good for this.  I need some variation at this point and since he can't play but maybe twice a month (I've been playing solo at this course when he can't break free), it gives me space to play more at different courses.  Down here, we have an abundance of really good golf at fair $$ and no crowds.  (I'm so happy I took  the game back up) 
Also goal of finding a putter and a 24 degree hybrid (used), probably from BonaventureGolf.   

[Lee Barker]

My goal next year is to improve further, after 5 years of gradually going up from 14 to 19 i had a great finish to the year and finished on 14.8.

I have made the decision to stop playing so much and instead use the time to practice more.

So my goals for 2020 are to practice the weak areas of my game, take up lessons with the club pro and to hopefully see more Pars and birdies on my cards than double bogies or worse.

[Costa389]

My 2020 goals are-
1. improving my gameplay.
2. I'll fix my hook.
3. Learning swing from pro golfers.
4. Eat, play & repeat, LMAO.

[JackG]

my goals for 2020 in golf are ;

 

1. get to +2 or better handicap

2.win tournaments throughout the year

3.drive 300 yards atleast(  go to gym constantly)

4.learn to play good when playing with others

i know its a bit ambitious, at the moment I can drive 270-280 my short game is my biggest weakness although I shouldve put learn to play good when playing with  others first as I can go round in about 74 (my course is par 67) when i play with others its more like 85-90 lol, the people I play with put pressure on me by saying wow I got really good swing etc and expect me to be shooting par and i guess that puts me off a lot. if anyone has any tips with dealing with pressure.

i used to golf when i was like 11 for a few months and got my handicap to 36 then quit for ages just due to moving and doing otherstuff, now im 23 and refound golf 3months ago and have picked it up super fast

[Jmdmbike]

Get my index into the single digits and keep it there.

Improve the short game, particularly putting to reduce 3 putts.

Learn to hit my hybrid so I'm as comfortable with it as an iron. 

I will continue to take lessons with my PGA professional to try and achieve my goals in golf...

 

[vonbonds]

In my third year of golfing I want to achieve the following..

• Decrease my index from 24.1 to mid to low teens
  • Improving ball striking via shortened back swings, choking up on the grip and continued lessons
  • Improve lag putting, this along with my driver need constant improving
• Increase my fitness
  • Purchased a motorized push cart so I walk more often than cart in 2020
  • Continue my healthier eating
  • Increase strength conditioning
• Improve mental game
  • Focus on positive thinking
  • Shake off a bad shots and not let it snowball into blow ups
  • Increase my enjoyment of the game, stop feeling down or dejected after a bad round, it still beats work

 

[Sean_D]

In my third year of golfing,

• Lower index to <11
  • This high level goal will be achieved by achieving the lower level goals below.
• Increase fairways hit to >50% (currently at 42%)
  • Working with my coach
  • Performing drills to improve face-to-path, optimize launch angles, increase swing speed
• Increase GIR to >45% (currently at 28.52%)
  • Focus on ball striking with middle and long irons as my GIR numbers drop significantly at 150-200 yards out.
• Increase Scramble (<50 yds.) percentage to >35% (currently at 26.6%)
  • Scramble drills at short game area
  • Learning to hit short game shots with different trajectories using clubs from my 9i - 60*.
• Reduce 3-putts to <10%
  • Practice lag putting
• Participate in at least five tournaments
  • Finish "In-The-Money" in at least one.
• Repeat as champion of my Monday night league.
• Repeat as top money winner of my Thursday night league
• Complete 54-hole challenge on the summer solstice.

I track all my stats using Shot Scope. 

[saevel25]

Here are my 2020 goals. 

1. Continue to work on a swing that less based on timing
   1. Be less stuck in the golf downswing that results in a flip
   2. Keep the turn rates up to not let the clubhead overtake the hands
2. Keep working on not overswinging
   1. It just needs to be part of my practice routine every time I work on my full swing. 
3. Continue to work on my short game.
   1. Review and work on good pitching and chipping fundamentals. 
   2. Spend more time working on shots I expect to see during a round. 
4. Play in 4 tournaments in 2020. 
   1. Just be committed to this goal.