What Are Your 2020 Golf Goals?

[ejm1994]

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

Like our 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 threads, here's the official thread for 202!

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!
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!

Still a little new to the game, my ultimate goal this year is to break 100 (or break 50 on the 9-hole courses I like to play). I only played three or four times last year when I was learning the game, and each time I was a little over the 100 mark. So the goal is going to be achieved as follows:

1) Improve the consistency of my swing. I tend to put more weight than I should on my back foot during my swing, my drives especially. 

2) Improve my chipping around the green. I have been having trouble getting on the green when I'm close because I tend to overshoot it. Saving a stroke on each hole by eliminating the overshoot of the green would save me anywhere from 9 to 18 strokes!

My goal is to use what advice I can get from these forums in conjunction with a lesson on my driver and hopefully come out swinging more consistently! 

[Hoganman1]

I started 2020 coming off a fairly mediocre year. I turned seventy years old in January and several injuries over the last few years really wrecked my game. However, as we reach the half-way mark of the year, things are getting better. I'm pain free for the most part, I've found a driver that has given me a few more yards off the tee and my short game is coming back. I've always been a good putter and that  saves a few strokes every round. I used to be a single digit handicapper (as low as eight) just a few years ago. Now I'm a 12 and my goal is to get back to single digits this year. I know to do that I have to break 80 at least 30% of the time. Here's hoping I can make that happen. 

PS I'm playing a set of tees that are 6250. I know I could score better at 6000 yards, but None of my buddies want to move up. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by Hoganman1

[gerald463]

Play more golf this summer. 

Consistently shoot in the 90s and below

Lower my handicap to at least the low 20s

Hit more fairways

Hit more GIR

[Slice of Life]

Goal last year was to reach a 13 handicap. Hit I believe 13.4 by the end of the year. 

Goal this year is to trend closer to 11-12. Baby steps. 

Plan is just deliberate practice, especially around the greens, and playing as often as I can. At minimum 2-3x a week. Course management helped me drop down last year and is continuing to improve. 

[Lugowskins]

On 2/13/2020 at 9:43 AM, Lugowskins said:

Going back to my first point I have done some research and I think I have some realistic numbers to aim for that will be tough but achievable let me know if I'm over shooting on anything. 

I want to hit >50% of fairways this has never been a strong suit but will be a big emphasis in my preparation for the season and in my strategy going into rounds probably the goal I'm least optimistic about being able to hit lol

I want to have >50% GIR I think this is doable I may adjust this goal midway through the year 

I want my scrambling to be >45% I have always perceived this to be a strong suit but since I've never kept track of my stats I think 45% is an ambitious number

I want to have <10% 3 putts and average <33 putts per round not sure how ambitious this is I don't play courses with massive greens and am a decent putter I would like to make it 1 3 putt per round and under 31 putts per round but I think this goal is a good starting point

Lastly I want to score more would like to average >1 birdie per 9 holes I play 

I based most of these numbers off of a few studies I found online about stats by handicap and these would get me into the single digits which is my goal for the year. 

 

So I started tracking my stats this year and it appears I was a little over ambitious with my goals lol

Goal was 50% fairways I am currently at 39.6% I'm more than long enough I should be keeping the driver in the bag outside of a handful of holes per round instead of using it on virtually every moderately straight par 4 no matter the danger I could inevitably put myself in.

Goal was 50% GIRs I am currently at an abysmal 31% but I've noticed my GIR when i hit a fairway is 52.5% while when I miss it is just 21.3% so I need to be ok with losing some yardage in order to find the fairway more often which should make a lot of things fall into place. I have also been battling my irons all year if I cant go driver wedge I've been pretty useless. 

Goal was for scrambling to be over 45% I am currently at 22% which is probably my most surprising statistic I thought I would be holing more clutch putts.

I set my putt goal for 33 and that is right where i am now at 33.3 putts per round. I have not been 3 putting much at all I am currently on a 73 hole 3 putt free streak I have been good at lag putting but I'm not holing as many 8-12 footers as I think I should be. The amount of 2 putt bogies I have is incredible. 

My ultimate goal is to get to single digits this year I am currently at a 12.2 (down from what I'm guessing was 18-20+ last year) I need to keep putting in the work. Knowing my stats has helped me realize what changes I need to make strategy wise and where i need to improve my ball striking the most. 

 

[cookmonsta]

To finally get off the tee box.  Lol

[cutchemist42]

I've taken my time to post in here because even Covid aside, 2020 has been a bad year for me.

I wanted to get serious and do lessons over the winter but car troubles led to financial problems and totally put that plan aside.

Then Covid hit and ruined any way to practise anyway. On top of that, being a single golfer in the Covid era has made getting rounds hard. Golf opened up May 15th and I've only played about 6 rounds.

Thus...my goal this year is just to play as much as possible and enjoy the game as much. Thus....I didnt get a membership this year in Hope's of playing more courses and a few bucket list courses and top courses in Canada.

So far i got to head out and play beautiful Tobiano and am really enjoying the year.

 

So yeah....I have no handicap goals this year to improve from 19. I just want to enjoy the game and maybe focus on 2021 being a year of winter development.

[Salem Golfer]

I would just like to play a few rounds without excruciating pain (unfortunately that will never happen..)  Last August I sold my Nike CCi forged clubs and got a set of Titleist 718 Ap3's  I went to the range 3 times and played 2 rounds with them before putting them up for the last year. I didnt like how they felt (they sure hit a mile..) so last week I sold them on craigslist and purchased a set of Mizuno JPX 919 forged.  They dont hit quite as far as the Titleists but dayum they hit nice and straight. I still havent been to the course yet... hurt to much, but im hopeful someday soon :)

[Cut4]

On 5/27/2020 at 5:51 PM, Cut4 said:

I have a handful:

- Play twice a week. It's been years since I played golf regularly. After some great conversations with my wife (and her best friend's husband also wanting to) we just joined the local country club. Fantastic course, 7 minutes from home. I have no more excuses. 

- Get my HC to 8 or better. 5 years ago, the last time I was playing a lot, I was a 6. 8 is pretty realistic for me, as long as......

- Stay pain free. I have problems with Tennis elbow when I play a lot. I love the range, but I'm going to have to manage this if I want to reach my other goals. 

- Really teach my 10 year old son the game. He got into it last year, and can hack it around the course. Funny thing about hockey players, golf seems to come easy. This year, at a more prestigious club than the goat track we played last year, I want to focus on rules, etiquette, and respect for the game. He can work on his swing at golf camp!

I thought I'd update

- I'm playing a ton, 3 times a week. mostly because....

- My 10 year old has been bitten by the bug. He wants to play every single day, and this past weekend he won his age group in the junior club championship, as the only 10 year old in the 10-11 age group. He birdied both par 5's in the 9 hole event. If we can get his emotions under control he'll be a legit player

- pain free, not so much. Elbow's are killing me, icing after every round, wearing the straps. I'll let it heal this winter and figure out a plan for next year. it's holding me back a bit this year. 

- Handicap is down to 8.4 and dropping. Ball striking has been really good lately, just have to make some puts. When the puts drop, I get into the 70's where I want to be. 

[knott]

My goal getting fit! I bought a carry bag to increase the load. On the other hand I replaced my old heavy irons to lighter ones but my back will thank me in the long run.

Have tons of rounds in but don´t really see any result despite huge mental and physical fatigue.

Second goal is getting control of my new Sim Max driver. Problem is I want to hit draws but it´s fade biased. I am so tired of shots leaking right but this is so consistant there is a lot to aim for. Just need to be calm and smooth with it and it should be fine. When hit right surely got quite some distance over my old cleveland but that was so fun to rip. It wanted you to rip it!

[BeCu]

I want to shoot par 3 consecutive rounds before years end. Working on consistency through better course management and improved mechanics. Its been years since I scored consistently and this has been my focus during 2020 so far. 

[Phil McGleno]

6 hours ago, knott said:

Second goal is getting control of my new Sim Max driver. Problem is I want to hit draws but it´s fade biased. I am so tired of shots leaking right but this is so consistant there is a lot to aim for. Just need to be calm and smooth with it and it should be fine. When hit right surely got quite some distance over my old cleveland but that was so fun to rip. It wanted you to rip it!

Maybe you should get a lesson.

[Double Mocha Man]

6 hours ago, BeCu said:

I want to shoot par 3 consecutive rounds before years end. Working on consistency through better course management and improved mechanics. Its been years since I scored consistently and this has been my focus during 2020 so far. 

Huh?  You're a 12 index and you want to shoot 3 consecutive par rounds???  Not one, but three?  Has Las Vegas established any odds on this?  😁

[bwdial]

15 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Huh?  You're a 12 index and you want to shoot 3 consecutive par rounds???  Not one, but three?  Has Las Vegas established any odds on this?  😁

I was thinking the same thing... I mean, I fantasize about about shooting par, but I haven't set that as a goal.  Yet.

[BeCu]

23 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Huh?  You're a 12 index and you want to shoot 3 consecutive par rounds???  Not one, but three?  Has Las Vegas established any odds on this?  😁

LOL. I guess I need to go fix that. Its from years ago when I signed up on the site. Don't want people to think I sand bag 😀

[CSRA_Gator]

On 4/22/2020 at 8:35 AM, CSRA_Gator said:

Know comfortably what each of my clubs can hit. This starts and finishes at the range. I need to hit off grass and not turf. 

Increase good shot percentage (about 50% right now-I'd like so see closer to 75%). I want to make sure I am striking the ball well. This will also be done at the range. I plan to find out exactly where in my stance each club requires the ball to be.

Learn new types of shots, this is also a range drill that can easily be used on the course. I have just started playing with flop shots (about 1/4 go really well), I'd also like to learn better punch shots when needing to keep a ball low.

Average 2 putts or less per hole. Currently I am north of two and almost at 3. I will spend a lot of time on the putting greens this season.

 

If I can do all of the above, my handicap should lower by at least 5 strokes I would think

As of this morning my index is 24.2 which is down more than 5 strokes from when I wrote this post. My good shots have increased substantially allowing me to break 100 for the first time. I have started employing flop shots in my game with some success and it is helping me get out of sticky situations. Still so much more work to do, but so far this has definitely been a successful season for me. 

 

I have started volunteering at the local driving range which is allowing me to practice for free with the aid of the top tracer software. This has been incredibly invaluable to my progression. Additionally, I joined a golf club which allows me to play a lot more often. They even hold my USGA Index which is nice as well. 

[boogielicious]

15 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Huh?  You're a 12 index and you want to shoot 3 consecutive par rounds???  Not one, but three?  Has Las Vegas established any odds on this?  😁

The Bellagio has it at a gillion:1.

[Double Mocha Man]

21 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

The Bellagio has it at a gillion:1.

I'll put a dollar on that.  And I'll share all my winnings with forum members, except for the first billion.