What Are Your 2020 Golf Goals?

[DennisMiller 27]

Previously, I said my biggest goal was to get back in better physical shape. The good news is, my Orthopedist says I don't need surgery on either of my knees after hurting them in 3 falls. Strengthening the muscles in the legs should take care of things.

So, my immediate goal is to start walking 2 miles a day and do more exercises at home on a stationary bike. I started yesterday. What I can do at the gym will be something to learn about later today.

One of the more interesting aspects has to do with the irons I'm using, sort of a combination thought with my physical abilities. I had dinner with a teaching pro I'm friendly with and he commented that my height, (I'm 6'7"), coupled with my usual highly upright swing, I'd be better off swinging around myself with a set of one length irons.

We modified a set of Cobra F8 One Length irons to lengthen the 5-6-7 irons and then back weighted them to keep everything at D1. As I said elsewhere, I guess it makes them Two Length... I wonder if Cobra is interested in talking to me?

[RussUK 186]

I really need to play more golf. Due to illness last year I played about 3 rounds of golf .

I spent a lot if time practicing although I struggled with the full swing due to my condition even looking at the Jim Venetos swing, it's viable, it stopped me from experiencing pain in the kidneys but knackered my left hip. A chat with a local pro got me sorted out and so far (touch wood) I'm hitting well with no kidney pain thanks to a more efficient (and less violent, pain inducing) swing (still think JV is good for certain golfers). Its a fade rather than a draw but i'll take it.

Short game is bob on and putting is good so a few more range sessions, wait for the weather to get better then i'm hoping to hit the courses hard this year.

My 6 yr old son got a new set for Christmas so we'll be out together a lot too i hope.

[lastings 221]

Improve my Stokes gained on approach to be consistent (or at least closer) with where my driving and putting are.  

If all of golf was driving and putting I would be a 3 handicap.  however, my approach game is that of a 13 handicap. 

Steps I'm taking to do so. 

1) Added a 3W to my bag.   hoping to utilize to approach the green or near the green in 2 on Par 5s. 
2) Significant amount of work on flighted wedges inside of 120 yds.  really need to be significantly better from 60-120.
3) full swing work never stops. 

[Kujan 1]

Get the average number of putts down to around 32.

[gjunkie57 28]

1. Take lessons before the season starts

2. practice the drills

3. Achieve a solid 10 hcp

[mcanadiens 450]

1. Get a decent driver fitted to me

2. Learn how to hit that driver

3. Failing the first two, stop using the driver altogether no later than June 30.

 

[BC-to-MI 14]

Goals:

1. Keep a single-digit handicap. I got down to a 9.1 last year (8.9 now with the handicap system change) from an 18.4 at the beginning of the year, but a stretch during the summer where I played or went to the range pretty much daily is bringing that down. I'm probably between a 9-12 or somewhere in there, so I want to improve to the point where I can stay in the single digits.
2. Break 80 over 18 holes and break par on 9 holes. I've shot an 81 for a full round and even par on 9 holes, but never broken either benchmark.
3. Win at least one half of our men's league. We break the league into two seasons and then the winners face off, so I want to win one of the seasons to have a chance to play for the overall title.
4. Fix my attitude on the course. I am a super perfectionist and I get way too upset over bad shots, which often leads to another bad shot. I also know it can be frustrating to play with people who are overly negative, so I want to improve my on-course demeanor.

How:

1. Get lessons for the first time. I have never taken lessons, so I plan on starting that as the Michigan golf season gets closer. I hope to get one every month or two, depending on finances/time.
2. Practice better. I have a tendency to just bang balls at the range, so I need to focus my time better and remember to take video. The lessons will hopefully give some guidance on what to practice, as should being more diligent in posting video to my swing thread here.
3. Eliminate the blow up holes. Hopefully the lessons will help with this, too, as a lot of my big numbers come from driving the ball into terrible positions/OB, but I also have a tendency to play the hero shot or not focus enough when I am taking my medicine, which leads to more issues.
4. Eliminate the three putts. I am pretty good at reading the break of greens, but I am dreadful at speed control. I leave a huge number of putts short, and often put myself in situations where I leave myself a 5-10 footer after my first putt.
5. Track my stats. I plan on tracking my FIR, GIR, and stuff like that so that I have a better idea of where I need to improve. I keep track during the round, but never end up doing anything with the data afterward.
6. Read Lowest Score Wins. I got the book for Christmas, so I need to carve out some time to dig in.

[Double Mocha Man 432]

Very good, very specific checklists... and very honest with yourself.  Unless the athleticism simply isn't there you should do well.  Talk to us at the end of the season when you're sporting that 7 handicap index. 😊  One of my golfing friends went years without breaking 80, then he did it twice in two weeks!  With a 76 each time.  So don't aim to break 80... aim to BUST 80.

[snapfade 68]

My goal, which I have started, is to enjoy the game as much as I did before it became a job. I mentioned it on here somewhere not too long ago that I walked off the golf course mid-round in 2014 because golf had become work. I was practicing for the PAT, taking college classes in Professional Golf Management, doing PGA apprentice stuff, working at a high end private club in Atlanta and dealing with the members and guests everyday. I saw how my Pro was at the club from sun up to sun down every day. I only saw him play a quick 9 once every month or so. Really I got sick of it. Golf became work so I quit. I joked that I would play again if Tiger won another major. But the reality of it is my wife was diagnoses with ovarian cancer back in September, so we took her to Germany for treatment, shes a German citizen so its we didnt have to pay anything. But I came back after her surgeries and even though I go there about every 4 weeks, while she does chemo, I got really bored at home. Golf found its way back in my blood stream and now I use it to find peace through this difficult time. I am actually having fun on the golf course again, its therapeutic. I revived my membership here, and Im enjoying it all. 

 

[Double_AA 6]

My goals for 2020:

1.) Break 100 before my 1 year golf anniversary (May 2020)

   a.) By working on lag putting and chipping around the green. 

   b.) By getting rid of swing thoughts and slicing or shanking the ball off of the planet on the tee

   c.) By aiming in the direction that I am hitting the ball that day instead of the direction my ball "should" be going. (really dumb but I do this             a  lot)

   d.) Lowest score so far is a 103 

2.) Improve ball-striking

    a.) Continue to practice on my way home every day at the executive course (Still Free :))

    b.) Hopefully find a decent instructor to get lessons from 

    c.) Line face up to target, take grip, swing freely ( This is whats working well for me now vs. having swing positions in my head)

3.) Play a ton of new courses

     a.) Was gifted a WVGA "VIP" card for Christmas which lets you play most private courses in WV a few times a year, as well as, discounted             prices on public courses.

               1.) If anyone in WV hasn't checked into this it really is a crazy good deal for $50 a year. I know I will easily save that much on the                            public courses I play a lot, and the private courses are at really good prices. 

[Bucki1968 82]

I would like to be more consistent. I'm too up and down. 80 on Saturday followed by 72 on Sunday. Unfortunately, that will require more golf/practice. Not sure I'm going to have the time needed to get that consistency.  I have, however, learned to just enjoy playing the game. That was my goal last year. 

[Groucho Valentine 313]

Same for me. Consistency. I'd shoot around par or better one round and like 80 the next. I dont think i put more than two rounds together all of last season. I know its because i only practice a couple times a month these days, but with my life the way it is i dont see any way to get more swings in. 

Still good enough to take lunch money off fools tho 😎

Edited January 24 by Groucho Valentine

[ToolManSam 6]

1. Get my ballspeed back into 170mph area. Currently doing mobility and speed training. I have the speed sticks and may purchase some tools from Mach3 to help 

2. Stop swinging SO flat. I have access to an indoor hitting bay with TrackMan where I practice throughout the winter and just started videoing my swing

3. Shallow the club. I’m a tad steep and OTT. I’m guessing this is how I’ve managed to lose distance the last few years

4. Reduce spin on driver and decrease dynamic loft for all clubs. TrackMan and swing changes 

5. Practice at least 3-4 x’s a week with a big focus on shots 10-65yards for the 1st month of golf season

6. Get my putts down to 30 - practice and putter fitting

7. Routinely break 90 with a few low 80’s. - I have a membership this year and will be playing more often. I will be making time to practice ALOT at the start of the season 

8. Driver fitting after my swing changes “take” - TXG is only an hour away

9. Wedge fittings - get fit for all my wedges 

10. Decrease the amount of OB’s, lol. 

 

[GolfLug 501]

1. Get ball to carry over 240 yards on Mevo consistently. How: My theory is that intention with consistent feedback is the ticket. 

2. Get atleast three no-sixes rounds this year. How: Play easier courses. 😁

3. Consistently achieve steady head and weight forward (keys 1 and 2). How: Use a swing balance box for practice often. 

4. Play atleast five VSGA one day events. 

Edited February 7 by GolfLug

[NZ Golfer 18]

So many Goals and great ideas from this thread>>

-Break 80 many more times least 3x (did it twice last year)

-lower the HC to new personal low 10-11 would be brilliant

-Don't change any clubs just really dial in the set I now have (PING Glides PING I + MIzuno drivers)

-Use the new GPS get the distances on point from the 60deg to the 3W

-Win my local Club Sat comp least once.

-don't let small issues ruin the next shot

[klineka 656]

I recently went over my stats from last year with my instructor and we came up with these as my main goals for 2020

1. Even par or better for 18 holes
   1. This will be the result of accomplishing the other goals I have outlined below (plus slight improvements to technique around putting (learning how to aim my putter properly and learning aimpoint) and short game)
2. Improve proximity from 100-150 yds from 43' to <35'
   1. Continue to put in the work like I have done so far this winter with dialing in wedge distances and getting better at flighting wedge and short iron shots. 
   2. Aim for center of green when more than 100 yds out.
3. Increase % of fairways hit with driver from 30% to 40%+
   1. Continue to work with my instructor and practice my priority pieces properly
   2. Main piece left with driver is getting the swing plane a bit shallower, I'm already seeing a reduction in "big misses" on Trackman
4. Average 50% + GIR
   1. Continue to practice my priority pieces properly 
   2. Aim for the center of the green when more than 100 yds away

[Lugowskins 15]

On 1/16/2020 at 8:39 AM, Lugowskins said:

I always struggle with this because I have never done a good job of tracking my stats so...

#1 Start keeping stats for every round played and log them in an excel file

#2 Join a league and play at least 3 rounds a week while also having at least 1 separate dedicated practice session a week

#3 Break par over 9 holes

#4 Don't shoot over 90 ever again

#5 Work on course management have a plan going in to each round and execute

#6 Learn that clubbing down and swinging smooth is an option not every swing has to be a Herculean effort. 

#7 I play a lot of scrambles with my group of weekend warriors I want to win at least 3. Won one last year, our first in 3 years of playing together.

#8 I have new irons coming tomorrow so I want to have my yardages absolutely pinpointed by the time the actual season rolls around (I'm in MIchigan so anywhere from 2-4 months from now lol)

Long story short have fun but get good

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. 

 

[MSDOGS1976 9]

Two goals for 2020.

1) To become a more consistent putter. I tend to pull the putt left and to overcome this I know I need to lighten my grip and rock my shoulders more. Got to take my hands more out of play.

2) To hit more pure iron shots. I have a tendency to hang back on my right side and either hit fat shots or thin ones. Not all iron shots but more than I like. To overcome this I'm going to try and follow Clay Ballard's advice in this video......

 

Edited February 13 by MSDOGS1976