What Are Your 2021 Golf Goals?

[Troy Ocker]

On 6/14/2021 at 3:07 PM, Troy Ocker said:

A little status update 30 rounds into the season: 

- Taking small steps in the right direction. Index currently on 10,3 and I will probably see the "9" sometime this month. Positive trend. 

- Season best so far is 83 from the yellows (6350 yards). Separate best 9s is +1 on the front 9 and +3 on the back 9, so it should be possble to stitch a sub 80 round together with good flow and focus through 18 holes. I still have never played 2 good 9 nine hole stretches in a row in my life, so this still might not happen. I have shot rounds in the 70s 3 times from the front tees this year though (5300 yards)

- Still have a long way to go with the driver. The misses are fewer, but I still hit way too few fairways with the big dog (30-40%)

- Just a question of time before the eagle-goal is achieved. I've given myself some chances on hole 1, 9 and 10 so far this season, and more will come. 

I feel my game from 150yards and in has improved a lot this year, while my long game is still very inconsistant. My putting has also been ranging from brilliant to weak (26-40 putts). Focus is something that I still need to work on, and I still let a couple of bad shots influence my confidence in several situations. 

After a decent round yesterday i finally reached goal number 1 this season: HCP-index: 9,9. 

Now let's keep it there or lower. 

[KMP]

Goals that are not easily measurable:

• attention to setup
• reducing bad shots
• consistency
• continuous improvement

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, KMP said:

Goals that are not easily measurable:

• attention to setup
• reducing bad shots
• consistency
• continuous improvement

Remember to add playing Chambers Bay twice a month...

[KMP]

On 6/30/2021 at 2:19 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

Remember to add playing Chambers Bay twice a month...

You are correct!  Check out their Wine and 9 once a month in the summer. $50 for 9 holes and wine tasting after.

[Shindig]

I didn't really have a goal six months ago, other than not stopping playing or something like that.

I realized today what it has been, implicitly, for a bit, and must be.  I will work to become a competent putter and competent short game person.  If I can get those two aspects of my game, even to the 15 handicap level, I can make a serious run for improving my handicap.  

I am, of course, not going to give up my long game work.  That's important, but as has been clear from my practice the past 3-4 weeks, I am treating putting as a deficiency... because it is.  For reference, here are my 15 regulation rounds from the year so far, strokes gained vs 15 handicap.

(There's one missing from the era when GG rounds were disappearing, but I doubt it was an outlier compared).

I think this warrants treating putting as a deficiency and short game to a lesser extent.

[GolfLug]

On 12/31/2020 at 8:23 AM, GolfLug said:

Welp, am on to a galloping start:

1. Join EMCC again.

Done! Joined a completely redone EMCC after a 2-year break. It is in fantastic shape and the new owner is a committed developer. All my friends are members too now. Couldn't be happier.

I will be happy to average between 2 and 3 rounds per month as committed as life is to work and family, but I found a normalcy and consistency when I was tied to my club. So even though round to cost ratio is silly, it is worth it for me. I play through cold season as long as course is open (no official shut down period) so that should help.

2. Get back my swing width and speed. 

Got a good jump start back in September after a visit with @iacas but some personal stuff got me off track. Am back in last two weeks with a renewed sense of purpose and am practicing with a SS radar indoors 4-5 nights a week with wiffle balls and camera. My ankle injury does not seem to be much of a physical or mental factor anymore.

3. Golf trip/trips.

Thanks to @cipherand @iacas, looking forward to a smashing trip to SV up in Wisconsin this summer. I will bake in one here that is more local on the east coast that I do with my group here.

4. GHIN.

Some low hanging fruit here. I haven't been a 15+ in 7-8 years. With my ankle  injury behind me, I think 4-5 shots should drop off fairly quickly. A sub 10 would be great but am not terribly worried about it. Just a number 😉.

 

1. Yup. Couldn't be happier. Have been averaging 2 rounds a month, but happy to get what i have gotten. 

2. Better. There is progress. Showing in scoring a small bit so far. 

3. Caaaaaaaaaan't waaaaaaiiiiiiiit!!!

4. Lol. The low hanging fruit is still hanging tight. The season still young though... 😉   

[Sticky]

My goal is to shave 4-6 off of my handicap, I was a 12 3 years ago and now I'm a 16. Right now I'm really not putting well, I was never a great putter but I wasn't a bad putter, this year I have had several rounds that were just bad and in those rounds I'm in the low to mid 90s so I could conceivably be back to mid 80s on the regular if I could just turn my brain off and feel it.

[Jack50]

Play a round (Full 18) on my Own.

[Lugowskins]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:08 AM, Lugowskins said:

My GIRs were abysmal this year at 32.2% I think 43% is realistic and I hope I look back at this and say it was too low of a goal. 

I had far too many blow up holes this year I averaged 2.7 double bogies or worse per round this year while only averaging 1.6 birdies or better. i want to swap those around and average more holes under par than double or worse. 

My putting was pretty good this year I averaged 30.8 putts per round getting that under 30 should be attainable. I had 3 rounds with 27 putts which was my low I think doing more dedicated practice will make those more common. 

I finished the year as a 9.5 handicap it may sound aggressive but I want to be under a 5. 

I really want to win my club championship. There is only 1 guy there who is really better than me he's won it I think 4 years in a row there isn't a ton of competition only like 5 guys are capable of even breaking 80 on their best days. 

So I've got about 3ish months of legit golf left in the year but wanted to give a progress report.

I did under shoot my GIR goal I am currently at 50.2% and have been ticking up the past few weeks I'd like to push it up to 55% by the end of the year. Oddly I've noticed despite my home course having the "easiest" course rating and me knowing it like the back of my hand it has been the hardest course I've played to make GIRs due to green size and firmness.

I have been successful in swapping my blow up hole vs birdie percentage. I am currently averaging 1.5 doubles or worse per round and 1.9 birdies or better per round. Putting has not been good all year I expect that number to tick up as well.

Because I am hitting far more GIR my putting numbers have struggled I am currently averaging 32.2 putts. I am not 3 putting very often but I haven't holed many outside of 5 feet all year especially for birdie.

Handicap is currently at 6.1 lowest it hit this year is 5.5 I need to play more rounds away from my home course as the course rating is so low its hard to get it down its 68 on a par 71 but it plays much tougher than that. 

Lastly the club championship isn't for a couple months but I'm supremely confident heading I'm going to grind my tail off and hopefully put together a couple rounds in the mid-low 70s and take it home. 

[Esox]

If I can keep driving the ball the way I did after the 4th hole last round, I will have accomplished what I want. It takes me a while to get the arthritic spine unwound, and the last place had no range upon which to do so. After I was loose I was hitting it anywhere from an intentionally cut into the crosswind 260 to a loft it straight downwind 290, Darn near everything was in the short stuff with 2 in the first cut, but on the proper side for my approach. This Ping 400 I got off the kids shelf fits me better than any driver I ever had. The one and only Ping that has ever been in my bag. I'm impressed.

[1quarterscot]

Met part one of my goal a few months early. To break 100 - with a 98.  Now that I know it’s doable, try to be consistent! Ha!

[1quarterscot]

A 99 today!  And after index adjusted, I won 70 bucks lol!!!

that is the first and 99.99999876% 

the only time that will happen! Lol

 

this is crazy. A few weeks ago was scoring 116, 122 kind of thing.

however I do realize some of the setup mistakes I was making with simple Irons… and taking lessons.  
so hmm. Maybe just maybe…..

Edited July 24, 2021 by 1quarterscot

[Craigers]

On 6/12/2021 at 11:45 PM, Craigers said:

Similar to last  year I am looking to break 90 and then eventually 85 this year. My previous round was a 92 and I am improving. 

 

 

 

I broke 90 earlier this year. Instead of breaking 85 as a goal I’m going to target an 18 handicap by the end of this year. 

[Bernie Fay]

Get my index right down to single digits (11,5 now)

- Play a minimum of fifty 18-hole rounds. 

- Break eighty from yellow tees at my home course , (rated seventy three, 6350 yards) 

- Be additional consistant with my driver. currently it goes each left and right and that i hit but the fairways.  

 

[Lugowskins]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:08 AM, Lugowskins said:

 

My GIRs were abysmal this year at 32.2% but over my last 3 rounds I put in a lot of time with my wedges (bought a launch monitor wow has it helped develop shots and increase confidence on the course) and actually hit 50% 27/54 so I think 43% is realistic and I hope I look back at this and say it was too low of a goal. 

I had far too many blow up holes this year I averaged 2.7 double bogies or worse per round this year while only averaging 1.6 birdies or better. i want to swap those around and average more holes under par than double or worse. 

My putting was pretty good this year I averaged 30.8 putts per round getting that under 30 should be attainable.

I really want to win my club championship. 

I finished the year as a 9.5 handicap it may sound aggressive but I want to be under a 5.

 

With the weather my season is almost done I'm hoping to play the next month+ but I think my numbers wont change much. Very successful year though moving in the right direction hoping next year is a real breakthrough.

I set my GIR goal at 43% I am currently at 49.4% hoping I can push that over 50 by year end.

I succeeded in cutting my blow up holes nearly in half to 1.6 per round hoping next year to get that to 1.

Putting was reaaalllly bad all year I bought a new putter over the winter and it did not go well I only recently went back to my cheap pinemeadow and I am so much better with it. My putts per round went up to 31.9 a lot of that was hitting more greens but I also haven't made many putts over 10 feet all year.

The club championship is in 2 weeks I'm playing my best golf right now and am grinding for it hopefully I'll put up a couple low rounds and take it home.

Finished last year as a 9.5 I am currently at a 4.3. My issues keeping me from going lower are driver accuracy I get in trouble too much, my wedges I am not good enough from 150 and in, and I need a complete putting overhaul. Going to work on that hard through the end of the year and over the winter with the hopes of scaring scratch next season.

I only got 9 rounds in the golf metrics app since I started using it but it's been great at pinpointing my weaknesses.

I apologize for the spamming of stats just giving context.

[DennisMiller]

Among my goals for 2021, as I wrote quite a long time ago, was to create some reality with thoughts of shooting my age while I'm still 72.  The combination of age and it representing even par would be more meaningful to me.

That isn't going to happen, not that I don't still have until May of 2022. Physical issues with bone spurs in my shoulders and a big flare up of sciatica have reduced my hopes, (I can't consider them goals yet), to simply be able to play without pain.

I'm doing physical therapy and played 9 holes yesterday for the first time in nearly 3 months. When I hit my tee shot on the first hole, I got emotional in front of a bunch of people. I probably looked pretty stupid, but I didn't care.

It's great to have goals, but with apologies for sounding way too fatherly to you younger folks, don't ever take simply being able to play this great and ancient game for granted. The joy of the game should be our number 1 goal.

[iacas]

We'll have a 2021 Goals Recap topic, like always. Save your recaps for that. It'll be up in December or so.

[HankBlue]

My 2021 goal is to post my first scorecard with the USGA. 😊