What Are Your 2022 Golf Goals?

[Lugowskins]

Ok aiming high this year after a pretty successful last season.

1. Get to scratch

Simple right lol went from at least an 18+ capper 3 years ago, got just under a 10 2 years ago and last year got at low as 3.8 currently at a 4.5. The next goals are what I think it will take to get there.

2. Hit 60% of greens

Hit 50% last year which was much improved. Biggest thing holding me back was driving accuracy I found myself in tree trouble or drastically off line/ OB far too often. Last year I hit 68% of greens when I found the fairway opposed to just 40% when I missed. I have put in a ton of work already this winter pretty much overhauled my swing having given up some ball speed for (hopefully) accuracy and consistency. Also need to put in a ton of wedge work dialing in distances, it got exponentially better last season but still nowhere near where it needs to be. A lot of launch monitor work upcoming. 

3. Hit 60% of fairways 

Piggybacking off the last comments I hit an abysmal 40% of fairways last season. I need to not only improve driver accuracy but also club selection. I have plenty of distance and don't play a ton of long courses I could get away with hitting as low as 6-7 iron off the tee and still have a wedge in so a 4 iron or hybrid off the tee will do the trick the a lot of the time. 

4. Average under 30 putts per round

I averaged almost 32 last season in what was an abysmal putting year. I have put in a lot of work on set up and mechanics the last couple months and it feels great so I just cant get lackadaisical with the practice especially once we're in the heart of the season. 

5. Break par over 18 (hopefully many times)

I broke par over 9 holes 5 times last year with the best being a 5 under day but it was in league and didn't have enough daylight to finish the round. I had a lot of 12-14 hole stretches where I would play 3-4 under but the start and finish of rounds would kill me so a lot of mechanical work throughout the year hopefully will really engrain everything to stay consistent throughout rounds. I found a course just 15 minutes from my house that has a range membership only $150 a year for as many balls as you want I intend on going there at least once a week once it opens along with the work I do in my garage which is virtually every day I don't play and a lot of days I do play.  

6. Win 2 club championships

I am changing memberships to a new club next year but my old club lets you play as long as you are a part of a league. I won it last year and have already improved drastically this winter so I am confident I will win it again. The new club I always play really well at but don't know what kind of talent is out there. If I hit my goals for the year (and I fully intend on putting in the work to do it) I will be tough to beat.

Bonus: Improve physical fitness

I am currently 6' 215 I want to get under 200 and improve strength and flexibility. Change in diet (I eat fairly healthy just cutting out alcohol), getting back into lifting (changing up how I've always lifted, less powerlifting more sustainability), and getting back into yoga. 

[Esox]

Same as last year. Improve my driving consistency. Not getting the ball into a desirable position off the tee is the biggest detriment to my scoring. It's not my drivers, it's me. When I am swinging well I can kill it long and straight (At 62 I hit a number of balls over 300 on flat land last year). Lots of days I need a chainsaw in my bag......... in the trees at 230 out. OOPS;..

[iacas]

11 hours ago, Esox said:

Same as last year. Improve my driving consistency. Not getting the ball into a desirable position off the tee is the biggest detriment to my scoring. It's not my drivers, it's me. When I am swinging well I can kill it long and straight (At 62 I hit a number of balls over 300 on flat land last year). Lots of days I need a chainsaw in my bag......... in the trees at 230 out. OOPS;..

That's not a SMART goal. It's not specific, it's not "measurable" in the way you've defined it, etc.

S = Specific
M = Measurable

[Killa]

Break 80, get my gross stableford up to the 30s hopefully consistently. 
 

I am working a lot on swing changes over the winter and on putting, just got myself a wellputt mat to do so. I also do a bit of chipping indoors but mainly focusing on technique not on distances for now. Doing a lot of indoor cycling, hoping to lose about 20lbs till spring. After we can start training outdoors my focus will shift to the short game, specifically 100 and in by “building a matrix” for my 4 wedges. So the well known 3 shots with 4 wedges so I get my distances dialed in. When I did it this summer I shot my best rounds, one was a 14 over with 10 pars and 6 bogeys. Now I’m lost with distances and you can’t score well when you don’t know what swing will give you ~50 yards. 

[bwdial]

• S - Specific - My goal is to play a round of golf without a six on the scorecard this year. 
• M - Measurable - I can easily measure my progress toward this goal by keeping accurate scorecards.
• A - Attainable - This goal is attainable because my last scorecard of 2021 had four sixes on it.
• R - Relevant - This goal is relevant because it is a goal that would vastly reduce my average score.
• T - Time-based - I have given myself a year to reach this goal.

I have purchased a series of lessons from a pro, and I have made some good progress in the two lessons that I have taken so far.  He's gotten my swing on plane and my trajectory and distance has improved greatly, so I feel like I will keep improving.

[iacas]

So you only have one goal for the entire year @bwdial?

[Everardo]

Just getting back into the game I went simple for 2022

• I resolve to improve my overall health and golf fitness.
• I resolve to take a lesson before buying new equipment.
• I resolve to practice with intention.

I went a little more in depth on my explanation here, wasn't sure if I should have posted all of that here.

2022 New Year's Resolutions For Golf - Everardo.Golf

---

There are countless studies that show people who make resolutions fail at them. 'They' say when you make New Year's Resolutions that you should write them down, declare them, share your goals with others, so here we go:

 

[bwdial]

22 hours ago, iacas said:

So you only have one goal for the entire year @bwdial?

Well, it is specific, manageable, achievable, relevant, and timely. 

I have another five lessons in the series, and we are going to be working on wedge play next.  My iron play has improved greatly over the course of just two lessons, so I imagine that my wedge play will improve as well.  I'm also in the process of replacing my net with a new (without holes) larger (15 feet tall) net so that I can practice more.  I'm also creating a putting green on the back patio so that I can practice that aspect of my game as well.  The last time I played, I managed to avoid any sevens on the card, but the sixes (two bogeys and two doubles) helped wreck the card.  I feel like this is a manageable, yet significant goal.  If I can eliminate sixes, that means pars on all par fives and no doubles on par fours.  That would have a significant impact on my score, obviously.  However, the impact on my confidence would be even greater.

[iacas]

52 minutes ago, bwdial said:

Well, it is specific, manageable, achievable, relevant, and timely. 

It is, but it's still just only one goal. Shouldn't you have perhaps some sub-goals to help you achieve the main goal?

What if you achieve your goal once in March… what do you do the rest of the year?

[TourSpoon]

1. Full Swing Goals - Improve the hip turn, position at the top (I get slightly across the line), and swing more in balance. I will continue to check in with my pro, but will work on this by doing the pause drill (and others) which gets rid of the arm lift (backswing, pause for 3, downswing, hold finish for 3). Continue with the speed training to get up to a consistent 105 mph and 260 carry with driver. 

2. Equipment Goals - Look at each club as a tool that has a specific job and not be concerned about things having to be perfect to the detriment of my game. My fitter buddy has drilled this into my head that my equipment doesn't all have to make sense to me, it doesn't have to all match, it just has to perform. So what if I have 3 different graphite shaft models (Tour AD XC, Even Flow White, Hzdrus Black Smoke) and threw in my old SM4 TVD 54/M in with the SM7 gap and lobber. It has grooves, the same effective loft as the 54/10S, but provides the versatility needed for the around the green non-bunker shots. But the grips all match, that is where I draw the line. 🤣 

So we ran through the bag last week and I am gapped well and can hit my distances. I got rid of the set 4 iron (just wasn't getting enough out of it consistently) and put in the U500 4 iron, bent the 5 half strong, put in a hybrid 18* in place of the U500 3 iron for versatility. I feel like I am covered and if it gets windy, I can put the 3 iron back in. 

3. Scoring Goals - I just did the Trackman combine last week and scored a 2 handicap for all around ball striking. Looking at my stats, I came up with these goals: Increase one green per round to 50% and get up/down 50% which would put me at a solid 3. If I could actually average those stats, I could easily go even lower based on the handicap rules of best 8. I am currently a low 5. Finally, I want to complete the birdie challenge. Last year I had it done by August with the exception of the one hole that shall not be named. This year I hope to sleigh the beast (rated at the 5th easiest hole)!  

 

[nevets88]

Keys #4, #5

• I think I have better control of the path/face from a little before A4 to A6, face doesn't open up and better at shallowing, there's something off after that, it's too left and steep. Work on more in to out and higher exit, shaft less horizontal at A9.
• Face tends to open up at impact. Work on getting face square at A7.

Key #2, #3

• As per online lesson in my swing thread from Erik somewhere mid 2021, keep working on weight forward just before A4. This also coincides with working on flow, not thinking about positions, but the swing as one fluid motion.

Scoring

• Too many 6s on the card. 1 fewer 6 per 9.

 

[Bo the Golfer]

My main goal this year is to get in better shape. I have a pretty good program set for myself and can measure this by keeping a journal recording prigress and by how I feel. I'm taking the marathon and not a sprint mentality and give myself the year. My second goal is just swing my swing. I've been that person that jumps from method to method and when I stear clear of this I play my best golf. I can attain this by staying clear of going down rabbit holes and practice with purpose. Scores will be how I measure staying on the right track. I'll give this the lengthy (haha) golf season we get here in MN to finally get to consistent bogey golf at worst. 

[DFW75]

Here are mine: 

• S - Specific - My goal is to place in the top 1/2 of a VGA tournament this year (played 1 tournament at end of last year - really getting into it this year)
• M - Measurable - Easily measurable
• A - Attainable - My first tournament I came in last - but it was a hard course and it was my first competitive environment. So I think getting into the top 1/2 of a tournament is attainable 
• R - Relevant - This goal is relevant because I feel like I'm getting comfortable enough to compete (with handicap of course)
• T - Time-based - 1 year

 

[iacas]

5 hours ago, DFW75 said:

Here are mine: 

• S - Specific - My goal is to place in the top 1/2 of a VGA tournament this year (played 1 tournament at end of last year - really getting into it this year)
• M - Measurable - Easily measurable
• A - Attainable - My first tournament I came in last - but it was a hard course and it was my first competitive environment. So I think getting into the top 1/2 of a tournament is attainable 
• R - Relevant - This goal is relevant because I feel like I'm getting comfortable enough to compete (with handicap of course)
• T - Time-based - 1 year

That isn't how you do this.

Every goal should be SMART.

So you, too, have one whole goal for the year, and if you accomplish it in May… you're done.

An example of what you're supposed to be doing here would be (all with completely stupid numbers):

• Average less than 12 putts per round.
• Average fewer than three seven-putts per round.
• Play at least 3,424 rounds by the end of the season.
• Average 110% of fairways hit with an average drive length of 17,250 yards.
• etc.

Each of those goals are SMART (well, they're not "achievable," but you get the point).

[DFW75]

48 minutes ago, iacas said:

That isn't how you do this.

Every goal should be SMART.

So you, too, have one whole goal for the year, and if you accomplish it in May… you're done.

An example of what you're supposed to be doing here would be (all with completely stupid numbers):

• Average less than 12 putts per round.
• Average fewer than three seven-putts per round.
• Play at least 3,424 rounds by the end of the season.
• Average 110% of fairways hit with an average drive length of 17,250 yards.
• etc.

Each of those goals are SMART (well, they're not "achievable," but you get the point).

Ahh - got it. Thank you - will update. 🙂

 

[bwdial]

On 1/13/2022 at 9:12 PM, iacas said:

It is, but it's still just only one goal. Shouldn't you have perhaps some sub-goals to help you achieve the main goal?

What if you achieve your goal once in March… what do you do the rest of the year?

Sorry... it looks like I started a trend.

I played a much more difficult course on Saturday.  I have a lot of work to do, so I think March is off the table.  I parred two holes, one of which was the second - a 140ish yard par three - and the tee shot was probably the best I hit all day.  It was really cold and windy, and I'm sure that played a part, but my ball striking was less than ideal.  My short game is a mess as well.  I threw away a ton of strokes on and around the greens.  As I mentioned previously, I have a series of five lessons lined up.  My coach mentioned that he wants to work on wedges during my next lesson.  Based on my performance on Saturday, this will definitely be important to reaching my goal. 

[cdb]

• Improve number of putts per round to closer to 30/32 ish. Currently at 36.1, I know I can do better and I do well on my regular rotation of courses, it's the ones I rarely or have never played that trip me up
• Hit consistently in the 80's  _ had too many disaster holes last year that put me over 90, probably due to lack of concentration and consistency.
• Play at least 3 new courses
• Play in at least one new state
• Hit the range more as well as the short game practice area at a course I frequent

[GolfLug]

Rollover goal: Get a no-sixes round. Have been chasing this for a while.

New goal: GEARS visits with@iacas. I

suspect I will come away with some solid homework after each visit. 

Stretch goal - get back to 10 HCP.