What Are Your 2022 Golf Goals?

[dagolfer18]

A little late posting my goals this year, and not as many as the last two years, but here they are!

1. Reduce handicap to 8.0 (11.6 currently). I have definitely not forgotten about my quest to achieve a single digit handicap, but I have been stuck between 11 and 12 since October.

Ballstriking feels great right now, but short game is definitely costing strokes, as I note in goal #2. The first thing I will practice next time I get the chance to is short game. My brother and I like to pick spots around the practice green at our club and focus on getting them up-and-down, and we translate our final scores into percentages. 

2. Average putts down to 33.0 (34.9 currently). I’ve only played a few rounds with my new putter (a 34” Odyssey White Hot), but it has already seen both sides of the putting spectrum: truly abysmal and, as the putter name suggests, white-hot.

The first step toward this goal is being more consistent with putting (ten three-putts in my last 54 holes…yikes!) in terms of distance control. I’m struggling quite a bit with lag putting right now, so I want to focus on that during my practice sessions and find some good drills to work on. I’ll also work on staying sharp inside 5 feet by doing the clock drill, my go-to putting drill, because those short ones will make or break matches this year.

3. Fairways hit up to 65% (61% currently). I am actually a bit surprised that I’m at 61% right now. Looking back at my last five rounds, I’ve averaged 57% in fairways hit, so I’ve got a few rounds where FIR percentage is in the 70s. 

When I’m able to get to the course again, I’ll focus mainly on short game, but to improve my off-the-tee performance I’ll work on alignment. That’s always been a bit of a problem for me, so I’ll have my dad or my coach work with me on that.

Goal number four has three parts, in order.

4a. Make All Conference again this season (top 10 advanced last year). I barely squeaked into All Conference last year, and I feel that I didn’t play great except for one match. We are in a harder conference this year, but my game has also improved since then. I will likely need to average between 40 and 42 to make it, and I’ve realized that I need to start the season strong: low 40s or 30s. I’m looking to practice well for the next month until the first match so I have as much confidence as possible.

4b. Advance to regionals as an individual. This is going to be difficult, but this is my primary goal for the season. Between six and eight players will qualify (last year, it was six), excluding the ones who made it with their team. We don’t have near the team we have had the last few years (I will be playing #1 and my brother will most likely be #2), so my best shot is to make it on my own. 

I will likely need to average a stroke or two lower than what is necessary for All Conference, so I need to practice efficiently. I will be pinpointing where I need improvement most in my blog post tomorrow, and will start working on those things next week (weather looks pretty crappy apart from tomorrow, so will most likely not get to the course this weekend).

4c. Advance to states as an individual. This is more of a long-shot goal, and only if I make it to regionals. Only four players from the ~50 who participate in regionals will advance to the state competition, and last year, the cut line was 79 (+7). That means I will need to break 80 from at least 6500 yards.

I won’t say much more about this now, but I will wrap goal #4 up like this: as long as I achieve 4a and 4b I will consider that a win.

For these last two goals, there really is no “How am I going to achieve it?” portion except for just sign up.

5. Play in the club championship at Umstead Pines. I’ve been wanting to play in this for probably four years now, and I will finally get a chance to do so this year. It’s just 36 holes of strokeplay (Sat/Sun) in flights. What flight I play in (blue or white) will be determined by where my game stands the week before.

6. Play in at least three junior tournaments this summer, one of which has to be a multi day event. I didn’t really get to play in any tournaments last year because of work, but I’m looking forward to playing in a few this summer!

Well, there are my six (eight?) goals for 2022. A bit more lengthy post than I planned, but writing it out seems to help me pinpoint exactly what it is I need to work on. I’m planning on starting my blog again tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to that!

Edited January 20, 2022 by dagolfer18

[TourSpoon]

On 1/14/2022 at 1:17 PM, TourSpoon said:

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. 

So the 3 iron is back in and it already set a birdie today. The TSi3 18* Hybrid with the RDX shaft just proved to be too much so I shipped it back for a 90% credit. This move surprised even me, I did my homework, hit the club in the store, but wow, did they send me a telephone pole. I knew that I couldn't make it work so bye! The old SM4 TVD is staying and the My Spider Tour came back. This week shot 77-75 so I am doing something right.  I finally feel that my bag is set. Well, for today. 

Edited January 22, 2022 by TourSpoon
missing deets

[boogielicious]

My 2022 Goals:

1. Play 5 new courses.
2. Play in at least one tournament.
3. Improve GIR. I’m missing a lot of greens, especially on  Par 3 holes. My stats and strokes gained show this. To accomplish this I need to improve my ball striking and know my distances.
   1. Using MEVO Plus, get more accurate shot zones with all my clubs. Use this to map out approach and tee shots better.
   2. Continue with my Evolvr lessons to improve form.
   3. Do GEARs at Golf Evolution this spring and work on improving further by identifying areas to work on.
4. Improve off the tee performance including distance and accuracy. I was a bit wild with the driver. I had good rounds but I had a lot of tee shots that left me punching back into play.
   1. Work on swing speed with Fit for Golf workouts and SuperSpeed.
   2. Develop a consistent pattern working with Evolvr and GEARs.
   3. Using MEVO + shot zones, manage my off the tee strategy.
   4. Continue to work on set up and backswing.
5. Improve short game. I’m losing strokes around the green with everything except putting.
   1. Work on chip, pitch and sand shots more consistently.

[jmanbooyaa]

My 2022 golf goals are: focus more on the course. Shoot in the 80s consistently. Stop re-gripping my putter.  
 

take at least 2 more lessons before season starts. 

[dennyjones]

Erik lesson gave me two priority pieces I'm working on.   I need to keep my right arm straighter and make a better turn.   That is a ongoing process that I'll work on throughout the year.   I'm taking video occasionally and do mirror work to see improvement.  This really isn't quantifiable except thru better ball striking.

I hope to improve my putting.   This past year for 21 of the last 24 rounds I kept strokes gained putting compared to a scratch golfer.  I ended the year at 0.2 strokes gain putting but feel like I need to work on my distance control.   I really can't measure distance control but hope to increase my strokes gained putting to 0.5.

I've got other macro measurable goals like reducing blow up holes and hitting more target scores (Par + CH) but believe my priority pieces right now will help improve those goals.

My biggest goal is to take my short game that I've worked many hours on in the simulator this winter to the course.  Last year I was unsatisfied that I couldn't get up and down.   Many times I ended up with a double bogey after a nGIR. 

Much improvement needed but a game plan is in place. 

[Double Mocha Man]

I would like to get my handicap back down to 2.5.  Anything better would be gravy for this year.  A severe elbow injury and a stupid torn meniscus have kept me from playing as well as I'd like over the last two-and-a-half years.

About a month ago, during a fitting session, it was interestingly revealed that I am very consistent where I hit the ball on the face of the club.  It's between a dime and a nickel sized area.  Closer to a nickel.  And it's about a quarter inch toward the toe.  Every.  Single.  Time.

So I concluded if I can be that consistent I may as well hit the ball in the center of the clubface.  All kinds of magical good things happen when I do that.  Longer shots, crisper shots, straighter shots, more consistent trajectory and fewer clunkers.  And the ball off the face feels so solid and pure.

No secret sauce here.  No particular swing changes, physically.  Every once in awhile a mental swing change can work.  So what I'm doing, and have been doing the last month, is striving, in my tiny brain, to strike the ball in the center of the face by consciously moving the clubhead further from me on the downswing.  It dangerously puts me in range of hosel rockets (Vinsking) if I move the club out over the ball too much.  But I don't care.  It also promotes more of an inside-out swing.  In over 2000 shots, equally divided between the range and the course, I hit only one "s" shot, and that was on the range.  

The "click" I'm now getting off my irons is life-affirming.  The solid "crack" off the driver has me looking up to a shot I approve of.  Politically one would say, "I'm DoubleMochaMan and I approve of this drive."

So, this is it.  Nothing else.  No plans to do anything else.  When this fully clicks in by February or March I will only work on refining it.  Getting the nickel down to a dime, center clubface.

[mohearn]

Reduce HCP to 5.x. Was there last year but knee surgery and other injury has me back to probably 10+ at best. 

Play local tournament stroke play seeding into match flights. Stretch goal qualify 1st flight or better. (will take score of ~76)

Track strokes gained more formally with Golfmetrics, Decade, or the like. Goal to beat scratch in driving, approach, putting and around the green, although probably not all on the same round.

Get more fit. Do 4 sessions/week strength training primarily with body weight resistance until season starts. Goal drop weight #20 by April. Add speed/power drills (med ball, sprints when weather clears). Continue rehab biceps/shoulder. Goal to regain previous speed.

Pass the USG Rules Certification test.

Play one caddied round. I've never had that experience. This will require finding a course that actually has a true caddie system, never actually played a course like that.

Oh, and nickels to dimes, hat tip to @Double Mocha Man. Thanks for that.

[mdl]

I dislocated my shoulder again and am going to need surgery to repair the detached labrum and stretched tendons. Will be able to start playing again probably in July. So my main goals will be to come back still carrying the transformed, positive attitude I had an epiphany around this year, and to rekindle my daughter's just beginning to heat up interest.

As for my game, I never got the scoring together this year but definitely changed the picture with my swing and am feeling positive about it. I'd love to see if I could get one round in the 70s by the end of next season. Something I haven't done in a few years now.

[SDCarlson]

I've got a lot of golf goals this year! 

I figured it would be smart this year to set my goals toward time spent practicing rather than just scores. So I'm making an effort to spend 3-5 hours a week on solely practice. Not playing, but practice. 

Whatever comes from the practice I'll be happy to see! 

[Bob M]

My goals for 2022 are as follows:

1. Break 90 regularly and 85 at least once (I broke 90 in 2021 and was shooting in the low 90s by season end)
2. Average 31 putts per round (vs. 33.7 in 2021)
3. Average no more than one 3 putt/18 holes (vs. two in 2021)
4. Improve GIR to 4 (vs. 1.4 in 2021)
5. Average no more than 4 double bogies or worse (vs. 7 in 2021) per 18-holes.

How I plan to go about achieving these goals:

1. Spending the offseason working hard on putting, focused on "bead" and "speed" (to the extent possible indoors).
2. As soon the putting green opens (probably the second half of March) build a practice routine for green reading and speed as outlined in LSW.
3. Use time in a local simulator facility to work on (i) Driver - improve the quality of contact (get smash to 1.45) and launch angle (to 18*-19*) and (ii) Longer approaches - practice with the clubs at the longer end of the bag (100-160 yds) to improve consistency of strike and accuracy.
4. Work hard on my wedge game developing reliable shots for 30-, 50- and 75-yards in particular.
5. Improve my chipping by practicing various chips with my 58* (high) and pitching wedges (low) and a bump and run (safety) with hybrid. Practice pitching motion shots.   

[pganapathy]

On 12/24/2021 at 10:02 AM, pganapathy said:

Officially my handicap is 17 at my home course since I play there rarely and haven't had good tournaments in the last year or two.  However, of late, I have realistically been playing to around 10 to 12.  I want to get my handicap on the board down to low double digits (which means good tournaments and play on the occasions I am at my home course) and realistically play to single digit, which means breaking 80 most of the time.

Of course getting in shape is another goal, so am hoping losing some weight and gaining some muscle will result in better golf shape, though I may need to do golf specific exercises.

I picked up one new (actually used but new for me) club for my bag, a 2 hybrid in 2021.  Am thinking about upgrading my bag in such a way that I play better.  I currently have driver, 2 and 4 hybrid, 5-9, P, S and L.  Not sure whether that means reducing a club or two or increasing a club or two.  Or possibly just refreshing the grooves on my shorter irons, particularly the wedges, so that I can get more bite around the greens.

Playing regularly is another goal and hoping to get in at least 50 rounds this year, which means once a week at least.

Playing on Saturday I broke 80 which I guess qualifies as playing better and breaking 80.  One double and one triple, along with two birdies.  Shot 8 over 78.  

[SG11118]

1. Under Doctor's order to lose significant weight, so am going to tie my first golf goal into that order:

a. Average walking 72 holes per week from May 1 through September 15

b. 10PM bar / restaurant curfew 

2. My backswing has gotten sloppy over the past couple of years.  

a. Reduce length of backswing while maintaining a solid amount of turn. 

b. Video monitor this on at least a by-weekly basis to ensure length and turn are where I want them.

c. Work to increase flexibility and core strength

[Josh_s]

Long term goal is to get to Single figures (currently 18.3 after taking it up summer 2020)

This year I've tried to make  process goals with the idea of if i do these things i should get towards the outcome i would like:

 

Process goals:

- play 100 rounds of golf 

- average 2 range visits a week 

- write down what i intend to work on including a driill before i start any range/practice session 

- spend dedicated time at range on skill work not just swing changes

- Dial in wedges and write carry numbers for swings on club (ie 1/2, 1/4 swing)

- Start a members swing thread 

- use youtube account to record practice work so can track changes/progress

- have 6 lessons this year including one on putting and one on bunker play 

- have a putter fitting

- goto gym on average 2x per week (have specific fitness goals i wont bother sharing here!)

 

Ideal outcome goals:

Driver speed above 100mph on the course (currently early 90's when actualy playing)

Birdie every hole on home course 

bring average putts under 36

handicap below 15.3 by end of year

 

non specific wolly goals:

play as much golf as possible with my dad (he's played for years and ive always been a golf fan, but I never played, so playing with him has been great & one of the main reasons for taking it up)

Play as many different courses as possible

remember to enjoy it when i have a good round and forget it when i have a bad one!

 

 

 

 

[Flushed]

Improve my approach game from c.100 out. Way too often am very sloppy on those numbers - driving range time needs to focus on that rather than ripping more drives!

[Troy Ocker]

Still 8-10 weeks before the season starts in my parts of the world, but I do have some goals for 2022: 

- I want to consistantly hit at least 50% fairways this year. My last 10 rounds I hit 45% fairways (which was a lot better than earlier last season).

- I want to consistantly hit at least 40% greens this year. My last 10 rounds I hit 39% greens (which also was a lot better than earlier last season).

- Last season I averaged 30,6 putts on the 2 courses I played the most, and 32 putts on other courses. Hopefully I will hit some more greens this season, so I will be happy with between 30-31 putts or better this season as well. 

- I want to hit index 5.0 or lower (currently on 7,5) 

- I want to make birdie on every hole on my home course this year. (15/18 in 2021)  

- I want to make at least 1 eagle on a 500+ yard par 5.  

- I want to play 50+ 18-hole rounds this year. 

In 2021 my short game was where I was strongest (+my lengths, I average around 110mph clubhead spead with my driver), so I will putt in some more work on the longer clubs this year. 

[phan52]

My goals have nothing to do with scoring. I will spend more time with my teaching pro. I will spend more time at the short game range than the range tee box. I will spend more time on the putting green than the couple of minutes before my tee time.

The scoring will come. 

[gerald463]

1) To be able to finish 18 holes without losing a ball.

2) to consistently string together a few attempts at birdie in any round.

3) continue to improve my ball striking.

4) to improve on my short game.

[cdh79]

My goals for this year:

- get to hcp 15 (I'm 19 now, which is mostly because of difficult conditions, but I count every round I play.. I was at 16.8 in the summer when the conditions were better)

 

- play more new courses and go on more golf trips. I already started this with being on Madeira in December/January and I organized and went on an extended weekend trip to Portugal in February with some friends who I regularly play with. Flew there on Friday, played Friday, Saturday and Sunday and returned back on Monday. A great getaway from the cold weather, and even the wives that joined the trip had a great time (despite not playing themselves).

 

- get more consistent with my ball striking and swing. There are still too many variables in my game, which I would like to eliminate.

 

- decrease the amount of 3-puts.. especially when you have a birdie-put and then end up with bogie is something that I need to get out of my system.

Edited March 6, 2022 by cdh79