Your 2009 Personal (Golf) Goals

[iacas]

Like our 2008 thread , the rules are simple.

1. Post your goals personal golf-related goals for 2009.
2. Please try to post just once, though if you reach all of your goals, you should quote your post and revise them later in the year.
3. Do not reply to the posts of other people. This thread, like "What'd You Shoot Today," is not intended to be a discussion, but merely a list of people's goals.

If you're looking for the recently un-stuck thread on how you fared with your 2008 goals, it's here .

[iacas]

I'm borrowing heavily, again, from my 2008-2006 goals, but again it's tough to improve when you're a lower handicap.

• Practice more. I've had excuses in the past few years re: the range being closed or not build, etc., but this year I'm not going to let myself off the hook so easily. I can practice without hitting a real golf ball, for example, or in my yard hitting chips and pitches.
• Reduce and then maintain handicap index below 2.0. I hit 1.8 in 2008, but it went back up right away. I want to finish the year below 2.0 this year.
• Mentally commit to the next shot. I don't care if it's on the practice range or not, I want to commit to every shot. It's nearly impossible, so I'm looking for improvement, but this alone could help me to accomplish the goal above.
• Continue to work on the short game. Work at home extensively with training aids like the Z-Factor, and continue to adopt and use Stan Utley's short game methods for pitching, chipping, and bunker play. I did well in 2008 with them and my short game was my saving grace in an otherwise crappy ballstriking year.
• Cement my swing changes (and work with an instructor). I'm completely self-taught, but taking video of myself every few months just isn't going to cut it. I need someone else's eyes for immediate feedback in order to cement the swing changes (i.e. not my old, super-flat swing) I've been working on for two+ years now.
• One round in the 60s. I don't even care if they're from a set of tees a bit further forward than I'd normally play - I want at least one round in the 60s.
• Some stats: Score (avg): 76, FWY: 60%, GIR 55%, Total Putts: 29, PPGIR: 1.75, PPMGIR: 1.3.

[kyldo]

1. Get my swing speed into the 130's.
2. Get my handicap down to scratch or better.

[Bo the Golfer]

Goals for 2009

Practice more often-I have daughter #2 on the way at the end of Feb. but this is the one thing I do away from my family so my wife has been great about working with me on this.

Practice more productively-I have been better about not just beating balls but I need to continue to make sure I go through my routine on every shot.

Practice short game-this is my #1 priority.

Get a real handicap-yes, I am a poser!

Break 90 consistently-I have had some wild rounds this year but know this is attainable.

Continue to have fun-this one is easy!

[mirv]

main goal: get handicap to less than 10. i'd like to be somewhere around a 7 by the end of the year.

goals to achieve to get me there: groove a solid, consistent swing, giving more accuracy. improve putts from 10 feet in. if i achieve both of those, then start working on getting more distance.

[Fourputt]

My goals are really quite simple.

1. I want to continue what I began last year and play at least an occasional round in the 70's. To add to that, I want a few of those rounds to be competition rounds, not just casual golf.

2. I intend to practice my chipping and pitching more and get that part of my game back to where it once was. I use to be a better than average scrambler, and I have dropped to well below average. I want to reverse that trend, and the only way that will happen is to practice. The putting is good, but I need to get more chips closer to the hole.

If I fulfill the second point, then achieving the first one will be easier.

[RocketSauce]

my personal goal is to shoot a round under par. ive had a few rounds where i finished at even par, and i've finished 9 holes under par on a few occassions, but i havent been able to finish 18 holes yet under par.... maybe this will be the year.

[bogeyhitter25]

I only play 9 holes, with an ocassional 18 hole round. So just remember that these numbers are for 9, not 18.

Off of the tee - Hit the fairway 5 or 6 times per round, and also, keep driving straight.

Fairway - Always make solid contact, and be 100% comitted to every single shot. I'd like to hit around 4 GIR per round.

Short game - When chipping around the green, get up and down around 75% of the time. It should be automatic.

Putting - Commit to every putt. Don't rush, but when standing over the ball don't take long.

[MiniMoe]

see if I can win enough in side bets to pay for the entire year of golf.
hit 90% of greens
hit 90% of fairways
walk more, drink less while playing

[golf_junkie27]

1. Ignore all the idiots around me while playing: You know who they are: Mr. I took the day off but my cellphone is attached to my ear, his twin brother Mr. I don't repair divots or ball marks and of course, Mr. Slowwww play. I will not and cannot let this bother me if I want to post better scores.

2. Stretch more-I stopped doing this for a while. I got out of my routine and my swing suffered, early in the round. The last month or so I went back to my routine and I shot better: 3 out of 5 rounds in the 70s and a best round of 81 at a tough muni: Hudson Hills.

3. Keep taking more club-Thank you, Erik and the like who preach taking enough or sometimes more club than you need. This is especially true on days where my swing is not there or I'm a little tired. (Yes, I walk.)

4. Work on my swing-I sometimes shorten my extension on the backswing and do not make enough of a shoulder turn. A friend of mine notice that when I do this I'm a little quick and lose distance. I'm going to work on this, finally with....

5. Getting lessons from a professional- I have a friend who is a plus handicap. Great guy, really knows his stuff. However, it's unfair to him to keep asking for information and he also does not always have the time. So, if any of you can recommend a really good teaching pro in Westchester/Bronx area, send me a PM, please!

[Beantown Beancounter]

Practice practice practice, we're talking about practice
Slow down, keep the pace with the group in front, but take the proper time with each shot
Improve consistency off the tee, learn how to hit a draw
Sand game
Obtain an official handicap (last season was my first REAL season of golf)
Enjoy being out there and take it all in
Play at least 5 times with my dad (he is on the west coast)

[PiustheDrGolf]

Goals for Year 2009:
1. Get a Tempo (Stop at backswing & Complete follow-thru)
2. 2 visits/week to practice green @ Lunch time
3. Read 3 golf instruction books
4. Winning 1:1 match vs. my boss

[golfmonke]

My main goal next year is to get my handicap down under a 5 permanently. I had it down to 4.8 this year, but not for long.

My problem is I hate practicing the short game. I'm good for at least 1-2 three putts per round and I don't get up and down that much.

So, next year i'm going to try to devote at least some time to the short game. My plan is to stop by a course either on my way to work or on the way home and put in 20-30 minutes of short game practice. We'll see.

I'm going to continue doing P90X this winter, specifically the Yoga and Stretching days to get more flexible.

[Golfer71]

In 2008 I reduced my handicap from 26 to 20..

2009:
H/c reduce from 20 to 12
Avg score 88
Avg putts 34

Add 10% to my drives (currently 200-230 yards)
Strike long irons consistently
Take chipping / putting lesson
Eliminate slice
Lose 5 kgs

[Spackler-esque]

1) Re-establish a handicap. This has been something like five years coming, so I really should just do it.

2) Commit to my swing as opposed to years past where I went through swing changes every other day it seemed like. With that...

3) Don't over swing. This isn't saying I won't (or at least won't want to) go after it on occasion, but that on my average swing I won't: a) rush my takeaway; b) over-rotate going back; c) attempt to consciously add lag in my downswing; and d) cut off my follow through prematurely.

4) Break 80. A few years ago I was shooting in the mid-to-low 80's consistently. This year I was almost all high 80's, low 90's. If I do #2 and #3, I feel I have a great chance of breaking 80 and staying there.

5) Get back in shape. Yes, sort of a multipurpose goal. I know I'm young (24), but between a bum shoulder and a bad foot, I've been lazy. I hope to use golf as a motivator to get back into the gym to add strength and endurance so these issues don't creep up again. Again, doing this will help with #4.

[scottevans77]

1. Commit to one swing and stick with it.
2. Practice more, not just pound balls at the range, but actually practice.
3. Play within myself, stop trying to do things I know I can't do.
4. Practice better course management, don't pull out the driver on every par 4.
5. Shoot consistently in the 80s for 18 holes or the 40s for 9 holes.
6. Walk more often.

If I can do the first 4 things, number 5 should take care of itself.

[slackhouse]

stay under 90 for atleast 50% of my rounds.
break 80 atleast once.
never lose to my dad or brother again.

[EquipmentJunkie]

Play more often.
Take more lessons.
Practice Putting more.
Play for an entire score and not just the score on that hole. (no hero golf)
Get to single digits
Putt better.