What Are Your 2013 Golf Goals? Official Thread

[bjwestner]

Alright, we are almost there.....March 15 is just a few days away and I know that day is the official start of handicap season in many states, including my own, Maryland.  So the winter is almost over and warm weather is right around the corner along with rounds that count towards your hc.

What is your goal for 2013?  Why did you set that goal?  What did you do in the winter to get better?

My own goal for the 2013 season is to get down to single digit handicap.  I'm not sure if that is a good goal or not since I have not been golfing for very long.  It may very well be impossible or it may even turn out to be a goal that is not challenging enough.  This is my first time that I am going into a new season (I started last summer).

I'm currently at a 15.5 hc officially and 14.1 unoffcially (which includes all my winter scores, my official hc has not counted any winter scores posted after Nov 15 in MD).  I set my goal to get down to single digits because it seems like the next logical step.  Over the winter I played as much as I could to get better.  As I write this though I am thinking that I may have made a mistake in doing this because I think I may have been better served using the time that I played rounds over the winter to have instead used that time practicing more.  I was lucky over the winter to get to the range once per week, usually the only time I hit balls was before my rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

I did practice a lot of putting though over the winter.  I purchased a synthetic bent grass green for my basement and averaged about 9 or 10 hours a week putting.  When I could, I would go to the practice green to practice this as well.

Now that daylight savings time has come, I am hoping that I will be able to practice outside more during the week after work.  I plan to be able to go to the range 2 to 3 times per week and also work on my short game too.  I plan to continue to play every Saturday and Sunday.

So my main goal for 2013 is to get my hc down to single digits.  Other goals for 2013 include:

1)  Breaking 80 (my current best is an 84)

2)  Average 8 or more GIR per round (for 2013 I am currently averaging just under 5)

3)  Average 8 or more FIR per round (for 2013 I am currently averaging right around 6)

4)  Average 32 putts or less per round (for 2013 I am currently averaging 34-35, but this includes putts from off the green and on the fringe too)

[sebsmash]

Get my handicap to single digits.

Play my first real tournament.

My reach goal would be to play on the golf team/club in college, still deciding where to go.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by bjwestner

What is your goal for 2013?  Why did you set that goal?  What did you do in the winter to get better?

Please search before posting.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/63760/what-are-your-2013-golf-goals-official-thread/

[BuckeyeNut]

I got down to a zero HC in 2012...........

I changed courses in 2013 and this course kicks my butt............if I can maintain a 2HC or better, I will be satisfied.

[slagbot]

I just want to qualify for the US Am, Pub Links, and/or Mid-Am. Secondary goal is to win one of the major Chicago-area amateur tournaments. I want to buy new clubs using entirely shop credit.

[MambaGolfer]

My early 2013 goals were to bolster my bag and to get a membership to a local club (check and check), but this year I'm really looking to improve and shoot consistently in the 70s-low 80s hopefully. I know I'll need to work on ball striking and putting and I'd like to get my GIR up. Overall I'm just looking to be more confident on the course and work on my game all around.

[NuclearMike]

My goal is to improve my ball striking.  I have a recent tendency to hit closer to the toe so I'm working on developing a swing during which I keep my spine angle consistent and don't lift up during the downswing.   I had a week off and had a lesson and hit ~1100 balls.  I saw some really good progress in staying properly positioned.

[Sevi316]

I am playing in my first Golf League this year and I am really excited about that. I would like to consistantly hit in the lower 80's by the end of the year. I have been working on my short game and it is starting to come together.

[Mac62]

- Join a men's club (for the first time in ~25 years of golfing) - Check.

- Establish an official handicap (also for the first time) - Check.

- Break 90 for the first time - Check (shot an 87 earlier this month).

With those out of the way, my goals for the rest of the year are:

- Get handicap down to 18 or lower (currently 28.2 and dropping).

- Play at least 1 round per week.

- Focused/effective practice at least 5 hours/week.

- Eliminate 100+ scores, consistently shoot low 90's to high 80's (pretty much goes along with my HCP goal).

[Vassago]

Single-digit hcp!

[mailman]

Updated goals for 2013...and beyond! :)

LIKELY for 2013:

1. Get first official handicap (completed 13/3/13 - now a proud owner of an official 28hcp :)

2. Three FIRS and GIRS in a round (completed 13/3/13)

3. No lost balls in a round.

4. First chip in (completed 9/3/13).

5. One birdie and one par in a round (completed 13/3/13)

6. Enter first competition.

7. Under 40 putts in a round (completed 30/3/13)

8. Complete two consecutive rounds with no quadruple bogies.

9. Score under 100 in a round (completed 29/3/13).

10. Practice!

POSSIBLE for 2014:

1. Handicap under 20.

2. Five FIRS and GIRS in a round.

3. Five pars or better in a round.

4. Score under 90 in a round.

5. Under 36 putts in a round.

6. Shoot first eagle.

7. Develop a reliable and consistent swing.

8. Full membership at local golf club.

9. Complete a round with no three putts.

10. Practice more!

DREAMS ARE FREE :)

1. Handicap under 10.

2. Round at Par.

3. No double bogies in a round

4. First hole in one.

5. Win first tournament.

6. Stop making lists like this one!

Regards

Mailman

[matt2uy]

1. Break 90

2. Hit more than 50% fairways

3. Average less than 36 putts per round

4. Play a round with 1 ball

5. Make the high school team

[Midway]

1 - Single digit handicap

2 - Just make time to play more

[tmf9]

Get to a +1.5 handicap

Break 65 once

stay balanced on all swings

get more consistent with irons and wedges (this ought to help 1 and 2 a lot)

[achadha7]

Get as close to 80, started playing a lil over 6 months ago and past 4 rounds or so been under 100 so 1 at the least shave min 10 strokes a round 2 get a decent fitted set of clubs 3 start using tge driver fairway woods and hybrid

[thanw]

1. Play more than 20 times in 2013.

2. Slow swing down and club up one club.

[elementz]

The last two years have kind of been a write off for me since I was travelling so often for work.  Now that I have stability at home, I took the plunge and got a membership at my favorite course around these parts so I hope to be playing (and practicing) much more.  Although I didn't play often, I tracked most of my stats to serve as a benchmark for this season.

Play 20-30+ rounds - I should specify that these will be legit rounds for my stats/handicap.  There are a couple of executive courses nearby that I will be playing, but those will be more for practice than anything.  I have never played more than 12 rounds a season so this is pretty exciting for me.  Our season usually starts around late April to early October.

Average score of 95 or less - Last season I logged 10 rounds and my average score came out as 105.4.  My highest round was the first of the year at 117 and my lowest score was 92 (on a much easier course) and that was the only time I broke 100. Came close many times though.  Therefore, the ultimate goal is to shave at least 10 strokes off my game.

Fairways hit of 50% - This number may seem a little lofty for such a high handicapper like myself but last year I averaged a little over 42% fairways hit.  I am not a very long hitter and ended up using 3W most of the time off the tee.  I have a new driver this year and I am looking forward to taking it out (ranges aren't open yet).  Ultimate goal here is to hit it longer and stay in the short grass.

Greens in Regulation of 25% - This is area where I think my game hurts the most.  I am looking at a large jump going from less than 8% GIR up to 25%.  However, this is a must if I want to score well.  There have been many times where I will hit a nice drive and either duff or shank my approach shots.  One of the areas I need to work on is aligning myself to the target.  I would have been pin high so many times but end up 20 yards to the left or the right of the green even though my shot goes farily straight...just wasn't aiming properly at the flag.

Putts per round at 36 or less - This seems to be a nice round number to try and obtain too.  Least year I average 38.9 putts per round, however, the first 5 rounds I averaged 42 and my last 5 rounds I averaged 35 so I was defintely improving as I found a putting stroke that I was comfortable with.  Also picked up an Oddysey putter that I have been practicing with in the basement.

Three Putts at 3.5 or less - Last season I averaged about 5.4 three putts per round.  Way to many...even 3.5 is too many but I need to have a realistic and achievable goal to hit.  And again, with all goals, if I exceed my expectations, all the better.  First 5 rounds I was around 7.5 three putts and my last 5 rounds, I was down to 3.4.

Two penalties or less - Last season I was almost accruing 4 penalties a round...not 4 penalty strokes either.  Score really adds up when your ball ends up unplayable.

Establish Handicap - Have never done this.

Track my club distances - I use Golfshot which has this feature, be nice to have an idea on how far I can hit with each club.

[tuffluck]

originally it was to break a 20 handicap, but i was calculating handicaps incorrectly and since i rarely break 90 i assumed my handicap was around 20.  turns out i just play really tough courses and my handicap is 15.1 with 1 more round to go (hoping to get in the 14s).

that being said i want to break 90 more consistently.  my last 6-7 rounds have been 88, 91, 91, 92, 92, 92 which as i'm sure you can understand is extremely frustrating from a psychological perspective.

my other goal is to learn some humility.  i get pretty frustrated (particularly when i play with my girl...not at her, but at the game...which makes no sense) and really want to learn how to enjoy being outside a bit more and not get so frustrated when i four putt the 18th hole to score a 91 instead of potentially breaking 90 (and yes that really happened, though admittedly it would have been at least a 3 putt for 95% of amateurs and i actually lipped out on my 3rd putt too, it wasn't like i choked).

that whole FIR/GIR is a great goal but i make some unlikely pars when i miss both FIR/GIR more often than making pars the typical way.  i find the tricky shots are far more important in this game than the simple ones.