What Are Your 2016 Golf Goals? Official Thread

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, PEZGolf said:

It is not a typo. You are right---I do have a good short game, and can putt.  For example, on July 10, 2009, before I was injured and before I was limited in playing and practicing, I shot a 75 at a course I had never seen before in Rotterdam, New York---near Albany and Schenectady.  Its name is Briar Creek.  I hit 12 out of 12 fairways, was on the fringe or green on 17 of 18 holes, and had 26 putts, with 3 birdies. From the 2nd to 12th holes, I had 11 one putt greens in a row.  Unfortunately, I three putted 16 and 18 for bogies, but the first putts were from 25' or more.  On the 7th hole, a par 3, surrounded by water, I used too much club and went in the water, over the green.  I then dropped 1 club, hit the green, and made the putt for a bogey.  As I previously posted, I played very little from 2010-2014.  Let me tell you-----I really, really missed golf.  I played at Disney World in 2012, and hit only 4 or 5 solid shots in 18 holes.  I then vowed that if I was going to play like that, I would simply give up the game!  I have told people that I do NOT "play golf" in the sense of being a recreational golfer.  Instead, I practice the game and compete in tournaments, and my practice sessions are designed to prepare me for the next  tournament.                        From July 17 to 19 this summer, I played with my son in a Member Guest at the St. Lawrence University Golf Course in Canton, NY.  All winter and spring, I worked to get ready.  We won the 36 hole tournament, and our winning margin was 10 points over the Defending Champions.  Then, on September 27, I shot a 73, 1 over par at the Stonebridge Golf Course, near Utica, NY, and had 38-35, with the 35 being 1 under the par of 36 on the back nine.  I made only 1 birdie---on #16, but had only 2 bogies, on #3 and 6, the two toughest holes on the course.  In each case, I was on the fringe, chipped decently, but 2 putted. Hopefully, with lots of work this winter at golf simulators and the Golf Dome at the Turning Stone Resort near Syracuse (actually in Verona, NY), I will be able to keep my game in shape, including the short game.        Right now, I am penciling in certain tournaments and matches, and one of them will be a return trip to Briar Creek, with my son, my nephew, and my golfing buddy of 40+ years.  When my nephew and I played there in 2009, his Dad was alive and we had a good time.  So this will be a memorial round for "Tink", who can look down from Golf Heaven, and give me the needle, as he always did!

Makes sense.

[Golfingdad]

OK, so I've set some fairly vague goals for the last couple of years - not necessarily easily achievable, just kinda boring - so this year I think I'll try for a bit more.  (Note to self: the handicap is 5.0 for the 12/15 revisions, and likely will be 5 on January 1.)

1. Continue improving my practice regimen.  I got better last year and it paid off, but I want to do it even more this year.  Try to meet the 5 minute monthly challenges as much as possible.
2. Continue lowering the handicap.  I know that as I get lower, the rate slows down to a crawl, so any amount is good, but I'm going to set the numeric goal at >1 stroke - Get it into the "3's."
3. Competitively, make sure that I prepare well for all tournaments, and leave nothing to chance.  Research, play a practice round if possible, fill out a yardage book, and stick to a game plan.  Win another tournament this year.
4. Swing-wise: Get and refine a flight pattern I can trust.  I'm kind of close to being able to eliminate the right side of the course, I am just not close enough to trust it yet.  It hasn't been that long since I was hitting cuts often and I still can't bring myself to aim right of center.  I believe that this can be a game-changer if I can get there.
5. On the fun side: Try and get my son (turning 7 in April) into it a little more, and buy my daughter (turning 5 in May) her first club to see if she might also catch the bug. :)

[ZappyAd]

To break par for nine holes (36) at my local course.  Best this year was 39 so I think it is within reach if I keep practicing.  It seems from my stats this year it is mostly all about my tee shots and eliminating any trip into the trees.

[uitar9]

1. have no expectations when I play a round. Just concentrate on the shot

2. more putting and sand practice 

[Pretzel]

10 hours ago, ZappyAd said:

To break par for nine holes (36) at my local course.  Best this year was 39 so I think it is within reach if I keep practicing.  It seems from my stats this year it is mostly all about my tee shots and eliminating any trip into the trees.

Are you sure you're an 18 handicap golfer? You might want to update the index section of your profile!

[zholifield]

Oh and to add to my previous reply, for 2016 I'd like to enter into on of my local tournaments, will be my first ever ??

[Lihu]

10 hours ago, ZappyAd said:

To break par for nine holes (36) at my local course.  Best this year was 39 so I think it is within reach if I keep practicing.  It seems from my stats this year it is mostly all about my tee shots and eliminating any trip into the trees.

 

31 minutes ago, Pretzel said:

Are you sure you're an 18 handicap golfer? You might want to update the index section of your profile!

I pondered over this for a while, and couldn't figure out what kind of Par 36 course would be so easy that a bogey golfer could shoot par on it?

[LeftRightLeft]

2015 offered some improvement over 2014, but a long way to go. 

2016:

1)  Improve putting, especially lag putting.  I want average 33-34 putts per round.

2)  Continue to improve ballstriking (measured by Fairways Hit, GIR).   I improved on penalty strokes, but still miss too many fairways.  I want to average at least 6 FIR, with most of balance near-misses.  Still looking for 7 GIR average.  

3)  Play 20 rounds

4)  Play new courses

6 hours ago, Pretzel said:

Are you sure you're an 18 handicap golfer? You might want to update the index section of your profile!

Do you know what you call an 18 hcp that can break par?  Partner!

[Lihu]

38 minutes ago, LeftRightLeft said:

Do you know what you call an 18 hcp that can break par?  Partner!

Good one!

[plum]

par my home course (71)

get back to the 4-5 HC range

work on putting more. I got better this year but need to go one more step and make more per round, thats the main problem holding me back at this time realistically

[bm85]

Just some golf things I want to do in 2016:

• Keep a real index, with a target being 9
• Track basic stats like FWY%, GIR%, Putts
• Not hurt myself pounding all the balls I will be pounding
• Keep chipping in the back yard once or twice a day/putting over old credit card in the kitchen

[gatsby47]

I really felt as though my wedge work improved in 2015.  My putting stroke was okay towards the end, but I still want to concentrate on those areas to improve.  I got a new soft stroke grip on my putter at the beginning of the year after having the putter with the original grip more than 10 years. It eventually felt comfortable.  I don't want to spend time reading and trying but I like Stockton's methodology, so I will go over that again in early spring  No new clubs this year, bring back an oldie 3 wood that served me well and see if it still has anything left. My driver worked wonderfully  No scoring goals anymore, Good shots fun rounds with great playing partners makes every golf outing enjoyable and satisfactory.  A Barking Squirrel after the round and  life is beautiful

[Mjrowe1]

Playoff scratch by this time next year, my GA is 13.7 at the moment. Realistic?

[Pretzel]

23 minutes ago, Mjrowe1 said:

Playoff scratch by this time next year, my GA is 13.7 at the moment. Realistic?

Not really. My goal is to play offor scratch coming in as a 1.0, and it took me a little over 2 years to get this fat from a 14. 

Theoretically speaking it's possible for you to do that. Realistically speaking a better goal would be between a 5 and a 10 depending on your work ethic and time commitment (I jumped from a 14 to a 5 in a calendar year playing more than once a day over the summer). Just keep at it and you'll realize that the lower your handicap, the harder improvement becomes. 

[onthehunt526]

Here we go.

My Handicap Index is currently 10.1 (I had A 90 count toward my Index)

1. Try to get down to a 7.5 or less.

in order to accomplish this:

A) I need to work on my putting some.

B) Work on my iron play and getting closer to the hole...

C) Keep my short game at the level its at.

2. Actually swing a little bit longer and faster my Clubhead speed is around 107, I think since I have a 3/4 swing for the most part, I can swing a little further back and get to around 112-115 but would be happy around 110.

3. Stick with one set of irons... You heard it here first... I'm sticking with one set of irons, It will probably be the CU's to be honest, Though they are a little shorter, I know where they are going.... So about the only thing my E8's are good for is the shafts.

4. Finally, shoot a round with 0 others... I had a few ESC mash-ups this year... I need to get those momentum killers under control, for example, in the City Tournament qualifying round I shot 90, but was +7 thru 11 (right on Par with my Course Handicap which is 12)... Finished Double, Double, Triple, Par, Bogey, Bogey, Double... The Par Bogey Bogey was OK, but the 7 over in three holes wasn't I need to know when to make damn sure to make no worse than bogey. PERIOD.

[ZappyAd]

17 hours ago, Lihu said:

I pondered over this for a while, and couldn't figure out what kind of Par 36 course would be so easy that a bogey golfer could shoot par on it?

 

18 hours ago, Pretzel said:

Are you sure you're an 18 handicap golfer? You might want to update the index section of your profile!

I haven't played many rounds this year - 3-4 when I started playing again and I was shooting high 80s low 90s.  After a lot of practice in the summer I joined a club on a trial and have played a few 9 hole rounds a week (back 9 of an 18 hole course) for the last month or so.  Playing regularly has driven my score down so in the last few weeks I've done six rounds at 39-41.  Game Golf has me at 13.8 but I guess I haven't really done enough rounds recently to shift the average down and I'm not really sure what I would be if I played the full 18 (I don't think it would be 2x(39-41))

[Pete]

Go under par gross in a club competition. Only done this out of comps so far and one round level gross in a comp.

[Lihu]

51 minutes ago, ZappyAd said:

I haven't played many rounds this year - 3-4 when I started playing again and I was shooting high 80s low 90s.  After a lot of practice in the summer I joined a club on a trial and have played a few 9 hole rounds a week (back 9 of an 18 hole course) for the last month or so.  Playing regularly has driven my score down so in the last few weeks I've done six rounds at 39-41.  Game Golf has me at 13.8 but I guess I haven't really done enough rounds recently to shift the average down and I'm not really sure what I would be if I played the full 18 (I don't think it would be 2x(39-41))

First of all, your handicap is 13.8.

Secondly, those last 4 strokes could take up to years of effective training and possibly a complete swing overhaul to eliminate. It's a huge milestone for some, and unreachable for others.

So, the reason why I can't see myself shooting par is that playing 9 or 18 doesn't change my scores that much and I shoot anywhere from 38 to 45 (or more) on 9 holes on any given day. I don't see myself shooting anything close to 36 for a long time, if ever. I did play a par 65 course and shot 3 over as a 13.7 handicap a while back, but it was a fluke round on a really easy course.