What Are Your 2016 Golf Goals? Official Thread

[RFKFREAK]

1) Become a better ball striker.  My ball striking is horrendous.  This really isn't that surprising because I didn't practice nearly as much as I should have in 2015.  The vast majority of my quality practice happened indoors during the off-season and because of the May and June "5 minute practice challenge" threads which I participated in.  I've had an instructor through Evolvr last year and this year, however, I really didn't utilize the knowledge he shared with me to it's fullest extent and, if I'm going to be honest with myself, I put forth minimal effort.  The only other way I allowed myself to improve was by going to the gym and adhering to my diet but I've pretty much stopped doing both since mid to late summer.  I've found, at least as per the gym, that it's difficult for me to commit to the gym regularly once summer starts because of other things I'm interested in doing and seeing so I'll have to work that out somehow.  I've now acquired a 240 FPS camera & found my tripod so it'll be easier to film my swing and analyze it during and after practice.  I'm also planning on going to the gym again and getting back on my diet starting in January.

2) Get my HC down to 22.9.  This was a goal in 2015 that didn't happen (got it down to 25.2 this year).  I continue to have this goal because I want to average shooting a 97 at the hardest course I play at and a 93 on average at the easiest course I play at.  To be honest, though, this is what I think is a realistic goal rather than one I'd be happy with.  I had hopes of 2015 being a big improvement year in golf for me and I would label it as a year of only incremental improvement.  As explained in the preceding paragraph, I didn't put forth the maximum effort I could to improve.  That said, I guess in my mind, even though golf is hard, for some reason I feel my natural ability should make me better at golf than I currently am.  I'm really envious of people who are bogey golfers or better who make it seem like they don't put any effort at improving their game.  I probably won't be happy unless my HC gets down into the teens or I see some major improvement on the course.  Ultimately, this won't happen unless I make a significant improvement with my full swing because improving putting and short game is great, but if it takes me 4-5 shots to get close to or on the green on a regular basis like it does now, my HC won't be going down.  So, really, 90% of my practice time should be towards full swing, IMO.

3) Get a new set of irons.  This was a goal last year but some things came up.  I expect it to soon.

4) Play at least 50 rounds.  This was also a 2015 goal which I didn't reach (only played 37).  It didn't happen because I took time off almost the whole month of July partly to help my mom move and partly because I was discouraged with how developing a terrible hook on July 2nd.  I then shot a 122 (51 over par) on September 19 at the course I played the most at this year which is rated 67.5/120 and planned for it to be my last round and get ready for 2016.  Ended up playing a month and a half later..  This goal could have been reached in 2015 and, unless I face adversity the same way, I should reach it in 2016.

 

[newtogolf]

1. Add distance to my game by working with a Titleist TPI Instructor over the winter to improve my flexibility.  Additional distance and accuracy are critical to me lowering my handicap.
2. Lower my handicap to below 15 by adding distance and accuracy to my long game, working on short game and course management.
3. Win the club championship of whatever flight I'm competing in at my home club.

[rehmwa]

2016 - Based on my 2015 stats, GIR is king by a LOT.  To that effect I need improved contact and face control.

Goals for winter drills:  And I have HUDL Technique and video is so important - learning so much....

1st - Shorter backswing - My backswing was WAY past parallel.  Even when I 'think' it's well short, it usually still gets to parallel.  Goal is to feel like I have more control.  seems parallel is fine, maybe a little less for practice to make sure I don't lose ground on it....

2nd - no more hunching my back - I'm really drilling to push my chest out (straight spine).  Seems to get my 'triangle' a lot more still.  At worst, I now have a posture where before I don't think I had the same one from day to day..

Just these two to start - I don't want to drill more than one or two things at a time - almost immediate improvement here.  Picking out targets to hit through on the far wall of the golf dome and hitting them more than not until I get tired anyway.  Just the backswing thing alone I'm feeling like I'm controlling the club head better start to finish.  The trick for me is finding the feel of the pace of backswing that's natural, yet shorter and doesn't feel like swinging an axe.  or, conversely, so slow that I lose the club path due to not committing.

3rd If I can get to it - Flatter wrist.  This to get my club line at the top (position 4?) lined down the target line - bent back wrist exaggerates a line that is really pointing too far right.  Need a drill here, else I'll just strap a flat stick to my wrist as a tactile reminder.  It'll also shorten the backswing visual anyway.  Currently my wrist is the polar opposite of the Dustin Johnson 'way closed' wrist line - I also don't want to go there.....just neutral...

 

Those alone might get me through to spring.  If not, a couple others later

4th - I pre-load my trail leg at address a bit more than I'd like.  This also puts the ball address position well back of a typical location.  I'm going to dial this down also.  My pressure transfer is good either way and this allows me to return to my impact position better.

net net so far?  I'm getting much better contact more often.  Lines are a little better.  But I do seem to be hitting a lot higher also - which makes sense.  Can fix that easily later.  I don't think I'm losing much club speed/distance too.  and better contact will likely net me gains in the long run.

 

I really do need to upload some new "My Swing" videos.

[MichiganLefty]

1. Now that my ballstriking is consistent and I've worked out my alignment issues that caused my outside-to-in swings, I plan to devote a considerable amount of my practice time to shape shots (draw, fade, low, high).

2. I recently had my Odyssey putter fitted as it was a too long and upright (made a ton of difference). I plan on spending a lot of time practicing on distance control to eliminate those occasional three-putts.

3. Would like to shoot a round of par at the 9-hole course I'm a new member at. I've played there several years and had two rounds of 38 (+2) last year.

4. While no specific objective, I would like to perform solid in the club championship late next summer as it will be my first.

I'm VERY excited about the 2016 golf season!

[9wood]

My goal for 2016 is to ad more swing speed to my tee shots without any loss of accuracy. I began working on that today and was able to hit one of my drives 250 yds.and another 260 yds. Not too shabby for a 67 year old golfer. Now I just need to be able to do it consistently.

[dchoye]

This offseason I been thinking about my shot shaping.  I been finding that I play better when I try to hit "push draw" with my driver . Meaning I will aim toward the right side of the fairway and either push straight to the right side of the fairway or try to draw it back to middle of the fairway.  

Sometimes I hook it but I find that I have been able to correct it during the round 

I know Trevino say fading is better can't talk to a hook but I find that you can't talk to a slice either

i tried fading with my driver and had a bit of success but not as consistent and when the big fade (slice) happen I feel I can not correct it as my round continues 

Edited December 10, 2015 by dchoye

[Marty2019]

My goal for 2016 is to break 80.   I think I can do it if I work on my short game.  My ball striking is inconsistent but improving.   Putting is okay.   What I need to work on is scrambling.   Chipping, pitching, trouble shots, all that stuff.   I need to make the short game more of a practice priority.

 

 

  

[vangator]

I've got a few lofty goals for 2016, but if you don't try you'll never even sniff any improvement.

1). Keep consistent stats during my rounds.  When I do keep stats, I track FIR, GIR, # putts, proximity to hole when GIR and of course score.  I'm going start keeping driving distance as well.  This may be tough since a GPS indicates distance to the hole.  So this stat really may be proximity to the hole.  Two drives of equal distance would produce different GPS readings if I cut a dog leg versus going wide.  I'm going to see if my Garmin S1 has a distance option.

2) I'd like to have a round where I hit 14/14 fairways.  I had on round last year with 13 and a couple with 12.  My course isn't a really tight course, so this may be doable.  I'd like to average 10 FIR per round.  I think it may be in that vicinity now.  Not sure.

3) A really lofty goal is 18/18 GIR.  Best I've ever done is 16, but at 6300 yards maybe it's doable.  I know I'd choke on 18 if I was 17/17.   18 can be a tough approach.  I start every round with these goals, and it sucks when I miss the first fairway and first green.

4) Shoot a 68 or better.  Had a 69 this year.  Unbelievable ball striking that day but the putter let me down.

5) Just putt better.  I really don't know my putts per round right now, but I think it's in the 36 vicinity.  If GIR goes up, putts per round could also go up, so really I'd just like to make a few more 10 footers and feel that I'm putting better.  Maybe 32 putts per round could be a goal.

[9wood]

My golf goal for 2016 is to work out in the winter months and get into better shape physically before the 2016 golf season starts up in these Northern parts of the country. I'm hoping that if I work out and get into better shape, that I might be able to get more distance on my drives in order that I might have a better chance to get up and down in 2 on the par fours and up and down in 3 on the par fives more often. It's not easy, especially since I'm 67 years old. I noticed on the two rounds that I played this week that my second shots usually put me just a wee bit short of the greens on most par fours, and my third shot on those par fives left me a wee bit short of the greens on those par fives.

[spider]

Play golf in all 50 states summer of 2016!

How will I do it? Nice and easy.

[Lihu]

5 hours ago, spider said:

Play golf in all 50 states summer of 2016!

How will I do it? Nice and easy.

Sound fun! Alaska and South Dakota might be a little difficult, but good luck!

[Natural Patrick]

13 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Sound fun! Alaska and South Dakota might be a little difficult, but good luck!

What makes South Dakota more difficult difficult than North Dakota ?

[Lihu]

Just now, Natural Patrick said:

What makes South Dakota more difficult difficult than North Dakota ?

Good point, I like having more hills and mountains. Just used to it. . .

 

[Garethw]

Hit more GIR's, get my handicap down to 15 or below. 

[JonMA1]

1. Hit 6 of 18 GIR, 5 or more times (preferably at the beginning, middle and end of he season).

2. Shoot in the 90's from >6,000 yards, 5 or more times.

If I don't hit these goals, TST Mods and Forum Leaders get to change my avatar to anything they want for the entire month of January, 2017.

[spider]

6 hours ago, Natural Patrick said:

What makes South Dakota more difficult difficult than North Dakota ?

 

6 hours ago, Natural Patrick said:

What makes South Dakota more difficult difficult than North Dakota ?

i'll keep you all posted. All my rounds will be in the capital city of each state.

[phan52]

I lost 25 lbs this year (a lot for a 5'9" guy). I feel great, body fat is way down and have increased flexibility. But I am 63 years old and distance is becoming a challenge. I really only wanted to lose 20 so I am going to get into a golf fitness program this winter and add those 5 lbs back in lean muscle mass. I want add at least 10 off the tee and at least 5 with all the irons.

 

[collapse]

4 minutes ago, phan52 said:

I lost 25 lbs this year (a lot for a 5'9" guy). I feel great, body fat is way down and have increased flexibility. But I am 63 years old and distance is becoming a challenge. I really only wanted to lose 20 so I am going to get into a golf fitness program this winter and add those 5 lbs back in lean muscle mass. I want add at least 10 off the tee and at least 5 with all the irons.

 

Very well done...you should be pleased with yourself.