What are Your 2019 Golf Goals?

[DeadMan]

17 minutes ago, RaginCajun814 said:

2019 Goals

Start practicing Mon, Wed, Friday devoting 2 of those days to short game and 1 day on the range. Allotting 75 percent of the short game days to putting and 25 percent of that to 3-5 foot putts. 50 percent of range day will be spent on 100 yard shots. This is really a weakness of mine. Playing every Saturday and possibly a Sunday every so often. With setting this practice schedule, the goal is to drop 5 strokes by the start of 2020 🤞

I strongly suggest reading this thread before you do that: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/58816-652015-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time/

[HJJ003]

Alright it’s finally time today my goals for the 2019 year! I will list three goals how I plan to achieve them. Here we go: 

1. Get my handicap down to a 15 (drop roughly six strokes) by YE

      - Commit to a full swing path change and practice it correctly. I have already begun this process, but my goal is to really eliminate the OTT move and it’s results such as shanks, Tops, Slices, etc..

     - Dial in my partial wedge shots. 

     - Drop roughly two of my desired 6 strokes in the SG/Putting area of my game. This includes more speed control putting practice and picking better landing spots and actually hitting them with my chips/pitches 

2. Increase my typical Driving Distance to 240 Yards. (Currently around 230)

    - Change Swing Path as seen above

    - Get back on a dedicated workout regiment 

    - Get a lesson. I think my set up and AoA could use some work. This also will help goal number 1. 

3. Increase my list of Total Golf Courses Played to 60 (currently at 50)

    - Play at least 5 new courses in the Houston area

    - Play at least one course while on Vacation 

    - Play in more corporate scrambled to play some new courses I haven’t played yet. 

Well that’s my goals! Looking forward to 2019!

 

[zwon13]

2019 goals for myself

1. Develop a weekly/daily Practice routine's 

2. Play 18 holes once a week

3. Break 90's 

my biggest 3, last year was my first playing. mostly playing with a buddy who loves to drink more then play. I'm ready to take golf serious and next year start playing tournaments. 

[iacas]

4 hours ago, DeadMan said:

I strongly suggest reading this thread before you do that: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/58816-652015-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time/

Goodness, @RaginCajun814, please read up on the topic @DeadMan linked to and a few other relevant ones.

[RaginCajun814]

4 hours ago, DeadMan said:

I strongly suggest reading this thread before you do that: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/58816-652015-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time/

Thanks for the good read @DeadMan, i appreciate it. Will definitly work more full shot practice into my routine for 2019. 

 

[uitar9]

1. Keep walking the course (I do use a cart)-Maintain a regular walking program-currently walking 45 minutes 3 to 4 times a week.

2. Maintain my once a week practice (Time is always a problem)-three clubs max-90 balls max (get to tired) and really concentrate on target practice-wedge iron and wood. Last year that added a few yards to every club when hit solid and built my confidence on distance

3. Add a once a week a week practice on the putting green-probably a one ball routine 

4. Practice not thinking about the last bad shot

[Hncjc]

I am 63 and just restarted playing regularly about 2 1/2 years ago after 30 years of just playing a few times a year.   My index has gone down from about 23 then to 15 now. To continue to improve, I need to 

1.  Chip and putt much better.  Chipping esp. needs to improve.

2.  Improve hitting on downhill lies. Too my fat shots from severe downhill lies. 

3.  Be more consistent. My scores on my home course varied from 84 to 97 last year. Key is keeping drives in fairway (we have very severe roughs), which became a strength last year and hit irons cleanly all the time. On poor rounds, I hit too many irons thin or fat.  On better rounds, I hit irons consistly cleanly. Need to figure out how to do this consistently. 

4.  Improve wedge play. Esp. Partial wedges. 

5. Stop overswinging. Have long easy swings. More use of legs - less of arms. 

[NJpatbee]

2019 Goals

• Decide on a new home course since moving
• Play 40 18 hole rounds with at least 15 eligible for handicap entry
• Work on solid contact with the ball for additional distance
• Lower my 16.3 handicap index by a stroke  

[miggusrises]

2019 Goals (and my first post! (although I have lurked for some time). I was writing down my goals offline but saw this thread and figured this was a better place to put them.)

 

• Shoot a round of par. Since I got back into golf 18 months ago this has been my goal. Started out shooting well into the 100s, but that came down pretty quick once I learned to keep the ball in play and to hit the ball then the ground (I didn't know that you were supposed to take a divot!). Played bogey golf until the summer of this year, at which point I was able to  get down to scoring low 80s rounds consistently through learning to chip and putt. Since September I have been taking some lessons but not playing as much, and this kept my scores in the low 80s. Finally, this last month I put a driver in the bag (I was playing irons only until then) and now I am consistently in the 70s, with a best round of +2 (yesterday). I think a par round is coming soon, but when it finally happens I will be very happy 😃
  • STRETCH GOAL - shoot a round in the 60s. When I started I hadn't dared to consider this, but now seems like a possibility! I don't expect this one to happen, but want something to shoot for if I get the other one early. 

 

• Achieve a handicap of 5. I don't actually have a proper handicap yet (not been living in one place long enough), so the first step will be to get one. However, based of my recent rounds I think my initial handicap wont be far off this anyway, so this one shouldn't be too difficult.
  • Stretch - achieve a handicap of 2. This reflects my best ever round, but that was in the winter without any roll and on a new course. This one will be difficult, but with effort I think I can do it.

 

Other goals:

• Play in a club competition
• Play in a university match
• Go on a golfing holiday!
• Have four more lessons, inc. one of which is a round of golf with the pro.
• Get a set of irons with stiff shafts

[mvmac]

Get the swing speed averaging 115.
How: keep up the mobility and strength work, keep doing the speed practice and most importantly keep improving mechanics and ball contact.

Have more rounds under par than over at my home course.
How: Improve distance wedges from 80-40 yards, get better with pitches and chips off of crappy lies, hit it farther.

Improve mechanics. Specifically, have less slide and knee sag on the downswing.
How: keep things as athletic or dynamic as possible, good rotation with the trunk, better pressure sequence and create more separation with the ribs and shoulders in transition. Slow reps at home, quality practice on the range. 

Have multiple tournament rounds under par.
How: Don't putt like a dumbass, play in more tournaments, more right-brained practice, repeat of stuff above.

Keep putting well.
How: right arm only drills, gate drills, don't let ball position creep forward.

[mrjohnsmitt]

Mine are the same as every other year: play more golf, play better golf and have more fun. 😊

[Melly9]

1) Win my Club Championship: Last year the Club Championship was the first tournament I had ever played in. That pressure was something I had never experienced before and I played poorly.

2) Get down to a 2 Handicap: This year after taking the game “seriously” for the first time I dropped from a 10 to a 4. I’ve stalled between 4-5. Just need to tighten up every aspect. My biggest concern is accuracy off the tee. I’m a fairly long hitter but when I have my good driving days seem to be the days I shoot around par. 

3) Break Par: I shot even par twice in 2018. Looking to get over that hump in 2019. I need to make more birdies. Too many 2 putts for par. 

[treebound]

My 2019 goals:

Read and re-read several of the how to practice threads and discussions and apply tips and methods and routines to my practice times. In the past I’ve sometimes gone to a driving range just as a form of exercise, so this year I’m going to focus more on accomplishing or figuring something out instead of just whacking balls. Fewer balls and hopefully better results.

The clubs in my bag have all changed over the last few years, and due to my lack of rounds played and limited range time (many reasons, family, work, house repairs) I basically have no real idea of how far I hit each club. And sometimes four different clubs will all seem to go the same distance somehow. So through working on my swing mechanics and consistency I plan to get back to where I was 30 years ago when I knew how far I hit each club in the bag. The course next to the business park where I work has a free practice range where I can hit my own golf balls and laser range find distance and pace off shots. Once I’ve got my swing mechanics somewhat consistent then I’ll write down a yardage sheet and/or add a note file in my phone to refer to. It does me little good to know how far a pin or hazard is away if I don’t know how far the ball is going to go when I hit it. 😎

In 2019 I want to play some golf and get out on the course. I also would like to get in a couple rounds of golf with a few of the golfers who are active on this site and are also in my regional area. I also want to re-establish my USGA handicap, which requires rounds played. So i will be renewing my membership and signing up for the county discount card which can include the state association membership as well for handicap tracking.

I got lots of work to do on my golf game and this year I want to really work on it.

 

[Abelvis]

My goals are to play more and get my handicap from 22 to 15..

Also to start a youtubechannel to encourage myself to play more and better!

[Chasing_Bogeys]

Results that I will achieve:

1. Handicap <15 by end of 2019 (currently 18  / hoping it can get to 12/13 but that might be unrealistic, so <15)
2. Play at least 15 rounds of golf (played 8 rounds in 2018)
3. Correct slice (would like to move it to baby draw, but at least reduce it to baby fade)
4. Break 85 at least once in 2019. I know "85" isn't a barrier #, but I've never been under that and am rarely under 90.
5. Average 1.75 putts per hole in 2019 (avg 2 in 2018)

Commitment to make those happen:

1a. Practice! Minimum 4 days per week.
1b. "going to the range" != "practice" - when at the range have a purpose, objective, and document good & bad
1c. Do not let "going to the range" turn into reinforcing bad habits. If the thing I'm trying to get better at isn't getting better either leave or take a break or work on something else (it's a long list)
1d. "Practice" can happen at home - use LSW home drills; find drills online; get drills from coach
1e. Play games as part of practice - keep score - see progress
2. Take Lessons! There are financial constraints to the frequency, but take a lesson in Jan and a lesson in Feb and go from there
3. Do the homework from the lessons!!!!
4. Don't waste time during the week and on non-golf weekend time so that you can have more free time for golf (i.e. take kids on hikes on saturday mornings if you don't have a tee time, practice putting on the carpet instead of vegging out  to TV, etc.)
5. Track Progress!!!!!!!!
6. Develop a pre-round routine and follow it. It's not practice. It's warming up.

Other Thought:

When playing, either take it seriously or don't. Don't be halfway and don't switch mid round. If it's a "beer drinking team skins with the boys!!!!" round, then relax, enjoy the time outside with the fellas and go for the hero shots that you want to try out! If I'm keeping score and trying to shoot <85 then focus as such. No mulligans, no "breakfast balls", no foot wedges. Play according to the Rules of Golf. Think about every shot - applying LSW game planning.
 

[Jrwatkins7]

1-  Finally get fit for clubs! My HiBore is getting pretty long in the tooth.   Club Champion full bag fitting next week... if nothing else, it should be fun with all the "toys" they will have to play with.

2-  Break par at least once.  Shot a couple of 74s in 2017... and a couple of 73s in 2018, and then to finish off the year I finally shot a 72 (winter rules still count, right?)

3-  Be competitive in the club championship this year.  Maybe I can't beat them, but I want to hang with the big boys for two rounds.  If only I can stay out of my own head, I know that I can do it.  (Any suggestions on how to not think too much?)

4-  Play and practice as much and possible.  Hopefully there will be a couple of golf trips in the cards for me this year as well.  Reno and Bandon are in the works.

5-  Keep my weight in check.  I lost 120 lbs last year and have now gained about 30 back.  I need to find a middle ground to maintain. This, I think, will be harder than breaking par. 

6-  ...one more I heard on a podcast this week.  Birdie every hole on my home course this year.  This will be fun to track.  #2 and 12... I dunno.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Jrwatkins7

[dogburger]

My golf game seems to go in cycles . Gradual improvement to the point Im playing two or three rounds 10 shots below my handicap and then crash ,cant hit a thing , the shanks ,chipping yips,3 putting and a complete lack of confidence . I then eventually start hitting a few decent shots building back up to playing to my handicap for a couple of months and the glory weeks again before it all comes tumbling down again .

My goal or rather hope is to break that cycle 

[sophia K]

Lowering the handicap, hopefully under 15.