This is a short follow up post from my last article on selecting golf goals for the new year. I will highlight the golf goals I have chosen for the new year and why I selected them.
WAIT, don’t stop reading yet. I know you are probably thinking, “I don’t care what some random blog writer is trying to achieve next year, I’m going to go back to looking at Christmas pictures of people I don’t even like on Facebook”. But please read one more paragraph so I can explain.
Firstly, I want to give an example of how a selection of golf goals might look. Hopefully, you will think of some good ideas relevant to yourself by reading my thought process. Secondly, I have followed a structured approach and put the goals into key categories. I encourage you to use the categories and my examples as inspiration. Thirdly, well, this is actually a selfish reason. If I share my goals with you, I give myself some accountability. However, if you leave a comment with your own goals on this article, then I and the other readers can give you some accountability in exchange. That way, everyone wins.
Non-Playing-Performance Related Goal
I believe everyone should have at least one golf goal that is completely unrelated to improving their score or playing better.
Goal Number 1 – Write on average one golf article a week for this blog and send out at least one email every two weeks to my readers.
- Specific: Average of at least one blog post a week, and one email every two weeks.
- Measurable: Easily measured by counting the articles and emails.
- Achievable/Realistic: I believe so. I have some more lofty golf writing-related goals such as writing a book on past legends of the game, but it’s not realistic for me this year (I will have a lot on my plate as I will be moving home in 2021).
- Time-bound: I have to have to keep it up all year, so if you are still reading this blog twelve months from now, I have achieved my goal.
- How: Plan articles and make the time to write, either before or after work
Idea For Your Own Goal
I appreciate most people do not want to write a golf blog. As I mentioned in my previous article, playing new golf courses is an excellent non-performance related goal for every golfer!
Golf Fitness Goal
Golf fitness goals are essential for everyone. Golf fitness doesn’t have to be about hitting the ball further, it can also be about staying healthy and pain-free.
Goal Number 2 – Break my continuous cycle of injuries by working on golf rehab and conditioning exercises
Injuries have always been the most significant issue in my golfing life and are largely why I did not at least try to turn professional after playing golf on a university scholarship. I am constantly put out of action by injuries caused by mundane levels of sporting activity (I have literally pulled my hamstring hitting a gentle pitching wedge). My goal is to heal my current injuries by consistently performing rehab exercises. After that, I will commit to golf yoga and Pilates training (on average four days a week) to prevent future issues.
- Specific: Avoid new injuries and build a better level of golf fitness.
- Measurable: Averaging at least four sessions of golf exercise sessions a week.
- Achievable/Realistic: I will measure this goal by an average number of exercise sessions per week rather than by counting injuries.
- Time-bound: Average for the year. Each month I will review my progress and the average number of workouts I complete per week.
- How: I have a yearly subscription for an excellent online yoga programme. Also, my wife teaches Pilates. Finally, there are plenty of free resources online. The secret will be to make the time and listening to my body e.g. not overdoing it etc.
Idea For Your Own Goal
Improving golf fitness is an excellent objective for everyone. Even professional golfers continually work to improve their fitness. Check out our recent article, “Can You Really Improve Your Golf At Home” for some excellent free resources that will improve your golf fitness levels.
Golf Performance Goals
Golf performance goals are the typical ones like, “I want to lower my handicap to X”, or “I want to break 70, 80, 90 for the first time”.
Goal Number 3 – Join a new golf club
This will be the first golf club I have joined for a while, the past few years I have been on the move a lot meaning I have not been a member of any single golf club. It’s been great for playing new courses but not so great for competitions, handicaps and saving money on green fees. This is an easy goal so I will not go into the same level of detail.
Goal Number 4 – Consistently shoot a score in the mid-70s
In my “glory days”, I was a scratch golfer on a university scholarship. These days, I occasionally shoot in the mid-70s but often in the low or even mid-80s. My goal for this year is to get my playing level close to where I was before.
- Specific: Average score in the mid-70s by the end of the year
- Measurable: The goal can either be measured by obtaining a handicap between two and six or taking an average of my rounds from October 2021 – December 2021.
- Achievable/Realistic: I have played to this level in the past but it still feels an ambitious target due to work commitments and moving next year. This year I had a bad golf year between injuries and coronavirus restrictions, therefore, I haven’t been able to play as much as I hoped I would. However, my new home will have good weather all year and I am going to try to solve the injury issue so I think this goal is ambitious yet achievable.
- Time-bound: By the end of 2021
- How: I already take golf lessons and will continue doing so (except over video since I am moving abroad). My target is one video lesson every two to three weeks. I have set a goal to work on my golf fitness to prevent injuries (this should give me some extra distance too). During the week, I will spend time working on my putting and golf fitness. On weekends, I will play at least one full round, and at least one driving range session. I will not bore you will my full detailed plan but it involves improving my driving distance, improving my putting, and more continuing to work on my swing mechanics.
Idea For Your Own Goal
The trick is to set a goal which is realistic and achievable for you. You then must decide how to measure it and make a realistic plan for achieving it.
I hope this article gives you some inspiration. I recommend setting at least one goal, which is non-performance related, one goal that is golf fitness related, and then a traditional ‘play better golf’ objective.