I used to set performance goals, but this year I started setting “time” goals instead. By “time” goals I mean things like playing X number of rounds, or practicing for Y hours per week. I prefer these kind of goals as its things I’m 100% in control of. The performance will follow.
3 Likes
My season long goals actually are for the year:
no 3 putts for 36 holes.
No triples for 36 holes
Trust swing
Relax/have fun
Lower handicap to 7-4
2 Likes
Looks like I’m in the same boat as many of you. I’m aiming to birdie every hole in the season. Also aiming to hit 270m with no wind.
Main playing goal is to get to scratch, play in as many mid am tournaments as I can and then try to qualify for the Ecco tour next year. But I’m almost more interested in trying to play all of the top courses in Norway asap, I’m becoming a little obsessed with golf travel at the moment, probably because of all the travel restrictions, haha.
4 Likes
Literally my work breaks are planning golf trips all over the map that I will likely never take. But it’s one way to distract from 2020. How are the courses in Norway? Any favorites I to add to my imaginary itinerary?
1 Like
Me too, I just cruise on Google maps amazed at how many courses there are in the UK and USA, check out random golf course websites and dream of greener days, haha.
As far as destination golf goes, Lofoten is the best in Norway and probably the only course that would be considered world class.
http://lofotenlinks.no/
A golf course called Miklargard near the main airport in Oslo just had a renovation and is looking really nice. https://miklagardgolf.no/
I’d say Norway isn’t a place you’d come to just to play golf, but if you are here there are a lot of nice courses to play. This is my course, it’s pretty typical of the standard around here:
2 Likes
These days I’m ready to play anywhere!
2 Likes
One last goal inspired by @CoryO
play golf like a kid
-
free wheel it off the tee; knock the crap out of it; if you hit it into the woods, do it with authority
-
hit a shot, go find it, hit the next one
-
kids say things like “i make every putt i look at” or I’m the best driver of the golf ball at this club; they don’t let a little evidence to the contrary change those beliefs
-
kids don’t think about handicap, or strokes gained, or game-theory optimal decision making
-
kids get fired up when they do something like miracle par saves or draining a birdie
-
don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have it that day
People say Freddy Couples played like a kid… never scared, not in his head… love it and that is what I am going for
7 Likes
If I inspired that, I should inspire myself to do the same 
1 Like
That’s all true, for me personally especially with putting. I was getting so technical and tight I had no feel. Now I do my best to give it a good read, and tell myself the ball is dropping every time. Sometimes it doesn’t hold up it’s end of the bargain, but it will next time
1 Like
This just summarized my golf game. I personally enjoy going out there and attempting the “hero” shots rather than playing smart. I know I would post lower scores more often if I played smarter more often, but I dont play in any tournaments so I am all about having fun. When it goes real bad, I just laugh and remind myself I am playing golf.
2 Likes
I did this for a few years… it’s definitely fun.
I’m now focused on lowering scores, and it’s a different sort of fun…
Once I get down to my goal handicap, I’m hoping to play over aggressive golf and see how it does.
2 Likes
I am not saying to throw caution to the wind and play hero shots : )
Couples talks about how much Raymond Floyd helped him think through and play a golf course… it is not about removing strategy
I am talking about detaching from the results while you play and being optimistic and having fun
4 Likes
Yeah I get what you are saying. I still go out there and play smart golf a good amount. But I have found myself swinging away and playing “fun” more often. IMO there is a fine line between “fun” low scores, and “fun” aggressive/hero golf.
That is the exact reason I may go shoot high 70s or high 90s any given day.
1 Like
Detaching enjoyment from “results” is the key to any pursuit, but for golf I think is especially needed.
4 Likes
Yep, I want to do the majority of my thinking off the course:
- pick targets and clubs off the tee
- commit to taking medicine if i get in trouble
- scout out greens that have significant penalties / hazards to avoid
- look at greens and understand where the fat parts are and a good miss is
- strong bias for middle of the green at middle or back yardage
- internalize that putting and dispersion has variance; what you shoot day to day doesn’t necessarily mean anything about whether you are better at golf
5 Likes
Agree wholeheartedly. Had a similar attitude for today’s round, didn’t get a great score but learned things! Steady wind of 18 mph, with large gusts - but so warm out, just had to forget any pressure to score, and enjoy the moments!
3 Likes
My only goals are 365 rounds a year, and par every hole each month. So far up to 315 rounds and this month it has taken me 14 rounds to par every hole.
5 Likes
My goal was to improve my handicap by making fewer doubles and playing smarter.
Turns out I also needed a lesson to do it but I did drop my handicap from 4.0 to 2.5. Pretty happy with that.
Next year I’m hoping to play a couple local Am events and find a way to feel more comfortable in tournament golf. There are too many good players here to realistically think I can compete to win at this stage.
5 Likes
Out of curiousity, what did you learn from your lesson that helped improve your game and drop your handicap?
1 Like
That’s also my goal for next year. Playing tournament rounds even just in my club the last month or so has been really eye-opening for my game and is challenging me to improve. I’ll try to play any event that’ll have me next year (but yeah, here in SoCal the level of play is going to be off the charts).
2 Likes