2026 goals

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Highfade

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For many due to the weather, many of us will be putting the clubs away for the winter or at least not going into the course.

What is generally your winter routine?
Driving ranges? Putting in the living room? Working on staying golf fit?
Absolutely nothing/total unplug?

Secondly, what’s your golf goals for 2026?

For me, anytime the greens are on I will play right through winter.
The occasional range session and that’s about it.

In terms of goals.
Getting to and maintaining a single digit handicap. Currently 10.
Playing a different course at least one a month.
…and my first hole in one would be nice!
 
Certainly not putting my clubs away for winter, I'll continue to play throughout. Once my course goes carry only I'll leave a couple of clubs at home and go with 10-12 clubs depending on how I'm feeling, and try not to worry about the score too much. I'll also continue going to the driving range on Thursday nights. Of course I have to forgo the Tuesday night nine holes that I was doing in the summer - if the weather's ok I might nip to the range Tuesday lunch time, or down to the club for some chipping & putting practice. Depends if I can be arsed really.

Goals for 2026 is a hard question. My long-term goal since I started golf again eight years ago was to get to 12 handicap. I'm now at 11.3. So I suppose my goal for next year should be single figures, but I've never had that as a goal previously simply because I didn't really think it was attainable. So really my primary goal is just to continue playing at the level I'm at and to not drop off and revert back to 13-14.

I am very tempted to go down the speedsticks route and try and improve distance, which I think would be a massive factor in making single figures a possibility. But the gear is quite expensive, and again, it depends if I can really be arsed to go down that road and stick with it. My chipping still needs a lot of work too.
 
Highfade said:
It’s odd that u would creep on my profile and feel compelled to comment on something irrelevant instead of the topic.
But here we are. 🤷🏻‍♂️
Click to expand...

Creep?

Press button after seeing recent activity. It all reads like you're writing an article and looking for tips.

I was mugged off initially and responded, so have input into your research, however, shall now move along.
 
Orikoru said:
Certainly not putting my clubs away for winter, I'll continue to play throughout. Once my course goes carry only I'll leave a couple of clubs at home and go with 10-12 clubs depending on how I'm feeling, and try not to worry about the score too much. I'll also continue going to the driving range on Thursday nights. Of course I have to forgo the Tuesday night nine holes that I was doing in the summer - if the weather's ok I might nip to the range Tuesday lunch time, or down to the club for some chipping & putting practice. Depends if I can be arsed really.

Goals for 2026 is a hard question. My long-term goal since I started golf again eight years ago was to get to 12 handicap. I'm now at 11.3. So I suppose my goal for next year should be single figures, but I've never had that as a goal previously simply because I didn't really think it was attainable. So really my primary goal is just to continue playing at the level I'm at and to not drop off and revert back to 13-14.

I am very tempted to go down the speedsticks route and try and improve distance, which I think would be a massive factor in making single figures a possibility. But the gear is quite expensive, and again, it depends if I can really be arsed to go down that road and stick with it. My chipping still needs a lot of work too.
Click to expand...
Winter always starts with good intentions.
Tell myself I will dedicate one of my playing days to a practice day for a specific part of my game.
Then I see the 1st tee free and abandon the practice for a quick 9 🤦‍♂️
 
Highfade said:
Winter always starts with good intentions.
Tell myself I will dedicate one of my playing days to a practice day for a specific part of my game.
Then I see the 1st tee free and abandon the practice for a quick 9 🤦‍♂️
Click to expand...
I always think it's worth playing if you can, that's as good as a practice really. But as I say, my Tuesday nine holes used to be around 4:30pm so I can't do that anymore. And driving to the club at lunch just to do chipping & putting practice hugely depends on what mood I'm in, and what the weather is doing. :D
 
Orikoru said:
I always think it's worth playing if you can, that's as good as a practice really. But as I say, my Tuesday nine holes used to be around 4:30pm so I can't do that anymore. And driving to the club at lunch just to do chipping & putting practice hugely depends on what mood I'm in, and what the weather is doing. :D
Click to expand...
Playing is always preferable as it differs from range and practice green in sense of variation and mindset.

But a specific practice session will hopefully resolve technical flaws.
If it’s a bunker shot session for example.
How many rounds will it take for you to play 100 bunker shots?
Whereas you can do that in a 1 hour session and you’ve done the reps and muscle memory of a years worth of bunkers shots potentially.

Might not ‘fix’ it but you’ve gained experience and understanding.
 
Highfade said:
Playing is always preferable as it differs from range and practice green in sense of variation and mindset.

But a specific practice session will hopefully resolve technical flaws.
If it’s a bunker shot session for example.
How many rounds will it take for you to play 100 bunker shots?
Whereas you can do that in a 1 hour session and you’ve done the reps and muscle memory of a years worth of bunkers shots potentially.

Might not ‘fix’ it but you’ve gained experience and understanding.
Click to expand...
Fair point, but the practice bunker at my place is horrendous, so I cannot see myself spending long in there. Has barely any sand in it. Nice option to have if you have it.
 
I’ve always just played through the winter, subs cost a lot of money and so not playing for a few months seems a waste. As long as the course is open and it’s not chucking it down I’ll play. It was freezing yesterday but I still played and enjoyed the extra rollout and a bit of sun.

I’m actually less inclined to go to the range when it’s cold, all that standing around is even colder than walking 18 holes. But all being well I’ll play at the weekends and have 1-2 range sessions a week this winter. The goal being to come out with an in to out swing path, better contact, straighter shots, fewer fats and thins, and getting my handicap down from 14ish to 11/12ish by this time next year.
 
Need to develop a repeatable/dependable short game for shots from 10-50 distance
Shoot a few more sub 80 rounds

...Actually I'll be happy in '26 if I just do these two things
 
I normally play through but there are exceptions..
Frozen greens/course...been there, done that and, nowadays, it's a complete waste of time and energy...and I don't mind the cold.
Rain? Maybe, depends on how heavy
Wind? Unless it's 30mph+ I'm good.
Carry Only...I'll only carry for 9 and then it'll be a halfish set.
I play a lot of golf so if I have to miss it for a few days or even a week it's no real biggie.

As for goals...play as much as I can..simples
 
Winter league at our place, probably take the youth to a floodlit range once a week, I'll take advantage of the member guest rate at Huddersfield a few times with Jamie, but obviously play less than I would in the summer.

Goals for 2026 - I'm not that bothered about improving my game drastically tbh, certainly not gonna put myself through the mill over a dip in form.
It'll be another summer of ferrying the lad around Yorkshire and beyond playing events no doubt, and we've already got a couple of golf trips planned - Scotland in May and Spain in July (necesito mas agua mi amigo :ROFLMAO: )
I do feel like I've improved right at the end of the season - so be nice to maintain that for 2026 - along with a troublesome lower back which seems to have settled down.
 
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