Did you set yourself a target at the start of the season?

[One Planer]

With it coming towards seasons end, I thought I'd as how folk are doing as per the targets you set yourself at the start of the season?

Was your target score based, I mean to shoot a specific score, say sub-par?

Handicap based, to get to a set lower handicap?

Or something as simple as enjoying your golf more?

Did you even set yourself a target?

I'll get the ball rolling

At the start of the year I decided to book a batch of 5 lessons to get my swing a little more consistent. These lessons started in March and finished in May, right at the start, give or take a qualifier or 2, of my season.

I pretty much wrote this season off as I wanted to get my swing in then right place for the long term so accepted my handicap would increase over this season while the changes my pro makes bed in.

I set myself the target of staying off 16, which in my view was pretty unlikely, but gave me something to work to.

I have spent more time on the range and practice area this year than I have in the previous years I've been playing. As a result, the changes my pro suggested have bedded in much quicker than I expected.

I started the season on 15.7 and, as of yesterday, was on 14.1. After shooting 38 points in yesterday's Stabelford and playing to 12, I'm now due another reduction. Only a small one (CSS dependant), but they all count. I'm also hoping my seasons scoring performance highlights me for an annual review. I have a chance, but I'm not holding my breath.

Overall, I'm very happy with how my season has gone and how I've bettered my target. I'm looking forward to the next batch of lessons over the winter to help me kick on again next season.

How about you?

 

[fundy]

No handicap targets, just to stay fit and healthy and play as many new courses as possible. Failed dismally on the first one and been injured for too long again, which has led to only getting to 16 new courses (had hoped for 30), that said have played some nice tracks and with a large mix of people, the golf I have played has been pretty disappointing score wise but Ive enjoyed it in the main

 

[Rooter]

It has been a massive year of change for me. Started the season as a non member with a social handicap of 19. I wanted to get that down to around 14. Started the year well, with online trackers got to 17 quickly. Then I won the comp for new clubs! They took a long time to get used to, then I joined a club! This was not on the radar for the year. My 3 cards for handicap were 22 over, 24 over and 15 over! So I now have a handicap of 15 (15.2 now!) finally at a point where I know what I am doing wrong, how I can lower my scores and why I need to do! So this winter will be a couple of lessons to ensure I'm on the right track with a view of next season dropping to sub teens...

Biggest thing so far from me, was the putting lesson I had from David Howell, it's already working and I have not even been out to practice yet! Midweek my putting was for me excellent, and I can see this soon becoming my strongest part of my game. My wedge play is also getting good. My biggest problem right now is FIR, off the tee I am too hit and miss, I need to calm down and sort my technique out. Also I might add a 5 wood and drop the 3 hybrid for a secondary tee option.

I am really looking forward to winter now and working on my swing, I think next year is going to be awesome!

 

[garyinderry]

I moved to England at the end of last season.

I played a new course most weeks waiting for lee park to dry out. joined new club and set about cutting down my hook.

learning to plot my way round the new course took me a while. where not to miss etc. it also took a little bit of time to trust the breaks on the greens.

handicap wise, I haven't had time for many qualifiers but still managed a wee cut from 8.8 - 8.4.

 

[chris661]

Joined a new course at the star of the year and set myself the target of single figures got there for a month or so and am now hovering around 9.6. Lost the will to play golf for around 2 months and am sloy easing my way back into it. Still hopeful to end the year at 9.4 or less

 

[Robobum]

After getting down to 2 at the end of last season, I really wasn't sure that I could play to that. I didn't have a short game, especially pitching - so needed to rectify that first. So my target was to still be a 2 h'cap golfer by the end of this season.

Working away from home during the week hinders that a bit, so my weekly Saturday game became a really early start on the pitching area hitting hundreds of balls trying to get something that worked.

So, after 20 rounds and with 5 more counting rounds to go - I have gone up 0.1 and remain a 2 h'capper.

 

[Slime]

Having had major shoulder surgery on New Year's Eve 2012 I knew I wouldn't be swinging a club for at least the first six months of this year.
Based on that I set myself just one target, and that was to end the year playing to around a h'cap of 18 or so having had fun by just enjoying being on a golf course without worrying at all about my scores.
I've just about achieved this, but next year is the year that I want to push on and end up playing to around 15.
I'm not a member of a club & don't play as often as I'd like to, hence not being a member anywhere, but next year I intend to play more often and play purely for fun, that's for sure.
Oh, and I intend to practice more regularly too.

Slime.

 

[Imurg]

Only real Target I set was to enjoy my Golf.
Come rain, shine, hail or whatever, come good play, bad play, indifferent play I have reached said Target!

 

[bozza]

After a winter of playing well I set myself a target of a 15 h/c but would be happy with anything under 18 h/c after starting the season on 19.

About a week before the season started I got the shanks with all my pitches/chips, took me a good couple of months to get it out my system and then got the shanks with all my full shots, another month or so to get rid of them only for my driving to go pot over the last few months.

So it's been a bit of a disappointing season but I've learnt a lot about my swing and know it's not the end of the world when something goes wrong.

On the plus side I've played some amazing new courses and overall enjoyed myself on the course more.

 

[Beezerk]

Didn't even know I'd take up golf at the start of the year so to get where I am now is enough for me.
Next year however I'm hoping to press on.

 

[Matty]

I set myself a target of making fewer mistakes per round and reducing my handicap to under 20.

To be fair I didn't really keep a count on the errors as such in each round, it was just a general feeling I was looking for that I was putting myself in trouble less on each round.

That target has done okay and I've recently amended it slight to accept errors and try to get out of tricky lies simply and effectively rather than trying miracle shots.

My handicap is almost at my target and having put in a sub-hanicap score yesterday my fingers are crossed awaiting a cut.

 

[Tree seeker]

I set myself a target of reaching a H/C of 17 by the end of this year. I felt that was achievable having played fairly well towards the end of last year onwards. Going round my courses between 84-93 I felt it was time to finally get involved in the club comps. First 2 went well but unfortunately ended up be non qualifiers. Since then it's all gone Pete tong. As of yesterday I'm now playing off 21. Walked off the course wondering how much my clubs will go for on eBay.

New target from today is to buy some new shoes ( feet were drenched by the time I walked off the 1st tee yesterday) and spend more time fixing issues on the range instead of the course.

 

[tsped83]

Target was to get to 20hcp. Mission accomplished!

So far, I've loved my golfing year,

1. Won a comp
2. Handicap down by 4 shots
3. Played for the Rabbit team
4. Semi finals of Rabbit matchplay (still to play!)
5. And most importantly, met and played with lots of new guys, great crack.

 

[full_throttle]

Taget was 18, and I've failed. Another 0.1 at the weekend puts me on 18.5.

Golf has been erractic to say the least, some good and some bad.

 

[Hobbit]

After a very poor 2012, going from 5.2 to 6.3, and still heading in the wrong direction I set myself a realistic target of of getting back to 5.4 or better.

1. improve the handicap.
2. bin the TM MC/MB combo irons that just weren't working for me.
3. hit some good shots, for a change.
4. play more away comps/outings.

The handicap has reached 5.0, and I expect it to go lower - maybe even to 4.4 or better, which was the wish list goal in the "2013 H'cap challenge."
Replaced the TM's with a set of Titliest 712CB's, and had some Nippon shafts put in.
Hit some absolutely cracking shots, including shots right thro' the bag from driver to putter.
Played quite a few away comps/outings, including shooting level par at Cooden on a damp breezy day - 7 birdies in that round.

And I actually think I could get down to 4 before year end.

 

[bladeplayer]

Target was 5 handicap & hope was to break par in a comp .. cant see me doing either to be honest .. 6 scratch cups on "new to me" courses didnt help the handicap situation but hey ho .. back playing decent at the min , back to 6.7 which is better than the year start and only .1 off my lowest handicap ever .. should get 3 r 4 more qualifiers in

 

[mcbroon]

My only target at the start of the year was to get into single figures, from 11.8, with an optimistic target of 8.4.

I've had a so-so year, to be honest. Played a lot of average golf but there have been flashes here and there, including a +2 gross, which have got me down to 7.7 (though I suspect it'll be 7.8 when the results come out later on - I'm relying on CSS getting to Reductions Only to avoid 0.1).

For the most part, though, I've hit the ball pretty well and, as my regular partner has missed most of the season with injury, have met some really good guys. It has been my best year to date If I can sort out my putting next season, I might have a chance of getting to Cat 1.

 

[DappaDonDave]

My target was to play more and break 100, I hit 92 in May ...then crept back up and now consistently 95-98. Theres always a card wrecker or two as well, which is a shame.

 

[kid2]

I didnt really have one other than the fact i knew taking the lessons that they were going to mess me up for a bit.... How long is anyones guess..... I started at 14 and my belief was that to rid myself of the out to in swing i had was probably going to take a good 12 months if needed... It turned out that i got rid of it a little quicker than i though and its still ot 100% but my lowest this season has been 10.3..... Iv since slipped back to 10.7......
To be honest im always moving the goalposts for myself.... If you asked me at the start of the season i would have taken your arm off to say id finish at an 11 handicap..... But me being me im not happy yet.... I want to try and get back to 10 before the season finishes...
I think we've about 3 or 4 comps left so who knows.....
Im going after singles next year and a more consistent shot pattern...

 

[pbrown7582]

Target 1 was to get back to 10 and then follow
That with pushing on into single figures again. Fail fail fail now sat at 11.3 and in danger of flagung in the annual review for an increase! Had a poor season but having left it far to late to have a few lessons have done so now 4 lessons the best £60 ive spent in years has now corrected a bad swing fault and started playing some food shots with a bit of confidence. Shame season is coming to an end but at least I can enjoy a couple of decent days out over next couple of weeks And hopefully stay on right track through the winter

Overall annual report D....