Yearly Goals

[Nisill]

Hello,

Pretty new to golf and just in the process of deciding on which club to join. When i do join i think i will end up with a handicap in the high 20's. My best round is 104.

What are realistic goals a high handicapper should strive for?
How many shots a year, aim to take off a handicap?

any other goals?

I know everyone is different but in general what are your yearly goals at the start of a season?

 

[viscount17]

In my case possibly a little unrealistic as I'm yet to enter my second year of golf (but then everyone advances at a different rate).

as a main goal? concentrate on staying on the short stuff, that alone will bring the scores down, and, as will no doubt be re-iterated, work on the short game.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Get into a club, get your handicap and then play in as many comps as you can. You will get to meet more members, enjoy a greater variety of games and you will find that playing with better players will improve your game.

Once you get your handicap, have a chat with yur pro and see what he says. If you have one glaringly weak part of your game (drives etc) have a few lessons and get the swing sorted first. I wouldn't set any hard and fast goals (I need to get down to x) in the first 6 months especially with winter approaching but use the next few months to hone your game and get ready for next season. In February/March assess where your game is and then decide what you want to achieve next year. We are always here to advise once you decide on your aspirations

 

[Parmo]

Go out and enjoy yourself is the first and foremost important thing to do, do not worry about numbers as they will come with time, just practice and enjoy your golf.

Too many people get caught up in playing golf by numbers and usually end up leaving the game through stress, play golf and sniff the flowers on the way round and I promise you your handicap will come down and you will love the game more each round.

 

[TWM]

Parmo,
I couldn't agree more. There is plenty of fun to be had just getting out there and playing.

 

[Tommo21]

Two things, when I first started I regret not getting a couple of basic lessons. Starting off with the right basics can help your progress no end. Secondly, just get out there as often as possible. Thirdly, enjoy. Fourthly, I canny count.

 

[RGuk]

f.w.i.w. I reckon I enjoyed my golf more when I was in between complete novice and about h'cap 20.

Off 28 (or whatever I started on) a par was a real achievement and stringing together 2 good shots and having a chance at a birdie was heaven. As I started to find some consistency, I got hooked on practicing as I could see the scores tumbling and potentialy playing to 18 or so.

Trouble is, I didn't stop at 18 and sometimes regret becoming so obsessed.

When I took the game up, I just wanted to be able to get round without serious embarrasment or not loosing 18 balls.

Enjoyment is hard to quantify....I admire folks that play once a week and maybe go to the range on a Friday to try and find some magic for the weekend medal. If they play off 8,18 or 28 it's the fun of trying to play a decent hole 18 times over. If, like me, you end up with fixed ideas about how you could/should play, it can be a terribly dull 4 hour outing.

Get your handicap, get better, get cut, try and win a few things but don't set yourself hard targets, enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Cernunnos]

Target.. Play the best you know that you can do with the techical knowledge & ability you have.

Get at least a couple of initial lessons, but to echo a previous poster, don't get caught up as I have with being too technical & having your arm twisted to keep having lessons.

Just get out there & enjoy the golf.Golf is better when it comes from the heart & the soul. Instinct will guide you well enough most days.

 

[dangermouse]

I've started this year, as stated before, and basically aimed to enjoy it!

I try not to play in the rain (yeah, right!), and as a nomad I like to try a new course once in a while too.

I rarely keep count - its much more fun for me to play with a friend who is a little better than me, as its good to challenge yourself, and we may loosely keep a matchplay score, or just play each other on the 1st and 18th for drinks or similar; but just enjoy the good shots.

Theres nothing more satisfying than holing a 20ft putt (and you will have plenty of opportunities to try, usually for a 6!), and its far better to focus on them than the duffed shot you will inevitably have every other hole!

I've now played around 25 rounds, and the last time out was the first time I've kept score since round 12 or so. I managed an 87 (which was my best by a mile and unlikely to be equalled or bettered any time soon), but I was less concerned about the score, and just tried to hit as many good shots as possible.

Scores take care of themselves, and past threads have shown that noone is ever happy with a completed round - shots are always left out there, so just enjoy the game for what it is! If you feel you are getting better over time, then surely thats a worthy goal in itself?

 

[viscount17]

from all the headology books;

forget the bad ones (and the good ones) until the 19th, play one hole at a time, one shot at a time.

 

[Cernunnos]

from all the headology books;

forget the bad ones (and the good ones) until the 19th, play one hole at a time, one shot at a time.

Interesting to note that Monty has designed a course with an aditional hole for deciding matches that come down the last even stevens. So it actualy has a propper 19th hole... So I suppose the clubhouse bar at his course will have to be the 20th, or hole 19a...rofl