Play Better Golf this year with Goals

I know you’ve heard it before but you can’t hit a target that doesn’t exist.

Golf is full of targets; fairways, greens and the cup. Golfers are accustomed to trying to hit targets, just not written targets. Written targets are called goals. And goals are a MUST for anyone looking to shoot better scores this year.

How can we play better golf through writing goals and where do we start?

Understand first that there is no right or wrong way to set goals. I’ll give you my thoughts on the topic and you adjust the process to fit your style.

You can create swing goals. You can create results goals. You can even create mental goals for the game. Let’s talk about all three.

Swing Goals:
 - Any goal to fix or make improvements on your full swing. An example would be to fix an over the top movement at the start of your downswing.

Results Goals:
 - Any goal that has to do with results on the course. Now we have to be careful with this one because results in golf are achieved by focusing on process. Here is what I mean; if I hit a good putt, it will go in.  I focus on the process and the result takes care of itself. So even though my results goals will be written, I know my focus must remain on process to achieve them.

Mental Goals:
 - Goals related to the mind, confidence, course management, expectations and emotional control. Most amateur golfers never write goals. A very, very small number ever create and write mental goals. How about a goal this year to mentally recover quickly after a bad hole so it doesn’t destroy the next one? Could a goal to properly manage expectations help this year? Absolutely. Controlling the mind is critical to playing better golf.

Here are a couple of my goals for the year:
 - Swing: Hit the fade consistently. This is my better shot and the one I control much better than the draw.
 - Results: Take my putting average from 31 per round to 29. I have made a big commitment to putting in the last 3
    months to get ready for this coming golf season.
 - Mental: My goal is to focus my thoughts 100% on process and forget about results. I will become intentional about
   not letting results thoughts even into my head throughout the round.

Get your goals in place, get them written down and then identify the plan to make them happen. Better results on the course will require better activities off the course. I will have to hit balls and work on my swing to consistently hit the fade. I will have to continue working on my putting for my average to reach 29 per round. And I will have to get inside my own head to keep track of thoughts.

Now I have identified targets to hit and I know my plan to hit them. My goals help me easily identify what I should be practicing each week with the time I have available. My game this year will have direction. These simple steps I’ve taken in the off season will set me apart from 99% of the people I play with and against this year. You can do the same.

Here are the steps:
 - Where has your game been in the past?
 - Where would you like it to be in the next 12 months?
 - What is your plan to get there?
 - Write it all down.

Thanks for stopping by and check back soon.

Mike Snyder
 Follow me on Twitter: @Mike_Snyder