How do you set your goals for the season?

When I get together with my students at the start of the season, one of the first questions I ask is, “what would you like to achieve this season?” The conversation usually unfolds with a reflection of the previous year, the goals that were set, what went well and what could have gone better. We also talk about how we want to build off the accomplishments of the previous year and continue the trend of whole game improvement.  Once we know the game plan, we’re ready to go!

Goal setting is a key component to framing your season and getting started on the right foot. It takes some thought and it also requires honest consideration of the amount of time you have to spend on your game for both practice and play.

This leads me to a follow-up question to goal setting, “how much time do you have to spend on golf and how does golf fit into your life?”  This is an interesting question and I think at times, a tough one to answer, but it helps us set goals that are both realistic and achievable. I’m a firm believer of realistic goal setting with the caveat that we can always raise the bar during the process!

Imagine if the response to the question went something like this,  “I love the game, I love to play, I work crazy hours and I really only get to play on the weekends. I don’t have time to practice because I’d rather play…I want to go from a 32 handicap to a 20 this year.” This is a very busy person who obviously loves the game and wants to improve but has set a very lofty goal. Considering the time they have available for golf, reframing their goal is key to helping them improve and enjoy the game even more.

Achieving your goals is based, in no small part, on the time and effort you have to give to those goals. So let me ask YOU the question, “What golfing goals would you like to achieve this season?” It’s worth taking some time to consider what you want to achieve for the season, where you see your golf game going and how you plan to get there. Do your best to be as honest as you can with yourself about the time you have to spend working with a coach, practicing your skill development and getting out to play. Golf is a fantastic game and everyone at every skill level can improve and play better. If you have a specific goal in mind, you can achieve it with a good plan. Whatever you do and however you do it, you want to have fun and enjoy the process. Isn’t that what life is all about any way? So, set some good goals for the season and enjoy the journey!