2024 Season Goals - What Say You?

[Jnoble89]

For those of us living in the colder climates in the US, as well as globally where your season is not year round, the end of the 2023 golf season is rapidly approaching. I pose two questions to you: Did you accomplish your 2023 season goals? What are your 2024 season goals?

I'll start things off with my 2023 season goals:

• Goal #1: Break 90 - MET
• Goal #2: End the season below a 20 HDCP - MET
• Goal #3: Par every hole at my home course - In progress...so close!

I was able to accomplish goal #1 during the Cobra challenge, shooting an 88 on a Par 70 course where I played quite a few of my rounds. It was not my home course, but essentially a "home away from home" as I have played it many times with it being in close proximity to my in-laws cabin. I had never legitimately broken 100 before this year, so this was a MASSIVE accomplishment. I posted two other sub 90 rounds this year as well, but both were combined 9 hole scores of the front/back of my home course, so I put an asterisk on those. Still, a large accomplishment, with my most recent a combined score 81, shooting a 41 on the front 9 this week Monday and a 40 on the back 9 the following day.

I was also able to accomplish goal #2 just this week, dropping my handicap to a 16.1 following my combined round 81. A -2 exceptional score was added to the differential of that round, and all other rounds used to calculate my handicap currently. I am the most proud of this goal BY FAR, as I started this season as a 30.3 handicap. I have never carried an official handicap before this season.

For my third goal, I have carded a par on every hole except for hole #7. I will have potentially a few more chances to accomplish this one, but it is in danger of not being met. I am hoping to cross this one off as well, but if not, it is ok.

 

For 2024, my goals will closely mirror my 2023 season. The biggest challenge I will face in 2024 is the uncertainty of how much golf I will be able to play. The course where I have had a membership this year is increasing it's fees by 18%, and it is uncertain right now whether or not I'll be renewing my membership for 2024. If this is the case, posting scores and lowering my HDCP will be a challenge. I am working on possibly getting a part time job in the Pro Shop, which would come with a membership benefit, so that would be great.

• Goal #1: Consistently score in the 80s
  • I would REALLY like to break 80, and I believe I can, but that seems like possibly an overreaching goal for next year. If I can consistently score in the 80s next year, I would be thrilled with that. I know that I can do it, now I just need to get it done.
• Goal #2: HDCP to 12-13
  • Again, this will be dependent on whether or not I am able to post enough scores to continue dropping my HDCP. When I was working on goals for next year, my target was 15. That is when I was at a 20. Now that I am at a 16.1, I am shooting for the 12-13 range as I know dropping it once you get lower becomes more difficult
• Goal #3: Par every hole on my home course, birdie 50% or better

I could continue on with goals, but other things I want to work on are just that, continuing to develop my ball striking and swing consistencies. I will leave those off of this list for now.

 

Looking forward to hearing what everyone else is hoping to accomplish in 2024!

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

 Thanks for starting this thread!

2023 Goals (I thought I put them down some where but can't find them, so going off of memory)

Break 90: Push as I shot 90 on combining 2 nines in a week

Had several rounds where combined nines were in low 90s and week I hit 90 on the head. 

Handicap below 20: Win, barely!

19.4 as of now. Down from a high of 22 earlier in the year. Technically reporting ends Nov 31 here in OR but I am likely not able to play many more rounds

P Avg Driver distance of >275 yards: Win, barely!

276 for the year. Speed training and swing work really paid off.  If you look how my last 15 nines finished the year, I am 283 so I killed it then.

 

2024 Goals:

Break 80 on 2 combined nines and break 90 in a tournament

In my one tournament this year, I was on track to break 100 if not for my driver shaft COG breaking on me. I know I can do it. As for breaking 80 on two combined nines, it is a lofty goal but I feel if I learn my game better, I should be able to manage the course enough to make it happen.

Get my handicap below 15

Continuous work on my swing and course management and meditation. Really hope the game just starts to flow with me. Along with this, I want to get my GIR up 20 40%. 2023 was 21%. 

Have a 3-putt % <10%

I finished 2023 on average of 20% which is terrible. A lot of it was distance control issues that I really grinded on the last half of the year. The other is technique which I am working on now and the offseason in hopes I stop pulling putts left.

Bonus: Take my daughter out for a couple rounds

Just to spend daddy/daughter time. We love being outdoors together and I hope as she gets older she doesn't mind walking more.

Bonus 2: Keep having fun everytime I golf.

My wellness and meditation Journey have really helped me calm my emotions and manage my expectations on the course. If I have a bad round, I remember to just enjoy nature, the sun rise, just being out of the house. Makes the game more enjoyable and not a chore (which it shouldn't be, its our hobby!)

Edited October 26 by Vegan_Golfer_PNW

[BLD7]

Good thread!

My primary goal for 2024 is to be more consistent! I finished this season as a 6.8 hdcp so the definition of consistent might seem odd. While I regularly break 80, I continue to have rounds seemingly out of nowhere that score in the 85 range. Usually there is some penalty or penalties involved or one aspect of the game is completely gone that particular round.

For a working stiff, practicing can be difficult, especially with family, kids, all other responsibilities, but I'd also like to reduce my handicap to 5 or less.

Finally, my youngest (14) has taken an interest in the game, this season we played together maybe twice a month - he's involved in many extracurricular activities, but I'm hoping to find a way to play golf with him once a week.

Brian

[Jnoble89]

1 hour ago, BLD7 said:

Good thread!

My primary goal for 2024 is to be more consistent! I finished this season as a 6.8 hdcp so the definition of consistent might seem odd. While I regularly break 80, I continue to have rounds seemingly out of nowhere that score in the 85 range. Usually there is some penalty or penalties involved or one aspect of the game is completely gone that particular round.

For a working stiff, practicing can be difficult, especially with family, kids, all other responsibilities, but I'd also like to reduce my handicap to 5 or less.

Finally, my youngest (14) has taken an interest in the game, this season we played together maybe twice a month - he's involved in many extracurricular activities, but I'm hoping to find a way to play golf with him once a week.

Brian

Welcome to the forum @BLD7! Always happy to see another member of the #Leftygang

I know well where you’re coming from on the aspect of finding time for practice, with two kiddos (6 & 3) myself. Both of them are already interested in the game and as we live on the course, they went out with me many times this year to play a few holes here and there in the evenings. Nothing better than getting to share the love of the game with family.

Sounds like you had a great year finishing in the single digit hdcp range!

[SKMacintosh]

Great thread. Maybe writing down what is in my head will actually help it happen! 

Goal One - use winter to stretch more and do indoor exercise so I can hit ground running in April

Goal Two - see my pro a few times in late winter to work on hitting better iron shots, lose too many strokes with so so mid irons

Goal Three - hopefully goals one and two allow me to break into seventies a bit more often.

Good luck to everyone in reaching their goals, am sure we will all be 100%

[Beakbryce]

My goals next year are the same as this year, mostly. 

1. Get up in the morning (I'm 71, my dad is 94 so not really a worry there!)

2. Play golf

3. Have fun.

4. Add a pitch shot to my short game. 

This was a very good year. Shot 67, ok sure- moved up a tee but still... Became an MGS tester. Helped my wife whose handicap is coming down. Through hard work and a lot of repetition, fixed my putting yips.

Anything more than that will have to wait until January 1. I am one of the few who can play all year around so have another couple of months for more cool things to happen on the course. Will have to pitch most of next month instead of chipping because the course will be shaggy while the rye grass is allowed to grow.

 

[Dweed]

13 hours ago, BLD7 said:

Good thread!

My primary goal for 2024 is to be more consistent! I finished this season as a 6.8 hdcp so the definition of consistent might seem odd. While I regularly break 80, I continue to have rounds seemingly out of nowhere that score in the 85 range. Usually there is some penalty or penalties involved or one aspect of the game is completely gone that particular round.

For a working stiff, practicing can be difficult, especially with family, kids, all other responsibilities, but I'd also like to reduce my handicap to 5 or less.

Finally, my youngest (14) has taken an interest in the game, this season we played together maybe twice a month - he's involved in many extracurricular activities, but I'm hoping to find a way to play golf with him once a week.

Brian

Brian, welcome to the forum. Alway great to see another Michigander on the threads. I hope you get as much out of it as I have. Please do continue with input. It is appreciated. Welcome.

[Josh Parker]

I have been thinking about this recently and even though my season doesn't really end, I am going to put my 2024 goals in writing and be able to come back to this and see what happened.

2024 Goals

1. Fix the driver yips

2. Handicap of 4 or less

3. Shoot under 70 (have shot 70 once years ago)

4. Play in a couple local tournaments 

[BLD7]

On 10/27/2023 at 7:47 AM, Jnoble89 said:

Welcome to the forum @BLD7! Always happy to see another member of the #Leftygang

I know well where you’re coming from on the aspect of finding time for practice, with two kiddos (6 & 3) myself. Both of them are already interested in the game and as we live on the course, they went out with me many times this year to play a few holes here and there in the evenings. Nothing better than getting to share the love of the game with family.

Sounds like you had a great year finishing in the single digit hdcp range!

Real happy to be here @Jnoble89 I don't live on a course and am not a member of a club so I've learned to get creative with practice. Whether that be the putting mat at the house (one in my office and another putting area in the yard) or finding local spots where I can get on a sim, I try to get practice in when/where I can and make it count when I do. Certainly love being able to include the family in golf! And yes love being able to represent the lefty's. I've been known to seek out other southpaw's at courses when I see them playing. I just come over introduce myself and say hi. Sometimes I get goofy looks, which is ok. I just tell em I wanted them to know there is another lefty on the course. Ha!

[Jnoble89]

30 minutes ago, BLD7 said:

Real happy to be here @Jnoble89 I don't live on a course and am not a member of a club so I've learned to get creative with practice. Whether that be the putting mat at the house (one in my office and another putting area in the yard) or finding local spots where I can get on a sim, I try to get practice in when/where I can and make it count when I do. Certainly love being able to include the family in golf! And yes love being able to represent the lefty's. I've been known to seek out other southpaw's at courses when I see them playing. I just come over introduce myself and say hi. Sometimes I get goofy looks, which is ok. I just tell em I wanted them to know there is another lefty on the course. Ha!

If you ever find yourself over in Wisconsin for the 2024 season, reach out! I would love to play together. I may try and throw some feelers out for a one day spies meetup next season for our upper Midwest cohort of members as well. Nothing set in stone or concrete yet, but the idea has been floating around in my head!

[cnosil]

4 hours ago, jdparker said:

2024 Goals

1. Fix the driver yips

2. Handicap of 4 or less

3. Shoot under 70 (have shot 70 once years ago)

4. Play in a couple local tournaments 

My goals are similar to yours.

1. handicap of 4 or less.

2. Score in the 60s.  70 is personal best. Probably short game, green reading and reducing doubles related. 

3. play more golf.  Need to balance most wanted testing and some after work 9s.  This will probably help achieve 1 and 2. 

Edited October 30 by cnosil

[Josh Parker]

3 minutes ago, cnosil said:

My goals are similar to yours.

1. handicap of 4 or less.

2. Score in the 60s.  70 is personal best. Probably short game, green reading and reducing doubles related. 

3. play more golf.  Need to balance most wanted testing and some after work 9s.  This will probably help achieve 1 and 2. 

Yes!  

[barney_bogey]

Love it. Writing it down makes it real.

1. Increase FIR - requires attention to driver swing with a professional.

2. Decrease 3putts - requires greater percentage of practice time with the flat stick. Possibly a putter fitting?

3. Play more with my father. He's getting up there in age and regrets are ruthless.

B

[Goober]

Keep trusting my lesson swing on the course. May have a good strike or a bad one. But in the end will keep on going with what I was shown. It’s a true process 

[Dweed]

2024 Goals:  

1. Enjoy, enjoy no matter what.

2. Try to maintain my current handicap. I realize as I age I am loosing some yardage. I might need to move forward and that's OK.

3. Maintain my Fairways hit at 60%.

4. Increase my GIR to 50%+. This past season I was able to increase it to 44%.

5. Reduce 3-putts to no more than one per round.  Currently it is 1.5 I started late tracking. But it is one I want to work on.

Edited November 2 by Dweed

[Ben Joest]

2023 goals:

1) handicap down to 5 - Finished the season at 1.6

2) Break 70 - Shot a 69

3) Stay relatively healthy -

2024 goals: 

1) handicap down to scratch or better

2) Break 65

3) Stay relatively healthy

4) Enter and compete in an amateur tournament.

It will be fun to check on these at this time next year. Good luck to all with their goals. May 2024 be the year of wild success for us all

[Josh Parker]

@Ben Joest some good goals!  Need to do a mid point check in on everyone's goals.  

[Jnoble89]

On 10/30/2023 at 6:46 PM, barney_bogey said:

Love it. Writing it down makes it real.

1. Increase FIR - requires attention to driver swing with a professional.

2. Decrease 3putts - requires greater percentage of practice time with the flat stick. Possibly a putter fitting?

3. Play more with my father. He's getting up there in age and regrets are ruthless.

B
 

@barney_bogey absolutely LOVE goal #3, man. "regrets are ruthless" is now a phrase that has been burned into my mind and will stay engrained there. I needed to see that today, thanks. 

[Jnoble89]

1 hour ago, jdparker said:

@Ben Joest some good goals!  Need to do a mid point check in on everyone's goals.  

@jdparker great idea. I will create an excel file with everyone's goals for 2024 after a little while longer here and set a reminder to check in/revive this thread at the midpoint of next season in case it gets lost in the offseason shuffle. 

[Josh Parker]

Just now, Jnoble89 said:

@jdparker great idea. I will create an excel file with everyone's goals for 2024 after a little while longer here and set a reminder to check in/revive this thread at the midpoint of next season in case it gets lost in the offseason shuffle. 

Love it!  Keep everyone motivated and pushing for their goals.