2024 Season Goals - What Say You?

[Dead Solid Bogey]

Wondering what the metrics are about the specific time the 2024 goals can start. I have managed to get myself in position to try 4 new venues in the next 6 days..So @Jnoble89 are these courses just practice for 2024 or do they count for 2024? I will force myself to accept whatever the ruling turns out to be. 

[Josh Parker]

43 minutes ago, Dead Solid Bogey said:

Wondering what the metrics are about the specific time the 2024 goals can start. I have managed to get myself in position to try 4 new venues in the next 6 days..So @Jnoble89 are these courses just practice for 2024 or do they count for 2024? I will force myself to accept whatever the ruling turns out to be. 

Leaving the ruling to @Jnoble89... 

Remember he's north and doesn't get to play year round.  

[GolfSpy_KFT]

4 hours ago, Dead Solid Bogey said:

Wondering what the metrics are about the specific time the 2024 goals can start. I have managed to get myself in position to try 4 new venues in the next 6 days..So @Jnoble89 are these courses just practice for 2024 or do they count for 2024? I will force myself to accept whatever the ruling turns out to be. 

I will leave it up to your discretion, DSB! My '23 season is at an end, so I have fully moved to 2024 goals as I won't be able to get back onto a course until mid April if I am lucky. If you live in a year round climate, I would view the 2024 season as not starting until the calendar flips. Buuuuut if you have met all of your 2023 goals, there's nothing to say you can't get a jump start on 2024. I have no judiciary rule or law 

[Irish-Assassin]

My goals for 2024 are as follows, as someone the other side of 50 and still maintaining a single digit handicap first goal is to stay in the single digit for 2024. 
Secondly, I know to get to the first goal I’m going to have to do some type of yoga, getting old hurts. 
Thirdly, I’m going to really take a long look at equipment, like do my usual research but this time make it a real deep dive. 
 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

1 minute ago, Irish-Assassin said:

My goals for 2024 are as follows, as someone the other side of 50 and still maintaining a single digit handicap first goal is to stay in the single digit for 2024. 
Secondly, I know to get to the first goal I’m going to have to do some type of yoga, getting old hurts. 
Thirdly, I’m going to really take a long look at equipment, like do my usual research but this time make it a real deep dive. 
 

Great goals! And when it comes to taking a deep dive into equipment, you couldn't be in a better place!

[Josh Parker]

15 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

I will leave it up to your discretion, DSB! My '23 season is at an end, so I have fully moved to 2024 goals as I won't be able to get back onto a course until mid April if I am lucky. If you live in a year round climate, I would view the 2024 season as not starting until the calendar flips. Buuuuut if you have met all of your 2023 goals, there's nothing to say you can't get a jump start on 2024. I have no judiciary rule or law 

@Dead Solid Bogey sounds like the decision is yours sir.  Either way, enjoy the courses in Florida!

[Optik DGM]

My goal is to reduce my suckage .   My irons are not my friend anymore.   Also living in Florida (yuck) for 2 years I need to adapt to Bermuda which is confounding.  Also as I'm aging my 150 club from 10 years ago is now my 130 but my pride fights the trend.  I was told by a 90 year old who was a club champ to swing smoothly w more club. Doing the right thing is so damn hard.

[Irish-Assassin]

6 minutes ago, Optik DGM said:

My goal is to reduce my suckage .   My irons are not my friend anymore.   Also living in Florida (yuck) for 2 years I need to adapt to Bermuda which is confounding.  Also as I'm aging my 150 club from 10 years ago is now my 130 but my pride fights the trend.  I was told by a 90 year old who was a club champ to swing smoothly w more club. Doing the right thing is so damn hard.

I hear you Optik, we have many courses out here in AZ with Bermuda grass, I call it the swearing grass of golf. 

[Preeway]

@Jnoble89 My updated goals for 2024

Life: Now that I've turned 50, my physical health is getting more difficult to maintain (even though I'm a PE teacher). So this is going to have to be my top priority going forward.
1. Start a formal exercise routine. Currently looking at several different app based approaches, including GolfForever
2. Log several miles 3-5x each week on the elliptical. This is key to maintain my cardio fitness for caddying next year
3. Lose 20+ pounds. I want to get my weight back down below 180. No excuse to be as heavy as I am.
4. Play more competitive golf. Log 10 rounds in the VGA and try to enter one USGA/Nebraska event

Swing: I've played a draw for as long as I can remember but I was able to work in a fade bias this year but now I have a tendency to go back and forth during a round without being able to control it. I also want to improve my swing transition to improve my balance and weight shift to create more power in my swing
1. Take 5 lessons to work on swing mechanics
2. Focus on hitting a fade rather than a draw

Scoring: Finished the year at a 2.9 handicap and had a handicap below 5 since June. 2023 stats in my GHIN based on 38 rounds recorded are 61% par or better, Par 5= 5.12, Par 4= 4.47, Par 3= 3.36, Putts = 32.7, GIR = 53% Fairways= 51%
1. Get handicap below 2.0
2. Use an app to track more stats related to strokes gained
3. Exceed 60% in both GIR and Fairways
4. Avg putts below 32
5. Par 5=/< 5.05, Par 4=/< 4.3, Par 3 =/< 3.2
6. Break par for 18 holes at least once

Mental Game: Not sure how to measure these...
1. Become passionate about the mundane. In other words, embrace practice the same way I embrace a new round on the first tee.
2. Be a goldfish. Play golf one shot a time and don't carry negative feelings into the next shot/hole

 

That should be enough, eh?

[Dweed]

@William P Glad to hear you are starting back. Welcome to the forum, glad to see it.

[TopShelf30]

I like this alot.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Being a husband, father, full time employee, my game has suffered. I"m not entirely upset as I love my Wife and Son, and my job pays for this fun habit we all share. I started utilizing my lunch breaks when I work from home 2 days a week, to beat a bucket or pitch/chip/putt, has really helped. My main goal when on the range is tempo and path. I get quick with my hips, drop my hands, and then the ball is lost...

2. Transition Range work to on course

This one speaks for itself, when I practice "real" life lies, be able to replicate those shots, movements, etc. from the range to the course.

3. Get under a 2 handicap.

Currently a 4.7 but I dont see the 2 being to farfetched as I know my issues, and If i can just harness some of them in a little bit, we will be there.

4. Qualify for Houston Am. and actually compete

I know I can do it, just havent played tournament golf in 10 years, so its a different mentality than rounds with buddies.

**Ultimate 5 year**

Qualify for the Texas Amateur

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by JOakesOnYou348

[Dead Solid Bogey]

19 minutes ago, JOakesOnYou348 said:

I like this alot.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Being a husband, father, full time employee, my game has suffered. I"m not entirely upset as I love my Wife and Son, and my job pays for this fun habit we all share. I started utilizing my lunch breaks when I work from home 2 days a week, to beat a bucket or pitch/chip/putt, has really helped. My main goal when on the range is tempo and path. I get quick with my hips, drop my hands, and then the ball is lost...

2. Transition Range work to on course

This one speaks for itself, when I practice "real" life lies, be able to replicate those shots, movements, etc. from the range to the course.

3. Get under a 2 handicap.

Currently a 4.7 but I dont see the 2 being to farfetched as I know my issues, and If i can just harness some of them in a little bit, we will be there.

4. Qualify for Houston Am. and actually compete

I know I can do it, just havent played tournament golf in 10 years, so its a different mentality than rounds with buddies.

**Ultimate 5 year**

Qualify for the Texas Amateur

 

Go get’em Texas and good luck …. Being an elderly old curmudgeon, I started 2024 goals of playing different venues early… At my age you never know when the party maybe over.

[aguybadatgolf]

I’m a little late to the party on this one. 

Met most of my 2023 goals. First one was to get to bogey golf or better. It was my second season of golf and am happy to say I achieved that. Started the season at a 23 handicap and am now down to a 16. It’s no longer uncommon for me to break 90. I just didn’t get my first eagle as I had hoped. 

In 2024 my goal is to shoot in the 80s almost exclusively. A big part of this for me will be keeping driver in play at all times. I have a fairly high swing speed (112-117) and at this point am having entire rounds where I’m averaging 310+ yards off the tee (Colorado guy so take it for what it’s worth). But it also gets me into trouble as I miss by more  

An early season goal of mine will be to have a full round where I don’t loose a single ball off the tee. Issue for me is I typically hit nice draw but occasionally will hit it dead straight which is an issue when I’m playing for the draw. This usually means I’m bombing it OB. Need to work on course management and just dialing in that swing a bit more.

The other one I want to improve is my putting/short game. It’s serviceable, I averaged exactly 2 putts a hole last year. Part of that is due to my chipping not always getting me within 10 feet and some of it is an approach game that leaves me tricky putts so again course management will be important. The goal is to get that number below 2 putts a hole. 

Lastly, I want to get my first eagle. I had a few chances last summer where I got on a par 5 in 2 or drove the green on a par 4. Problem was I always had a long putt. Again I think better course management and selecting the right targets will help here. 

Edited December 13, 2023 by aguybadatgolf

[GolfSpy_KFT]

50 minutes ago, aguybadatgolf said:

I’m a little late to the party on this one. 

Met most of my 2023 goals. First one was to get to bogey golf or better. It was my second season of golf and am happy to say I achieved that. Started the season at a 23 handicap and am now down to a 16. It’s no longer uncommon for me to break 90. I just didn’t get my first eagle as I had hoped. 

In 2024 my goal is to shoot in the 80s almost exclusively. A big part of this for me will be keeping driver in play at all times. I have a fairly high swing speed (112-117) and at this point am having entire rounds where I’m averaging 310+ yards off the tee (Colorado guy so take it for what it’s worth). But it also gets me into trouble as I miss by more  

An early season goal of mine will be to have a full round where I don’t loose a single ball off the tee. Issue for me is I typically hit nice draw but occasionally will hit it dead straight which is an issue when I’m playing for the draw. This usually means I’m bombing it OB. Need to work on course management and just dialing in that swing a bit more.

The other one I want to improve is my putting/short game. It’s serviceable, I averaged exactly 2 putts a hole last year. Part of that is due to my chipping not always getting me within 10 feet and some of it is an approach game that leaves me tricky putts so again course management will be important. The goal is to get that number below 2 putts a hole. 

Lastly, I want to get my first eagle. I had a few chances last summer where I got on a par 5 in 2 or drove the green on a par 4. Issue I was always that I was pretty for from the hole and would have had to make a very long putt. Again I thing better course management and selecting the right targets will help here. 

Aside from the distance (you've got me there!) our goals sound very similar! I started the year at a 30 hdcp and ended at 16.1. Consistently scoring in the 80s is far and away my top priority and then being in a better position off the tee regularly as well. I had one round where I nearly broke 80, which was an outlier low round of the year, but I am hoping to move closer to that consistently in 2024. Here's to chasing the 10 and under handicap club together!

[aguybadatgolf]

3 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

Aside from the distance (you've got me there!) our goals sound very similar! I started the year at a 30 hdcp and ended at 16.1. Consistently scoring in the 80s is far and away my top priority and then being in a better position off the tee regularly as well. I had one round where I nearly broke 80, which was an outlier low round of the year, but I am hoping to move closer to that consistently in 2024. Here's to chasing the 10 and under handicap club together!

That’s awesome! Lowest I’ve gotten was an 85 so I’ve got a ways to go to get to the low 80s. That’s very impressive that you dropped from a 30 to a 16 haha. Have you taken lessons? I’m thinking I’m at a point where my driver is about as good as it can be with out some coaching. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

12 minutes ago, aguybadatgolf said:

That’s awesome! Lowest I’ve gotten was an 85 so I’ve got a ways to go to get to the low 80s. That’s very impressive that you dropped from a 30 to a 16 haha. Have you taken lessons? I’m thinking I’m at a point where my driver is about as good as it can be with out some coaching. 

Thank you! The caveat with my round of 81 was that it was two 9 hole rounds played on back to back days due to schedule constraints. I wish it was consecutive 18 but was the best golf of my live I've ever played, bar none.

I took a few lessons but the biggest thing for me was probably a proper fitting with my irons and then being able to play a lot and more consistently. I've been golfing since probably 2011, but last year was the first summer where I really was able to play other than here and there. I would definitely consider lessons. There was always one or two things that the pro at my course could give me to work on that was beneficial for my ball striking. 

When I am scoring well, it's because my game 100 and in is dialed. I can't tell you how many strokes I lose in a round because I duff a pitch or something stupid like that lol. 

[Rob Person]

I've just seen this post and I haven't read through many of the replies until today. I can say without a doubt I have issues!

Started playing late 2022. Had a friend who invited me to play at a local split tee box 9 hole course. We played twice, and at the time it was $20 a round. Boy was I hooked!

I was averaging once a month play for most of 2023, adding on about 6 range sessions in between.

My unregistered handicap was 28+ and now is 23.4 (I use an excel sheet tracker)

I had 3 main goals I set for myself for 2023

1. Better driving. Consistently slicing was killing me. I bought and traded off a couple of older used drivers. Found one that suited me and its been working fairly well. I've got a slower swing speed and limited rotation issue.

2. Work on putting and chipping.   I have a course 10 minutes away that I can use the practice area for free for that. Another course 20 minutes away that has a full self service range. It has sand traps, chipping areas, pitching, setup, and an amazing putting green area.

I have developed quite the skill for reading greens, but execution is lacking. I'm a 2 putter 90% of the time.

3. Accuracy.  This has been my largest deficit. I picture my shot, visualize the adjustments, but execution is poor. The above mentioned range sessions allowed me to get a decent estimate on my club distances. I created a cheat card thats attached to my bag. On occasion I get that absolutely pure contact and it's a beautiful sight.

There are more areas to work on, but I'm hoping that if I can conquer these 3, I'll be able to move on to fine tuning my game.

I have alot of enthusiasm for 2024,  and look forward to more golf!

[Josh Parker]

I have enjoyed seeing this thread grow and looking forward to a progress check in half way thru the new year!  

Some great goals being thrown out there!

[Slight shank]

Lower my hcp by 2. I actually went up last year a touch. Started working out in the fall getting in much better shape. Hoping for better success this coming season. I went from 9.5 and ended November a 10.1

[EasyPutter]

Each year my goal has been to play more golf than the previous year and it is now getting tougher to do living in northern climes as I do.  
2020  =  73 rounds
2021  =  109 rounds
2022  =  124 rounds
2023  =  126 rounds
So my goal for 2024 is to play 127 rounds or more to make it even harder in 2025 

For the adventures on the MGS Forum, my secret goal is to be selected to test a set of golf clubs and since I have never really chosen the clubs I play with (much like in Harry Putter, the wand chooses the Wizard), I will be looking forward to whatever it is that challenges my game and hopefully helps me move my handicap down from hovering around 20 into the teens and possibly lower (haha trying not to laugh )  So remember, since it is a secret goal shhhhhh don't tell anyone 

[MattWillGolf]

My 2024 goal is to fully rebuild my swing. My offseason so far has been building the muscle memory. The pro at my home course has shown me the way and now I need to incorporate those changes into my new "normal". 

[tdroma98]

2024 Goals - 

2023 was ok year for golf. The positive was rejoining old golf buddies for morning golf, they are great guys, really fun to golf with & they only walk.  Made a big complete equipment change in 2023 - New driver, irons & shaft & Gap Wedge, after a poor performance in Florida Senior Open.  It was deflating. 

2024 I'll continue to exercise, walking a minimum of 5 miles+ a day, 3 to 4 days week, including walking 18 holes vs riding.  Walking has paid off, with losing weight & keeping it off. However, I do think my swing suffered a bit from the weight loss & age (64), getting used to swinging with a new (Old) body. 
TheStack Speed Training really has helped with my swing & ball striking in the last quarter of 2023.  Now will incorporate TheStack Putting training sessions, to improve putting. 

Three main goals of focus for 2024:  Hitting Par 3 greens, Putting and Mental Game.  A fourth is continued work on short game. Getting used to new wedge combinations this past year going from 56 & 60 degree wedges to 54 & 58 degrees. There was definitely a difference.  Positive, helped with closing some distance gaps.  But there is a short game adjustment.   

Putting: Made what I hope is the last piece of equipment change last week, for a while, changing putters & putter head style from blade to more of a mallet head with Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5, 34 inch length. I'm liking the feel of the golf ball vs the blade putter.

Hitting more par 3 greens - work on alignment at address.  Play the hole, be committed to the shot & put ego in the bag, take the extra club. 

Handicap did improve to a +0.8 this year, but has dropped a bit the past month. But that's ok.  Outside elements, called life, get in the way. Learning patience is a must. 
Important to remain positive and have fun playing.  

[Dweed]

I'm sorry @tdroma98. Age does play into it for sure. Just have to accept it...a little bit only.

[higherplane]

Want to get Driver swing to 110 mph,  make Driver swing consistent and repeatable with my new Driver,  make iron swing like the pro analysis I got this Fall (finding easier said then done),  and lastly get a 230 yard super repeatable shot (may be Driving iron or other solution).        

[vandyland]

On 10/26/2023 at 12:25 PM, Jnoble89 said:

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!

 

 

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!

In 2023, my main goal was to birdie every hole on my club's course (we joined in June). I played 30 rounds there this year and birdie 17/18 holes (I made it to 17 fairly early on, like the 20th round -- really cannot seem to birdie #8). Aside from that I didn't have any other goals associated with my handicap, though I did get to an all-time low of 2.0 this year. 

My average score at the club this year was 76.7 and my average differential (HDCP) was 3.9. So I will try to beat that next year, at least the differential part. Unfortunately, they are re-doing the golf course in 2024 so I will be playing my golf all over the place next year. Will try to birdie all 18 holes at Harpeth Hills and I will make my goal "differential" based. 

The trickiest thing to measure is golf swing/skill improvement, mainly in the full swing. So my goal is going to sound odd but I want to eliminate 3 things in my swing that have plagued me, se below...

2024:

Scoring - (1) Card an under par round [didn't happen in 2023] (2) Have an average differential of 3.5 or better for the year
Birdie Challenge - birdie all 18 holes at Harpeth Hills
Golf Swing - (1) Eliminate flat shoulder turn/flat hands at the top (2) Stay committed to more bent over setup (3) Early and full wrist set in the backswing  with club staying in front of chest and no trail arm collapsing in backswing
Practice - Continue the efforts I have been chronicling in my accountability thread and settle on an instructor (probably will remain Monte though I am intrigued by Jim Waldron and Adam Porzak).  
 

Edited December 22, 2023 by vandyland

[GolfSpy_KFT]

I see I have a little catching up to do on updating the google docs sheet for our 2024 member goals! 

Again just want to say thank you to everyone who submitted their goals for the upcoming season. For some of us, it is still 3-5 months out, while others will be able to start chasing them down in just a couple weeks! As you check them off throughout the year, please post a comment in the thread OR find your username in the google doc linked at the top of the page to update them there. 

A recurring theme for some was to improve their health and overall fitness. My professional background is in exercise science and I currently work as an employee fitness coordinator at my local hospital. During the 2024 season my hope is to write and post some articles geared towards different aspects of fitness and wellness that our members can implement into their daily routine to help improve things like strength and mobility. This will be a work in progress and all that I ask for is your patience in me getting it off the ground!

[Dead Solid Bogey]

Thanks @Jnoble89 for doing this. That said; going to be facetious and say that I would like to add as a 2024 goal to NEVER again venture into the rabbit hole that has turned into a black hole of the “ Ball roll back thread “…. 
 

Edit: The Ancient Ager Association has decided to be provocatively proactive about the ball roll back issue. Since statistically a significant number of us will be @died by 2030,  it has been decided to start allowing the playing of non-confirming golf balls in 2024, as to not miss out on any rabble rousing that might occur in 2030… 

 

Edited December 24, 2023 by Dead Solid Bogey

[Bad Golfer]

My goals for this year past year were to break 90. I did it once with a 89. Also was to get my handicap under 20. It varied from around 21 to 23.

I just joined my local gold course last week. I guess it is still 2023 and I played 6 times the past two weeks and although it has been pretty darn cold I have shot my two personal best rounds of a 86 and today a 84. With a 94 right in the middle of them.

My goals for 2024 will be:

1. Break 80

2. Get more consistent off the tee box.

3. Get my handicap into single digits 

4. Be able to compete in the Championship Flight in my League club championship.

[ParFore74x]

I feel that my goals for 2024 are attainable but they will definitely need some work.

1. Consistency off the tee box. This was better for 2023 but still needs work. The good thing was that the vast majority of tee shots still left me with a second shot but they weren’t always clear shots and made me grind it out at times.

2. I’d like to see scores in the low to mid 80s regularly. Goal for 2023 was mid to high 80s and I had quite a few rounds in the 86-89 range with a career best of 84. 

3. Break 80. This one will be a tough one but, I think that it is in reach. I had several 9 hole rounds at 40 shots and a few 18 hole rounds that were 40-41 at the turn. Need to keep it together for all 18 holes.

4. Keep the putts around 30 for 18 holes. I was able to get around 28 during my better rounds in 2023 with my best 9 hole record being 12. Average for this season was 33.

[JFish350]

My first post in a few months. It's been am interesting fall season. 

 

2024 goals

1. Be able to play a round pain free. 

2. Get back to MGS forum on a regular basis

3. Be able to play pain free. 

4. get out of my head that I don't need to hit a home run with every swing. 

 

Merry Christmas to all.