We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Are your goals realistic ones?

Michigan Slice

Michigan Slice

This Guy Cant dance...
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
21,279
Reaction score
86
Location
Merrill, MI
Handicap
23.3
This morning, I was talking to my instructor about goals.
He bluntly asked for a number, a Handicap that I want to achieve THIS YEAR!
He asked for a number for the 2017 season, as well as the 2018 season...

14,10,7 were my replies.

Then I got to thinking, Am I being realistic with myself? Am I being truthful with myself? Or was I possibly throwing numbers out there?
And If I was throwing numbers out there, was there a way this could still be useful in achieving short term goals?

What work would be required to meet that 7? that 14?

I recently played where I was striking the ball well and should have shot in the mid 80's, a week later I was in the 100's...
I have been working in the garage, as well as taking lessons, I have started to work on putting.

Will it be enough?
I am willing to do the work, I am willing to find out!


Personal/work/Golf life, Do you set lofty goals for yourself?
 
In regards to golf, I'm setting what I think are reasonable goals. Golf is a hobby, one that unfortunately is severely time limited for me. Setting goals too lofty could result in too much pressure, which will lead to frustration and lack of enjoyment for the sport. Now of course, I'm assuming that a five point drop in handicap is reasonable. Maybe it's not. Maybe I've hit my ceiling and I'll always suck at golf ... I can only base what instructors and friends have told me to lead me to believe that my ceiling is much higher than it currently is, if I can devote some time to practice. We shall see.
 
I try to have 1 lofty goal at a time, with a bunch of smaller more attainable goals along the way that will show good progress towards that lofty goal as I go. I had a goal of getting to a single digit HC at some point, and was thinking most likely in 2016. I was starting with a 12.8 at the beginning of 2015 I believe. To try to accomplish this, I set smaller goals of different PB's on courses I regularly play, along with the goal to drop under an 11 HC this year. Setting the smaller goals that I knew were possible as long as I put the practice in, helped me make strides to not only accomplish all of my 2015 goals, but I have also already hit single digits this year as well. I did not think that was possible with where I started. My big goal for next season is to reach a 5.
 
I think my goals are realistic. I wish I had quantitative goals. I just want to enjoy golf more this year than I did last season. I wish I could say that it is index related, but it's not. I had a blast golfing in 2015, I want to have more of a blast in 2016. I wish I knew how to do that.
 
I am setting reasonable goals for myself:

1. Drop the last 30 pounds by May. That is 19 weeks from now. IF I can stay at 1.5-2 pounds a week, which is very reasonable I will meet that goal.

2. Get my handicap back to sub 10. This is something I think is attainable if I can get off the tee better. I am going to devote time to working on my tee game this year, as it is the place I am easily losing the most amount of strokes.

3. Get my putt averages to 32 a round. Currently I am somewhere in the neighborhood of 35-36 a round, and would love to see that at a more manageable number. Putting is something I can always work on, so there is no excuse.
 
I always set lofty goals, mainly because I'm more driven by that than more easily attainable ones. But one thing I learned from coaching is everyone is definitely different there, some require more intermediate goals to stay on path.

This year I need to do a better job of having more defined goals though, I was much to broad and generalized on 2015 and it almost feels as a wasted year where on course is concerned.
 
Yes, I think I do as my only goal right now is to get to single digits which is about 2 strokes lower than where I'm at currently.

Been there before and can get back....just takes a little practice which I haven't been doing at all in quite some time.
 
I think my goals are for the most part, but I never know when I'm going to enter an unexplained slump.
In golf nothing comes easy. Every FIR, GIR and holed putt comes from a certain amount of work and practice so the only way to improve is to put the time in.
 
I don't really have a handicap goal, but I want to shoot in the low 90's and even break 90 a few times. My son is also getting clubs for Christmas so hopefully this will allow me to play more. Edit to add that I feel this is achievable if I work at it.
 
To answer your question do I set lofty goals for myself? The answer is No. But I may need to start in 2016. Some things need to change in my personal life.

Golf wise I don't have the time or $$ to play as much as I would like. So realistic ones like improving my putting or beating ohio in RR, stuff like that seem more appropriate.
 
This is the second year I set goals for for myself and the first time they were lofty. I wanted to break 80 and hadn't shot in the low 80s prior and wanted to get to single digit starting at just over 15. I accomplished both and had to put in a lot of work/time to get there.
 
I decided that goals aren't something I focus on any longer because you can always change your goals. Now a mission you can't change, you either succeed or fail so my 2016 mission is to have 5 more rounds under 80 then I have had so far in 2015.
 
One of my goals this year was to practice more. I started early and have practiced in the last two months more than I did in almost all of 2015 prior. Like some others have said, I want to get back to single digits. The short game is there, putting is off and on close. The tee box is killing me right now.

#1 Goal this year is to have more fun though and tee it up with some THP'rs.

All of this is realistic and attainable :bashful:

JM
 
Currently, my golf goals are pretty simple, play more golf. Until I start averaging at or more than 1 round a month, I don't think it would be totally fair to myself to set a specific goal. Right now I don't play enough to even establish an handicap. SO, practice is all I have and once life lets me, I'll get back into more lofty goal setting.
 
Nice thread

i had to alter my goals a bit. I really got fixiated on making a huge swing overhaul. Currently I did make huge strides , but in the long run it took a big toll on my personal life. Taking on a change like this requires a total commitment and unfortunately with a bigger work load/ family life and life in general to has been tough. Im still proceeding , but doing it more casual now than regular/hardcore. Sad to let this go , but just not in a position to give this my full effort like I used to. All hobbies require effort to get better at and make it enjoyable. Golf is no exception , but just seems like if you slack of on it the results really speak for themselves.

my son has special needs and I'm never going to think full out golf. He will always come first
 
I have a goal of keeping a 5 handicap, but I've yet to reach it. I also have a goal of breaking par and with a 73 recently, I know that's definitely attainable. I know once I settle down and get married and begin to have kids, I may not have the chance to work on my game as often, so that window is starting to shut. I will be the assistant coach of a golf team this spring, so I'll be working on my game daily and so this might be a time for me to reach my goals.
 
My only goal right now is to Break 80. I think I will be able to by the Summer. Some days it doesnt feel realistic
 
Goals are attainable if you work towards them. The past few years I have set golf goals but haven't done anything to achieve them. When I was selected for the MC, it was like I had a purpose to my practice. Now it's like I just go through the motions. I need competition in my life. It's the perfect motivation to put the work in needed to attain the goals. That's just me. Not everyone is the same way. Next year I will definitely try harder to reach my goal and actually put in the practice. I use to go to the range almost everyday for a small bucket. When I was doing that I did reach the goal I had set that year. Time to put up or shut up for me. Put in the work and see the improvement I'm wanting to achieve.


Good topic CJ.
 
My golf goals are pretty realistic but my personal goals not so much. I'm a very hot head person so when I fail to meet a goal I take it pretty hard and lose motivation. Need to change that in order to accomplish more


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My golf goal has been to get to single digits for a while now. It hasn't happened yet, but I've made progress and inched closer every year. I think it's realistic based on my time available, but it is admittedly difficult to associate a specific time with it.
 
FOr an index, yes my goal is realistic as I want to get back to a place that I had been before. And from there drop a few more strokes as the short game imrpoves
 
I think my goals are very realistic. Ive learned in the past that perhaps I've been so ambitious at times that it becomes unrealistic. Since then ive continues to keep that ambition and set goals but make them much more attainable. This goes for not only golf but life in general. Nothing wrong with setting lofty goals of course as challenging ourselves is great but I just try to find that happy medium.
 
alez367 said:
My golf goals are pretty realistic but my personal goals not so much. I'm a very hot head person so when I fail to meet a goal I take it pretty hard and lose motivation. Need to change that in order to accomplish more


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Good one. My personal goals (which start with work which puts food on our tables) have been to be less strict on the guys and gals. I'm big stickler on doing a job once correctly , and not doing it again because someone slacked off . But in my business , if someone slacks it could possibly injure or kill another co worker .

tough stuff to juggle ..this game we call life
 
I try to just have fun with golf that is my main goal so it is very attainable. Small goals I have are being able to maintain single digits for a whole season instead of up and down. This I think I could do with a bit more commitment to practice especially off the tee.

Personal goals most of them are Job related which I ALWAYS set super high and hard to achieve goals. In the end I drive towards it and the majority of the time I meet these goals. Driving myself to a point that is on the edge of impossible drives me harder in my professional life than I ever thought possible.
I would like to be a bit more social this year and branch out past people that I already know and really get to know as many people as I can.
 
My golf goals for 2016 are better course management and to be more accurate off the tee.

I feel those are realistic - if I can do those better my HC will drop.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top