2022 Review - 2023 Goals

7 Jan

I haven’t been able to play a huge amount of golf this past week, despite being off work, largely due to the weather.

I think Lydd’s Facebook post implying that you would need a fishing rod rather than golf clubs was pretty accurate.

I did play at the weekend, pop over to my instagram for some pictures of the course on a lovely evening here in the UK.

I thought instead I would review 2022 for me and then set some goals for 2023. For anyone that hasn’t read my ABOUT page, I started playing in February, having played for about a year as a 17/18 year old (I’m, now 38), so I’m very much a beginner.

The first couple of months were tough, almost soul destroying. There is nothing like hitting 134 to damage your ego almost beyond repair. However, I knew I was starting at a tough time of year due to the conditions and figured that with practice I would get better as the conditions did.

I had an initial lesson in the March with Tom Muchmore (at the time at Kingsnorth GC) where he adjusted my grip and key elements of my swing that were causing the large slice I often had.

Although this largely papered over the cracks, I also started to learn to play to my slice, so I started to hit more fairways and I also then started to invest in my game in other ways.

First, out went my 20 year old Ben Sayers Irons and I replaced them with Taylormade Stealth (you can read about my purchasing journey here). Then I replaced my Driver with a Callaway Rogue ST (article to come on that one, but I would highly recommend, especially for beginners). I also invested in a 3 Hybrid from Taylormade. I upgraded my wedges to Taylormade Hi-Toe 52, 56, 60 and eventually got a new putter (Scotty Cameron Squareback).

I found that my iron play improved and I got extra distance out of them. I was going straight if not quite improving my GIR %. The Driver was probably the biggest improvement investment. Before I got the Rogue, I was scared of the driver, I would often top the ball and if it went in the air it sliced wildly.

The Rogue Max St is EXTREMELY forgiving, so all of a sudden I was driving the ball on Par 4’s and 5’s 200 yards plus and then the next best thing I purchased (the hybrid), was helping me to all of a sudden get the extra distance on longer holes and I achieved my first par 4 birdies and par 5 pars.

Around the green I’m normally pretty good anyway, my putting average for the year was 34 which is not far off the average of a scratch golfer (33.3), so the improvement was more aesthetics than anything - but the important thing for me was to have clubs that were mine - all of the others I had as handle downs, which although appreciated weren’t my choice.

I also invested in off the course aids, buying a Putt out mat and trainer, as well as a multi turf practice mat and net for garden practice. I have both a net and the plastic, cat toy type balls so I alternate between the two as my lawn doesn’t like having the net on it for too log (funnily enough).

As the year wore on, I started to put scores into the WHS app and set myself a goal - get below the old highest handicap of 28 by the end of the year. When I started, I had some erratic scores and my handicap went a little crazy, starting around the 33 mark and then dropping as low as 21 before settling to 25 just as the season came to an end.

So, on reflection I hit the initial goal I set, but I obviously want to improve. Bogey golf is the aim for next year, although I have joined a tough course for me to achieve this at. Lydd golf course has some amazing offers, with their mission to achieve #affordable golf - under 40’s are £399 for the whole year, but it is a course designed to challenge low handicappers.

Something I have talked about in another post was discovering Imagine golf. This is another thing that I believe has seriously helped through some of the tougher points this year. Within the app, they encourage you to set both short term goals and also BHAG’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). This wasn’t new for me, but isn’t something I’ve really applied to personal life before.

The BHAG I set myself was:

Become a single handicapper before I’m 40

Become a valued member of a Club team before I’m 40

Now that is obviously going to be tough, but with regular coaching from Tom, coupled with playing and practicing whenever I can, I’m pretty confident I can achieve these goals.

So, onto my goals for 2023. These need to be goals that will help me achieve the BHAG and be steps towards them.

So, my goals for 2023 are as follows:

1. Play Bogey Golf (Reach 18 Handicap)

2. Play my first singles competition

3. Create an established golf blog! :)

I am confident on hitting these goals, although they will all require some work and confidence building to achieve! Although I’m confident at talking to people, I’m not necessarily confident at putting myself into social situations where I might be judged on something to do with sport - the irony being that I tend to thrive under pressure…

Thanks as always for taking the time to read this - feel free to comment on my instagram post if you like the article!