2021 is almost in the books, and a new year of golf is almost upon us. We’re here to help you make it your best one yet, so we put out a call to the members of our How To Hit Every Shot instruction Facebook group (which you can join for yourself right here) asking a simple question: What’s your golf New Year’s resolution for 2022?
Of the hundreds of responses, here were a few that stuck out:
1. “Regain some yardage from my younger days”
As 48 year-old PGA Tour journeyman Greg Chalmers told us recently amid his new speed gains: It’s never too late!
Had a great time talking with @GregChalmersPGA the other day about all the awesome work he's doing gaining speed
"I feel better now at 48 than I did for the last 20 years."https://t.co/HEajI1SiC3
— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) December 22, 2021
2. “Get down to single digit handicap”
This was by far the most common response we got. There are many different ways to lower your handicap to a single digit. Here are a few tips from our resident low handicappers.
3. “To actually PRACTICE between rounds (as opposed to CLAIMING I practiced, like I do now)”
Practicing does, indeed, help, but it can also be counter productive if you do it wrong! Don’t fall into that trap.
4. “After two major surgeries, the ability to play”
Good health is something too many of us take for granted until we don’t have it. After two surgeries, it’s not about the score. It’s about the joy of playing.
5. “Play more quality rounds, not just squeezing them in before dark”
There’s something charming about a twilight round, but budgeting actual time so you’re not chasing daylight is also important.
6. “Breaking 100, after retiring and only playing one year”
When it comes to breaking 100, I’d say to start with fundamentals, both of the swing and of playing the game. Stay laser focused on trying to eliminate disaster shots: Tops, shanks, skies, chunks, thins. You don’t need to hit every shot perfect, but if you can avoid the really bad ones consistently, you’ll be in the 90s.
7. “Broke 100 this year. For ’22 it’s break 90”
If breaking 100 is about eliminating disaster shots, breaking 90 is about eliminating disaster holes. Yes, these often involve bad shots, but more often than not, they’re the product of making multiple mental mistakes back-to-back: Hitting driver when you shouldn’t, not taking enough club, trying to flop one rather than mastering the bump and run, and silly three-putts.
8. “Hole in One. Play for 50 years. Thousands of rounds. Need to get my first”
It’s a numbers game. Play more golf, ideally on courses with short par 3s.
9. “Get my second hole in one. My first in 55 years was in August”
Congrats on the first hole-in-one! Let’s hope No. 2 doesn’t take another 55 years.
10. “To best 40 for 9 holes”
Start by not being a hero. Keep the ball in play, aim for middle of the green, and no three putts.
11. “Break 85 two times”
Find a consistent shot shape, and along those lines, a consistent miss. Eliminating an inconsistent miss is half the battle.
12. “To have a bogie-free round”
Hard to do, even for pros. Penalty shots are the big thing you need to avoid. You don’t need to bomb every drive and stick each iron close. But you need to keep them in play.
13. “Keep accurate metrics.”
This is a good one! Shoutout to our affiliate company GolfLogix, who can help with this.
14. “Play more rounds in the a.m. part of the day.”
I love a good morning round, too. Get it in nice and early and spend the rest of the day doing whatever else you want.
15. “To be more consistent with my ball striking.”
Remember: You can’t be consistent with your ball striking if you don’t set up to the ball consistently.
16. “Meet new golf partners”
I hope your old golf partners aren’t reading this.
17. “Working on my short game through lessons and lots of practice”
Find a good coach, focus on being a good student, and the rest will fall into place.
18. “Transfer my weight forward. Right now it’s all shoulder and arms”
Not transferring your weight properly during your swing — especially if it means you’re sliding around too much — is a really common flaw for higher handicaps.
19. “No more 3 putts”
Hard to find a better resolution than “less three putts.”
20. “To be honest with my wife about what time I’ll be home.”
A good golf resolution, and a good marriage resolution.
21. “To get back on the course after open heart surgery”
We’re rooting for you!
22. “To find an answer to my 5 iron. Could it be a new 5 hybrid?”
A great idea, as I just wrote about!
23. “Get an official GHIN handicap”
No time like the present: Get going right here.
24. “Hit my driver farther than my weight and get my handicap under my waist size”
A clever dual-pronged resolution. These are a few healthy eating tips that worked for me.
25. “I want to go from a ‘pandemic golfer’ to a golfer.”
We’re glad to have you! Really, it comes down budgeting more time to play.
26. “Play twice a week”
As my colleague Dylan Dethier likes to remind me: If you drop your too-cold-to-play-golf threshold just a little but, you’ll be amazed at how many more rounds you’ll be able to sneak in.
27. “Lessons from our new pro”
Committing to a good golf coach is a resolution that is hard to go wrong.
28. “I’m absolutely freaking horrible at golf, next year I’m hoping to be just really bad”
Probably the most realistic and honest resolution on this list.
29. “Throw less clubs and hole more putts”
Your playing partners will thank you for both.
30. “Increase my club head speed”
There are lots of good speed training aids that can help with this, but as Max Homa says: Start by looking (and improving) your range of motion.
31. “Just to stay calm and relaxed. Getting frustrated doesn’t help”
Getting frustrated is natural. They key is letting it go quickly. Dwelling on it is a round-killer.
32. “Average below 30 putts per round”
Start by practicing your short putts more — a lot more.
33. “Take more time over my putts”
Just be sure to make the time count. Look for the slopes around the hole, and how your ball is going to respond off them.
34. “Play more rounds with my son and my dad”
These are the truly important things; the rounds we remember.
35. “Play more, enjoy more and relish the time with friends and family more”
Well said! Here’s to a great 2022.