Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a new GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you — including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way.
As someone who really pushes himself to be better each day (even at the risk of overthinking or stressing a bit), I’m a big advocate for setting goals. So much so, in fact, that I actually write mine on my bathroom mirror with an erasable marker to serve as a reminder each day.
While some people don’t go to that extreme, having goals is a good way to hold yourself accountable for the things you want to accomplish — whether that be in life or on the golf course.
For instance, many of you know I’m on a quest to break 80 for the first time. While that was a golf goal I set for myself around this time last year, I fell short of accomplishing it — being a new dad took precedent!
But with a new year upon us, it’s time to reassess where I’m at as a player, target some realistic goals, and work my way toward accomplishing them.
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It all starts today.
Sure, it’d be easy to sit around and wait for this Seattle winter to stop being, well, a Seattle winter, filled with rain, fog, and a chill in the air that makes me do anything but think about going to sneak in 9 holes before the sun sets at 4:30 in the afternoon (!).
But if I’m serious about reaching my golf goals this year, it means getting to work and preparing my mind, body, and swing — even without going to a range or course.
It’s part of the reason why I got myself a membership to an indoor golf simulator league, where I can try to mimic on-course situations even though it’s dark, cold and rainy outside.
With that in mind, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Ed Oldham shares three tips to follow in order to play your best golf ever this year. So take a look below to see how to crush your offseason, keep grinding, and, ultimately, become the player you want to be in 2024. It’s the year to shoot low!
Reach your golf goals by following these 3 steps
With colder weather in many parts of the country, many golfers simply put their clubs away to gather dust and cobwebs. But instead of taking a few months off and just hoping you pick back up where you left off as a player last fall, I believe this is the best time for you to work on your game in order to hit your golf goals in 2024.
There are three parts of your game that you can improve this offseason: your swing, your body, and your mind.
Here’s how you can work on those aspects now in order to play your best all year.
1. Swing
Consider taking lessons from a qualified golf instructor who can assess your game and provide you with personalized feedback; along with drills to improve. He or she can also help review some swing fundamentals (such as grip and setup).
I suggest targeting any technique work that will help you make better contact, or correcting any ball-flight inconsistencies. These are easy ways to sharpen your game in the offseason before heading to the course for a full round.
2. Body
It’s time to ditch the holiday cookies and winter snacking, folks, because preparing your body is essential to reaching your golf goals this year.
I suggest finding a TPI Certified Fitness Professional who can assess your body, and then can provide you with a program to use during these colder months. This can help you eliminate or minimize any physical restrictions that impact your golf swing, along with building strength in key muscle areas.
3. Mind
I’ll typically ask my students how much of golf they think is mental. Many of them often respond by saying it’s around 80-90%. I then ask a follow up question about how much time they spend practicing the mental game, with the answer usually being zero.
But being a mentally tough player can be the difference between staying stagnant as a player versus achieving your golf goals! For that reason, find a good sports psychologist or read a good book on the mental game.
Just like the swing, you can’t work on everything at once, so pick two aspects — such as finding a pre-shot routine and how to better focus while putting — and spend five minutes of each practice session working on those elements.
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