DO YOU ACTUALLY IMPROVE WHEN YOU PRACTICE?

SET GOALS:

 

Goal setting is a big part of improving. If you do not know what you want to achieve, how would you improve?

 

Set SMART Goals. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time bound).

 

Specific – If your aim is to be a more consistent player you should be specific on how your game needs to be more consistent, is it distance from the hole, or rather the ability to hit a certain shot under pressure or in a particular wind. 

 

Measurable – Have a way to measure whether you are improving whilst you practice or competing. This way you can see if what you are working on in your game is making a difference for you to commit to or abandon it.

 

Attainable – Are your goals attainable? It is unlikely that you could become a plus handicap by the end of the season if you are playing from higher than a 4 handicap. The season is short, and the weather is unpredictable. An attainable goal for someone trying to lower their handicap could be to play as much as possible and record as much data as they can throughout the season, this way they will have a clear understanding on what they need to work on for the winter for next season whilst also learning how to score during tournaments. 

 

Relevant – Are your goals relevant to you and your game? Are you working on hitting the ball further because you saw a YouTube video or a tour player doing it, is it compromising your game? Of course, you can aim to hit it further, but ensure that you do it in a way that supports your patterns and the way you play golf. 

 

Time bound – Set a start and end time for when you need to achieve the goal by/ review the goal across each session. This will enable you to stay motivated and keep the clarity on what it is you are trying to achieve. Additionally, you will be able to not spend time putting your time and effort into something that is not working.