Golf season has come to an end in my part of the world and it is time to do a little self-evaluation.
I started the year with a plan on how I going to practice and prepare myself for each round of golf.
I went back looked at my practice plans, reviewed my journals that I wrote after every round. With total honesty I can say that this was probably my worst year in quite some time. My scoring average went up by three shots over the previous year (78), putts per round increased (33), greens in regulation decreased (8), fairways hit remained the same (10) and driving distance held steady at 220-225 yards. My low round of the year was 76 vs 68 from the previous year.
The chart below is an honest assessment with how I rated my performance and what 2023 holds in store.
| Category | Grade/ Desired Outcome ( 2023) |
| Performance Area Met or Exceeding Expectations | Average to below average C-/B |
| Performance Areas Identified for Improvement | Putting, Fundamentals of swing C- /B |
| Areas of Planned Improvement | Ball clubface contact, flight, Shot shape. D/B |
| Are Goals Aligned with player skill level | Yes. Will take time to refocus. |
The rounds that I played for the most part were a struggle. Mentally I was not in a very good place. As a result my strategies suffered. There are number reasons for it, but it is not worth explaining.
With things going south I decided to get instruction. It was the first time in 10 years that I sought instruction. I have always prided myself in keeping my swing mechanics simple and therefore I played with reasonable consistency. This year something changed in my swing. Not sure if was age, or the fact that I was fighting with myself, or if the drug of being moderately successful finally caught up with me and I was expecting more from my body than I actually had. My instructor did point out some areas that needed correction, and the fact that I am still in relatively good shape physically was a plus on that side of the ledger. He did bring to my attention that reasons why I came to him indicated that I was still competitive. My training from past years did not go anywhere; it just needed to be uncovered.
That is what I am setting out to do for the next six months. At the end of the golf season my weight was 188 pounds, which was down 10 from the start of the season. I have embarked on plan to lighten the load by another 15 by May 1st of next year. Training focus will be on more explosion type moves along with strengthening my muscles for golf. I will also continue on getting my head right. The plan for 2023 will be to play in a couple of senior events. I will not use these to measure myself against the competition, but I will use them as measurement of the plan I have put in place.
Finally, I need to remember this “physically, can I do everything I want to in the golf swing”? The answer is probably not, so we need to find out what I can and cannot do.
Got six months to find out that answer.
Should be a fun winter, will keep you updated.
Until next time.
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