Carve It In Stone – Setting Goals with Precision

The season is coming to a close, and this is the time to reflect.

Did you accomplish everything you wanted to with your golf game, why or why not?

If you didn’t set out with a goal that you wrote down and had available every time you played or practiced you did yourself a disservice. Setting a goal for your golf game is like providing a roadmap to playing the best golf of your life.

A SMART goal is a way to write your goals which make them precise and ultimately more achievable. SMART is an acronym for:

• S – Specific
• M – Measurable
• A – Achievable
• R – Relevant
• T – Time – Focused

Too many times our goals resemble the statement below.

“This year I’m going to get better at golf, and I’m going to play a lot more.”

The goal above has no binding qualities, it’s boring, and if something better comes along, it’s easy to put golf aside. Answering the four questions below will assist you in writing a goal which will motivate you, get you excited and get your golf game to levels which were once just dreams.

What is the current state of your golf game?

Answer this question with your handicap or your average scores, the amount of golf you play or time you spend practicing. You can also break it down into segments of your game, driving, putting, short game or irons.

The answer:

“I am currently a 15 handicap. I only play twice maybe three times a month, but I try to practice at least once every week. I currently hit a slice with my driver and miss too many fairways, but I can score fairly well when I manage to get the ball in play.”

Where do you want your golf game to be in the future?

Be honest with yourself when answering this question and start thinking about your aspirations and realistic expectations. If you work six long days a week, have a couple of kids at home and about 4 hours a week to practice and play, you might want to take that into account.

The answer:

“I would like to get my handicap down below 10. I need to start hitting the ball straighter and stop depending so much on my short game.”

How are you going to get there?

It’s time to start getting specific and challenging yourself. You can start thinking about lessons, reading books and setting up practice routines based on your available time.

The answer:

“Through the winter I will try to read at least two books about golf that will help my game. I will also seek out some guidance from an instructor who I feel is a good fit for me and will keep me motivated to improve. Through the spring and summer, I will find at least two days a week I can stop by the course on my way home from work and practice chipping and putting for 15-30 minutes.”

Create a time frame

This one is easy, set a timetable for your improvement.

The answer:

“I would like to accomplish this by the end of July.”

Once you have answered those questions you not only have the backbone for a motivating goal but you have also established a plan on how you will achieve it.

Now Write Your Goal

Write a goal that is inspiring, a goal you feel you can achieve and most importantly a goal you want to achieve.