The golf lessons are going well, everything is feeling good on the range and you are already looking ahead to 2011 as being your year on the golf course. Your golf handicap will come tumbling down and the game will be more enjoyable than ever. Or will it? Is it that straight forward?
Practicing hard and having a vision in your head of picking up trophies is all well and good. However you need effective goal setting to maintain your drive and performance throughout the year of golf. Without it your determination and drive will slowly diminish and 2011 will fizzle out as years may have done previously.
Why set goals for 2011?
- Goals direct attention and action to important aspects required for development.
- Goals assist sustaining drive when practicing
- Goals that are realistic assist in reaching optimum levels of confidence and motivation through successes which are achieved.
- Goals are proven to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Goals develop self-control, concentration and commitment.
- Goals are an important tool in monitoring success. (Short game tests, driving accuracy etc)
Types of Goals
When you set your golfing performance goals for 2011 you need to have a mixture of 3 types of goals. Short, medium, and long-term.
· Short-term goals are targets to be achieved within the next one to six weeks.
Short-term goals are important because they allow you to see immediate improvements (e.g. improvement in short game test results). In addition, they also help golfers keep sight of their long-range goals.
· Mid-term goals are targets to be achieved in the next 6 weeks to six months.
· Long-term goals are targets to be achieved in the next one to two years.
The mixture of goals is like a conveyor belt onto achieving your long term goals. Without short term goals you will not achieve any mid – term goals, and without mid – term goals you cannot work towards long – term goals.
SMART goals
For goals to be effective then they must be SMART goals. Without this goals can be unrealistic leading to a defeatist attitude. Goals that are too easy will result in lower work levels and fail to develop determination. Make sure your goals are SMART goals before setting them out for the year ahead:
Specific: I will reduce number of putts per round to 32 from 34
Measurable: I can record my stats from each round to measure my development
Achievable: Not an unrealistic target (‘I will shoot 59 gross this year’)
Realistic: Similar to achievable. Remember you can always re set goals as you achieve them.
Timed: I will achieve my goal by May 2011
Make sure you have your goals set in place for 2011. Put them on the fridge door or pin them in a prominent face so you can see them regularly, helping to keep sight of what you want to achieve. Sitting down with your coach is a good idea for setting realistic, yet challenging targets. Remember though your goals and dreams are yours. Nobody can take those away from you and stand in the way of your progress.
Good luck
Daniel Gale
PGA Professional
(Source PGA Psychology in golf certificate)
Dan is a PGA Professional & TPI Certified Instructor
Check out his website at www.dangalegolf.com
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