Start 2015 the Right Way

With the weather warming up and the snow melting, a new golf season is upon us and with that comes new expectations.  Whether you're a 30 handicap or a club champion, every golfer wants to get off to the right start in 2015.  In this post, I hope to offer some useful tips to shake the rust early and begin to make this season your best one yet. So let's get started.

Get a Feel

First, start regaining a feel for all the clubs throughout your bag especially the scoring clubs like your short irons, wedges, and of course the putter.  Take some time to stroke some putts and hit some chips before you head to the tee in excitement.  This careful preparation will give you more confidence when you need to actually perform which in turn can save you some shots early on in the year.

Strike It Right

Making good solid contact is critical in any success on the golf course and I believe it is equally, if not more important early in the season as ever. With conditions and weather that isn't the greatest, it is crucial to make solid contact.  Courses tend to play longer with the rain and wind that comes early on.

My advice would to see a PGA professional and set up a lesson or use it as a tune-up for the season.  This way you get a feel for the correct way the contact should be.  Too many times players head out there without touching a club and end up chunking and shanking easy shots left and right. Nothing is worse for your confidence as a golfer than the bad case of the shanks.  Without good, crisp contact, you'll end up with some sore hands and likely, a score well over par. That doesn't sound like too much fun to me.

Have A Plan

Another significant thing to remember is to always set goals.  Prior to the season is a perfect time to set specific goals for yourself.  Recall areas of your game that need improvement and dedicate time to make a real effort to get better in those areas as the season goes on to reach the goals. 

As for the goals themselves, they can be seasonal goals or ones of individual rounds because it is crucial to always have something to aim for and motivate yourself throughout the year.  When you make goals, make sure they are very detailed and specific.  This way you know exactly what you are shooting for and how you need to accomplish them.  Do not stop until you achieve the them.

Stay Positive

If things don't come easy out of the gates this season, you should remember not to get down on yourself or your game.  Golf, as you know, can be very challenging at times to the point where you question why you are even playing the game in the first place.  Take some time off  (couple days) if you're not up to your expectations as sometimes a break from the game really is the best medicine.


Taking these thoughts into consideration will help to get the year get started smoothly.  It is always good to prepare well in anything you do and golf should be no exception.  Please don't hesitate to leave a comment about any goals you've set and acheived.  I would love to hear back.