As the days are seemingly longer with the sun gracing us with more of its presence it has had me reflecting on the year ahead, not only in my personal life but also with golf goals for the year. As the title suggests this is not just a goal setting task in relation to grip pressure but I feel it is the right place to start.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
Tao Te Ching, Laozi
Grip Pressure
As the only point of contact with the club, in this case, our hands for most of us, it seems an appropriate starting point in more ways than the obvious.
I find that grip pressure is so often overlooked.
It is a basic life enigma, holding on to something so tightly believing the harder we hold on the more control we have. Quite the contrary, when we let go or loosen our hold on something is when we allow other things to happen. The golf grip is no different, we must hold on only to the point that the club stays in our hands, which allows us to generate a wave of kinetic events through the body and mind. If my big picture goal is to swing faster it must start with a gentle grip that allows the rest of my body to swing in sequence and release through the hitting zone.
The grip and its pressure can act as more than a metaphor of lightness; letting go while at the same time holding on. The beginning of any good goal setting task is to focus first on the big picture. What is it you hope to achieve with your golf game? Where would you like to be at the end of the year? A lower handicap perhaps, or winning your club championship? These are the big picture goals, the ones that are the pinnacle of success for us. How we get there depends on a few smaller steps and goals to get there.
Goal Setting
As we look further into goal setting let’s start from the top.
What is the one thing you would like to achieve in your golf game this year? As an example let’s take a lower handicap, say 3 strokes. Then we continue to break down the big goal into smaller goals or steps to get there.
Here is an example of what a goal breakdown could look like:
Big Picture Goal: Lower Handicap by 3 Strokes
Intermediate Goals
- Improve short game
- Improve full swing
- Have a maximum of 2 putts per hole
- Hit 10 out of 14 fairways
- Hit 12 greens in regulation per round
- Have 50% up and downs (chip and 1 putt)
Short-Term Goals
- Practice 2 times per week
- Play 2 times per week
- Practice chipping and putting 1 hour
- Hole 10 out of 12 6 foot putts
- Get 8 out of 10 chips 6 foot or closer to the hole from 30 feet away.
- Visualise before every shot
- Keep a golf journal
The list could go on, personally, I would also look a little further beyond to things like nutrition, mind-calming practices such as meditation and fitness to assist with the larger goals. All of this helps me create a routine, and as we all know routine can bring about positive change and help avoid the peaks and valleys. Keeping us on a more even consistent ride.
Goals can be broken down into monthly, weekly and daily goals, the process is up to you and what you realistically feel you can manage. Take some or all of the steps above as a starting point. Make it your own.
Set goals you are confident you can manage. If a goal is too difficult or time-consuming and it would put more pressure on you, then lessen your goal for now. Make sure you can manage the 2 practices a week you’ve set for yourself along with everything else you are juggling in your life.
It’s all about balance and encouraging yourself to keep moving forward. Maybe your goal is to lower your handicap by 3 strokes, however, if you don’t have the time or drive to do the work required then whatever you do don’t set yourself up for failure.
Start with the basics and keep it simple. May we all make this a great year no matter how big or small our goals.
Lizzy
Lizzy Freemantle Schremp has been coaching golf for over 15 years. After receiving a scholarship to play for the University of Louisville in the United States she subsequently went on to become a PGA Professional at Oxmoor Country Club in Louisville Kentucky. Lizzy has worked with a number of other professionals and coached clients of all skill levels, ranging from beginner to professional.
Lizzy completed certification in all 6 areas of the PGA certified professional program in 2007. She was honored to receive Kentucky Section Assistant of the year, 2007, Created and developed the Oxmoor Golf and Fitness Academy and received the Titleist Scholarship Award in 2006.
Lizzy now spends most of her time coaching and fitting in the United Kingdom as one of the Professionals with Adam Bishop Golf.
Follow Lizzy Freemantle online at freemantlegolf.com and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
