Happy New Year! Have you eaten too much, drunk too much, still finishing off the mince pies and chocolates?  That’s definitely me! Apparently, a round of golf burns somewhere in the region of 1,400-1,500 calories. While I find that hard to believe, it’s a good enough reason to get back golfing as soon as possible to shift those excess pounds. 

 

That said, it’s not exactly golfing weather. I really don’t fancy slopping around in the mud at the moment, but I also realise that there’s no time like the present to start working on your golf game during the Winter months to be Spring ready. Perhaps you’ve made some golf-related New Year resolutions that will spur you on. Personally, I’ve stopped making New Year resolutions because I never manage to follow them through. I’m surprised at myself because I am very disciplined and always up for a challenge. Maybe I was thinking too big, but it’s not as though I have ever set a goal of getting down to single figures! 

 

PGA professional Katie Dawkins offers some great advice. (https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/8-realistic-new-year-resolutions-to-improve-your-game) The main thing is that you need to set yourself realistic goals and not too many all at once otherwise it becomes too overwhelming. Most of us strive to improve our handicap, but it can be unhealthy to focus on getting lower and lower. I’ve been guilty of this in the past, but the lower you get, the higher your expectations, you pile pressure on yourself and fewer shots will often mean less enjoyment.  

 

8 Realistic New Year Resolutions To Improve Your Game We are now casting our minds to 2024, but how realistic are your resolutions when it comes to golf?www.golfmonthly.com

 

Also, with busy lives, and especially with the weather as it is, it’s easy to relegate golf to a lower priority, but it’s still important to squeeze in some practice time, even if it’s just a few indoor drills. One very simple drill is to pick up a cushion (preferably a highly durable one!) and practice correct weight transfer by delivering the cushion at speed into the back of a seat. It’s a great way to help remind you of the correct sequence of applying power, and I find that you can really vent any pent-up frustration in the process! 

 

While we’re all anticipating and hoping for a great year on the golf course, as a fan we’ve got plenty to look forward to – another Solheim Cup, the AIG Women’s Open returns to St Andrews for a third time in the history of the event, as well as the Olympics in Paris – it doesn’t get much better than that. Let’s also hope that 2024 is the year that Charley Hull claims her first Major title after coming so close last year. 

 

It will be interesting to see what other golf stories emerge this year. At least we don’t have to worry about golf ball rollback for a while. Golf is hard enough, and although we’ll only be losing about 5 yards on each shot from tee to green, you can argue that we won’t even notice, but I’d still prefer not to lose any distance! 

 

No doubt there will be lots for me to chat about over the coming months – here’s to 2024!