Many of us reach the end of December and set overly optimistic resolutions for the year ahead, most of which are broken pretty early into January as life returns to normal following the festive period.
While this process is carried out with the best of intentions, sticking to a goal for 365 days is hard work and takes real resilience if you aren't passionate about making a lasting change.
Luckily, I am obsessed with golf, so setting a goal to secure a lower handicap was a no-brainer. I started out in the depths of winter golf, during a particularly snowy January, with the intention to reach a 20-handicap index by the end of the following December.
After dedicating time to practice each week, taking lessons and tracking my own on-course data, I'm happy to announce that – I failed! But, it wasn't for want of trying and I actually did something even better...
Some of the lessons (more on that later) that I learned along the way in my pursuit of progress helped to re-shape my outlook on the game, and I feel like I am entering 2025 in a much more positive relationship with golf.
My over-arching feeling towards the last 12 months is one of pride, and these are the four reasons why...
I Fell Back In Love With Golf
I am sure there are plenty of amateur golfers who can relate to the deflation and despair experienced when things are consistently not going well on the course, and for beginner golfers this can be enough to cause an irreparable fracture with the game.
I spent most of 2023, my first year as a 'golfer' and a club member (after years of playing football and other sports), engulfed in what I would describe as the 'pit of doom'. I struggled to see improvement, was embarrassed by my erratic inconsistency and almost gave up all together.
Then came the start of 2024 and some encouraging improvements, which were almost immediately followed by a second-wave reality check reminding me that golf is hard and there is a very long way to go.
My attitude toward the game swiftly returned to one of general apathy and often loathing, but with some proactive changes that I will outline later, I managed to address my unhealthy mindset towards the game.
As we enter 2025, and I remind myself that I am not yet a 20-handicap golfer, I can confidently say that the highs and lows are much more balanced. I can see the path to progress, I am happy with where I am and I no longer feel self-conscious about my ability. After all, I am getting better and that is all that counts.
I Received Great Coaching
In my job, I am very lucky to work with some of the top golf coaches in the world on a regular basis. Being on location at instruction shoots and industry events comes with its own perks, including the occasional quick tip and the absorption of knowledge by osmosis.
In 2024, I had a lesson with Europe's senior Aim Point instructor Jamie Donaldson, had a custom club fitting with Benross, took some lessons with my PGA Pro and received feedback on my swing from many of the Golf Monthly Top 50 Coaches.
The result - A significant drop in my handicap, the (almost) banishment of my once horrendous slice and the completion of a quite significant milestone... breaking 100.
That level of scoring is now the norm for me, which is totally different to this time last year, and while many amateur golfers will look at that and sneer, I am proud of that step in the right direction. Play your own game, folks.
I Played More Golf Than Ever Before
Like anything, becoming a better golfer takes time and effort, so dedicating time to practice was something I was very keen to do. Throughout the winter I played more golf than the previous year and loved the opportunity to participate in fun team formats like Yellow Ball or Texas Scramble.
As spring approached, the cards started going in and the opportunity to play other courses arrived. Through my work I had the chance to play some incredible tracks at Burhill, Brocket Hall, Denham and Moor Hall – all of which helped me to test my skills away from my home course.
I played more competition golf as Summer swanned by, and even managed to win my first ever event (albeit just a division three sectional victory). Even as we battled through the Autumn freeze and waded through the winter wetness, I am still playing most weeks - and it's incredible how beneficial playing regularly can be to maintaining trends in improvement.
I Enjoyed The Social Side Of Golf
My first ever golf membership was at a club where I didn't really know anyone, and as a result I played a lot of golf on my own or with visitors. I probably didn't try hard enough to mingle with the members, but as a result I found it hard to be enthusiastic about playing.
In 2024, after deciding to move to a different golf club, I played with a fairly consistent group of golfers and I look forward to catching up and having a laugh with them as much as I do the golf (sometimes more).
Occasionally, when the core group are unavailable, I go out with other members and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know everyone.
My confidence in doing this has rapidly increased, especially since I realised that nobody really cares how well or poorly I play. The only person it bothers is me, and since shifting my priorities I have learned to let it go.
Seeing familiar faces in the clubhouse, or on the fairways (fine... the rough), brings a welcome opportunity to experience the sort of camaraderie I was used to in the football changing rooms.
Whether I shoot 91 or 101, I now tend to factor in my enjoyment of the company I hold into the measurement of the round's success.
Looking Ahead To 2025...
I am yet to set my 2025 goals, but they will certainly include reaching that milestone of becoming a 20-handicap or better. While some might balk at this, labelling it as an unambitious target, I have seen enough improvement in the last twelve months to know that I am on the right path.
