2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

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Date: 12 Oct 2006 08:35:19
From: Larry Bud
Subject: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

I had a few goals this year:

1) Improve from last year, and on a month to month basis, I did, with
an average differential of 5.6 in Sept, about 2 shots better than 2005.

2) FW % 50% or more. I'm at 54.87% this year and 63% since Sept 1.
Best off the tee I've EVER been, by far. The misses aren't that far
off, either.

3) GIR 50% or more... Not reached this year. 44%, I believe it's the
same as last year.. However, I'm playing MUCH harder courses and much
longer distances this year, so I need to compare apples to apples.

4) Lower handicap... While my lowest this year didn't quite reach the
low of last year (4.2, which is current, to 3.9 of last year), I was
MUCH more consistent in my scoring, as described in another thread
about the "reverse handicap".

Next year it HAS to be all about putting. I figure realistically I
could get up to perhaps 55% GIRs, but I 3 jacked 8% of the holes I
played this year, which is 1.44 strokes/round. Granted I'm playing
harder courses (with harder greens), but somehow I've got to get better
at distance control.

Date: 15 Oct 2006 20:22:58
From: Roald Oines
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

I'd done handicap-related goals in previous years and since 2002 I've
gone from a 20 index to high teens to mid teens to low double-digits
with a couple visits to 9.x last year and this year spent most of the
year with a single-digit index, down as low as 8.2 and 8.4 for a while,
but I've slipped a little lately, sitting at 9.3 right now.

But my goal for 2006 was simpler: to play in the championship flight in
the club championship. I just barely snuck in with an 8.4 index (15th
seed of 17 in the flight - CH 10). Didn't embarrass myself much either,
moved up a few spots gross and while I certainly didn't threaten
overall I managed to cash for coming in fourth net.

Date: 14 Oct 2006 07:52:13
From: Weekendshooter
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:

> I had a few goals this year

Just one goal here, to walk 54 holes in the heat of a Houston summer
carrying the bag.

Came up short making it only to 45 holes three times - Mostly due to
late starts or slow play though I think I had the legs left on two of
the occassions.

Did learn to make due schlepping fewer clubs though I did add a
Heavenwood!

Also noticed general consistency improvement during this endeavour.

Nice subject...

Date: 14 Oct 2006 05:25:26
From: Larry Bud
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

long&left wrote:
> Larry Bud wrote:
> >> Frankly I'm to lazy to keep stats. And it would be tough for me to do as
> >> I'm playing lots of golf on several golf courses. I could see the value
> >> if one was only playing once or twice a week at the same track but that
> >> ain't me...
> >
> > It's super simple to do with a web based stat program. What course you
> > play is irrelevant.
> >
>
> you still have to enter the data, right?

It takes me about 45 seconds to enter a scorecard, and a simple
notation on the card tells me everything I need to know (so I don't
have to remember it).

Date: 15 Oct 2006 11:55:57
From: Matt 'Ocho' Aamold
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Take Everyones goals, wether met or not, in this entire thread and divide by
100; that describes my goal acheivment in golf this year

Date: 15 Oct 2006 15:05:20
From: long&left
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Matt 'Ocho' Aamold wrote:
> Take Everyones goals, wether met or not, in this entire thread and divide by
> 100; that describes my goal acheivment in golf this year
>

Ocho goal = rain on everyone's round
:)

Date: 15 Oct 2006 17:24:49
From: Matt 'Ocho' Aamold
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

"long&left" <nospam@diespammers.com > wrote in message
news:tgyYg.28$Il6.15@newsfe05.lga...
> Ocho goal = rain on everyone's round
> :)

Maybe I should add more goals
1) 'rain on everyone's round' - Thanks long&left
2) Talk to Tex's ball as much as I can.
3) Get get Tex up to $100 to write on my hat
4) Drink more beer
5) Room with my wife this time [ Sorry Bill-O :-) ]
6) Pass less cars on the way to RSG-NW'
7) Learn to speak 'Richland Redneck'
- Me"What kind of ball are you playing?"
<long pause >
- Richkand Redneck "a 4"
8)

Date: 14 Oct 2006 03:38:37
From: bill-o
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

On 12-Oct-2006, "Larry Bud" <larrybud2002@yahoo.com > wrote:

> I had a few goals this year:

I had really only one goal & that was to completely re-do my swing. This
actually started last December and has been a long process. I've been trying
to develop less armsy more powerful and efficient swing. Because old habits
die hard this has been difficult: early in the year I could hardly put two
good rounds together. My index at the beginning of this effort was 9.4 and
promptly went up 13.2 to then starting at RSG-CIN I had my first consistent
stretch, with 12 out of 13 rounds in the 80s, 6 of those in the low 80s. I
had another good stretch at RSG-OH, highlighted by a 77 on the opening
round, however this did not last so long. But, as Tiger would say, I'm
getting close.

My stats are almost identical to last year: scoring avg 1 stroke higher,
same percentage of birds, pars and bogies, but a few more blow up holes.
Putting stats are identical, I'm making more sand saves but par saves are
significantly down: last year I got up & down 1/3 of the time; this year
just a little more than once every 5 times. Too much time working on the
full swing I guess.

--
bill-o

A "gimme" can best be defined as an agreement between
two golfers neither of whom can putt very well.

Date: 13 Oct 2006 09:55:10
From: Noons
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:
> I had a few goals this year:

Me too! Scored a few more than I
expected as well!
At the last office soccer round.

Date: 13 Oct 2006 08:42:19
From: Larry Bud
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

> Frankly I'm to lazy to keep stats. And it would be tough for me to do as
> I'm playing lots of golf on several golf courses. I could see the value
> if one was only playing once or twice a week at the same track but that
> ain't me...

It's super simple to do with a web based stat program. What course you
play is irrelevant.

Date: 13 Oct 2006 15:44:57
From: long&left
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:
>> Frankly I'm to lazy to keep stats. And it would be tough for me to do as
>> I'm playing lots of golf on several golf courses. I could see the value
>> if one was only playing once or twice a week at the same track but that
>> ain't me...
>
> It's super simple to do with a web based stat program. What course you
> play is irrelevant.
>

you still have to enter the data, right? Takes time, and time I don't
have a lot of. And, I'm having a hard time getting my head around why
what course you play would be irrelevant to your stats ??
Dave

Date: 13 Oct 2006 07:51:33
From: Tex
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Mike Dalecki wrote:
> Thor wrote:
> > My goal was to win the publinks, get an invite to the Masters,
> > and beat Tiger in a playoff.
> >
> > Well, maybe next year...
> >
>
> He asked about your goals, not your fantasies....
>
> :)

Remember, he has the mind of a child.

Tex

Date: 13 Oct 2006 06:52:16
From: Thor
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Date: 13 Oct 2006 06:08:55
From: Thor
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

My goal was to win the publinks, get an invite to the Masters,
and beat Tiger in a playoff.

Well, maybe next year...

--
-- David "Thor" Collard
-- My It is golf.
-- 12th annual RSG-Ohio Sept 2007
-- Join us - send mail to host REMOVE at SPAM rsgohio SPAM dot SPAM com

________________________________________________________________________
RecGroups : the community-oriented newsreader : www.recgroups.com

Date: 13 Oct 2006 18:40:46
From: tiggerspalewife
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

In article <7of404x7c8.ln2@recgroups.com >
"Thor" <thorpub@rsgohio.com > wrote:

If you want to beat woods, just move to Europe and get on their Ryder Cup
team.

Date: 13 Oct 2006 13:38:07
From: Carbon
Subject: Re: George W. Bush

On Fri, 13 Oct 2006 02:44:50 +0000, Chris Bellomy wrote:
> Carbon <nobrac@nospam.verizon.net> wrote:
> : On Thu, 12 Oct 2006 01:44:11 +0000, Chris Bellomy wrote:
> :
> :> I think the problem is that increasingly, corporations are effectively
> :> run by stockholders with no criminal liability should the corporations
> :> break the law. I haven't really thought through how to fix that, but
> :> when the investors' directive is to maximize profit at the expense of
> :> all else, bad things tend to happen.
> :
> : So the corporation becomes a kind of psychopath, fixed on profits to the
> : exclusion of all else. They buy lawmakers and they write legislation and
> : they increasingly tilt the balance of power in their favor. This will be
> : the thing that destroys America.
>
> I'm not sure I agree with your choice of tense.

It's going to get a lot worse.

Date: 13 Oct 2006 13:16:25
From: 3putt
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

"Thor" <thorpub@rsgohio.com > wrote in message
news:7of404x7c8.ln2@recgroups.com...
> My goal was to win the publinks, get an invite to the Masters,
> and beat Tiger in a playoff.
>
> Well, maybe next year...
>
150 rounds and still 2 1/2 months left. 55 different courses played in 4
states. Where does the $$ go?

Date: 13 Oct 2006 05:26:26
From: Larry Bud
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

long&left wrote:
> Larry Bud wrote:
> (snip)
> >
> > If your goal is to improve, and you don't have a way to measure it,
> > what's the point?
> >
>
> while I don't have a problem with your concentration on stats, I measure
> my improvement by my scores and handicap...just like 99% of other
> golfers in the world IMO. I don't need to keep track to know that I'm
> chipping badly this month, or 3 putting more than usual. I know in my
> heart that it's so and my handicap index proves to me that it's so at
> the end of the month.

Sure, handicap is the final measurement, but there's a lot of different
ways to get to a 10 handicap, for instance. I think you might be
surprised by the results.

You might be 3 putting more, but maybe that's because you're hitting
more greens, or if your putting goes lower, it's because you're hitting
LESS greens. So you're thinking that you're putting better, but it's
really because your approach shots are less accurate.

Date: 13 Oct 2006 07:50:17
From: long&left
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:
> long&left wrote:
>> Larry Bud wrote:
>> (snip)
>>> If your goal is to improve, and you don't have a way to measure it,
>>> what's the point?
>>>
>> while I don't have a problem with your concentration on stats, I measure
>> my improvement by my scores and handicap...just like 99% of other
>> golfers in the world IMO. I don't need to keep track to know that I'm
>> chipping badly this month, or 3 putting more than usual. I know in my
>> heart that it's so and my handicap index proves to me that it's so at
>> the end of the month.
>
> Sure, handicap is the final measurement, but there's a lot of different
> ways to get to a 10 handicap, for instance. I think you might be
> surprised by the results.
>
> You might be 3 putting more, but maybe that's because you're hitting
> more greens, or if your putting goes lower, it's because you're hitting
> LESS greens. So you're thinking that you're putting better, but it's
> really because your approach shots are less accurate.
>

Frankly I'm to lazy to keep stats. And it would be tough for me to do as
I'm playing lots of golf on several golf courses. I could see the value
if one was only playing once or twice a week at the same track but that
ain't me...

I play enough golf that I know where my current shortcomings are in my
game(s). And those shortcomings vary at the different courses that I
play. For instance, I've been having chipping problems at one course
that I play that has Kikuya grass. I'm used to playing on bent and have
a relatively good short game that I've developed over the years. Doesn't
work out of Kikuya. So, I've changed my LW and taken a lesson, with
another coming Monday. I'll make it better and I didn't have to have
stats to figure it out.
Dave

Date: 16 Oct 2006 00:16:12
From: Howard Brazee
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

On Fri, 13 Oct 2006 07:50:17 -0700, long&left <nospam@diespammers.com >
wrote:

>Frankly I'm to lazy to keep stats. And it would be tough for me to do as
>I'm playing lots of golf on several golf courses. I could see the value
>if one was only playing once or twice a week at the same track but that
>ain't me...

Every time I try, I see how the stats fall short in telling me what I
want to know. Just as Larry noted that his GIR doesn't take into
consideration his tougher courses, I keep finding plays that don't
accurately fit into what I am tracking.

Date:
From:
Subject:

Date: 12 Oct 2006 18:44:47
From: pete z
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Date: 12 Oct 2006 17:05:45
From: Larry Bud
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

tiggerspalewife wrote:
> In article <1160667319.463431.46460@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>
> "Larry Bud" <larrybud2002@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Setting goals and percentages before a season sounds like a really sure
> way of pissing yourself off if you don't get there.

If your goal is to improve, and you don't have a way to measure it,
what's the point?

>Then again, unless
> you play the same number of rounds at the same courses as the year before
> under the same playing and course conditions with the same equipment, how
> can you ever be sure if you're improving or not?

It's not like I play 5 rounds a year. It all evens out over the 70
rounds I played this year. That's why the handicap system works.

Date: 12 Oct 2006 18:55:31
From: long&left
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:
(snip)
>
> If your goal is to improve, and you don't have a way to measure it,
> what's the point?
>

while I don't have a problem with your concentration on stats, I measure
my improvement by my scores and handicap...just like 99% of other
golfers in the world IMO. I don't need to keep track to know that I'm
chipping badly this month, or 3 putting more than usual. I know in my
heart that it's so and my handicap index proves to me that it's so at
the end of the month.

Stat on dude, but it's not for everyone
Dave

Date: 12 Oct 2006 23:45:14
From: tiggerspalewife
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

In article <1160667319.463431.46460@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com >
"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002@yahoo.com > wrote:

Setting goals and percentages before a season sounds like a really sure
way of pissing yourself off if you don't get there. Then again, unless
you play the same number of rounds at the same courses as the year before
under the same playing and course conditions with the same equipment, how
can you ever be sure if you're improving or not? A little like the guy
that had a watch and always knew what time it was and then got a second
watch and was never sure.

Date: 12 Oct 2006 15:42:14
From: The_Professor
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Kevin D. Timm wrote:
> The_Professor wrote:
> >
> > My only goal is to enjoy golf more. Last year, I enjoyed golf about
> > 83.721% of the time (averaged over all rounds). My biggest problems
> > have always revolved around slow play. So I stopped playing in groups
> > that are slow. No more 5 hour rounds. This resulted is a 14.65%
> > increase in my enjoyment of the game.
> >
> > I stopped playing on courses where people don't let you play through,
> > or courses that are stuffed with 7 minutes separating tee times. This
> > interacted with not playing in slow groups, as quitting such groups
> > also eliminated play on courses with 7 minutes separating tee times,
> > but it independently added another 13.31% increase in my enjoyment of
> > the game.
> >
> > I have played several resort style courses. This caused my enjoyment of
> > the game to decrease about 8.81%
> >
> > I play a tricked up muni a lot these days. This caused my enjoyment of
> > the game to decrease by 10.14% .
> >
> > These are simple gross percentages derived from overall averages based
> > on my level of enjoyment of the game at the start of the year, with 1
> > representing total enjoyment and zero representing no enjoyment.
> > Factors that increased my enjoyment of the game caused a 27.96%
> > increase in my enjoyment of the game relative to the 8.04 score I had
> > going in. Factors that decreased my enjoyment of the game caused an
> > 18.95% decrease in my enjoyment of the game, resulting in a 9.01%
> > increase in my enjoyment of the game overall, from 8.04 to 8.728, or an
> > increase of 0.724 on my arbitrary scale.
> >
> > So I did achieve my goal of enjoying golfing more this year than last.
> > If I can find a regular course that is not tricked up, I could get to
> > over 9 next year!
>
>
> So, just to be sure I've got this right, your enjoyment factors (both
> positive and negative) are independent events? That's what your text
> says, since 14.65 + 13.31 = 27.96 and 8.81 + 10.14 = 18.95. Is it
> possible that these events could be additive or simply complementary?
> In other words, if your enjoyment increased 14.65% from eliminating slow
> groups, do you then get ANOTHER 13.31% just from playing more amenable
> golf courses?
>

I had to segregate out the enjoyment of not playing slow courses and
not playing in slow groups as best I could. Slow groups take the 5
hours no matter what, BTW!

Date: 12 Oct 2006 14:29:11
From: The_Professor
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

My only goal is to enjoy golf more. Last year, I enjoyed golf about
83.721% of the time (averaged over all rounds). My biggest problems
have always revolved around slow play. So I stopped playing in groups
that are slow. No more 5 hour rounds. This resulted is a 14.65%
increase in my enjoyment of the game.

I stopped playing on courses where people don't let you play through,
or courses that are stuffed with 7 minutes separating tee times. This
interacted with not playing in slow groups, as quitting such groups
also eliminated play on courses with 7 minutes separating tee times,
but it independently added another 13.31% increase in my enjoyment of
the game.

I have played several resort style courses. This caused my enjoyment of
the game to decrease about 8.81%

I play a tricked up muni a lot these days. This caused my enjoyment of
the game to decrease by 10.14% .

These are simple gross percentages derived from overall averages based
on my level of enjoyment of the game at the start of the year, with 1
representing total enjoyment and zero representing no enjoyment.
Factors that increased my enjoyment of the game caused a 27.96%
increase in my enjoyment of the game relative to the 8.04 score I had
going in. Factors that decreased my enjoyment of the game caused an
18.95% decrease in my enjoyment of the game, resulting in a 9.01%
increase in my enjoyment of the game overall, from 8.04 to 8.728, or an
increase of 0.724 on my arbitrary scale.

So I did achieve my goal of enjoying golfing more this year than last.
If I can find a regular course that is not tricked up, I could get to
over 9 next year!

Date: 12 Oct 2006 17:07:35
From: Kevin D. Timm
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

The_Professor wrote:
>
> My only goal is to enjoy golf more. Last year, I enjoyed golf about
> 83.721% of the time (averaged over all rounds). My biggest problems
> have always revolved around slow play. So I stopped playing in groups
> that are slow. No more 5 hour rounds. This resulted is a 14.65%
> increase in my enjoyment of the game.
>
> I stopped playing on courses where people don't let you play through,
> or courses that are stuffed with 7 minutes separating tee times. This
> interacted with not playing in slow groups, as quitting such groups
> also eliminated play on courses with 7 minutes separating tee times,
> but it independently added another 13.31% increase in my enjoyment of
> the game.
>
> I have played several resort style courses. This caused my enjoyment of
> the game to decrease about 8.81%
>
> I play a tricked up muni a lot these days. This caused my enjoyment of
> the game to decrease by 10.14% .
>
> These are simple gross percentages derived from overall averages based
> on my level of enjoyment of the game at the start of the year, with 1
> representing total enjoyment and zero representing no enjoyment.
> Factors that increased my enjoyment of the game caused a 27.96%
> increase in my enjoyment of the game relative to the 8.04 score I had
> going in. Factors that decreased my enjoyment of the game caused an
> 18.95% decrease in my enjoyment of the game, resulting in a 9.01%
> increase in my enjoyment of the game overall, from 8.04 to 8.728, or an
> increase of 0.724 on my arbitrary scale.
>
> So I did achieve my goal of enjoying golfing more this year than last.
> If I can find a regular course that is not tricked up, I could get to
> over 9 next year!

So, just to be sure I've got this right, your enjoyment factors (both
positive and negative) are independent events? That's what your text
says, since 14.65 + 13.31 = 27.96 and 8.81 + 10.14 = 18.95. Is it
possible that these events could be additive or simply complementary?
In other words, if your enjoyment increased 14.65% from eliminating slow
groups, do you then get ANOTHER 13.31% just from playing more amenable
golf courses?

BTW, I don't set goals for my golf game, but I can say that I wouldn't
have set such lofty goals as those I accomplished this year. The
highlights were :break 40 for 9, meet par for 9, break 80 for 18 and my
first eagle. All in the same round, of course.

Date: 12 Oct 2006 15:56:56
From: Wayne
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:

> I had a few goals this year:
>
> 1) Improve from last year, and on a month to month basis, I did, with
> an average differential of 5.6 in Sept, about 2 shots better than 2005.
>
> 2) FW % 50% or more. I'm at 54.87% this year and 63% since Sept 1.
> Best off the tee I've EVER been, by far. The misses aren't that far
> off, either.
>
> 3) GIR 50% or more... Not reached this year. 44%, I believe it's the
> same as last year.. However, I'm playing MUCH harder courses and much
> longer distances this year, so I need to compare apples to apples.
>
> 4) Lower handicap... While my lowest this year didn't quite reach the
> low of last year (4.2, which is current, to 3.9 of last year), I was
> MUCH more consistent in my scoring, as described in another thread
> about the "reverse handicap".
>
> Next year it HAS to be all about putting. I figure realistically I
> could get up to perhaps 55% GIRs, but I 3 jacked 8% of the holes I
> played this year, which is 1.44 strokes/round. Granted I'm playing
> harder courses (with harder greens), but somehow I've got to get better
> at distance control.

I don't have goals necessarily, but I know that every part of my game needs
somewhat serious improvement. Of course, I have absolutely no desire to
put any work towards improving my game through practice. Actually, how I
kept my handicap under 3 is a complete and total mystery to me.

Anyway, I'll go with your goals and see how I did.

1. Probably didn't achieve this. I was hit or miss this year. Mostly
really good, or really bad rounds. Didn't have many so-so performances.

2. I think I hit more fairways this year, but my misses often cost me more
so it's hard to say. Again, when the driving was on, it was really on.
When it wasn't, well, I struggled.

3. Pretty sure that I hit less GIR this year. Function of playing mostly
difficult courses and poor ball striking.

4. Handicap did get lower. 3.1 to 2.5. Again, function of playing mostly
difficult courses. I played more than half of my rounds at a 74.2/143
course and I'm starting to really understand how to play it. Some of those
good scores came on rounds where I hit the ball like crap, but knew how to
get myself around.

I played 18 rounds all year and I don't practice at all, so I'd have to say
it was a good year all told. Most importantly, I had fun every time I
played. That's all I'm really concerned about anymore. Christ, I sound
old.

Wayne
--
www.nhlfa.com
"There are only two things I can't stand in this world: people who are
intolerant of other peoples' cultures, and the Dutch."
-Nigel Powers

Date: 12 Oct 2006 11:25:41
From: Larry Bud
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

cja wrote:
> Larry Bud wrote:
> > I had a few goals this year:
> > ...
> >
> I remember you prompting a similar discussion about this time last
> year, Larry. We concluded that my scrambling statistic was woeful.
>
> This season I spent more time practicing chipping and putting than I
> ever had, and I'm happy to say my scrambling went up from 22.8% to
> 29.8%. Still plenty of room for improvement.

That's a pretty good jump coverning an entire season. Nice going.

> I also felt I needed to improve my GIR. I didn't really have a strategy
> for that, except developing a better swing. I think I did that, and my
> GIR went up from 36.6% to 40.6%.

Definitely GIR is really more a measure of other things, rather than
working on a specific goal (unless it's blatantly obvious that you
can't hit a tee shot, for example).

It certainly depends on the courses and tee boxes you play, however.

> Overall, I felt like I had a good season. In mid-summer I had it going
> really well for a few weeks. In past years I've hit major slumps in
> September, but this year I avoided that, which I'm happy about.

I did exactly the same thing. Usually Sept sucks for me, but this year
it was my best month ever.

Date: 12 Oct 2006 10:30:20
From: cja
Subject: Re: 2006 Golf Goals--did you reach them?

Larry Bud wrote:
> I had a few goals this year:
> ...
>
I remember you prompting a similar discussion about this time last
year, Larry. We concluded that my scrambling statistic was woeful.

This season I spent more time practicing chipping and putting than I
ever had, and I'm happy to say my scrambling went up from 22.8% to
29.8%. Still plenty of room for improvement.

I also felt I needed to improve my GIR. I didn't really have a strategy
for that, except developing a better swing. I think I did that, and my
GIR went up from 36.6% to 40.6%.

My putts/GIR went up from 1.99 to 2.11. Partly due to an unusual amount
of 3-putts during a trip to AZ where I was good tee to green, but had
nary a clue on greens I was playing for the first time. Even back home
I played several courses for the first time this season, which affected
my scoring. I had a lot more realistic birdie opportunities this
season, which is great, but I didn't make enough of them. Putting could
use some work, which is always the case.

Driving: it feels like I had a better driving year, some days I
couldn't miss. Not much change overall from last season, however; down
a fraction to 51.1%.

A lower handicap is always a goal, but I didn't achieve it. I started
the season at 8.6, and am at 8.9 right now. Almost 1/3 of my scores
were from courses I was playing for the first time, and I typically
give away a few strokes on an unfamiliar course. I could possibly
squeeze in one or two more rounds this season, and maybe get the index
down, but it's not likely to happen.

Overall, I felt like I had a good season. In mid-summer I had it going
really well for a few weeks. In past years I've hit major slumps in
September, but this year I avoided that, which I'm happy about. My
main goal is for general game improvement every season, which I do
think I achieved.

- cja