As 2007 winds down, it's time to reflect back on the year, and make plans for a new one.

Last January, I posted my goals for 2007, along with a review of my 2006 accomplishments. 2006 was a big year for me. In my second year of playing, I cut my handicap by more than half, recorded my first sub-par round, hit my first hole-in-one, and competed in my first club championship and took 1st place net. Entering this year, I was hopeful about continuing this progress. I shared that I intended to play more new courses, stretch daily, continue my improvement by reducing my index to 2.0, consistently shoot rounds in the 70's, and shoot my first round of golf under 70!


Golf Course Winter Shadows by Steve at flickr.com

Well, I came close. I took 3 golf trips and played 7 new golf courses. I spent time with a golf conditioning coach, and even visited a chiropractor, and am now stretching every morning. My back still gets sore, but the chronic pain is gone! Although I didn't cut my handicap in half again as planned, I did get down to a low index of 3.3 and will be closing the year near 4.0. I did manage to come in under 80 in more than half my rounds, but breaking 70 eluded me.

I flirted with a round in the 60's on a few occasions, but the usual bad hole or a couple 3-putts stopped me. My last round was a 75, even with an OB, a lost ball, and 2 3-putts! I had a quadruple bogie during a round of 73 and a triple bogie during a round of 72. My best opportunity came during my recent round of 71. I was 2-under after 15, but double bogied 16 after someone in my foursome made a point to tell me my score.

Even though my progress slowed, it didn't stop. My putting and chipping have improved the most. That recent par round included only 24 putts! And even though I had a couple 3-putts in my last round of 75, I sunk a number of long putts and didn't miss anything close - and rarely do anymore. I'm finally confident with my putter! My chipping is improving too. This week while practiced getting up and down from different locations around the practice green using chips, pitches and lobs, I did so 23 out of 25 times, with 20 in a row!

My scores haven't come down in proportion to my improved short game mostly because my ball striking has gotten worse thanks to a shoulder injury. But even though I'm hitting less fairways and greens temporarily, I'm getting much more consistent about getting up and down to save par. I'm pretty confident that once my ball striking returns early next year, I'll see some extraordinary results.

I recorded 125 rounds this year, about 15-20 less than last year. I shot rounds of 75 or below in 1 out of 5 rounds (consistent with my handicap) and broke 80 in well over half of those rounds - leaving plenty of bad rounds for my handicap calculator to throw out. I shot 8 rounds of 73 or less, including 2 rounds of par, and only shot in the high 80's in 5 rounds. Plotting my scores for 2007 made for a perfect bell curve with an average score around 79.

This year I participated in 3 competitive leagues. I finished 3 points out of first place in my men's league that plays monthly tournaments at a local course. After leading in the standings all year, I slipped out of 1st place when I decided to take a trip to Bandon Dunes instead of competing in the club championship. I took third place in a weekly 9-hole team league where points are earned for both stroke and match play. Our team took 2nd place. The third league was a travel league where we play a different course each month. I've learned to score as well under the pressure of competition as I do recreationally.

I'll probably join these leagues again next year, along with a new men's club and travel league getting started at my home course. In the travel league our team will compete against 3 other local SGCA member courses in home and away matches during January and February. Somehow, I'll find the time to keep playing in the roller hockey league I just joined, continue donating my $20 to our local youth in our weekly skins game, and keep up with my work too. Now what was that I said recently about balance?

I truly enjoyed all the competitive golf, but it was my golf trips that highlighted the year.

My wife and I traded our timeshares twice this year to travel to Arizona and Hawaii. I played 3 rounds of golf in Arizona at the Sedona Golf Resort and 3 rounds at The Prince Course in Princeville, Kauai. Instead of playing more courses during these trips, I decided to play the same course a few times to see if I could improve on my prior round - since I struggled in both of my 1st rounds. I managed to shoot rounds of 76 and 77 on my second attempts at these courses. Good play or not, it was a pleasure playing golf in the incredible settings offered by these courses!

The biggest highlight of the year came during my trip to Bandon Dunes, with Fred Shoemaker and the Shivas Irons Society. I had recently attended my first event with the Shivas Irons Society, playing with its founder Steve Cohen at the Alisal Ranch Course in Solvang. When I then learned they offered a trip to Bandon Dunes, co-hosted by Fred Shoemaker and Jo Hardy, I jumped at the opportunity!

I didn't shoot any low scores at Bandon, but did have a few stretches of good play. I played a sequence of at least 9 holes at each course in only 1-over and succeeded in driving a short par 4 at each course. I was simply awestruck by the beauty of this place and the natural setting and links-style designs of these courses along the windswept dunes of the Pacific Ocean - golf as it was meant to be! The best part of the trip however was meeting and playing golf with Fred and Jo, along with all the other participants. It was a great group of people! If time and money permit, I think I'll repeat this trip next year!

One other golf-related event that I really enjoyed this year was watching our local golfer, Josh Warthen, compete in Big Break Mesquite on the Golf Channel. He demonstrated the exemplary character and attitude we all know him for, along with some great golf. Congratulations Josh on making it all the way to the finals!

2007 will undoubtedly be memorable, but I'm eagerly awaiting 2008.

Next year will be my last year before turning 50 and is the year both of my children graduate college! As they finally get started in their careers (fingers crossed), I will finally focus on fitness (out of necessity). I'm really motivated to improve my strength and flexibility so I can continue to play golf and hockey - into my old age. In my golf game, I'll make it a goal again to lower my index to 2.0, but my main goal is to continue to play for the love of the game, and look to its opportunities for community, discovery and transformation.

Wishing you all an Artful Holiday and New Year!

Labels: About, Goals, Progress