🗓️ Why most goal setting sucks... And how I'm approaching it this year
Most people set goals the wrong way. They say things like “I want to lower my handicap” or “I want to win a tournament” but those are just goals written down and not plans to actually execute on.
Real improvement comes from building habits that make progress inevitable.
Every year, I start by looking at where I am, what’s working, and what needs to change.
Here’s my breakdown from 2024:
Tournament Scores: 77, 75, 75, 76, 78, 73, 70, 76, 78
Average Score: 75.3
What Worked
✅ The broomstick putter—short and mid-range putts got way better.
✅ Driver fitting—lowering spin helped with consistency and big distance.
What Needs Work
🔴 Wedges: Distance control is all over the place.
🔴 Fitness Level: Need to improve body for endurance and injury prevention.
🔴 Tee Shot Selection: Bad choices off the tee cost me strokes.
🔴 Tournament Prep: I wasn’t showing up fully ready to compete.
That’s my starting point. Now, here’s the plan.
2025 Goals: The Process Over the Outcome
It’s easy to say “I want to lower my tournament average” But the real question is: what’s going to make that happen?
Goal #1: Increase Ball Speed to 190 MPH
This goal helps me with a few things...
1 - I love the journey of gaining speed. It's just fun.
2 - I want to get in the gym and be healthier. This goal forces me to do that. As someone who doesn't like the gym I need a goal like this to get me into the gym.
Process:
- Workout 2x per week
- Chose healthy food vs the fast cheap option.
- Hit balls FAST twice a month full speed, no holding back.
Goal #2: Lower My Tournament Scoring Average to 73
- Dial in distance control (50-150 yards).
- Get serious about lag putting.
- Track stats on 80% of my rounds to spot trends and create practice plans.
Process:
- One great practice session per week.
Another huge area for improvement is to properly prepare for tournaments.
How I’m Making It Happen:
- Play a practice round for 50% of my tournaments.
- Get in 6 hours of structured practice the week before each event.
Next step is signing up for tournaments. If you're someone like me that's half the battle 😂. I've got reminders in the calendar so we should be good to go.
- US Open Qualifier
- US Amateur Qualifier
- US Mid-Am Qualifier
- Minnesota State Amateur Qualifier
- Minnesota State Open Qualifier
- Minnesota State Mid-Am
That's the plan. Now I just have to go out and execute on it!
I attempted to build a practice tracker and let's just say we're off to a rough start. January was filled with travel and getting sick. Time to get back after it.
How You Can Apply This
If you’re serious about improving your game this year, skip the vague goals.
- Figure out what’s holding you back. (Be honest)
- Set clear action steps. (Focus on what you control)
- Create a process and system. (Daily, weekly, monthly processes)
- Track your progress.
Thanks for reading this far into the email. Your truly the best 😁
We'll talk to you all next week!
-Cordie
✍️ Written by Cordie Walker
📈 Want to learn more from some of our favorite training?
- 🤫 Practice Secrets → An easy-to-follow program designed to help you understand better practice and how to get better faster.
- 🏆 Ultimate instructor training bundle → We've compiled all our best content, so if you want to learn from the best instructors in the game, we'll bring that right to you.
🎟 Want to advertise in our weekly emails? → Book here
