2019 Tournament Goals

[yellowlover519]

Interested in goals set out for youth golfers at the beginning of the season. A tournament round with 7+ GIR (9-hole players)? A bogey free tournament round? Less than 18/36 putts per round?

 

Let’s hear them...

[leezer99]

Ok, I'm going to say it one more time. Process goals good... outcome goals bad.

 

 

[Pinewood Golfer]

> @yellowlover519 said:

> Interested in goals set out for youth golfers at the beginning of the season. A tournament round with 7+ GIR (9-hole players)? A bogey free tournament round? Less than 18/36 putts per round?

>

> Let’s hear them...

 

Our goals are almost always (and all goals set by player):

GIR - set after practice round

Up & Down %

3 putt avoidance

Penalty shot avoidance

[kcap]

Goal #1. Have fun

Goal #2. Remind dad to have fun

Goal #3. Not to forget 1 and 2

 

We actually talk about this before every round.

More round specific is based on how he is playing.

Right now it it is to reduce 3 putts and high numbers..

 

[heavy_hitter]

I only have one goal for my kid....

 

Whether he is playing good or bad I don't want anyone to know what his score is by watching his emotions or body language.

[jj9000]

I want my 8YO son to focus on (5) things only

* Only playing 6,000 yard courses in the 7-8 division (gotta play against the best)

* Only playing ProV1s (really...this is a no-brainer)

* Hyper-focused on how close he can get to the winners in the DCP Driving category (If you're not 1st you're last)

* Hyper-focused on elite level D1 scholarships (or Ivy league for the academics)

* Squeezing every drip out of having fun in this game (game not intended to have fun. Win at all costs)

[leezer99]

Here's your Nick Saban quote of the day.

 

 

[yellowlover519]

Agree Leezer! Our goal is 3-point avoidance. That’s the area where my junior has struggled the most over the years. What’s helped is % expectations from certain distances and not feeling like he can make every putt outside 15’. Obviously, total putts is skewed if you hit more GIR.

[iteachgolf]

For juniors it’s all about skill development while developing decent mechanics and the outcomes take care of themselves.

 

Attempting to go bogey free will limit birdie opportunities. A lot of ideas or goals sound good on paper but will have a secondary effect that may be unwanted or detrimental.

[Pinewood Golfer]

> @iteachgolf said:

> For juniors it’s all about skill development while developing decent mechanics and the outcomes take care of themselves.

>

> Attempting to go bogey free will limit birdie opportunities. A lot of ideas or goals sound good on paper but will have a secondary effect that may be unwanted or detrimental.

 

I’ve always been process oriented with tourney goals. GIR, 3 putt avoidance, up and down. Are these good or would you recommend something else?

[iteachgolf]

> @"Pinewood Golfer" said:

> > @iteachgolf said:

> > For juniors it’s all about skill development while developing decent mechanics and the outcomes take care of themselves.

> >

> > Attempting to go bogey free will limit birdie opportunities. A lot of ideas or goals sound good on paper but will have a secondary effect that may be unwanted or detrimental.

>

> I’ve always been process oriented with tourney goals. GIR, 3 putt avoidance, up and down. Are these good or would you recommend something else?

 

I would still say those are outcomes. I’d focus on the things that make those happen. Good distance control, commitment to a decision, decision making, speed control, etc.

 

11 greens with 4 shots inside of 10’ will yield lower scores than 14 greens but nothing close. I think kids have to learn to be both aggressive and safe and when to do what. I think a lot of times above goals create overly conservative kids who never learn to shoot really low scores. It’s about what’s best long term not necessarily this year. Kids who grind out scores around par win a lot of junior events, and those same kids struggle to make the starting 5 on many good college teams. Letting kids fail and have so big numbers while trying to shoot low scores is important IMO but tough for both parents and kids while going through it

[kekoa]

Not so much tournament related, but my kid is pretty focused on getting to Augusta next year for DCP. :)

[BloctonGolf11]

3 Goals Every Round We Play

1) Have fun.

2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

 

We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

[tiger1873]

My kids have one goal and that is that the scores drop over time. What ever costs her the most scores in a tournament is what they work on.

[tiger1873]

> @iteachgolf said: Letting kids fail and have so big numbers while trying to shoot low scores is important IMO but tough for both parents and kids while going through it

 

This was advice I got long ago and yes it's very very painful for both the parent and the kid. I was told learning is very painful but ultimately learning from your mistakes is what really helps in the long run. It's hard to let you kid fail knowing it will help in the long run. Some the kids who play it safe and won never move on.

 

[JuniorGolfParent]

Tournament

[kekoa]

> @BloctonGolf11 said:

> 3 Goals Every Round We Play

> 1) Have fun.

> 2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

> 3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

>

> We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

 

Why wouldnt you worry about score? We are talking golf here. Just curious.

 

[bwbw]

My oldest daughter has her own goals. I just want to see continual improvement in her game, how she handles things when it goes sideways, and how she works on the things that she struggles with.

[BloctonGolf11]

> @kekoa said:

> > @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > 3 Goals Every Round We Play

> > 1) Have fun.

> > 2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

> > 3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

> >

> > We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

>

> Why wouldnt you worry about score? We are talking golf here. Just curious.

>

 

Let me re-frame. We don't worry about a specific score. Some people say "Oh we have to shoot in the mid-30's this season". If he is playing better and improving on his individual skill goals while handling the things he can control then we are happy and the scores will drop due to those improvements. I would hate to be in one of those situations where we tie ourselves to a specific score, he has a great season and plays well but misses that score by a stroke or two and we feel like it is a failure. We worry about the things that we can control that will lead to scores dropping.

[heavy_hitter]

> @kekoa said:

> > @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > 3 Goals Every Round We Play

> > 1) Have fun.

> > 2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

> > 3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

> >

> > We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

>

> Why wouldnt you worry about score? We are talking golf here. Just curious.

>

 

Because worrying about score means you are pushing to score. Generally, when golfers push to score they don't. Was listening to a segment on one of the Golf Channel shows or maybe the PGA Network on Sirius about this the other day.

Guys that play great rounds are never worrying about score and you hear them talk about it after the round.

[leezer99]

> @heavy_hitter said:

> > @kekoa said:

> > > @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > > 3 Goals Every Round We Play

> > > 1) Have fun.

> > > 2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

> > > 3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

> > >

> > > We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

> >

> > Why wouldnt you worry about score? We are talking golf here. Just curious.

> >

>

> Because worrying about score means you are pushing to score. Generally, when golfers push to score they don't. Was listening to a segment on one of the Golf Channel shows or maybe the PGA Network on Sirius about this the other day.

> Guys that play great rounds are never worrying about score and you hear them talk about it after the round.

 

Chris Smeal from FCG has spoken about this and I think it's also the premise behind Vision54. Allowing the score to happen is difficult but can be learned. I think it's pretty common for lots of players to make the turn shooting their best 9 hole score ever to change up how they are playing (iron or 3w off the tee, laying up on par 5's, etc.) which is the exact opposite of what you should do.

[tiger1873]

> @kekoa said:

> > @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > 3 Goals Every Round We Play

> > 1) Have fun.

> > 2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

> > 3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

> >

> > We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

>

> Why wouldnt you worry about score? We are talking golf here. Just curious.

>

 

I focus on scores but I also don't focus on an exact number to score because that is not important it is more of a result that just happens from hard work. I usually set a wide range on the both high and low side and it usually almost falls within those ranges. It also helps sets realistic expectations and helps with picking tournaments.

 

To get low scores you need to a build a game that allows it to happen. You can't force a score or bad things will happen.

[kekoa]

> @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > @kekoa said:

> > > @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > > 3 Goals Every Round We Play

> > > 1) Have fun.

> > > 2) Do the things easily in your control (routine, emotions, mental side).

> > > 3) Focus on one thing that didn't go well last time and try to improve it. (Last tournament it was lag putting and he did better)

> > >

> > > We don't worry about score, that is in consequential. Worry about are they getting better and still enjoying the game.

> >

> > Why wouldnt you worry about score? We are talking golf here. Just curious.

> >

>

> Let me re-frame. We don't worry about a specific score. Some people say "Oh we have to shoot in the mid-30's this season". If he is playing better and improving on his individual skill goals while handling the things he can control then we are happy and the scores will drop due to those improvements. I would hate to be in one of those situations where we tie ourselves to a specific score, he has a great season and plays well but misses that score by a stroke or two and we feel like it is a failure. We worry about the things that we can control that will lead to scores dropping.

 

Got it. I probably mis-read. We don't focus on a specific score either. I thought you meant scoring well wasn't important for you in tournament play. Ie. being indifferent to your kid shooting 42 or 52.

 

 

[Tannerbug33]

We are looking to have complete rounds. My son is very good but seems to alway have that one bad whole that takes him out of contition for the lead.