Golf season is so close that I can feel my anticipation growing. I know that once I start that I will be driven to play as much as possible due to the already shortened season. This feeling of excitement is normal and is nothing new for this time of year. As I rush to the first tee box, I keep in mind what I have learned over the years: it is important to manage my expectations. The rust that needs removing varies, however there are a few know aspects of my game that I am prepared for in order not to be discouraged early in my season. I think these areas are normal and all golfers who had a long winters nap should understand that early season rounds are not indicative of what their season will be link.

In my case, I have four areas that have proven to cause some challenges during my first round of golf. I am sure you will not be surprised by them, but it is important to manage my expectations to ensure I have a grateful and fun round of golf. As you read them, I am confident that you will shake your head yes because you have experienced the same thing.

First, my normal distance of play will vary greatly from club to club. I will experience an overall lack of distance as expected, however the higher the club the greater the impact. My driver will be close to normal, but my wedges will lose upwards of 10 yards. This means that I will have to club up the closer I am to the green. Inside of 60 yards I can play a comfortable knockdown shot, but full swings will be a challenge.

Second, chipping to a landing area will be a challenge. When chipping inside of 25 yards, I zero in on a spot and expect to be close after contact with ball. This touch around the greens is affect the most by my layoff. I have to practice a fair bit to regain my previous season’s touch because of the delicate nature of these shots. This is the area where my expectations change from being inside 3 feet to inside 10 feet. I realize this seems like a large margin of error, but my frustration level drops significantly by realizing that my short game was affect most in the winter.

Third, putting is a challenge for distance. Surprisingly, the aim and alignment is not really affected that much because I putt in my basement to prepare for my first round. However, putting on a rug is no substitute for grass. Therefore, adjusting to the speed of the greens takes a fair bit of effort. I try to putt more aggressively at the start of the round because I have found that lessening my speed of my putts is easier than trying to hit them harder. My goal is to average two putts per hole during my first round. This number is greater than my normal expectation of under 30 putts a round, but it helps keep my frustration level down.

Lastly, I know my I will be tired during the last four holes. Regardless of how much I train, the constant swinging of the clubs fatigues my muscles. Thus, I know that playing the last four holes will be mentally and physically challenging. It will be more challenging to swing the clubs and walk the course. It will be a good tired, but I know that my overall score might take a bit of hit until I can physically play the entire 18 holes.

Managing my expectations during my first round of golf is not very difficult. Years of experience have demonstrated that my game will be as sharp as butter knife and I need to be patient as I hone my game. The first round of golf is all about having fun, swinging a golf club and being grateful that my season has started. This first round is still a few days away, but I am ready when I approach the first tee.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!