When is your golf game good enough? If you are an avid golfer like myself, there is always room for improvement unless you hit the ball in the hole. Obviously, sinking any shot is perfection because we executed our intended shot. It many not have happened as designed, however the end result is prove enough for my golf game. So, why do we focus on perfection in our golf game? Why are we determined, no matter the result on suggesting that we could have hit a better shot? Well, I think I have an answer to these questions and perhaps more!

The challenge of chasing the dream of perfection in golf is that it requires a great deal of planning and development to achieve. It is not as simple as showing up to the golf course with no plan or intent on where to improve our game. This approach is slow, frustrating, and ineffective. Basically, it is a plan destined to fail.

To truly improve our golf game we have to develop some sort of vision as to the endstate of our efforts. This vision statement (yes, this business term works in golf) needs to follow the same principles as a corporation.

A vision statement: “encapsulates the desired future state and sets the tone for strategic decision-making. However, it is not enough to simply have a vision statement; it needs to be tested and evaluated to ensure it’s clear, actionable, aligned with goals and capabilities, and measurable.” (boardeffect.com) In my experience, a vision statement is a long-term set of goals that is a challenge to attain. It does, however set the guidelines to where I want my golf game to end up. For example, in my early years, I wanted to improve my accuracy off the tee. I worked on hitting my driver (and other clubs) at my intended target. I accepted very little wayward shots and as such I feel I solid off the tee today. It took some time, but I was able to achieve on part of my vision of hitting the ball straight when starting a hole.

Tied to my vision statements was my mission statement. This mission statement was the how I was going to achieve a better golf game in a shorter period of time. At first, I found making a mission statement a challenge, but after the first walk through the process, it became easier. If you are wondering, here is what makes a great mission statement:

“Good mission statements have similar characteristics. We’ve distilled these traits into the following list:

• Simple — It doesn’t contain complicated or unnecessary words. The tone should be casual, conversational and relatable.
• Captivating — Use the present tense and state your organization’s purpose in a powerful way that makes an emotional connection with people. The idea is to get buy-in for your organization’s purpose.
• Measurable — Craft your mission statement in a way that enables you to measure your results. For example, a mission statement that speaks about not harming the environment should be able to present facts to demonstrate how they achieve that.
• Relevant — Readers should be able to see immediately how the mission statement applies to them or how it relates to their lives.
• Long-term — The mission statement should continue to be valid as the organization grows. Take some cues from the long-term goals in the annual strategic plan for your organization.” (boardeffect.com)

I did not modify the exact quote of the mission statement so you as a golfer will understand what it means. I think it is pretty straight forward for you to apply to your situation. As an simple example, that relates to golf I have a vision and mission statement that might work for your golf game.

Vision: Eliminate all 3 putts in my golf game by the end of my golf season in 2026.

Mission: Practice my putting two times a week for 30 minutes with a focus on distance and aim control.

Of course the vision and mission statements are simplified. The next step would be to define drills that accomplish my mission statement. These drills should also be articulated in order to be measured and tracked for the success of my overall vision. Ensured that every action taken with respect to putting follows your intended vision will help reduce time wasted, frustration, and poor results. If this all sounds a bit complicated, fear not because it is actually a very simple process that you probably follow but on a mental scale.

Defining your vision and mission to improve your golf game is a proven method for success. As stated earlier, you likely do something along these lines if you are trying to improve your golf game. By defining your end goals clearer through a vision and mission statements helps with achieve your golf dream of perfection.

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