With the arrival of 2025, every golfer looks forward to the their playing season with renewed hope and excitement. Yup, as the events of 2024 are now in the history books, it is up to all of us to chart a course of success on and off the golf course. While thinking of new ways to improve my golf game, it is important to accept that the highs and lows experienced in the previous golf season will likely emerge in the upcoming 2025 season. This is nothing new, but I have found ways to hopefully reduce the lows in improves the highs of my golf game…..they are not profound, yet do provide a foundation that will shape my upcoming year.

In year’s past, I would develop a plan to improve my game. My process is very simple and easy to follow. Since my methodology has worked in the past, I plan to use it this year to improve my hickory stick game (which will transfer into my modern clubs).

My 4-step process is as follows:

Idea – The idea step is sometimes the hardest. Where should I start? As a 6-handicap player, this ‘something’ could be as simple as adjusting the ball position within my stance. However, to determine what needs to be changed requires research. Additionally, if you have collected stats from last year, that would a great resource not to overlook. The deliverable from this stage is to decide what to adjust; then plan to actually make the change.

Planning – This is better known as the how-to step. This is when you come up with the plan on specifically what you are going to focus on. I want to emphasize that keeping it simple is critical to success. Start with one or two areas and then plan the drills, tips or approaches that best fix your area of focus. Once completed, on to step three.

Execution – This step is as important as the first two. It is time to put your plan into action. Choosing how, when, where, and what is critical.  Should you play more than practice? Should you track your success? Regardless, taking action is the way to go. Execute your plan until you have achieved your goals and once satisfied it is time to sustain your success.

Maintenance – this is often the most overlooked step of how to complete a successful golf plan. Maintenance generally looks like your execution step, but on a smaller scale. Your successes achieved during the execution step need to be fostered.  It is important to keep building on the aspects you have fixed and not to revert to old habits at the first sign of trouble.

In the past, I have followed the first two steps very well. Where my method faulted was the execution and maintenance phases. As each golf season progresses, practicing takes a back seat to playing. I am confident that most players are the same and love playing vice practicing. Well, this year I plan to take practicing more seriously. I will practice with my hickory sticks (especially my short game) more in order to understand how my clubs react to different scenarios when using different clubs.

Last year at the 2024 Open Ontario Hickory Golf Championship I relied on my modern game strategy to play in a hickory stick tournament. Well, that failed because hitting hickory sticks was vastly different that my modern clubs and I found myself in more challenging positions that test my short game to the max. So, this year I have decided to sharpen my hickory short game and see what happens to my golf scores. I mean, it cannot hurt, right?

My 2025 golf season is still 3+ months away. That gives me time to develop a plan and figure out how to execute it with confidence. I will follow the above methodology in order to provide the structure I need to improve my short game with my hickory sticks. Regardless,\ of the overall result, it is going to be an awesome season and I excited to get started.

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