Happy New Year!
Many people make resolutions at the beginning of every year for many different reasons. That even includes golf.
So, What is your golf resolution for 2021?
We will start with ours. As was our original plan in starting Golf NOLA we still want to help grow New Orleans into a golf destination and help grow the game locally getting more people involved in golf. It is our goal to get more beginners involved, get juniors playing more, growing the game with women, and hosting premier tournaments like our New Orleans Cup.
If we are successful in our endeavors you can count on many things happening this year and we are optimistic that 2021 will be a grand year not just for us, but for golf and golfers in the New Orleans area.
Now that you know our resolution for 2021, here is what most people resolve to do when it comes to golf.
Play Better - This one seems obvious as just about every golfer wants to improve their game, but many go about it the wrong way. Improving your game is a great goal, but it takes some commitment and will not happen overnight. Many golfers also look for a quick fix and that usually does not help either. The best way to improve your game, depending on how much you want to improve, is with a medium to long term goal for the year. The best way to start is with private instruction. Nothing compares to in-person, hands-on, 1 on 1, instruction. There are many great instructors in the area with two of the top golf academies in the country located here. They are the Brian Manzella Golf Academy at English Turn and the Rob Noel Golf Academy at Money Hill. Both are listed as top 100 teachers in America. Many of the other courses, like Lakewood Golf Club, have up and coming instructors as well. Every course has an instructor and it only depends on your location and budget. Even if you only have one lesson it is a start to a better game. Then there is also putting in the practice time. You have to build muscle memory and repetition to shoot lower scores. Even if it is just backyard practice with a chipping training net, working on your short game, practice makes permanent. Your technique does not have to be perfect if you train your body well enough to execute the shot for you. Consistency is the biggest key to lower scores.
Find More Time - This is actually the one most talked about and probably the one that backfires the most. It's great to say you will find more time for golf, but that means you actually have to make the time for golf. Many people, especially in the past ten years, have failed to do this properly. To truly find time for golf you need to set aside 5-6 hours of a day. That is drive time, check-in, range warm-up, and 4-hours for your round. Many people try to squeeze their golf time in a day and want to rush and play in 3-hours. If you only have a 3-hour window to play golf then just play 9-holes. Golf is a game to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace and not rushed. We will cover that in another article about perception of pace of play, but for the purpose of finding time for golf if rushing is your only way to play then play fewer holes or executive style course like The Golf Club at Audubon Park.
Getting The Kids Involved - Just about every parent that plays golf at one point wants to get their kid(s) involved. This could be a reason to spend more time with them or because the parents enjoy golf they believe their kid(s) will as well. First thing is to bring your child to a driving range and let them hit some golf balls to see if they enjoy it first. Yes, there are many junior camps during the summer to introduce kids to golf, but if they do not enjoy it you could be wasting your money and your child's time. Depending on the age of your kid(s), when you introduce them to golf the main thing to remember is it needs to be fun for them and something they want to do. Even if they do not enjoy it at first they may enjoy it at a later age and if you start them off wrong they may never give golf another chance. If a child's first impression of anything is a negative one their first time they are less likely to try it ever again. We were all kids once and have bad memories of things and we know some of those things we will never try again based on that initial experience. Once you learn that your child seems to enjoy golf then look into junior programs such as summer camps. You could go further and get them private lessons if you want them to enjoy the game more by learning how to properly play the game. Jimmy Headrick is one of the best, if not the best in all of Southeast Louisiana when it comes to working with juniors. Just remember to not get mad when the day comes that your kid(s) start beating you and from the same tee's.
Those are just some of the top Golf Resolutions people make. Whatever yours is we wish you all the best in accomplishing your golf goals.