New Year's Golf Resolutions for 2022
Happy New Year to you and yours from Morning Read. Here's wishing you a great 2022 with lower scores, pure irons and lots of good times on and off the golf course.
Let us know what your new year's golf resolutions are at inbox@morningread.com.
Here are a few of our own, in alphabetical order:
Ward Clayton, Morning Read contributor: 1. Walk a golf course more often, either carrying or with (what we used to call) a pull cart. That's the best way to interact with the course and your partners for the day and get the desired exercise.
2. Be a small part of helping golf become more diverse and in the same phrase celebrate public golf.
3. Listen to an hour-long podcast (or longer) where Jim Thorpe, the Roxboro, NC, native golfer is the focus. Expect expletives and crazy stories, but most of all laughter.
Janice Ferguson, Morning Read contributor: No. 1 — Win the Lotto. No. 2 — Win the Lotto again. Then I’ll have time for No. 3 — Play more golf!
John Fischer, Morning Read contributor: Since 1955 when I started playing golf, I’ve read instruction books and articles, taken lessons, had clubs fitted, worked on alinement of shoulders and feet, take away, ball position, just about everything the experts can provide, and yet I never got much better after my fourth year of playing. My resolution for 2022: sneak up on the ball and hit it with my practice swing. I think that may be the secret.
Stuart Hall, senior editor, Morning Read: My main golf resolution for 2022 is to get my 13-year-old son to the course more, cause I thoroughly enjoy the father-son time, but also just watching him play and improve. My other resolution is finally realizing and saying goodbye to my Ben Hogan Golf Edge forged irons from the 1980s. They’re old, but I’m older and the days of muscling my way around a course are gone.
John Hawkins, Morning Read contributor: My New Year's Resolution is to get through a whole season without a writing about a fake feud or anything else that is done solely to advance a player’s Q-rating.
Brian Hurlburt, Morning Read contributor: My No. 1 resolution is to become a zero or better handicap and am getting closer. Part of this is to continue to fine-tune my swing and short game, but also to understand and implement course strategy much better and save valuable strokes. My No. 2 resolution is to enjoy the game with family, friends and competitors as much as possible and help grow the game in the Las Vegas area.
Garrett Johnston, Morning Read contributor: My No. 1 resolution is to make it out to cover the Open Championship at St. Andrews in July. My first time ever at St. Andrews came the week before the 2015 Open Championship. I got to experience the course and the town before the craziness of Open week took hold. I would highly recommend you do the same at some point in your life.
No. 2 resolution is to break 74! It's been 14 years since I broke that number. Heck, I've only broken 80 twice in the last decade...but why not shoot high, right?
No. 3 resolution is to play Winged Foot. I have a couple friends who are members there and I need to cross that course off the bucket list with them.
No. 4 resolution is to get new golf clubs. I'm playing 20-year-old Cleveland irons, a Ping 1-iron, and the good ol R7 Quad driver. As former President Clinton used to say, "It's time for a change."
Alex Lauzon, Morning Read contributor: In order of least to most difficult:
1. Double my LPGA Tour content consumption
2. Make a trick shot video that goes viral
3. Hit my bombs 20 yards further and don't be surprised by it
4. If all goes well, find a way to break par for 18 holes for the second time in my life. Prayers up!
Ann Liguori, Morning Read contributor: My golf New Year's resolution is to improve my putting. No more three putts! Three-putting can drive you to drink! And to continue to travel to incredible golf destinations and interview fascinating personalities in the game, and share their stories.
Colin McDonald, senior associate, Buffalo Group:
1. Break 70. I can count on one hand the number of times this has been a reality coming down the stretch of a round for me and each one has ended in bitter disappointment. But that’s why we tee it up, the next round could always be the one.
2. Make my first ever hole in one. The oddsmakers say it’s 12,500 to 1 to make an ace. For reference that’s the same odds Bubba Watson had to win the 2021 U.S. Open and while it was unlikely it wasn’t impossible. So maybe this year Bubba breaks through at The Country Club and I finally make a one.
3. Qualify for my state amateur. I would like to think this one is more likely than the resolution above but man, can’t practice the nerves of playing a round where every shot counts.
4. Beat Joaquin Niemann’s mark for fastest round played. He played by himself at the Tour Championship in August and broke Kevin Na’s previous record by five minutes. It would be a blast to tee off at 7:45 one summer night and see if I can match the one hour 53 minute mark. And who knows, maybe I could knock out my first two resolutions in the same round.
Kelly Okun, Strategic Partnership Development Manager Morning Read: In 2022, I want to play at least 22 full rounds of golf; since trading in my golf clubs for a computer, I haven’t spent nearly enough time on the course! My second resolution is to sign up for the LPGA Monday Qualifier at Kingsmill (my college’s home course) with my dad on the bag. I would also like to help my boyfriend break 100 and learn his side-saddle putting technique.
Mike Purkey, Morning Read contributor: 1. Walk more. The only time I walk when playing golf is from the cart path to the ball when carts aren't allowed on the fairways. I'm getting tired just thinking about it.
2. Not care while caring. Or care while not caring. Roger Maltbie says golf is easy till you care. So, I want to not care. Sort of.
Jeff Ritter, director of content, Morning Read: It’s the same resolution for me every year: play more golf. Now that my son is about to turn 4 years old, he’s going to open his first junior golf club on Christmas morning, and I’ll be looking to him to help nudge me (us) out the door to hit some shots. If he can also help me fix my slice, that would be a bonus.
Michael Russell, Morning Read contributor: As it is every year, to play more than the previous year, to lose less golf balls, and to break 90 at least once!
Adam Stanley, Morning Read contributor: My biggest golf resolution for 2022 is to play more nine-hole games. I had just one this past year and I thought how much of a joy it was. Snuck it in before sunset, got a whole playing experience in, and still got everything done I needed to earlier in the day. What more could you ask for? I didn’t get a chance to play as much as I wanted to this summer, period, so if I am able to play more in 2022 I hope it’s for nine holes as much as possible.
Gary Van Sickle, Morning Read contributor: After Phil Mickelson's PGA Championship win at 51, I resolve to believe at least 75 percent of what Phil says from now on. That's a significant upgrade.
I resolve to make Collin Morikawa and his impeccable iron game the favorite at every major championship until further notice.
I resolve to continue to refrain from predicting what Tiger Woods will do or should do or second-guess what he actually does golf-wise since only he knows his physical limitations after the car accident.
I resolve to try to watch more Golf Channel studio shows about what's up in golf but man, it's tough to do.
I resolve to try to shoot my age before it turns into a bad number.
I need to be better with a wedge from every distance and this year I'm going to spend more time practicing with that club. Yeah, sure I am.
I'm not going to get annoyed in 2022 when I lose my Pro V1 in the trees and find someone else's Rock-Flite or Noodle instead.
Dan Wooters, Morning Read contributor: My No. 1 resolution is to provide more winners in my weekly gambling column! Nothing makes me happier when I can at least provide one good pick a week and know a reader out there was able to pad their wallet. So, hope to pick up the pace the in 2022.
My second resolution is probably just to play more. I only played five rounds this past year and they were all on work trips. There is just a ton to do in Denver area, so when my week is done, I stop thinking about golf and find myself elsewhere on the weekends. Hope to check out the local courses next summer.