Hi there fellow golfer !

I’m excited to have you read this, in fact all of us at MoreBirdies are overjoyed by the fact of sharing some of our knowledge and experience with you. We may be professional golfers today but we sure didn’t start out that way.

Like you, we’ve had bad games and good games. We know how frustrating golfing can be when you’re just not reaching your goals. Which is why we make it a priority to help you in every way possible both on and off the course.

So here is the part one of our series : Our 5 best tips to make more birdies.

1/5 : Determine and write down SMART goals

The best way to set goals is to use the SMART method. If you don’t know this method, read on and you’ll see that it’s perfect for measuring the progress of your game. There’s only one condition to your success with this method: take the time to pre-establish your goals.

 Here’s how to do it:

S – Specific :

Your objective must be focused on one specific aspect of your game. Think of the different parts of the game. How is your putting? How’s your chipping? There’s always something to improve, even if you consider yourself as a pro golfer!

M – Measurable :

This specific aspect of your game must be measurable or quantifiable if you prefer. Take putting as an example; You could calculate the number of times you putt per green in regulation or even the number of successful putts within an 8 ft. range.  

A – Attainable :

Your objective must be difficult enough to create a significant challenge however it must remain within reach. Think about the investment of time and effort required to attain that goal. Let's go back to our putting example for a minute.. If your goal is to reduce your putting average by five per game but your current average is of 30 putts per game, you may be getting ahead of yourself.

R – Relevant :

Your objective must take into account your current skill level. If you’ve just begun playing golf, it wouldn’t make sense to compare yourself with a friend who’s been playing for 20 years or obvious golf professionals like Tiger Woods. Compare yourself to yourself. The best way to evaluate your progress is to compare your current performance with your past performance, hence keeping track of a goal that is quantifiable. For more precise tracking of your progress, don’t hesitate to get a professional evaluation done by an expert.

T – Time bound :

Your goal must also include a specific timeframe for completion. This will allow you to determine the effort required to attain your goal and set up an action plan to do so. What I recommend is a goal set on 9 months which includes the winter season without putting pressure on yourself to achieve your goals right from the start of the season.

Finally, I encourage you to evaluate your current skill level before establishing new goals. This way, you’ll be able to see clearly which aspects of your game deserve more time and dedication.