Set 10 Goals For 2010 To Improve Your Game
2010 GOALS
Would you like to be a more consistent and better golfer this year? Would you like to shoot your best round ever? How about lowering your scoring average by a shot or two? I know I’d love to accomplish all of those. And guess what, I’m going to make 10 goals for myself this year to help me achieve these goals.
Each year I write down 10 goals that I’d like to achieve for the year. Some of the goals I make aren’t very difficult while others are. Some are more achievable than others, but they’re all possible. I wouldn’t make a goal for this year to win the Masters, per say, because there’s zero chance I’ll be playing in it. However, one of my goals may be to play in the U.S. Open. While very difficult to achieve, there is a possibility that I could qualify for it.
Here’s what I would recommend for some of your goals. Make them specific, measurable, and attainable. Writing down that’d you like to be more consistent won’t accomplish anything. Practicing every Thursday evening for an hour after work would help become more consistent. Becoming a better bunker player is not a good goal. Getting up and down 40% of the time out of the bunkers could be a nice goal for you. Specific. Measurable. Attainable.
Personally, I make a few of my goals average in difficulty, a few more slightly above that, and the last few very difficult. I try to push myself to different levels by making some of my goals more challenging. This exercise should be fun, but also a nice test of your inner strength. At the end of the year, check your list to see how you did. Hopefully, you can look back at 2010 as a success. Good luck!
Do You Prefer Watching Stroke Or Match Play Tournaments?
Personally, I like watching stroke play tournaments a lot more than match play. The first day or two of match play is fun to watch, but after that there’s a lot of down time and many of the bigger names are out. It’s definitely not a guarantee that the best player wins in match play because a lot of it depends on your draw. In stroke play, you’re battling 155 other players compared to 6 in match play.
Ironically, I prefer playing in match play tournaments over stroke play. I like the strategic aspect of match play and the different style of the game involved. I think both are great, but certainly much different.
Thanks for voting!
Three Word Teasers
I thought about some 3-word phrases to get you to think a little bit about the golf swing. I believe in all of them. Some may be obvious, while others could make your brain tingle. Have fun with them and don’t hurt yourself:
- Turn don’t shift
- Down not up
- Push never pull
- Shallow over steep
- Smooth isn’t slow
- Rotate don’t slide
- Releasing beats holding
- Balanced equals power
- Open trumps closed
- Low finishes higher
- Learn when admiring
- Speed over accuracy
- Start thinking finish
- Bend don’t extend
- Fat equals thin
- Practice to win!
Feel free to ask me questions about what any of these mean.
Archived Categories
If you’re new to my sight or looking for more to read, look under the archived categories half-way down on the right side of this page. There, you’ll find categories for all the articles I’ve written thus far. Thanks for reading!
Random Thoughts….
Now that the “U” grooves are on their way out, will we be seeing “W” grooves in the future?
Why does Phil Mickelson always wear a watch when he plays?
Maybe Phil should lend his watch to Ben Crane?
Are the guys laying up on Par 5′s with a chance to win scared to win?
Amateur golfers would benefit most of the time by hitting one extra club every time.
Many still believe in the theory that divots, ball marks, and unraked bunkers fix themselves.
Why don’t they put a mic on the PGA players more often?
Swinging and missing, while embarrassing, is one stroke better than hitting a 300 yard drive that finishes one inch out-of-bounds.
Isn’t it ironic that our best drive of the day ends up in someone else’s divot?
You must take the pin out when you’re on the green for a reason. For this reason, leave it in when you’re off the green.
Winter Golf: “It’s Not That Bad Out There”
ENJOY GOLF IN THE WINTER
Winter golf, a wonderful time to play! You might be laughing or rolling your eyes, but really, it can be a wonderful time to play (Disclaimer: I would like to state that there are certain conditions that Kyle Voska does not find enjoyable and he cannot be held accountable for someone having an unpleasant time during a winter round of golf if any of these conditions exist: when it is snowing, sleeting, icing, raining, fog-lifting, winterey mixing, windy, really windy, under 28.4 degrees, cloudy, after a long rain, snow or ice on the ground, warm outfit-challenged, not in mood, or you run out of golf balls during your round). I love getting out for a few rounds in the winter and I’ll explain why and how you can enjoy it too.
Dressing properly is the key ingredient to enjoying golf when the weather is less than ideal. First, I highly recommend wearing rain pants over your slacks. Long-underwear works as well, but rain pants are better because they block the wind and keep your pants dry. Second, a winter cap is a must. If your noggin gets cold, you’re toast. Third, load up the layers around your core. I recommend 3-4 layers around your chest and up to 2 layers for your arms. I prefer to have as little as possible on my arms so I can still swing with some speed. And last, winter gloves. Some prefer the winter gloves made for golf. I, however, prefer using cart mittens with heat packs in them. My hands generally don’t stay warm in gloves because my fingers are isolated. They stay much warmer in the mittens and I’m able to hit shots with my normal glove and grip.
Learning to adapt to different conditions, winter conditions included, is one of the beauties of this game. Generally, when you play winter golf in the northern states, the temperature will be below 50 degrees. When the temperature dips, the golf ball doesn’t go as far. Due to more clothing, your swing will slow down a bit, and it’s harder to compress the golf ball when it cools down. I recommend taking at least one extra club on shorter shots and at least two extra clubs on longer shots. This will make sure you swing within yourself and make solid contact (not hitting solid in the cold can leave a lasting impression).
Winter is a depressing time for many because there’s less light, it’s cold, and there’s more precipitation. This terrible trifecta makes it’s difficult to spend time outside. Humans weren’t designed to spend months at a time inside so when you have a chance to go outside it’s important to take advantage of it. Golf is a great way to spend this time. You’ll get some fresh air along with some exercise in very peaceful environment. It’s truly amazing how quiet and peaceful a golf course is in the winter.
Go out and play some golf this winter. You might be surprised how nice it can be. Just dress properly and swing easy. When you finish, I’m willing to bet you’ll say, “It’s not that bad out there.”, the very popular winter-time phrase said at Sharon Woods Golf Course. Have fun and thanks for reading!
How Often Will I Post On My Blog?
First of all, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and read my articles. I appreciate it and hopefully my tips help your golf game.
Second, I just wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be updating my blog at least a few times a week. Check back often. I don’t have a schedule set in stone, but I’m going to try to add something as much as I can.
Third, please feel free to offer suggestions or your thoughts on what you’d like me to write about. I’m very open to new ideas.
Thanks,
Kyle
Do I Miss Living In Florida?
Do I miss living in Florida? Believe it or not, I don’t. It’s 20 degrees outside, snow on the ground, no sun for weeks, and certainly no golf to be played. You might be thinking I’m crazy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not too thrilled with this weather. I would prefer to be in Florida for January and February when the average high in Orlando during those months is 72 degrees. However, I would certainly rather live here the rest of the year. The heat down there is unbearable at times. Every day for 6 straight months it’s 92 degrees. And the humidity is off the charts too. Plus, the afternoon thunderstorms every day. I may speak for myself, but I got burned out down there from the relentless heat.
There are plenty of reasons why I love living in the Midwest, specifically Cincinnati. I love the 4 seasons, looking forward to the Spring, cool Autumn days, wearing jeans and sweaters, a cold snowy Christmas, a break from a busy season, the golf courses in Ohio, and the sense of the community here. And most importantly, I love the people here.
All that being said, there are a few things I miss about Florida. I miss some friends down there, being able to play golf in January in shorts, and Frogger’s, which serves up the best wings I’ve ever had. But Cincinnati is my home and I’m happy about that. Home is a great place to be.
Conforming Wedges, good or bad for golf?
CONDITION OF COMPETITION WEDGES
The PGA Tour kicks off another season this week in Hawaii with some hot topics. We’re obviously going to hear a lot about how Tiger is not playing and how long he’ll be out, etc., but another hot topic will be the new “Condition of Competition” wedges. This year, the PGA Tour has adopted the new wedge rule which, in short, makes the ball spin less off a wedge. The question I ask is, will this be good or bad for golf? And to tell you the truth, I’m not sure.
This new wedge rule has been very confusing to both amateurs and professionals. What I do know is you can buy the old “Zip Groove/Spin Milled” wedges through 2010. After that, the companies are no longer allowed to issue them. However, as an amateur, you will be allowed to use those wedges until 2024, I believe. So stock up! In 2014, all professional tournaments are supposed to adopt this rule change as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if those dates change.
Personally, I’m looking forward to the new wedges. I’ve never had a problem producing spin. I usually like my wedges broken in. So, I’m looking at it like it may be an advantage for someone like myself who doesn’t like a ton of spin.
On the flipside, I believe amateurs need all the spin they can get and shouldn’t be restricted in what equipment they can buy. The governing body is changing the rules for 0.001% of all golfers. Does that seem right? As I read from Phil Mickelson, amateurs love seeing the professionals hit shots they only dream about. This new rule will limit what some professionals can do with the ball.
Something to think about is this new rule could end up making the club companies a lot more money. They’re going to sell all new conforming wedges eventually, and they’ll probably make new golf balls that spin more to offset the new wedges, and they may have to decrease the lofts on drivers, again, to offset the effect of more spin on the golf ball. You can see how it’s a domino effect.
This week, listen to the announcers analyze wedge shots. It could get really repetitive. I’m guessing they’ll overblow it by blaming every bad wedge shot on the “new” grooves. I hope we don’t hear too much about it because, in my opinion, a good player should be able to adapt relatively quickly to the new clubs.
To sum it up, I can see why they made the rule change, but I’m not sure how positive it will be for golf. I think the wedges will have an effect on some of the wedge shots, but not a dramatic difference. What I do know is this, I’m looking forward to putting my new Cleveland CG 15 conforming wedges in my bag in the near future.
Have a good weekend watching the tournament.
What’s in my bag?
WHAT’S IN MY BAG:
Driver – Cobra Speed Pro D 8.5 with an Aldila Proto 65 Stiff
3 Wood – Taylor Made Retro Spoon 13 degrees with Dynalite Gold X100
Hybrids – Cleveland Launcher 15.5 and 20.5 with Dynamic Gold X100
Irons – Cleveland CG Tour 4-9 with Dynamic Gold S300
Wedges – Cleveland 588: 47 deg S300/Cleveland 900: 54 and 58 R300
Putter - Wilson 8802 blade
Ball – Srixon Z-Star X
MY YARDAGES:
Driver - 290+ yards
3 Wood (13) - 260
1 Hybrid (15.5) – 240
3 Hybrid (20.5) – 217
3 Iron – 222
4 Iron – 210
5 Iron – 198
6 Iron – 185
7 Iron – 172
8 Iron – 158
9 Iron – 145
PW (48) – 130
SW (53) – 115
LW (58) – 100
*I switch my 3 iron and 3 hybrid depending on the course, conditions, and the time of the year. Most of the time I carry the hybrid. I’m looking to replace both of those clubs with a 2 hybrid (19) that I hope to hit about 225 yards.
About
KYLE VOSKA, PGA PROFESSIONAL
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from St. Michael’s, St. Xavier, and Miami University. After graduating from Miami with a Finance degree, I moved to Florida to pursue my professional golf dreams. After a few successful years and a couple of difficult years, I stopped playing full-time. After a year of caddying on the LPGA Tour for Young Jo, Kim Williams, and Angela Stanford, I moved back home to Cincinnati. Currently, I live near Sharonville with my lovely wife, Lindsay, our kids, Maclin and Ellie, and our dog, Nora.
Teaching golf for over a year in Florida and having taken and watched many lessons from PGA Certified Master Teaching Professional Carl Rabito, becoming a golf instructor was something I really wanted to do. Fortunately, I was able to find a home at Sharon Woods Golf Course in Cincinnati, my old home from the 90′s, to further this new career path. As I enter my 6th season as a golf professional, I’m excited how my role is taking shape. I assist in managing and supervising a staff of nearly 40 while teaching golf lessons to over a 100 students. Hopefully, someday I’ll have the opportunity to mentor some future golf professionals like myself.
Email: kvoska@hotmail.com
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- PGA Member – June, 2009
- 2008 PGA National Assistants Champion
- 43 Professional Tournament Victories
- 2010 Southern Ohio PGA Section Player-of-the-Year
- 2010 Southern Ohio PGA Southwest Chapter Player-of-the-Year
- 2009 Cincinnati Chapter Match Play Champion
- 2009 Southern Ohio PGA Assistant’s Champion
- 2001 and 2010 Southern Ohio PGA Open Champion
- 2000 PGA Buick Open Contestant
- 1998 Miami Athlete-of-the-Year
- 2-Time NCAA Division I All-American
- Mid-American Conference Sportsman and Player-of-the Year (1998)
- 2-Time Cincinnati Met Amateur Champion (1997, 1998)
- Cincinnati Met Amateur Medalist and Runner-Up (1996)
- NCAA low scoring average on Par 3′s (2.91) in 1998
- Low competitive round – 62 (3 times): Four Bridges CC (’01), Oasis CC (’09), and Juniper Hills GC (’02)
- Low non-competitive round – 61: Browns Run CC – White tees
- Won a 54-hole Developmental Players Tour event by 9 shots shooting 19 under par with no bogies (64,64,69)
- 4 career Holes-in-One and 3 career double eagles
MY PGA MENTORS:
Tom Bach – Head Professional at Sharon Woods Golf Course
George Long – Kenwood CC PGA Professional/Head Pro at The Mill Course (17 Years)
Carl Rabito – PGA Certified Master Teaching Professional (Top 100 Instructor)
Mike Bender – 2009 PGA National Teacher-of-the-Year (Top 100)
Craig Shankland – 2001 PGA National Teacher-of-the-Year (Top 100)
Jim Suttie, Ph.D - 2000 PGA National Teacher-of-the-Year (Top 100)
Bill Madonna – Bill Madonna Golf Academy (Top 100)
Andrew Park – The David Leadbetter Golf Academy
Chris Toulson – Jim McLean Golf School at Doral
As you can see, I’ve been very fortunate to have learned from some of the best PGA Professionals in the country. I feel privileged to pass on the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from spending time with these great gentlemen.
