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How to Set Golf Goals for 2026: A Simple 5-Step Plan
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
Most of us start each golf season with grand ambitions. We’re going to break 80 this year. We’re finally going to fix that slice. We’ll play twice a week, no excuses. Then life happens, our practice routine fizzles out, and by August, we’re right back where we started.
Does this sound familiar? You’re not the only one. What separates golfers who improve from those who don’t isn’t talent — it’s having a clear plan. As 2026 approaches, let’s set real goals that you can actually achieve.
Step 1: Get Brutally Honest About Your Current Game
Before you can move forward, you need to know where you really stand. Not just your best round last summer, but your usual, consistent performance.
To-Do List:
- Track your last 10 rounds and calculate your true average score
- Identify your biggest scoring leak (three-putts? Penalty strokes? Approach shots?)
- Record your current stats: fairways hit, greens in regulation, putts per round
- Get a baseline measurement of your swing speed and distances with each club
This isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about clarity. You can’t improve what you don’t measure, and you definitely can’t set meaningful goals without knowing your starting point.
Step 2: Pick One Main Goal (Just One!)
Many golfers try to do everything at once — improve their driving, fix their short game, lower their handicap, play in tournaments, and practice constantly. That’s not a goal; it’s a fast track to burnout.
Choose one main goal that excites you and feels a bit challenging. Maybe it’s breaking 90 for the first time, winning your club championship, or hitting half your fairways regularly.
To-Do List:
- Write down three potential goals
- Choose the one that would make the most significant impact on your game
- Make your goal specific and measurable. For example, instead of “get better at putting,” aim for “average 32 putts per round or less.”
- Pick a timeline you can handle — even if it means giving yourself the whole year.
You can set smaller goals too, but make sure they help you reach your main goal. For example, if your main goal is breaking 90, your smaller goals could be cutting down on three-putts and getting better at course management.
Step 3: Reverse Engineer Your Success
Start with your goal and figure out what steps you need to take. For example, if you want to break 90, you’ll need to average about 17 over par. That means avoiding big mistakes and making more pars.
To-Do List:
- Break your big goal into smaller, quarterly milestones
- Identify the 2-3 skills that will have the biggest impact
- Calculate how much practice time you’ll realistically need each week
- Determine what resources you’ll need (lessons, equipment, range time)
For example, if you usually shoot 95 and want to break 90, your goals for each quarter could be: Q1 (average 93), Q2 (average 91), Q3 (break 90 once), and Q4 (break 90 more than once).
Step 4: Create a Practice Routine
Goals without a practice plan are just wishes. You need a routine that fits your real life, not an ideal where you practice for hours every day.
To-Do List:
- Block out specific practice times in your calendar (treat them like important meetings)
- Create a weekly practice template (e.g., Monday: putting, Wednesday: range work, Saturday: play)
- Design focused practice sessions around your weakest areas
- Schedule at least one playing lesson or video analysis session per quarter
The key is having a routine. You’re not just depending on motivation — you’re building habits that become automatic.
Step 5: Track Your Progress, Make Changes, and Celebrate
Setting goals is the easy part. Sticking with them is what really matters. Check your progress often so you can stay on track and adjust when life gets busy.
Tasks to Complete:
- Review your stats monthly and compare them to your targets
- Keep a simple golf journal, noting what’s working and what isn’t
- Adjust your practice focus based on your data, not your feelings
- Celebrate your small wins along the way. If you break 95 for the first time, give yourself some credit!
Don’t wait until the end of the year to check your progress. Reviewing each month helps you make changes quickly and stay motivated.
Start Working Toward Your 2026 Goals Now
The golfers who feel proud at the end of 2026 won’t always be the most talented. They’ll be the ones who set clear goals, made a real plan, and stuck with it. You can be one of them.
So grab a notebook, follow these five steps, and let’s make 2026 your best golf year ever. Your future self — the one writing down that new personal best — will be glad you did.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. Read his recent “Playing Through” on R.org and his stories on Athlon Sports. To stay updated on his latest work, sign up for his newsletter and visit OneMoreRollGolf.com.
