The past 12 months has been a real rollercoaster for me in relation to golf. I looked back at my list of scores recently and really wasn't sure what to take from it.
Yes, there was some pretty good in there, but there are also some absolute horror shows - stark reminders that everything is far from perfect when it comes to my game and mindset.
While the actual scores fluctuated from as low as 84 to as high as 103, my Handicap Index dipped down to its lowest-ever point - an extremely nerve-wracking 15.5 which I have already admitted was not at all helpful for my game.
However, I'm now back at a much more comfortable 18.1 - a number which I believe to be pretty much perfect for my current ability and psychology.
But, if I want to make the year one where I improve, what should I make sure to do in 2026 and what must I avoid? Below, I've made a list.
WHAT I'LL DO TO IMPROVE IN 2026
HAVE LESSONS
It seems like the most obvious play in this scenario, but having lessons is something that I've almost viewed as admitting defeat up until now.
I used to really enjoy trying to improve "on my own," as it were - so watching clips on social media or listening to what some of the Golf Monthly team were saying. And I did a decent job, moving from around 28 to the aforementioned 15.5 without too much external assistance.
But I've come to realize that I may have reached my ceiling via that method, and if I truly harbor aspirations of bringing my Handicap Index down and keeping it there, spending a fair amount of time with PGA professionals over the coming months is something I will have to do.
MANAGE MY EXPECTATIONS
I know through painful experience how possessing unnecessarily high expectations can be particularly damaging to my game. So, in 2026, I am really keen to do a better job of managing said expectations and being realistic about what I'm capable of.
One way I'm aiming to do that is to just pick one aspect that I'd like to improve or focus on very time I play, and whatever my score is, I accept that as a byproduct of my long-term aims.
Another method of controlling how I think is to set reasonable expectations on the way to the course. I can say them out load a few times over and even write one into my scorecard so I have a visual reminder all the way around.
We all know that remaining relaxed when we play golf brings out our best game, so I'm going to try and make sure golf is fun and never a chore.
WORK ON ALL AREAS OF MY PUTTING
Instead of just hitting the practice green 10 minutes before my tee time and rolling a few putts in each direction to understand the pace of the surfaces, I want to dedicate a reasonable amount of time to improving all three key areas of putting - green reading, speed control and starting my putts on line.
I know my speed control is decent already, but it could certainly be improved. I might even say the same for reading greens. I believe the biggest issue I have is from a technique point of view, which then bleeds into my wildly inconsistent ability to start putts on the desired line.
This may go hand-in-hand with the lessons topic I discussed above, but feeling much more comfortable over the ball on the greens will go a really long way to bringing my scores down.
HAVE A PUTTER FITTING
You might be sensing a theme here in terms of where I think I could improve the most (and quickest).
I've been flitting between two contrasting putters for a few months now, and while I'm leaning back towards my old trusty Nike Converge, I do wonder if a more modern version would go a long way in helping me extradite my progress.
At some point, I would like to go and get properly fitted for a putter to really see which one could help me. Once that's sorted, I'll know the only thing stopping me holing more putts is what's going on between my ears.
TAKE (AT LEAST) ONE PRACTICE SWING
It might seem like a really simple promise, but I too often walk up to my ball, pick a target line and just go for it straight away. It goes well enough most of the time, but there have been a number of instances where I haven't felt 100% comfortable over the ball and even just one practice swing might have helped produce a better shot.
I think this is probably quite a common feeling among amateurs. One of the main reasons I don't tend to make a practice swing is because I feel rushed or I think I might put my playing partners off with a swish of the club.
But, moving forward, I really want to start implementing at least one practice swing in to my pre-shot routine in order to make sure I'm comfortable.
Building a practice swing into our pre-shot routines can be beneficial in a number of ways, too, not only to help with visualization but also to recalibrate and stop us rushing if our last effort didn't quite go to plan.
WHAT I WON'T DO IN 2026
STRESS MYSELF OUT
This is very closely linked to 'managing expectations', but - in my eyes - it is absolutely vital for me (and my fellow mid-to-high handicappers) to focus on the psychological aspect of the game in 2026.
If I'm a little bit stressed away from the course or amped up about wanting to do too well too much, chances are that my round won't turn out too well.
In conjunction with setting reasonable expectations, I can't expect too much of myself or hope that because I'm not feeling tip top outside of the fairways that I'll suddenly bloom into a happy chappy on them.
If I do decide to play while something else is going on in my life, then I have to understand what I might want from my game that day might not be likely. What is realistic based on how I feel? What do I want golf to give me? Understanding that and acting upon it will be huge for me in 2026.
FOLLOW ONE BAD SHOT WITH ANOTHER
One of the easiest ways to blow up your scorecard as a mid-handicapper is to make a bad swing (which can easily happen) and then try to dig yourself out of the problem with a shot you know you're capable of pulling off, but no more than twice in 10 attempts. I'm telling you this as much as I'm telling myself. Leave the hero shot to the pros.
Another very accurate cliche is 'boring golf is good golf'. As soon as you find yourself in a tricky spot, make the percentage play and take the guaranteed bogey over the possible par but more likely double.
How many times do you say to yourself after a round 'If I just didn't have that seven or that eight, I would have shot...'? I do it pretty regularly. So, in 2026, I'm going to take my medicine every time and see where it leaves me.
