<img decoding="async" alt="New Years Resolutions Litchfield Country Club" src="/media/images/New_Years_Resoltions_600x300.png" style="width: 600px;height: 300px" />
Story by Chris King
The dawn of 2021 is upon us, which can only mean one thing &#8211; it’s time to make our annual list of New Year’s resolutions. For most people, these will be hollow promises but not yours truly. Summoning the discipline I’ve long lacked, I’m committed to the cause of my five golf-related vows.
Here are the things I’m resolving to do better in 2021.
1. I’m going to enjoy the game more. If we learned nothing else in 2020, we should all have a greater appreciation of the fragility of life and its blessings. Bad shots, holes and rounds aren’t going to aggravate me as much this year, even on days when my head wants to explode. I’m going to focus on time spent with friends playing a game, as opposed to being ticked off about what I’m not doing well. We will see how it goes after I chunk a 7 iron from the middle of the fairway, but that is promise No. 1!
2. I’d like to make improving my handicap a resolution, but that’s a goal not a commitment. The vow I’m making is to practice more. Yes, this is golf’s version of “I’m going to lose weight,” but it’s the only way to improve. Whether it’s hitting balls at the range, chipping around the backyard or buying the Perfect Practice Putting mat (I’m seriously considering this. Please feel free to share your opinion), I’m going to focus on game-improvement in 2021.<img decoding="async" alt="Pine Lakes Country Club" src="/media/images/Pine_Lakes_Country_Club_9th_with_Clubhouse.JPEG" style="width: 275px;height: 206px;float: right" />
3. Pre Covid-19, I took the clubhouse for granted. Sometimes I’d pop in and enjoy a post-round drink or lunch but more often than not, I loaded the clubs in the car and headed out. I’m not going to rush to leave the course as often in 2021. Whether I’m at <a href="https://www.mbn.com/courses/pine-lakes-country-club">Pine Lakes</a>, <a href="https://www.mbn.com/courses/caledonia-golf-and-fish-club">Caledonia</a>, <a href="https://www.mbn.com/courses/river-hills-golf-club">River Hills </a>(great new clubhouse!) or somewhere else, I’m going to recount my round onsite a little more often.
4. We all have a tendency to do what’s comfortable, especially when we find something we like (it’s why I order the same thing at restaurants!), but there is a lot to enjoy in what’s unfamiliar. I’m making it a priority to play new courses this year, including a bucket list course if all goes well.
5. My final resolution is much more frivolous. I play an old set of TaylorMade R7 irons (the sweet spot of each club remains almost new) and I lost the pitching wedge several years ago. I replaced it with a “Tour Element,” a knock off wedge made at Pete’s Caddy Shack (RIP) as part of a set of clubs I bought more than 20 years ago. It’s like hitting the ball with a brick but I’ve left it in the bag. Two decades later, I’m vowing, at long last, to retire Pete’s handiwork.

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