I’m betting a lot of you feel like I do about 2020–it can’t be over and behind us fast enough. This time last year, as we were all preparing for the most joyous season of all, no one saw this coming. We’ve been dealt body blow after body blow since March when this pandemic was revealed and all hell broke loose.

But this column isn’t about all that…we talk golf here, and golf only.

One of the things that I think about this time of year is what I want my own golf game to be in the coming season. For any of us, if we will take time to reflect on our season behind us—if we will think about our best rounds and those not so pleasing—those parts of our game that need the most work will be revealed.

And my bet is, for each and every one of us, we could isolate just one or two parts of our games where we can most improve our round-to-round performance. From the survey results I’ve shared the past couple of weeks, our GolfWRX community is pretty equally divided between being oriented to the “process” of golf and the “results” we get from our rounds. But it doesn’t matter which camp you are in, the goals are the same–hit more of our best shots, and fewer of our worst.

Maybe your own path to lower scores and more enjoyment would come from hitting more fairways, giving yourself better places to hit your approach shots from. Or maybe it’s sharpening your iron play to give yourself more and better looks at birdie. Many of you shared that greenside scoring was your “opportunity zone”, while others pointed to your putting as the part of the game that needs the most work.

To share my own path to better golf, 2020 has been interesting. I turned 68 in March and found myself hitting more high-quality golf shots and fewer “uglies” than I have since my 40s. My handicap went lower than it has been in a very long time, and I was enjoying very exciting command of the ball, through the bag – driver to putter. I became aware that shooting my age was an attainable goal.

Then, in early April, I injured my right shoulder and couldn’t play for two months. All that “magic” was just not there through the summer and early fall. But through some hard work and peace in my life, that mojo has returned, and I’m setting a goal of shooting my age in 2021. One or two fewer loose swings—the discipline to back away from a shot when alignment, ball position, or frame of mind isn’t quite right, and a bit more work on my short putting.

But I cannot stress enough the importance of “peace in your life” to put you in position to play your very best golf. Stress in any aspect of your world–your work, family, relationships, health–can wreck your golf in a heartbeat. In the classic golf tome, Golf In The Kingdom, the words of wisdom from Shivas Irons told us “It takes perfect balance to play your best golf.” He was not only referring to the balance in your golf swing, but in your life.

For all my adult life, I’ve repeatedly found that to be so true. When things are off-kilter, the golf course becomes torture more than an escape. And I’m closing out 2020 on a high note there. Edison Golf gained momentum and a reputation for extraordinary wedges in our start-up year. My personal life is more balanced and joyful than in many years, and I have so many blessings to be thankful for.

So, as we take measure of 2020 and think about what we’ll do differently in 2021, I encourage all of you to examine your “personal peace quotient.” If it’s the slightest bit out of kilter, deal with that, and I’ll bet better golf will follow.

Merry Christmas to you all and a very Happy New Year. I’m going to take next week off and I’ll be back the first week of January.