Sunday Service: January 2026 Editions

January 11, 2026 -

I ended 2025 with a couple of bad rounds of golf. I could hit you with a long list of excuses for why I played poorly but we all know what excuses are like.
 
It’s a new year, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can improve my game. I came up with (with a little help from the internet) 10 things I’m going to try to implement this year. Maybe a few of them are worth thinking about for yourself too.
 
1. Practice With Purpose
No more mindless bucket burning at the range. Every session should have intent, specific drills, targets, and goals. Quality reps beat quantity every time.
 
2. Dial In the Short Game
If you want to lower scores, start inside 100 yards. Commit to chipping, pitching, and putting practice every week. That’s where rounds are saved or lost.
 
3. Play More Golf, Walk When You Can
Ride less. Walk more. You’ll think better, feel the course, and stay more connected to each shot. Golf was meant to be walked.
 
4. Track Your Stats Honestly
Fairways hit. Greens in regulation. Putts. Penalties. Not to beat yourself up, but to expose what actually needs work.
 
5. Improve One Thing at a Time
Stop chasing a perfect swing. Pick one weakness per month and focus on it. Progress compounds when your attention does.
 
6. Get Your Body Right
Mobility, flexibility, and basic strength matter. A healthy body swings better, lasts longer, and stays injury free through the season.
 
7. Commit to Every Shot
Indecision kills confidence. Pick a club, pick a target, and commit. Whether it’s flushed or mis-hit, live with the decision.
 
8. Respect the Mental Game
Bad shots happen. Bad holes happen. Bad rounds happen. Learn to respond, not react. The best players manage misses, not perfection.
 
9. Honor the Game
Fix ball marks. Rake bunkers. Keep pace. Shake hands. Golf is better when we respect the course, the rules, and the people we play with.
 
10. Remember Why You Play 
Not every round needs to be a grind. Enjoy the walk, the weather, the company. Golf is a privilege don’t lose that perspective.
 
A new year doesn’t change your handicap your habits do.
Show up. Stay disciplined. Respect the process.
Let 2026 be the year you play better golf.
 
- Brian

January 18, 2026 -

Most golfers chase distance. They obsess over the long ball. But if you really want to lower your scores, the work starts within 30 feet of the hole.
 
This is where rounds are saved or quietly lost.
 
From this range, you don’t need power. You need touch, decision-making, and discipline. A putt that stops tap-in close is worth more than a heroic flop shot that leaves you scrambling. Two-putting from 30 feet beats chasing one-putts and walking away with three.
 
The short game is about eliminating big numbers, not creating highlight reels. Choose the highest-percentage shot. Keep the ball on the ground when you can. Read putts with intention. Commit to speed first, line second.
 
Great players aren’t perfect within 30 feet; they’re consistent. They turn mistakes into pars and bogeys into saves. That’s how scores drop without changing your swing.
 
Spend time there. Practice with purpose.
The scorecard will notice.

January 25, 2026 - 

Bad shots happen. So do missed reads and wrong club choices. The difference between golfers who improve and golfers who stay stuck is simple: ownership.
 
It’s easy to blame the wind, the lie, the greens, or the course setup. But most bad shots come from poor decisions, lack of commitment, or not fully accepting the shot in front of you. Slicing it into the houses and hearing a loud bang isn’t bad luck—it’s usually a swing you didn’t commit to, a line you didn’t respect, or a club you shouldn’t have pulled in the first place.
 
The same goes for putting. Missed reads aren’t the green’s fault. They’re a reminder to slow down, trust your process, and commit to what you see. When you rush or second-guess, you pay for it.
 
Taking responsibility doesn’t mean beating yourself up. It means being honest. Honest about your prep. Honest about your choices. Honest about your execution.
 
Own the miss. Learn from it. Move on.
 
That’s how rounds get better—one accountable decision at a time.

Want to join the club? Shop the Violent Gentlemen Country Club Golf Collection