Admit it, we are all creatures of habit. We probably all get up at about the same time each day, drink our coffee in the same chair, and go about our day following the same old routine. Most of the time this is good. It creates stability and continuity in our lives.

I started thinking yesterday, though, that habits follow us everywhere, even on the golf course. We pull out the same club for a 150 yard shot everytime. We’ll aim to the left if there’s a bunker on the right. Get the picture?

But what happens when your game hits a plateau and you find you aren’t improving? That’s how I finished my season. Looking back, I played the same course most of the time, my club choices were based on yardage, and my approach shots were designed to come in from a specific angle. I’m making a resolution that next year, I will purposely aim more to the left or right, forcing myself to play parts of the course I avoided in the past. This might not improve my score, but I think it will be a challenge that forces me to think differently about my shots, to use some creativity, and maybe break a habit or two that is holding me back!