— March 6, 2026 —
It may not feel like it when you look out the window, but the first tee times are closer than they seem. Around here, the calendar flips to golf season in different ways — some circle The Players Championship, others wait for Masters week, but for plenty of New England golfers it starts with the buzz around the Northeast Golf Show at Gillette Stadium or the word that their local track is giving the green light to swing away.
However you celebrate, April isn’t far off. That means it’s time for the annual ritual: rummaging through the golf bag, tossing the broken tees, wondering how three mismatched ball markers, two mud balls, and a granola bar wrapper all ended up in the same pocket, and thinking about what you want out of the season ahead.
A few weeks ago, in the middle of one of those blustery winter days, we asked our members on social media what they hope to accomplish in 2026. The answers were varied, but the theme was familiar: play better, enjoy it more, and maybe see the game a little differently this time around.
Scroll down for some of the best ones we collected.
PLAY MORE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE
For many golfers, the goal wasn’t complicated. It was simply about getting out there more often.
Some responses were as straightforward as they come. “Play more golf than I did in 2025,” wrote Noah Sargent. Others added a twist, such as Mike O’Brien, who plans to, “play more rounds as a single to meet interesting people and film more content.”
Nate Luscombe said he hopes to grab the very first tee time of the day at least once this season, while Samantha Ferrucci plans to play more solo rounds and even set a unique challenge for herself: completing a full round with the same ball.
Some golfers are taking that idea a bit further. James Brown proposed one of the more ambitious ideas we received, one that seems more plausible with Daylight Saving Time beginning this Sunday: Playing a round in every hour of the day from 5 a.m. through 6 p.m.
A few golfers are thinking about sheer volume, too. Bill Trites set a goal of playing 700 holes (almost 40 full rounds) of golf this year, while Steve Terpak, who competes on a national level with prosthetic leg, is aiming even higher with 100 or more rounds.
In the same spirit, Amanda Whitham tagged a couple friends, saying their goal is to finish a full nine holes of twilight golf by dusk.
EXPLORING MORE OF MASSACHUSETTS
Another theme that came through loud and clear was curiosity about the courses themselves.
Some golfers are simpler seeking out new places. Matt Dolan plans to play 10 new courses this season, while Harrison Kabat and the account @massholegolf are aiming even higher, hoping to add 25 new Massachusetts scorecards to their collection.
Lily Dobson hopes to tackle the top 10 public courses in the state, while Ed Ford said he wants to play more often while checking off some Boston-area city layouts like Brookline Golf Course, George Wright Golf Course, and William J. Devine Golf Course, while also mixing in some par-3 rounds with his wife.
CHASING COMPETITIVE GOALS
For others, the motivation lies in the competitive side of the game. Several golfers said they hope to break through into Mass Golf or USGA championships for the first time. Christopher Keenan was among many who both mentioned their desire to qualify for their first Mass Golf event, while JJ Taggart has his sights on this year’s Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Championship.
Matthew Minichiello is aiming for what some might call the Big Dance — and no we’re not talking March Madness. His goal is to reach the match play bracket of the 118th Massachusetts Amateur Championship, taking place just north of Boston at Winchester Country Club. For many golfers, simply earning a spot in the field is part of the dream.
Others are looking to hold their high ground. Steve Magargal, 68, and a member of The Links at Worthington, home to the highest elevated golf hole in Massachusetts, said his goal is to fend off the young guys and defend his club championship title.
PERSONAL BENCHMARKS/GOING LOW
Now we go to some numbers, with the personal milestones golfers chase year after year.
Luke Moran hopes to reach scratch by the end of the season, while Alan Josefiak wants to move his index from 5.9 down to 3.0.
Several respondents said they want to break 100 this season. Others set goals that just about every golfer has struggled with at one time or another: “Complete a full round without a double bogey or worse.” (Robbie Geswell) and “No more three-putt rounds.” (Catherine Craig)
Some golfers are setting the bar even higher. Kim Hill said the goal is to post two under-par rounds over 18 holes in 2026, while James Fitzroy, who shot his age (78) last fall, now wants to record rounds even lower than that number this season.
There’s long been an argument that an ace doesn’t count without a witness, so Justin Feldman wants to be on hand to see his buddy (at least on social media) Bill make his first ever hole-in-one. That’s a reward in more ways than one. Meanwhile, Dez O’Grady, last year’s winner of the Delta Most Improved Challenge, is thinking even bigger — making a rare par-4 ace. Let’s hope he has a witness, too.
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Big or small, every goal points to the same thing: getting back on the course. And if a few of these ambitions turn into reality this season, whether it’s breaking your goal score, discovering a new favorite course, or finally making that elusive ace, it will make the wait through winter well worth it.
About Mass Golf
Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by building an engaged and inclusive community.
With a community made up of over 145,000 golf enthusiasts and over 360 member clubs, Mass Golf is one of the largest state golf associations in the country. Members enjoy the benefits of handicapping, engaging golf content, course rating and scoring services along with the opportunity to compete in an array of events for golfers of all ages and abilities.
At the forefront of junior development, Mass Golf is proud to offer programming to youth in the state through First Tee Massachusetts and subsidized rounds of golf by way of Youth on Course.
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