A New Year’s Resolution For Golfers – From 1900

A New Year’s Resolution For Golfers – From 1900

I enjoy poking around internet archives of old magazines and newspapers to see what sort of golf related stuff pops up.

A few years back I found a poetic New Year’s resolution for golfers in an early golf magazine. Unfortunately, I have since lost the link to the page. Perhaps someone knows the magazine and issue.

It seems remarkable to me how little a golfer’s wish list has changed in the last 120 years: stop slicing; stop over swinging; stop topping the ball; stop pulling. Keep your head down.

For my own part, my golfing New Year’s resolution is simple: play more golf, and enjoy it more by being present and not worrying about the score.

Here’s the text version of the New Year’s resolution from 1900:

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

SWEAR off pulling, swear off slicing,
Swear off ever looking up;
Swear off doing all but shooting
For the center of the cup.

SWEAR off topping, over-swinging,
As you stand upon the tee;
Swear off doing all but holing
Out in three.

– Anonymous, circa 1900