The new golf season is just around the corner and if you are like me you can't wait to get out there and hit some balls again. Before you rush out to play at the first sight of green grass, it is important to take a few minutes and set some goals for the new season.

    Too often players are so excited to be playing again that they rush out and start playing with no preparation and before they know it half the season is gone and they are playing the same frustrating golf that they did last year. Make 2008 different and make it a season of the best golf you have ever played by taking the time to prepare to play well.

    The first step is to check your equipment. Clean your club heads of any dirt or grime that may be left over from last season. Check your grips and clean them with some warm water and a scrubbing brush and then dry them with a clean towel. If they are hard, cracked or shiny, they cannot be cannot be saved and you should get them replaced. The tackiness of clean or new grips will allow you to hold the club lightly and reduce the tension in your golf swing.

    Next, check your set make up. Is your driver as easy to hit, as you would like? Does it flight the ball high enough or too high? Should you consider getting fitted for a new driver which has a shaft flex and club head loft that matches your skill level and swing speed? Do you have any distance gaps in your set that could be filled with a utility club? Could you replace that difficult to hit 3 iron with one of the new easy to hit hybrids?

    Check the scoring clubs in your bag. Are the grooves on your wedges so worn that you cannot spin the ball with your chips and pitches? Could you add a gap wedge to fill any yardage gaps in your short game?