GOLF:

It is that time of year when we all make grandiose statements of how we are going to change.

No more fast food, cut back on the beer, hit the gym, go to church, help old ladies across the street. All noble quests, and many of them are forgotten by January 3.

Golfers have a little more resolve when making commitments to their game. I have already pledged to play some courses I’ve always wanted to play in the new year.

John Van and Gary McClanahan are no different. The two golfers were at Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club the day before the first of the year hitting balls at the driving range.

Van, who lives in Huntington Beach, picked up the game after a long lay off. He has been at it six months, determined to improve.

“I want to take lessons,” Van said. “That’s my resolution.”

Van is about to be a father and his bonding days with his buddies at the bar are over, but he will be allowed to go out and play some golf with them.

“I have a friend that is a member at SeaCliff Country Club and he is ridiculously good,” Van said. “I go out with him a lot and don’t want to embarrass myself.”

McClanahan’s resolution is like most golfer’s and that is to play more. The 50-year-old lives within walking distance to Costa Mesa and can hear the starter’s announcements from his backyard.

McClanahan has the luxury of being able to steal away time from work and now plays once a week. He would like to see that double.

“I definitely want to play more golf,” McClanahan said. “I have a group that plays on Wednesday and another that plays every other Friday. I want to play with them more.”

Some of the more common resolutions are to play more and to improve, but sticking with those pledges often don’t happen, said Andy Crinella, one of the assistant professionals at the course.

“They want to get their game in shape,” Crinella said. “It’s always a new year’s resolution, but a lot of them don’t stick with it.”

Crinella said lessons are important but applying what you’ve learned out on the golf course is just as vital.

“They have to play,” Crinella said. “We can have people take lessons, but if they don’t play they aren’t going to get better. I would rather see someone take two or three lessons and play than take four or six and not play.”

Crinella said keeping golfers interested is definitely his job.

“Some people are afraid to play or get busy,” Crinella said. “You’re like a coach with them. You try and get them motivated.”

Once those rudimentary resolutions are met you can move on to other goals, like getting to that favorite course you haven’t played or buying a new set of golf clubs.

I have been lucky to play Augusta National and Pebble Beach, but I want to scratch Los Angeles Country Club and Cypress off my list of places to play. Determination is the key.

EDITOR’S NOTE: John Reger’s golf column appears Thursdays, but due to year-end special stories it ran on Friday. It will return to Thursday next week.