Alas, it is time to say goodbye to 2009 and look ahead to 2010. What will the year hold? Have you set any resolutions? With a little reflection, focus and goal setting, the year ahead could be a time of vast improvement for your golf game and life in general. Follow these few steps to start your year right and you might just surprise yourself.

Reflect. Ask yourself what worked for you in 2009 and what didn’t. Was your short game lacking? Need a bit more umph on your drives? Feel confident about your ability to read the greens?

Focus. Take a good look at what changes you want to make and be specific. Don’t just aim to be a better golfer. Focus on the things that can help you achieve that (longer drives, better putting, etc.) and set a date for when you will accomplish it.

Write it down. Put your goal in writing, whether in a journal, on your iPhone or even a mirror so you can be constantly reminded of what you intend to do.

Tell someone. Accountability will help keep you focused, on the right path and motivated come March. Tell your friends, golf coach, teammates and/or parents, and ask them to encourage you to reach your goal.

Get to work. You have thought about it and told people, but now it’s time to actually get to work. Practice hard. If you feel yourself losing steam at any point (which is bound to happen), get creative and explore new ways to get there. For instance want to add distance to your drives but tired of hitting endless balls at the range? Then hit the gym for some strength training for a change of scenery.

Enjoy the journey. Don’t wait for the final result to celebrate your progress. If you hope to clear a sand trap after the first try and not the seventh, have a mini-celebration when it happens on just five tries.

Be proud. And when you finally get there, don’t hold back. Be proud of the work you’ve done and the time you’ve spent getting there. Then it’s time to start all over again with some reflection, focus and an entirely new goal to take you to yet another level of accomplishment.

For even more helpful tips, check out this article from Real Simple. In the meantime, tell us your thoughts on New Year’s resolutions. What golf/life goals do you have for 2010?