Here is a fact that very few people want to acknowledge: the game of golf is an extremely difficult game to learn and to maintain proficiency. The game of golf is a challenging game for people who like challenge. Golf is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a game you can never master, but the challenge is in trying to master each of the various facets of the game. Because golf is so difficult, the game is not well suited to the perfectionist, the overly emotional, the easily frustrated, or the multitasker. This does not mean they cannot play golf, it just means they will derive little joy from the game.
Here are some of the reasons why I think that golf is such a difficult game:
We are human
Golf shows us every day that we are humans and not robots. What is needed to play golf consistently is better suited to robots. Golf requires the execution of the same motion over and over; difficult for most humans. Golf requires extreme precision; another challenge for us humans. Humans are like a box of chocolates, we never know what you will get (how you will perform on the golf course from one shot to another.)
Golf is a Game of Feel
Golf is a game that requires the golfer to feel the golf swing. This is why young children can learn a correct golf swing more quickly than an adult. Young children can feel their bodies and are aware of what their bodies do. When young children make a swing and achieve a decent ball flight, they are more likely to be able to repeat the swing. When adults make a swing and achieve a decent ball flight, they are more likely to wonder what happened: the adult has no clue about the swing that was just executed.
Successful Adult Habits are an Obstacle to Playing Consistent Golf
My blog, “It is a Challenge for Adults to Learn the Golf Swing” describes that successful adults want to do a little “extra”, try harder, and try to hit the ball or try to help the ball in the air. All of these “natural” habits of successful adults sabotage the learning of a consistent golf swing. Unless the successful adult finds a way to block these “natural” habits, the chance to develop a consistent and efficient swing is very low.
The Fundamentals Required to Play Golf Well are not Obvious or Logical
The most illogical aspect of the game of golf is that the objective is not about hitting the ball. Rather, the objective is to execute a repeating and efficient motion. Another important but not obvious aspect about golf is that golf is a mental game. Golf requires the golfer to focus on areas that make no sense to the average golfer.
The golfer must focus on making a proper grip, address position, stance, and posture and including them into a precise pre-shot routine. The golfer must focus on using his personal rhythm and executing an efficient motion. Most golfers know these fundamentals but most golfers do not seriously practice these fundamentals. Failure to precisely execute these fundamentals greatly reduces the chance of playing consistent golf.
Hitting the Ball is the Biggest Distraction
As mentioned before, the game of golf is not about hitting the ball. But for most golfers, the “hit the ball” thought overwhelms any attempt to focus on executing the fundamentals in order to play golf well. For most golfers, this focus on hitting the ball will forever prevent them from playing consistent golf.
Golf is an Extremely Precise Game
Golf is so precise that the margin of error is measured in a few degrees, a sixteenth of an inch, and a few milliseconds. A shot that is one or two degrees offline, teed a little too high, or executed with a slightly different rhythm can result in a less than desirable outcome.
Unrealistic Expectations
Most golfers have unrealistic expectations on how they should play. Golf is a game of misses and the objective in learning to play golf is to have better misses. This is hard to accept by most golfers. So the game becomes a very frustrating endeavor.
Hard to Remember
It is very difficult to remember the precise mental and physical process required to generate a successful golf shot. Successful adult habits, focusing on hitting the ball, and other distracting thoughts makes it extremely difficult for the average golfer to remember what to do to generate a good shot. Golf is a mental game that requires a strong mental discipline.
Golf Instruction is not Properly Focused
Golf instruction is about trying to fix whatever the golfer believes needs to be fixed. This is evident by observing what the golfers are doing or not doing at the practice range. The average golfer does not have a rhythmic swing. No one on the practice range is practicing a pre-shot routine. Most golfers on the range are trying to hit the ball or trying to help the ball in the air.
The best golf swing method I have seen so far is the method of Dr. Kwon, a biomechanics professor at Texas Woman’s University. He teaches his students how to have a rhythmic and efficient swing motion. He does not teach how to hit the ball.
You Still Need to Get the Ball into the Hole
The average golfer spends most of the practice time at the driving range. Even if the golfer can drive the ball over 300 yards, if the golfer cannot avoid three-putts and make more one- putts, the scores will not be very good. The driving range is crowded with golfers while the practice putting green is empty.
Yes, the game of golf is a really hard game. It is time to acknowledge this and just focus on executing a rhythmic and efficient swing, proper use of the fingers, and adopting a realistic attitude towards the game.