Golf is natural !

[John_Findlay]

Ok guys. Let's face it. We've all played tennis, table tennis, badminton, football, cricket.

They're easy! Why's golf so hard? Have we fallen into the trap of our swings? Just aim it and hit it!

Comments please.

 

[DCB]

J_F

The main problem is the classic paralysis by analysis. We don't have enough time to pracice what we learn to make it become second nature, so we end up trying to play and thinking about too many things instead of just letting it happen. More a case of concious incompetece rather than unconcious competence.

We have all had nightmare rounds because of this I'm sure. We just need to "aim it and hit it!" and

 

[stevelockie]

Margin for error in hitting a golf ball is so small, in other ball sports you're only hitting over to the other side of the court, or to the edge of the field. In golf you have to hit the ball anywhere between 10 and 300 (I wish) yards, with accuracy.

I do think we are all guilty of making the game harder than it is, but hitting a golf ball consistently well is a hard thing to do in the first place.

 

[AliB]

Hi John
this is somethng I thought about almost as soon as I took up golf, because as an (ex)-tennis player I found golf ten times harder. I decided it's because in other ball games it's mostly about reacting to your opponent and when the game speeds up your own play can become (on a good day!) spontaneous. You don't plan a shot except in a momentary and instinctive way. Let's face it, there is nothing spontaneous about golf. It's like playing a serve every time (except you then have to retrieve your ball and do it again!)It's the ultimate individual challenge.
IMHO this also makes the game ten times harder psycholigically. Even a snooker player can blame a bad frame or match on his opponent's inspired play. Golf is totally individual and apart from the odd bit of gamesmanship, you rarely have anyone to blame for bad shots except yourself.
Hence the ever-present danger of mental melt-down on the golf-course!
cheers

AliB

 

[time_vans]

just read an article by luke donald in which he describes himself as having a 'natural swing' at age 11 suppose that relates to how ronnie o sullivan plays snooker. for most though it is a case of learning how to play well/better hence the need for coaching in all sports.

 

[birdieman]

The fact it's hard makes it great, if it was easy we wouldn't bother ourselves.

 

[RGuk]

I'm not so sure I agree with the comment about over analysis. I'm a pretty bad sportsman in general terms (football etc.) but have a fair aptitude towards accuracy sports. I play snooker well (if not very well) and was a good spin bowler in my time too.
I was keen to get half decent at golf and ended up taking regular lessons and reading lots and lots about the mechanics of a good swing. Without the analysis, I'd still be floating around the 24-26 mark. What I do is practice with the help of the theory from the lessons and my general knowledge and have played to a decent standard. What I don't do is get too "into things" on the course, I just let it happen and work on specific problems next time at the range. If I notice a tendency to push or pull it out on the course, I might think a little before each shot, but not paralyzed, as it were, into a spiral of over-complicating.

The maths suggests hitting it well is a slim ambition, but that's why we keep coming back for more agony/ecstasy.

What I do believe is that if the core elements are there, it's just practice and talent. With a bad grip or posture or desperately bad plane or path we are all doomed. Get these things half correct with the help of a pro, then go and hit the damned thing....yes....!!

Dave

 

[viscount17]

I think this is where my simplified swing thought comes in . . always remember the object of the exercise is to hit the ball. I find that's enough to worry about!

It may also explain why I'm not very good . . . . (yet!)