Is Golf an Easy Sport to Learn? | Golf is a Hard Game

It’s a common misconception that golf is a walk in the park. Although it might look easy on TV, learning to play can be a struggle if you’re just starting out.

With so many things to consider from your stance to your grip, it’s not easy dealing with all of the decisions you have to face just when you’re trying to take your swing or tip your head for a putt.

In fact, part of the challenge lies in having to practice drills and work hard for each shot rather than being able to fall back on natural talent!

Is Learning Golf Easy?

Home Putting

I have discussed this question quite a lot recently, especially with my golf buddies and the answer all depends on what you mean by “easy”.

If you are looking for instant success, then no, golf is not easy. It takes time, a lot of practice and dedication. From my personal experience, if you want to get a low handicap, you should take professional golf lessons.

I have been golfing for less than two years but have been lucky as during Covid19 I had lessons with a pro and played more than I would play before.

The problem I see is that a lot of people who start learning golf give up too early. You should practice 2-3 times a week, and see how it goes from there. It can be time-consuming but if you want to see the results you need to put the effort in. I have been working on my putting and golf swing 4-5 days a week whilst watching Netflix in the evenings.

There are many tools and accessories that could help you master your putting and golf swing from the comfort of your own at home which will prepare you for hitting the golf course but it’s only up to you and your commitment.

Golf is a Hard Game!

People say that golf is hard to play for one main reason: the amount of practice it takes to get good at it.

Although there are tons of other factors that contribute to making golf hard to play, like weather conditions and terrain, the most important factor by far is the intense amount of practice that a golfer has to put in to perfect their skills.

Take Tiger Woods for an example and you will see what I mean!

To truly get good at golf, all of the skills that a golfer uses have to be perfected over time. How much time it takes to practice these skills varies from person to person based on how much work they put into their game.

Some people can make this progress in a relatively short amount of time, while others can take many years.

As mentioned above Tiger Woods played golf since he was three years old. He had to put in well over two decades worth of practice to become as good as he is today!

Ben Crenshaw

“Golf is the hardest game in the world. There is no way you can ever get it. Just when you think you do, the game jumps up and puts you in your place.”

But remember golf is not just a physical game, playing it well requires a lot of thinking and strategy. Not only does this make the game more frustrating, but it also makes its difficulty more of a mental one.

Do I Need Golf Lessons?

I have watched many golf videos on YouTube, Instagram, Tik-Tok, you name it, but when it comes to golf there is no substitute for a knowledgeable golf instructor or coach. There are thousands of videos on the internet showing you

ow to swing the club but the amount of information for beginner golfer can easily get overwhelming.

The good thing about lessons with golf pro are that you have the opportunity to ask questions, you will get to analyse your swing during the session and work on improvements that will help you become a better player.

If you are just looking for a quick fix, one single lesson isn’t going to do it. Golf requires a lot of practice, not just physically but also mentally. Of course, this is all individual, but I recommend having at least a golf lesson every month to discuss your progress and goals.

This is only to get you started and you can then decide for yourself if you need more lessons. Once you are up and running you can also ask your instructor if he thinks you need more lessons.

Golfers also need a lot of patience, especially if you are a beginner golfer. It is going to take time and effort to master all the fundamentals, but once everything starts clicking it becomes a whole lot easier.

Even the best golfers in the world are constantly working on their game. If you want to be good at golf or even just improve your game, I recommend setting goals and learning from your mistakes.

This way you will be able to track your progress and easily see if there is room for improvement. Lastly, it is important that golfer’s enjoy playing the game or they won’t stick around for long.

It can get frustrating when you hit a bad shot, but the golfer must keep in mind that it is part of the game. You can’t always hit a perfect drive or hole-out every time, so you might as well enjoy playing golf even if you make mistakes.

What is a Good Golf Handicap?

Golf handicap is a number indicating the skill level of a player for a particular golf course as calculated by the USGA and the R&A, the governing bodies of golf in the United States and the UK respectively. This handicap is used by golfers to allow them to compete in an equitable way against others who may be at a different level of ability.

If you are keen to learn more about World Handicap system (WHS), the USGA (United States Golf Association) has detailed description on the WHS. Having a handicap in place is also nice when golfing with your friends. Some friends are better than others but you want to all go out and have fun.

Though there is no set definition for what constitutes a good golf handicap, if you are in the single digits, you are pretty much there. Though not quite a scratch player, you have plenty of experience and get around the course well.

If your handicap is between 10 to 15, you are well above average and would be considered good by most standards. For the rest of the golfers near the middle and above, it’s all about practice and experience. Most golfers do not become good without years of dedication and effort.

What is the Average Golf Score for Beginners?

An average golfer shoots a score of about 95, but the vast majority of golfers shoot a score between 85 and 100. That means beginners typically hit par or bogey on 70 percent of their holes. As you get better, your score will continue to decrease.

My golf has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Currently, I shoot in the low 90’s, but my best rounds are in the 80’s. I always try to play bogey golf but sometimes I play great and shoot even par or birdie. Some days are just not my day, so I shoot over 100.

Score Card

The only thing a beginner golfer should care about is relaxing and having fun. Golf can be quite a strenuous sport, so it’s important not to get too worked up over initial scores. The most important aspect of beginning golf is being patient with yourself and working from the ground up. Understandably, muscle memory is the best way for a newbie to improve their handicap so don’t be surprised if your friends start telling you, “Wow! You’re really improving!” while out on the course one day.

If you consistently work on it while staying positive, you’ll become more confident in your ability to exceed beginner-level skills in no time at all! Most people who play golf do not keep track of their scores.

However, if they did, they probably would not be surprised at the results of a survey conducted by the National Golf Foundation. The study found that while only 15% of all golfers scored better than 90, 45% of all golfers scored more than 100 strokes per round.

How can I get better at golf?

Improving your golf is an ongoing process. You can’t just play one good round and expect to get better. Getting better at golf happens when you have a plan in place.

Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned player, there are several ways to improve your game.

What really helped my golf game were lessons with a professional golf coach followed by hard work and practice at home. It’s not a bad idea to invest in portable putting green that you can use at home while you watch tv.

You can also use it for fun putting competitions with the rest of the family.

If you have a garden you can get a reasonably priced foldable golf net which is good for practicing and will save you money in the long run.

Portable Golf Net

The best way to spice up your practice is hitting the balls at your local driving range where you can try what you have learned from the lessons, but also you get a chance to meet like-minded people who, from my experience, can take a video or a picture of your swing so you can analyze your progress.

The good thing about the driving range is that you get to know golfers of various qualities and that can help boost your confidence. After a few sessions at the driving range, and once you feel more comfortable, I would suggest that you hit the golf course at a time when it’s not too busy so you can play on your own and practice various shots.

Just be prepared that, just like most of us beginner golfers, you will be losing a few golf balls.

Conclusion

When learning golf, the most important part is to keep in mind that you are doing it for fun. Golf can be very frustrating if you take it too seriously. Being able to relax and enjoy yourself on the course will go a long way when it comes to learning golf.

Golf lessons are great if you’re serious about getting good at the game, but they might not be the best choice for people who want to learn golf simply because they want to spend time with their friends or spouse during their free time.

Once you know the fundamentals of this amazing game I recommend you to go out and hit those fairways!

The Golf Bandit
The Golf Bandit

Hi, I'm Jan. I love golf and I have been playing for a while now. I really enjoy trying out new golf clubs and equipment, and like to review them on my blog. I consider myself lucky as I have access to the latest clubs and gadgets, so I can get a feel for how they perform on the golf course. I also like to share my tips and tricks on how to improve your game, so if you're looking for help with that then look no further! Thanks for visiting, and I hope you find something useful here.

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