What makes golf so hard

This results in two things happening because of the lower backspin generated. A golfer needs to take the possibility of a flier into account when playing their shot in these circumstances. Lie also refers to the ball position on inclines either at 90 degrees to the golfers stance, or in line with it. For a right handed golfer, the ball will tend to move left in the air when this shot is played, so an adjustment to alignment and aim need to be made to compensate.

An uphill lie is where the ball comes to rest on an incline that is parallel with the feet and intended direction of shot. The solution to this is to use a lower lofted club to club up to compensate. A downhill lie is the opposite and the ball will tend to fly lower and further than normal. A higher lofted club is used to get a more normal ball flight. Of course, we can encounter any combination of these lies and frequently do, so for example the ball may be above our feet on an uphill lie.

Assessing the lie is one of the key skills of golf and it takes a lot of experience to be able to play shots well from all lies. Golf course designers add hazards to a course in order to present variety and challenges to the golfer. The main hazards are:. The most difficult weather variable to play in is strong wind. This will affect the ball flight and if it is gusting can be difficult to work with.

Rain slows down the ball in flight and on the ground. It also means the golfer donning wet weather gear to attempt to stay dry. So yes, because of the range of variables encountered, golf is difficult.

Dealing with these difficulties is the challenge and what makes golf so compelling as a game. Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions. That takes a very high level of skill. One more than a scratch golfer — a golf professional if you like. So what makes golf difficult? The shots The Tee Shot The tee shot, the first shot on each hole is the first variable and is largely determined by the par of the hole. Par 5 Tee Shots A long par five will be straight forward with few problems to trap the golfer and a short par five can be expected to present difficulties to compensate for lack of length.

Those difficulties will be one or more of: Narrow fairways Dog Legs Trees Rough Bunkers Sloping Terrain Elevation Changes Water Hazards Rough Bunkers Multi level or sloping greens Drop offs The most likely choice of club for a par 5 tee shot is a driver or occasionally a three wood if any of the course difficulties, or combination of them, are present. Shots from the fairway A good tee shot will land the ball on the fairway which is the strip of cut grass between tee and green. Shots from the fairway will be either: The second shot on a par 5 with a long iron or 3 wood.

Hazards Golf course designers add hazards to a course in order to present variety and challenges to the golfer. The main hazards are: The rough — any ground which is off the fairway Trees — either lining a fairway, or sometimes on it Bunkers — sand traps used to effectively narrow a fairway or make a green more difficult to hit Water — this can be anything from a lake to a small drainage channel OOB — out of bounds areas are sometimes designated to deter golfers from hitting balls onto nearby property The weather The most difficult weather variable to play in is strong wind.

Related Posts. Is Golf a Sport. Your body will move naturally to accommodate your hands and arms. Also remember that unless you have the talent of a tour player then looking at their swings, listening to what they have to say, and what their teachers have to say is a total waste of time and will ruin your swing.

For more simple tips and swing drills check out this YouTube channel. The feedback from golfers is really positive. Cover Photo via Flickr. Sam Adams is a Life Member of the PGA of America with over thirty years of experience working with golfers of all ability levels from tour players to beginners. He has also had a love for all things golf since early childhood. He enjoys writing about golf topics that he finds interesting, but his true expertise is in writing about and simplifying golf instruction for the average golfer.

If you enjoy what he writes about then you might like to join his 2, plus friends on Facebook. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. About the Author Latest Posts. If you play in the morning, the due-covered fairways and greens slow your ball down. Then the course changes based on the weather. Wind and rain affect the flight of the ball and your mental game, so do humid and cold conditions. If you can understand how the courses change based on the conditions, then you can tailor your game a lot more easily to match.

When you play football or basketball, you can see the arena your playing in and how to navigate your way around it. Also, you could tee off with any club you like.

Are you meant to use a sand wedge? Matching your club selection to every shot you play is key to success, but you also have to play it as you see it, and make it up as you go along, there is no set way to approach each hole. When you play golf, you are not alone and there is often a bunch of spectators, especially at the first tee.

One thing no one can teach you is how to keep your mind straight. You can spend all the money in the world on clubs, golf pros, practicing all0day every day at the driving range, and walk up to the first tee and choke. Do you really think your golf buddies care if you hit a bogie or three?

What sport does this to a person? In most sports, you can pass the ball and dodge the responsibility at times. A round of golf is like you taking 90 free throws in basketball and each one counts to win the game.

The final reason golf is so hard is that it requires you to do all of the things I have just described all at the same time. The game is constant and all parts of it are in motion all the time. Why Is Golf So Hard? There are three types of clubs to learn how to swing If you play football or basketball, there is just one object to get your head around, the ball and how to throw, catch, and shoot it.