It isn’t difficult to hit a golf ball. It’s just challenging a golf ball well. This is because you’re attempting to hit a small object, with a small club face at speed in a specific direction to a point a set distance away.
Golf is a challenging sport to play well consistently. The golf swing is a string of movements which need to be repeatedly combined together as well as timed well, with a very small margin for error. Golf also grants a number of mental challenges and necessitates a large amount of time, and frequently money, to master.
While golf is hard to play well consistently, it is also fun and can also be addictive. Hitting a great shot, however occasionally, feels great. Golfers often become addicted to seeing if another brilliant shot is coming up with their next stroke.
Why The Golf Course Can Present A Challenge
No other sport or game, other than golf, has a playing field so vast and a goal of only 4 ¼ inches. It involves many intrinsic aspects that are out of the golfer’s control. For example, control of the golf ball is difficult. Even the most complex swing “machines” cannot duplicate golf shots to its precise target. What about the absurdity of an ace? A hole-in-one, one of the best shots that can occur, still counts one stroke against your score.
Unlike most other sports, the course on which golf is played doesn’t have standard dimensions or characteristics. The big-ticket team sports – such as rugby or soccer – are standardised regarding the design of the area that they are played on, no matter which country in the world you are in. Golf courses are designed in order to test every skill which is required of a golfer, namely:
- Driving the ball accurately,
- Hitting long and short iron shots,
- Pitching and chipping,
- Sand shots, and
Complex Rules
The scoring system, which puts a ‘scoring par’ for each hole, means that the average golfer will probably have to face up to having technically ‘failed’ on each and every hole. In addition, the fact that every shot counts makes it more challenging as compared to other types of sports.
A tennis player is able to have a 2nd serve, a batter at baseball or cricket may ‘foul’ or miss a ball and then get another go without penalty. This is as opposed to soccer, American football or rugby player who can miss a tackle without it necessarily resulting in an opposition goal, touchdown or – alternatively – try. Knowing all about the sport, even when you’re looking for horse racing betting tips, will always give you the edge.
In golf every shot counts without exclusion.
Golfers also spend a small fraction of the amount of time out on the course really hitting the golf ball – just a few minutes over a 2½ – 4-hour round – so in order to maintain concentration, and repeat an already complex golf swing consistently, is tough to focus on and achieve.
The Golf Swing
The golf swing itself in the meantime is an unnatural and complex series of muscle movements which need to be combined together and timed well repeatedly. Flexible and strong, upper and lower body, muscles are required and need to be merged with hand-eye co-ordination to keep a consistent swing.