Why Do You Think HI's Haven't Come Down?
 

Various studies show that the average male golfer still shoots around 100 and drives the ball approximately 200 yards, even with the advent of new equipment.

IMHO a lot of this has to do with golf turnover, i.e., people quit and others pick up the game, people don't have time to practice and if they did they'd rather use the time playing rather than practicing. When it comes down to it the swing is the thing. However, even if people take lessons many derive no benefit because they don't stick with it and fall back on old habits. Another study, and I wish I could remember where I read it, showed that the majority of golfers peak after three years...and won't get any better after that.

As we all know golf takes a certain degree of dedication, commitment, and willingness to put in the time and effort to improve. However, the vast majority of golfers won't do that.

What is your opinion on why HI's haven't come down to any appreciable degree?

Commitment to improvement. Not effort, plenty of that at every golf shop and range. Failure to establish and commit to a plan of improvement with the help of an instructor. There is very little honest self-evaluation in the game of golf. I have a friend who can hit a five iron 200 yards but cannot get out of a bunker to save his life or hit a soft pitch shot. Yet he never gets fitted for wedges properly or takes a short game lesson.

dodger,
As that famous philosopher, Mr. Stanley Laurel, so aptly stated, "You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead."
I'll bet no amount of coaxing will get the guy to take a look at that first dvd in Alignment Golf. I'll also bet when you talk to him about educating his hands he just gives that vacant look.

From the players and instructors I have observed and spoken to over the years I believe you have just about nailed it Sean. A general lack of effort from both the players and instructors – thankfully there are a few noticeable exceptions but don’t expect much to change anytime soon.
Given the attitude and life styles of many of the younger generations (drugs, obesity, apathy etc) should we be surprised if it does not improve?

It's kind of sad, really. Of course, there are those who have no inclination to improve and they are out on the course to hang out with friends, smoke a cigar, and have a beer or two. And, that's okay.

Then there are those who complain all the time at not getting better but don't do anything it.

Golfers are like voters.......
 

....They don't understand the issues (Basic fundamentals).
Everyone thinks , even tho they have 8-40 things wrong w/ their grip, address, swing, etc., they are only one fault corrected away from sucess.
But that does not exclude or excuse the majority of the so called professionals from contributing to ones failure. Could write pages about this as I have personally known dozens of teachers, taken more lessons than I'd like to admit.......
I've been around a long time, age 79, played for 50+ years, played w/ all caliber of golfers, several names you would reconize, had a +1 handicap for a period, usually a low single digit, shot 73 last week from senior (not super senior) tees.
Helping the average guy to shoot 100 are those amateurs who constantly give him or her advice.
Pick your teacher w/ care!
Maybe we can have an expanded discussion on this subject.
I.e. , why do we use the term "grip the club" instead of "place your hands on the club ......."
Or- you are the instructor, student has many faults, grip, posture, backswing, weight shift.....you name it....wants one lesson.....where do you start /what do you attempt to change?

Respectfully, I think it's too easy to blame the teacher...

hanging your golf swing is difficult. You have to learn a new mechanical procedure. You have to translate that mechanic into a feel that works for you. The teachers work is pretty much done at this point except for coaching.

Now, you need to take that new mechanic and become proficient at it. You need to be able to repeat it. When you can repeat it, you need to find a way to bring that new mechanic to the course with your new feel. You have to remember what you are trying to accomplish with that mechanic while not hitting the little white ball outside the stakes on the left, or into the water on the right.

Even if it seems to work right away, you need to putt when you get to the green. Remember that part? That's right, I've been focusing so hard on my new swing mechanic that I forgot to practice putting. Now the score runs right back up and I've thrown away all my good swing work. Now I get to the next tee, I'm pissed, and I revert right back to my old habit and forget the new feel.

We are all looking for that magic bullet. It's not there. The student has got to go to work to make the new mechanic stick, and to remember and replicate that new feel.

There are good teachers and bad teachers, but the student has to do the time. The student has got to put in the effort. It takes a good teacher, good student, then a good follow up with the teacher becoming a COACH to really get better.

Just my opinion.

Kevin

I have always released the club too early and in the off season have been working hard on being in a good position at impact. It's still a work in progress and sometimes can get very discouraging. But, I either learn to do this or settle for mediocre golf.

We all have seen the diversity of swings on Tour. But, IMHO, what they all have in common is what takes place when the club head hits the ball. It seems to me, and I could be wrong, that it doesn't matter how the club gets to that position as long as it does so.

I wonder if golfers would improve if they learned how to do that.

Here is a gem I found today from our friend Ralph. Just as you say...

"The only purpose of the golf swing is to move the club through the ball square to the target at maximum speed. How this is done is of no significance at all, so long as the method employed enables it to be done repetitively."--John Jacobs

My opinion is that there are some things that have improved golfer's results and some things that have made the game harder.

The new drivers are improving golfer results. The hit it longer and their miss dispersion is tighter. But to combat that the courses are now longer and are more 'carry oriented.' Lot less letting the ball run up to the green or run down the fairway. They call it 'target golf', I all it 'carry golf.' And a lot more water in today's courses. Before 1985, how many times did you see an island green?

But on the other hand, the greens are generally in better shape so more putts *should* fall.

I firmly believe though that the Game Improvement irons and clubfitting has basically allowed golfers to just further incorporate their flaws and compensations into their swing.

I think the teaching is getting *better*, but still woefully behind. I think HK put us on the right path, but after his death it took roughly 20 years to start getting the ball rolling again.




3JACK

The constant watering of fairways and rough don't help the HI either. A wonderful Bobby Weed designed links style golf course near my home was built with the most wonderful rolling fairways, but there is so much irrigation the ball lands and stops. A course originally designed to have the game played more on the ground is now just like every other course in the area.
I am sure this is largely in response to the uneducated golfer demanding green grass everywhere they look. This superb golf course now plays like every other golf course in the area.
I guess that is actually a whole different matter.

Now, if I could only do as we say. :-) I've been playing golf seriously for four years and until about 6 weeks I didn't realize this. I hope it is something I can learn repetitively as Mr. Jacobs said.

Despite all that things haven't changed that much score wise in the past quarter century. I think some courses should be designed for the average golfer in mind, not the 1% that they currently are.

It does get mundane. I played a links course last season that wouldn't allow the golfer to play a long the ground. A bit disappointing.

This subject is brought up frequently, and I think: Golf has been played for hundreds of years. Why should the average handicap suddenly start to drop? Because we are a lot more talented than our forefathers? Because we put more time and devotion into the game?

Golf has become a mass sport. I would think many who play golf today are infrequent flyers who also do a lot of other things and never really put in the time to learn the game.

So I'll actually take it as a sign of progress if the average handicap hasn't gone up actually.

How many scratch and plus handicappers are there today compared to 50 years ago?