Like most of the world’s most popular sports, golf has always been surrounded by myths and misconceptions, most often by those that don’t play the game regularly. Most of these misconceptions tend to be inconsequential, while others can cause potential players to lose interest before they can even give the game a try. These are some of the most common myths associated with golf.
Professional Golfing Is Easy
This myth seems logical at first. Many professional golfers are some of the wealthiest and most praised athletes in the world, and they managed to attain all their wealth and popularity by playing their favourite game, meaning that it would be the ultimate career for those that love golf. The reality is not quite as glamorous as it appears, and is much harder than getting bonuses for signing up to a favourite betting game. Getting to a professional level means putting in thousands of hours of practice, and many golf trainers have noted that for the most part, pro players spend the majority of their time getting their shots wrong. It takes years of dedication and sacrifice to get that perfect shot needed to win a tournament, and for most golfers – even many pros – this never becomes a reality.
Keeping Your Head Down
Another extremely common misconception is the idea that a golfer needs to keep their head down whenever they are taking a shot. This is so widespread, in fact, that it’s not uncommon to come across beginner golfers that take this advice to heart. While it’s definitely a good idea for a golfer to keep their head down when putting, it simply isn’t necessary during full swings. In fact, it can cause the golfer to overcompensate due to not having better range of motion. It’s a common myth among beginner golfers due to the fact that they tend to focus on making contact with the ball as much as possible, especially when making a full swing – and this means having to keep their head down and focused on the ball. It’s something that is lost as the golfer becomes more comfortable with making swings and connecting correctly.
Golf Doesn’t Require Stamina
It’s fairly common to hear a non-golfer say that golf doesn’t require as much stamina as most other sports, as the golfer spends most of their time just walking. And while it’s true that golf doesn’t require the same rigorous training as sports like rugby or cricket, it’s not true that just anyone can go out and play without getting tired. Walking the greens on a hot afternoon for a number of hours can be exhausting, and many pro golfers spend a lot of their time training their overall stamina so that they don’t tire out too quickly on the course.
Learning The Wrong Lessons
Many golfers fall into the trap of taking an outcome and using it for all of their future practicing. A good example of how the ball might behave during a certain swing, and then the golfer believing that they will be able to reproduce the same outcome every time. The nature of golf, however, is that the ball will usually not land in the same place, no matter what.