Well, as for golf itself…nothing. It’s the different facets of the game that pose a problem. I recently woke up to an infomercial of this guy that is supposedly the king of long driving contests. He was selling a special driver that will hammer the ball a thousand yards…maybe not a thousand but you get the idea.
What’s my beef? They’re hurting the game instead of helping it. They promote driving the ball into outer space as the most important thing. I understand they are trying to sell a product but they are also trying to appeal to golfers by saying “It’s all about driving.” Ever heard the expression “Drive for show, putt for dough”…?
Drive for show. In other words, it’s an act put on to garner attention. You got it, a show. Golfers shouldn’t be taught “You’ll be the coolest cat in the club house because you can drive 400 yards!” There should be some respect to the game and etiquette required. I guess that’s why it was an infomercial in the 3:00 a.m. slot.
As much as I stink at golf, I still honor the tradition and skill it takes to play. We may joke about it and what not but we still love it. I guess it bothers me to see people trying to make money by soliciting the wrong values and embedding ideas that stray from the truth. Just my $0.02…
Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!
Accuracy and repeatability is more crucial to Golf than raw distance, and for 99.9% of golfers should not be their goal. Too many will spend $400. on that “magic driver” and play-and-spray all-over the course…yet REFUSE to spend a nickel on proper lessons.
Very true, Ted. I never heard a company boast that their wedges find the green more than any other…
Pete
Amen, Brother! I have said that for years. I learned this lesson many years ago when I was in my late twenties and a 70 year old golfer took me for lunch. 175 straight down the middle and he could chip and putt like nobody’s business! It was a cheap lesson for sure.
Cheers
Jim
The older more experienced golfers have it right. I guess with age comes wisdom…
I’ve been worried about the game for a long time. I believe it has fundamentally changed due to the emphasis on distance. The design and setup of golf courses being made today promote this home run philosophy and has lead to unexciting green complexes as the main goal is just to get there. The courses we see on TV are generally inaccessible to the average golfer and we do not see the good designs often. Not that it makes any difference as courses are set up either long or resembling US Open conditions on a regular basis even as we’re told to move up.