Everybody who takes up golf as a hobby quickly comes to realise how difficult the game can be. Watching the game played on television gives a false idea that it is a game which can quickly be learned and developed to a proficient level. After all what can be difficult? There is one stationary ball, one club and one target - simple. The deception is that every sport which is shown on television is presented being played by those at the top of their profession.
But that does not deter many from accepting the challenge, because that is what golf is - a challenge. From the outset the first experience is usually with a friend who probably has more enthusiasm than ability. He wants to show you around his golf club of which he is truly proud. He has the right attitude by offering to show you the ropes but his teaching abilities may be non existent.
After a few rounds in his company it usually becomes apparent that more help is need if one is to make any progress. First of all we throw away the old clubs we found in some ones garage and buy a set we are told will guarantee long straight shots. That should help us to improve. For a while it might but then we seem to be back at square one.
Perhaps we should seek some professional aid. Call in at the pro's shop and book a series of lessons. But why you might ask would you need more than one lesson? Remember one ball, one club, one target. How long should you need to be taught about how to manage that situation.
Well there are hundreds of things you need to know and most of them you will never learn. How many times have you been told to keep your head down? How many times have you been told to swing slowly? And you never learn.
So after a series of lessons you have learned how it is that the pro manages to play golf to a good standard. He teaches you what it is that works for him but you need to know what it is that works for you. Probably your technique could do with a little tweaking. We must realise that humans have a great ability to imitate. We watch sport either live or on television and try to emulate the favourite players. So if we bought a video they have made and copy what they do probably that would hold the clue. Once again it seems to work for a while and then back to the beginning.
Then it suddenly dawns on you that if some people can play this game with, what appears to be, apparent ease they must have a secret. Do they have a friend who gave them the secret. Have they been somewhere where they have seen the secret. Have they spent a large amount of money and bought the secret. Probably not but you come to realise that there is a secret. If some can play with great success, and other can't, there must be a secret.
Well I have been there, done that, and I have finally found the secret. I am now able to concentrate on improving my game. I am learning to hit the ball further, play the short irons more accurately and can putt with great regularity. As a result I am slowly reducing my handicap. There must be times when you feel you would benefit if you could only find the secret.