Some things in golf don’t make sense. As a beginner, it’s natural to have plenty of questions. If the golfers around you respond with a shrug or a smirk, you’ve likely stumbled upon one of those quirks that leave even seasoned players shaking their heads.
Here are eight golf questions beginners ask that even most avid golfers can’t answer.
Why is an out-of-bounds tee shot penalty harsher than hitting into a water hazard?
If you hit a ball into a water hazard, you take a drop and add a penalty stroke. Of course, you have to pay attention to where the ball went in and there are a few other rules to follow.
Out of bounds? That’s a whole different deal. For that, you must go back to the tee, taking both a penalty stroke and the walk of shame.
An inch outside that white out-of-bounds stake or 100 yards yards into the ocean. Either way, you’re penalized more for the out-of-bounds miss.
It’s a rule that many golfers question, especially when they’re headed back to the tee box to hit their third shot.
Why does my swing feel great on the range but disappear on the course?
The range is a fun place to learn golf because there are endless do-overs. Although with the average price of a bucket of range balls, endless may be a bit of an exaggeration.
However, once you step onto the first tee, the pressure is on.
There are targets, a scorecard and a pencil with no eraser. If you want to get better at golf, learn how to add pressure while you are on the driving range. Practice under pressure and you’ll play better on the course.
The harder I try to fix my swing, the worse it gets. Why?
The simple answer for this one is the brain. The harder you try to fix a flaw in your game, the worse your swing can get because your brain overcomplicates the initial problem.
A golfer’s natural tendency to exaggerate the fix. They may be taking the club slightly inside so, to fix it, they take the club too far outside.
Try to always make slight adjustments. When possible, work on fixing your swing from waist-high to waist-high. If you get the impact position right, the rest will fall into place.
Why does the golfer who made the hole-in-one have to buy the drinks?
You hit a better shot than any golfer in your group (or likely anyone on the golf course that day) but you may still end up with the biggest bar tab.
Doesn’t it seem like everyone else in the foursome should be buying you drinks?
Why does anything made specifically for golfers cost so much?
Have you noticed that a regular polo or collared shirt costs a lot less than one that’s built specifically for golfers? We know there are things like four-way stretch and moisture-wicking technology but let’s not kid ourselves. Everyone knows golfers spend money.
Everything in this sport is expensive and, at some point, we’ve all just accepted that it’s the price to pay for the sport we love.
Why are the most expensive golf balls always the first to end up in the water?
Brand-new golf balls are surprisingly easy to lose. But that beat-up, discolored ball you just found in the woods? Somehow that one will stay in play for multiple rounds.
Still, after plenty of testing and data analysis, we know that the golf balls that hurt the most to lose are the same ones that actually help you get the most out of your game. Do yourself a favor and play with a good ball that matches your skill level.
Why do golfers who slice try to fix other player’s slices?
Golfers love to give other golfers advice. It’s a funny thing to have a player who can’t hit a straight shot tell another player why they can’t hit a straight shot.
Beginners need to be careful about from whom they take advice. If you want to get better, take lessons from a professional.
Why do I always hit my best shot on the last hole?
Golf is a mean game but not mean enough that it wants you to quit. You’ll find that there is usually one shot that brings you back, even on the worst of days. For many of us, that may not even happen until the final hole.
Final thoughts
I know I said golf was a mean game, but maybe it’s more that we’re all on a constant quest to figure it out. After playing for more than 30 years, I’m not even close and I think that’s the best part about it.
Maybe it’s not eight conundrums, but 8,000. Why do we hit the worst shots with the most expensive balls? Why do putts always break more when we don’t account for it? Why do we stripe it on the range and top it on the first tee?
Golf doesn’t make sense, and it never will. That’s why we keep coming back.
Gerry Teigrob
1 year ago
From personal experience, I’ve noticed that too often, when I am focused on improving my swing, I try to force a shot and end up feeling more tense. Also rushing my backswing affects my end result. My natural swing is a relaxed backswing and an accelerated follow through. As for the driving range, we tend to use the driving range to warm up before we play. The pros usually spend more time on the practice green and save their range work for after the game. The reason why we use the driving range first is to work on what we anticipate the challenges will be without any purpose in our practice. So hitting the driving range after a round makes more sense than using it to warm-up initially. As well, when you are a novice player, it makes more sense to play a mixed bag of clubs and even just play a partial set. My background leans me more towards tinkering, which is why I love having both the Cobra F9 Speedback 4-SW; I also have the Cobra Speedzone 5-GW. I will try a variety of set makeups, with the goal to determine which combination of irons will work to my strengths.