How has forgiveness helped you?

[JB]

It's obvious that forgiveness is real and indisputable in the fact that it works. It's scientific as JB has eluded to, however I would be curious what the average handicap was say 20 - 15 - 10- 5 years ago to what it is now. Has it gone down? Has it gone up? No matter how forgiving the club or clubs are, one still has to put the ball in the hole in as little strokes as possible.

And they are, in less strokes than they did previously. Despite the bad attempts at media reporting that says the opposite, which is wrong, the average handicap has dropped multiple strokes since even 1990. According to Golf Digest 5+ years ago, it was down over 2 strokes (its more now).
This is with courses being longer (and far harder) and greens playing faster than generations ago.

From Golf Digest

We are getting better. And equipment technology is the reason.

Either that or we're in the midst of one of the most curious coincidences in the 500-year history of our game. First, to the evidence about us. The USGA is unequivocal about average golfers: Despite decades of naysayers and experts alike suggesting that the average handicap is not dropping, has not dropped and never will drop, the fact is, it has. Let's say that again: The average handicap of all golfers -- men, women and children -- has decreased consistently for the past 15 years. The average handicap today is two strokes better than it was in the early 1990s, according to research provided to Golf Digest by the USGA's Golf Handicap & Information Network (GHIN). This decrease coincides with a remarkable decade of equipment innovation that has brought us titanium drivers in every shape and size, game-changing hybrids and oversize putters.

Hope that helps

 

[McLovin]

It's obvious that forgiveness is real and indisputable in the fact that it works. It's scientific as JB has eluded to, however I would be curious what the average handicap was say 20 - 15 - 10- 5 years ago to what it is now. Has it gone down? Has it gone up? No matter how forgiving the club or clubs are, one still has to put the ball in the hole in as little strokes as possible.

i also think it's so much more complicated than this. the courses have changed. people are in worse physical shape and have less time to devote to practicing the game. i don't think it can just be pinned on equipment.

the confounding variable to all of this is the golfer, the placebo effect and confirmation bias/cognitive dissonance. there is nothing about a robot's swing that should make a blade easier to hit than an sgi iron. trout bum talks about not even being able to get the (s)gi irons he was testing in the air, but he's playing blades. but we aren't robots, we all have our preferences and those can lead to different swings with different types of clubs. the only thing that matters is playing gear that makes you happy.

 

[JB]

i also think it's so much more complicated than this. the courses have changed. people are in worse physical shape and have less time to devote to practicing the game. i don't think it can just be pinned on equipment.

the confounding variable to all of this is the golfer, the placebo effect and confirmation bias/cognitive dissonance. there is nothing about a robot's swing that should make a blade easier to hit than an sgi iron. trout bum talks about not even being able to get the (s)gi irons he was testing in the air, but he's playing blades. but we aren't robots, we all have our preferences and those can lead to different swings with different types of clubs. the only thing that matters is playing gear that makes you happy.

Really well said.