Is golf harder now than it was 30 years ago?
When talking about taking up the game and just playing, no, advances in technology have made the game way easier than it was 30 years ago. Larger more forgiving clubs, balls that are straighter and longer, advances in websites to setup tee times and take care of scoring, launch monitors that have allowed us to see exactly what makes the ball do what it does. Agronomy changes to make the courses run more and greens roll truer. Golf has definitely gotten easier.
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That is a complicated question. Courses have grown longer to compensate for the big hitters and that often places trouble in the way of short knockers. Greens typically are being groomed to be faster and we often encounter more contoured greens ass well. On the other hand, technology has improved the club, the ball and added other advances such as range finders and GPS systems. Science and medicine have also added their increased knowledge to the preparation of the golfer's physical abilities. So, yes and no would be my answer
I would be curious to know if the rating system has been adjusted over the years or stayed the same.
I would lean yes or the same. Everything is longer. You can say the ball goes further, but degrees of everything in terms of misses and variation are amplified at longer distances. And the greens are infinitely more challenging at a lot of places than they were then.
I would lean yes or the same. Everything is longer. You can say the ball goes further, but degrees of everything in terms of misses and variation are amplified at longer distances. And the greens are infinitely more challenging at a lot of places than they were then.
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I'm going to go with yes and no but say yes. I think that while the equipment has gotten better / easier the outside interaction has gotten more difficult.
Things are set up in a way to force certain things, courses are making changes that require different techniques. Places are making the rough thicker, not hitting the fairway less forgiving and setting up greens to be challenging.
This is what I have inferred - I didn't play 30 years ago, or even 5 years ago but when I hear about courses doing x, y, z to make it more challenging that is what I think of. If the courses stayed the same and the gear got better I would say it's been easier but places are making the courses more challenging to combat the advances in technology.
Things are set up in a way to force certain things, courses are making changes that require different techniques. Places are making the rough thicker, not hitting the fairway less forgiving and setting up greens to be challenging.
This is what I have inferred - I didn't play 30 years ago, or even 5 years ago but when I hear about courses doing x, y, z to make it more challenging that is what I think of. If the courses stayed the same and the gear got better I would say it's been easier but places are making the courses more challenging to combat the advances in technology.
No, if anything it's easier. Well easier to learn & keep a new golfers interest. I know it frustrated the hell out of me learning with a Persimmon wood vs if I learned with today's 460cc head
Shep
Active member
Equipment is much more friendly and many many more choices however I had a lot more original body parts 30 years ago,
robs1964
Well-known member
The only thing that is harder for me is; when I bend down to put the tee in the ground, my fitbit says, we detect a workout
Easier, but it's still mostly mental if you are a serious player.
Overcoming frustration, expectations and the tension that comes with not getting the results you want is the hardest part of the game
Overcoming frustration, expectations and the tension that comes with not getting the results you want is the hardest part of the game
Shep
Active member
Well said and oh so true.
I'm going to answer this as a personal question: is golf harder now for me then it was 30 years ago.
Yes, I care more now how I play....it just means more. When I first took up the game I was terrible but I expected that, so I still had fun. Plus I could hit the ball a ton. 300 yard drives were the norm. Fast forward 15 years and I am a decent golfer. Still hit it far but not as far. The rest of my game has come around nicely and hitting under 80 happens more then not. Fast forward till today. All my distance is gone. Now I drive it about 230 max. But I am still extremely competitive and can't stand the fact that I have to use a 9i at 125 yards. Now I hover around 20 over, with days in the mid 90's.
I still love golf but my competitive nature can make it difficult sometimes.
Yes, I care more now how I play....it just means more. When I first took up the game I was terrible but I expected that, so I still had fun. Plus I could hit the ball a ton. 300 yard drives were the norm. Fast forward 15 years and I am a decent golfer. Still hit it far but not as far. The rest of my game has come around nicely and hitting under 80 happens more then not. Fast forward till today. All my distance is gone. Now I drive it about 230 max. But I am still extremely competitive and can't stand the fact that I have to use a 9i at 125 yards. Now I hover around 20 over, with days in the mid 90's.
I still love golf but my competitive nature can make it difficult sometimes.
cjroman
Club Hoing Ain't Easy
I've gotten 30 years older, so any "gains" I may have had from playing TA845s or Ping Eye2 and teeing off with an OG Big Bertha/TM Burner with Titleist 384DT or Ultras have been negated by father time.
Going on 52, modern equipment has assisted me with maintaining consistent distances for my gaps...my 150 club is still my 8 iron and my driving distance is roughly the same. Besides that, golf is still golf, and golf is hard.
Going on 52, modern equipment has assisted me with maintaining consistent distances for my gaps...my 150 club is still my 8 iron and my driving distance is roughly the same. Besides that, golf is still golf, and golf is hard.
WSox fan
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Because us humans are still swinging the clubs and hitting the balls.
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I think it is just as hard. Handicaps bear that out. Equipment has improved drastically, but courses have gotten longer and greens are faster than ever due to advances in agronomy and grass genetics engineering.
But where would you be hitting ‘em with the older stuff..?
To the same spots on shorter courses?
No it was better back then I was 40, lot better shape, so my golf game was a whole lot more consistent. Now a days its not the courses fault as we always have the option to move up to a different set of tees.
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If it wasn't for the lessons I have been taking I would say it's not any harder or easier.
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I am going with golf's toughness level being about same. My reasoning is due to an article I read a while back while sitting in a doctor's office.
The article basically said the average men's amature usga handicap had improved by about 2 strokes in 20+ years. I read this in a golf magazine. Which one I don't remember, and I can't vouch for the accuracy of the article.
To me, if accurate, that 2 stroke improvement can be attributed to better equipment, and better course conditions over the years. Not so much on swing instruction, although "quality" swing can help anyone's game, if they stick with it.
I also still see lots of people shooting the same scores today, that I saw 20-30 years ago. Still lots of 90s, and 100s scores.
I also think that golf being the game it is, that usga 2 stroke improvement could be considered a big deal, even if it is spread out over 20 years.
I don't remember anything being said about winning professional tournament scores, and how much they have changed in 20+ years. I would assume it's a bigger number than the amateur's average.
The article basically said the average men's amature usga handicap had improved by about 2 strokes in 20+ years. I read this in a golf magazine. Which one I don't remember, and I can't vouch for the accuracy of the article.
To me, if accurate, that 2 stroke improvement can be attributed to better equipment, and better course conditions over the years. Not so much on swing instruction, although "quality" swing can help anyone's game, if they stick with it.
I also still see lots of people shooting the same scores today, that I saw 20-30 years ago. Still lots of 90s, and 100s scores.
I also think that golf being the game it is, that usga 2 stroke improvement could be considered a big deal, even if it is spread out over 20 years.
I don't remember anything being said about winning professional tournament scores, and how much they have changed in 20+ years. I would assume it's a bigger number than the amateur's average.
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I don’t think so. The anti-spin ball and drivers has made it way easier.