FixYourGame.com – Why am I not Getting Any Better?

Guest Author: Brant Kasbohm
PGA Director of Instruction
Fixyourgame.com
info@fixyourgame.com

“Why am I not getting any better?”  This is a question asked by golfers since the first game was played.  We should take a look at how we learn, and the psychology of learning that applies to all tasks, including golf.  Believe it or not, but there are only two ways that humans learn things–instruction and repetition.  Unfortunately, there are no ways around this. (Despite the nearly unlimited number of quick fixes out there, like “learn a foreign language in one weekend”, and “buy this club and take six strokes off your game.”  You get the idea.)  If you think I’m crazy, I’ll get you two examples to prove my point.

1.  Think of you first day at your current job, vs. what you know now.  If you’ve been at the same job for 5+ years, I’d bet that you can nearly do it in your sleep.  The amount of initial instruction, and continuous repetition have built the tasks into your long-term memory.  But on that first day, you were likely clueless.

2.  Think of the last time you drove a new car, or someone else’s car.  You probably couldn’t figure out how to turn on the wipers or lights, and the cruise control buttons are completely different.  Compare that to your own car.  I’d bet that you can adjust the radio, and cruise control without looking.  I’ve had the same car, and automatic, for about one year now, and my previous car, a stick-shift, for about 9 years before that.  I still am not used to the automatic, and reach for the clutch with my left foot.  That tells you how hard it is to change long term habits!

Learning golf is no different.  Without quality instruction, and repetition of the fundamentals, a golfer is going to revert to their old habits.  Most golfers play once a week or less, and practice even less often, so they’re simply not getting enough repetition necessary to build the fundamentals into long term memory.  And it’s human nature to want the quick fix, (lottery anyone?) so when working on a swing change, many give up if immediate results are not there.  There is a learning curve to everything.

A very interesting and unique look at the learning curve is presented in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers, where Mr. Gladwell postulates that it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours for one to become an expert at something.  While no one that I know has 10,000 hours to spare on their golf games, the point is that success is no accident.  Golf may be the hardest of all sports to learn, everyone is a beginner & high handicapper at some point.  So don’t get discouraged if you aren’t seeing rapid improvement in your game.  Keep working, and keep practicing.

For instruction, see your local PGA Professional, and for affordable, online, interactive golf instruction, please check out www.Fixyourgame.com.