Has technology taken from the skill of playing golf?

[Psyber]

If it has I wouldn't know. All the technology in the world and I still suck!

[DrvFrShow]

I voted yes, yes, no. Technological advance did help. The game is very difficult. I played a year back in the early 70s and got pretty good. I couldn't hit the ball as far as I do now, but in reality I was scoring on the average better then. Go figure.

[Mr. Desmond]

In a game with longer courses, the tech helps with distance as one gets older.

The tech hasn't increased around the greens but players can choose to get better fitted, and that does make for the higher probability of lower scores.

I think tech like Trackman helped our knowledge and instruction of the game, and that helps make better players when that information is used and transmitted wisely.

[nevets88]

  On 10/22/2015 at 10:18 AM, Mr. Desmond said:

In a game with longer courses, the tech helps with distance as one gets older.

The tech hasn't increased around the greens but players can choose to get better fitted, and that does make for the higher probability of lower scores.

I think tech like Trackman helped our knowledge and instruction of the game, and that helps make better players when that information is used and transmitted wisely.

To me, Aimpoint, AE, Sam Puttlab, which can qualify as better fitting, but also stroke analysis, and lasers count as better tech around greens. You don't see it visually manifested as equipment, it's baked into the golfer. The improvement in teaching tech around the greens is big.

[Mr. Desmond]

  On 10/22/2015 at 11:09 AM, nevets88 said:

To me, Aimpoint, AE, Sam Puttlab, which can qualify as better fitting, but also stroke analysis, and lasers count as better tech around greens. You don't see it visually manifested as equipment, it's baked into the golfer. The improvement in teaching tech around the greens is big.

 

Agree - thought about the balance there and called it better fitting. I was thinking wedges, which are blades, and not much tech in that area. Yes, we have a better selection of shafts and more spin with better grooves, but the design of the blade is basic, with improvements.

Thinking about it, tech has invaded every aspect of the game. But has it made the game easier? I think the normal courses we play now are more difficult than those I played in the 70-early 90's - we have bigger name designers, more humps and sloping fairways, hazards, railroad ties, more manipulation of the land, longer courses --  has offset a lot of the tech.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Mr. Desmond

[newtogolf]

I voted yes, yes, no but easier is a relative term.  Technology improvements make it so someone with a decent swing will gain distance and forgiveness but you are still required to have a decent swing if you're going to be better than a hack.

Hand a newbie a new golf club and tell him how much easier this club is to hit over one from 30 years ago and they will likely look at you incredulously, because the game is still very hard for the average person to get good at.

[acetoolguy]

Most of us are not good enough to take full advantage of the teck advances. Using a range finder to know your 167 yards out is nice, but I'm not that precise with my irons. I'm going for a 165 to 175 yard swing/club and hoping for the best.

I have an old golf magazine around somewhere that has an old timer from the R&A saying courses that use yardage markers are not real golf courses. Rounds played with them should be considered "practice" rounds only.

[mcanadiens]

Having started only four years ago, I don't know if technology has made golf much easier or not. If it has, you vets can pack up your good old days and take em away. I suck enough now as it is.

[Mr. Desmond]

  On 10/22/2015 at 12:49 PM, mcanadiens said:

Having started only four years ago, I don't know if technology has made golf much easier or not. If it has, you vets can pack up your good old days and take em away. I suck enough now as it is.

No worries, the increased technology, I think, is balanced out by longer and more difficult courses designed by "name" designers whose job is to make you suffer -- see Greg Norman, Pete Dye, and others who like to slope and hump the fairways... (I know humping fairways sounds sick... lol)

Edited October 22, 2015 by Mr. Desmond

[mcanadiens]

  On 10/22/2015 at 1:54 PM, Mr. Desmond said:

No worries, the increased technology, I think, is balanced out by longer and more difficult courses designed by "name" designers whose job is to make you suffer -- see Greg Norman, Pete Dye, and others who like to slope and hump the fairways... (I know humping fairways sounds sick... lol)

I know. That's why my favorite courses are my town's old munis Flat, short and fabulous. You all can also pack up all your "name" designers and take them away. Those guys and their shameless, naughty humping fairways.

Edited October 22, 2015 by mcanadiens

[NJpatbee]

Yes, Yes, and No.  I started at age 40 with a set of hand me down persimmons and blades.  Now, approaching age 64 I hit my typical drive about 20 yards longer than at age 40.  The advances in equipment have made the game more enjoyable for many of us and kept us in the game, while still requiring skill and practice - I have always been a 15+ HCP but expect that would be much higher today without the equipment advances.  The only downside is the obsolescence of some classic old courses for pros due to length, but when you think about it, there are over 30 million golfers in the US and these courses are still a challenge for 99% of us.  

[InTheRough]

voted Yes, No, No

I think that Tech has made the game easier for the average player who benefits the most from GI and SGI irons and the large headed drivers.   Because of how consistent their swings are the guys at the top would probably still be just as good using persimmons and other older technology so I also dont believe that the skill level (at least for the better players) has decreased at all---the gap between good, bad, and average has just closed a little.  Third question was a no, because I believe it is connected with the first question--since the game has been made easier for the average player (which the overwhelming majority of us are) then the game is more enjoyable in general because the men and women at the top of the game are going to enjoy it regardless of what equipment they use.

[Big Lex]

The key point for the answering the thread topic general questions as well as the poll questions is....compared to what?

Modern technology makes it easier to hit the ball...to hit it further, straighter, higher, etc. However, I'm not sure it's that much easier for average golfers to score. 

I'm talking about people who maybe average 90-95 at public golf courses. I'm not sure the clubs and balls make these golfers get more GIR and nGIRs, and obviously technology probably helps even less with short game and putting. The reason I think this - and maybe there are stats which would support or refute this, I don't know - is that I think variability in shot quality for a 95 shooter is so large that the tech improvements are unlikely to make a significant impact in GIR. The swings that sent the balls sideways before - where there are huge errors in the face angle, in the bottom of the swing, etc., those shots will still miss by a mile even with modern technology.

I'm an 80-85 shooter and I'm not sure modern technology helps MY scoring that much. It probably does give me an extra GIR or nGIR every round or so, but I don't think I benefit on scoring as much as a par golfer or professional does.

But my shots, they definitely look better, and the really good ones go further and the just slight mis-hits curve less, etc.

But I don't think these things decrease the skill needed for golf. First, the game is extremely hard, and even with modern clubs it has not become even close to easy. Second, you play against the course but also against other golfers, and they have the same equipment, so it's a wash. 

I think the game would be much, much worse without modern equipment. Just the sheer pleasure of watching shots fly high and far, we get more of those now, and it's worth it for that reason.

[caniac6]

I loved playing with the old gear, and I love playing with the new gear. Back in the day, I would play from around 6000, and today, I play 6700. A 6700 yard course was a monster back when I played the old gear. Another thing that has changed in the time I have been playing (40+ years) is the condition of the courses. The courses are usually in a lot better shape now.

[nevets88]

The question makes it seem like golf is a lot easier w/new tech. It still is as hard as heck and will be until the "tech" of our mind and bodies is figured out. That's the bottleneck.

[JP golf]

Good questions.  I actually voted No, No, Yes...  but that's not accurate.  I've been back and forth on these.

1.)  I should have voted YES, to number 1.  Technology has made the game "easier".  My original thinking was no, you still have to get the ball in the hole.  We have better equipment and more knowledge of swing concepts.  We are better able to track our swings and make improvements - The kicker being that I think the increase in knowledge about our own swings and more access to competing swing theories - it's led to many of us over complicating the game.  However, after a little more consideration, I do feel that it has made the game easier.

2.)  I should have voted YES, to number 2.  It doesn't take the same amount of precision with today's clubs.  My original thinking here was also no.  Again, coming back to us over complicating the game.  Instead of choosing a priority piece and sticking to a few key focus points, it has become easier to identify 2000 different things we do wrong.  I think it takes a lot of skill and discipline to understand what to single out and make your priority.  (I wonder if this is loosely connected to the "Stupid Monkey" thread?)

3.)  I stand by my answer of YES on this one.  In my opinion it would still be the challenge of using the equipment provided to get the ball in the hole.  For me it's all relative.  I'm competitive and like the challenge of being consistent and trying to form a repeatable motion.  I like the mind game of golf.

Edited October 25, 2015 by JP golf

[Mr. Desmond]

Somehow, I think all of this emphasis on equipment has taken us away from improving our game -- when manufacturers are marketing 17 more yards, ultra forgiveness, hot faces, advertising ball with lines that make it so easy to putt "it feels like cheatin," and a ball getting "20 more yards with my driver," etc., many try to find the magic with equipment instead of fundamentals.

In some ways, manufacturers have made the game more difficult with their claims. It is only years and thousands of dollars of money thrown down a dry hole that the light comes on, sometimes, and you get down to work.

[iacas]

  On 10/25/2015 at 1:56 PM, JP golf said:

1.)  I should have voted YES, to number 1.  Technology has made the game "easier".  My original thinking was no, you still have to get the ball in the hole.  We have better equipment and more knowledge of swing concepts.  We are better able to track our swings and make improvements - The kicker being that I think the increase in knowledge about our own swings and more access to competing swing theories - it's led to many of us over complicating the game.  However, after a little more consideration, I do feel that it has made the game easier.

2.)  I should have voted YES, to number 2.  It doesn't take the same amount of precision with today's clubs.  My original thinking here was also no.  Again, coming back to us over complicating the game.  Instead of choosing a priority piece and sticking to a few key focus points, it has become easier to identify 2000 different things we do wrong.  I think it takes a lot of skill and discipline to understand what to single out and make your priority.  (I wonder if this is loosely connected to the "Stupid Monkey" thread?)

So change your votes.