Non golfers understanding of the game of golf

[Hacker James]

I probably mentioned this a time or two in the past, but today I was paired up with this nice gentleman from China and we were talking about what friends and family members were saying about the game.  I told him of the story awhile back when my S.O. accompanied me in the golf cart as a "ride along". I had been having a not so good day playing what we sometimes refer to as "military golf". and she quite innocently and with seriousness said "Why don't you just hit it straight?".   He thought that was hilarious, especially after I said "Why didn't I think of that?"

There has been a lot written about shaping shots, fading, drawing, lobs, breaking putts and any one of those terms would be the basis for volumes of instruction and anecdotes. Notwithstanding all of that, there is some merit to what my g.f. was saying. Basically K.I.S.S.   but no...we all then have to go on and on about how the straight shot is actually  one of the most difficult in golf in terms of consistency.  "To hit a draw....do this"..."To make it go left...do this".    Heck, I have had days, when I was happy to to find my ball after I hit it.

I think I am just going to listen to my S.O. from now on.

[Let it Fly]

9 hours ago, Hacker James said:

I had been having a not so good day playing what we sometimes refer to as "military golf". and she quite innocently and with seriousness said "Why don't you just hit it straight?".

Haha this gave me a good laugh!

 

[No Mulligans]

On a related note, when people walk on or near golf courses and appear not worried about getting hit.  They must think we have much more control of our shots than we actually have.

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, Let it Fly said:

Haha this gave me a good laugh!

 

It's fun!  We're having fun!!

[alfriday]

I was watching the Masters on TV with my in-laws.  After watching a group putt out, my mother-in-law asked why the players don't just putt straight at the hole.  

 

After all the golfers in the room stopped laughing, we explained that gravity is not just a good idea, it's the law.

 

In fairness to my in-laws, they've had to explain the finer (and not so fine) points of NASCAR racing to me.   

[Let it Fly]

33 minutes ago, alfriday said:

In fairness to my in-laws, they've had to explain the finer (and not so fine) points of NASCAR racing to me.

Haha...we're gonna go fast and turn left sometimes.

Back in college, my (now ex) girlfriend's mother came to one of my baseball games.  My first at-bat, I hit just a regular ol' foul ball, and she stood up loudly cheering for it.  Afterwards, I asked my gf what the heck happened:

"Mom, why are you cheering?  It's a foul ball..."

"Well he still hit it...could have swung and missed!"

**face palm**

[lastings]

19 minutes ago, Let it Fly said:

"Well he still hit it...could have swung and missed!"

To be fair, she has a point. 

[Let it Fly]

20 minutes ago, lastings said:

46 minutes ago, Let it Fly said:

"Well he still hit it...could have swung and missed!"

To be fair, she has a point. 

I suppose it also applies well to golf.

[chilepepper]

I certainly have days that I don't understand why I golf

[Patch]

In the grand scheme of things regarding golf, I am sure I don't understand everything about the golf swing. I understand enough though, to have fun with the swing I have.  I am one of those keep the swing simple golfers. I'll leave all the deep thinking swing things to the instructors and other professionals. 

[krupa]

2 hours ago, alfriday said:

In fairness to my in-laws, they've had to explain the finer (and not so fine) points of NASCAR racing to me.

 

[Kalnoky]

I read somewhere (maybe here) that even the Pros are mostly just hitting their stock shots. 

 

[The Hook Meister]

I know what you mean some days I am just happy to find my ball. It just proves the point don't over think your shot to mush, leave your brain out of it. I have better rounds that way.

[Buckeyebowman]

If they don't understand golf, simply take them to the range. Put an iron in their hands and drop a ball on the ground. Tell them to hit it straight! Problem solved!

[Papa Steve 55]

[GolfLug]

"Is golf really a sport?"    

"Golf seems so relaxing"

"Competes with curling for the most boring spectator game on earth"

My favorite is when the non golfer super athlete tries to hit the white of the ball.  

[Kalnoky]

My father told me a story about an older gentleman who naively him asked why golfers are "always looking for their ball". Of course, as a non-golfer my father thinks this is very funny.   

6 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

My favorite is when the non golfer super athlete tries to hit the white of the ball.  

My instructor told me a story about a body builder who showed up and couldn't hit his driver 150 yards. Hearing that gave me great satisfaction. 

Edited January 31, 2018 by Kalnoky

[Patch]

I was hitting some really good 6i shots today at the driving range. Out of the blue a guy walks up to me and asks if I could teach him my swing. I told him I only had about 20 minutes left, and couldn't.  He replied that it looked really easy, and that he could learn it pretty quickly. I pointed him towards the instructor's shack.