Golf More Difficult To "Master"?

The average PGA major champion won at age 31.3, having played golf, and no doubt worked at the sport for approximately 23 years. For the LPGA the numbers are age 25.5 and approximately 16.5 years of playing, training, practicing, etc.

Of course, when describing a major champion on the LPGA or PGA tour the term "average" seems ridiculous. We're talking about average ages, not average golfers!

As reported in the September 2007 issue of the RCGA's Golf Canada (p. 34), the U.S. Olympian's Association studied "all sports" between 1984 and 1998. They found it "took athletes an average of 10 years of specific sport training to reach an international level of competitiveness."

The PGA of America then looked specifically at golf, as far back as the Bobby Jones era.

Ten years ("all sports") versus 16.5 years (female golfers) and 23 years (male golfers). Wow!

On the surface this data would seem to suggest that mastery of golf is more challenging, or simply takes much longer than mastery of other sports. The industry may choose to look inward and question teaching methods, training, coaching, etc. Golf could take this data and initiate a revolution, assuming we must usher along talented players with more urgency and proficiency. We must reduce the TTM (Time To Major)!

I'm not convinced.

I suspect the two studies have used dramatically different yard sticks. Having not read the studies, there's certainly some conjecture herein. The Olympian study apparently speaks of reaching an "international elite level of competitiveness" while the PGA study focuses on major champions.

Those are two differing measures. A golfer can compete at an "international elite level" for his/her entire career and never win a major. The media loves to pass along the label of the "current best player to never win a major." A few years ago some experts wondered if Phil Mickelson would ever hoist a major trophy. None ever questioned his status as an "international elite" golfer!

The devil, as they say, lies in the details. How did the Olympian study actually measure this "international elite level" in each sport? And how does that compare with winning an LPGA or PGA major?

I've searched for the U.S. Olympian's Association study but have not found it.

In the meantime, we at Parmasters will continue to teach our clients how to hit the ball straight, guaranteed. Perhaps we'll have to wait some 16 or 23 years before one of our Straight-Line(TM) golfers wins a major.

I suspect the wait will be much shorter!