I have watched professional golf both on television and in print for many years. I read about how these golfers - the best in the world - spend X hours a day practicing one thing and another, and hours on the putting green.
Then it occurred to me: they absolutely never improve IN PUTTING. If practice helped even a tiny bit, then the golfers on the Champions Tour would be better than the pros on the PGA Tour. They would be the best putters in the world. But they are obviously NOT the best putters. In fact, the players on the Champions Tour are no better at putting than they were when they first came on the PGA tour, decades earlier.
And you can say the same thing about golf itself. Name a player who is or was better at 35 (before any age-related deterioration would be a factor) than he was at 25. There are none. The top ones accumulate titles, but they are no better. The only apparent improvement might come as the drivers and balls improve over time due to technology.
One might point to Kenny Perry, who had more success in his 40's than he did earlier, but even he attributes that to a new putter and a modification to his swing. He didn't improve, per se, he just changed, and that change (which could have been done in college), helped him out.
So the idea that YOU or I could improve over time at our golf game is only feasible if you really suck now, because of major flaws in your swing. And most people are unwilling to mess with their swing as an adult, because the inevitable result is a short-term deterioration of your game in the HOPE that you will improve later. People aren't willing to risk that deterioration in the short term.
I see the same thing in bowling. The only people who ever improve are people who start off with a major flaw in their game, then correct it. For most people, they are averaging about the same score at 50 as they were at 20.
Look at other "skill" sports. It is rare that anyone actually improves after age 20 at anything, despite a lifetime of practice, analysis, and repetition. Pro tennis players who appear to improve are generally just improving their level of conditioning, so that they can overwhelm their opponents in the later sets; but their level of skill doesn't generally improve. Was Michael Jordan a better shot at age 30 than he was at age 20? I doubt it.
So what is the point of practice? Most adults never practice (golf, tennis, bowling, etc) but it doesn't seem to matter.
It keeps you "limber," and prevents you from deteriorating with age, but that's about it.
Then it occurred to me: they absolutely never improve IN PUTTING. If practice helped even a tiny bit, then the golfers on the Champions Tour would be better than the pros on the PGA Tour. They would be the best putters in the world. But they are obviously NOT the best putters. In fact, the players on the Champions Tour are no better at putting than they were when they first came on the PGA tour, decades earlier.
And you can say the same thing about golf itself. Name a player who is or was better at 35 (before any age-related deterioration would be a factor) than he was at 25. There are none. The top ones accumulate titles, but they are no better. The only apparent improvement might come as the drivers and balls improve over time due to technology.
One might point to Kenny Perry, who had more success in his 40's than he did earlier, but even he attributes that to a new putter and a modification to his swing. He didn't improve, per se, he just changed, and that change (which could have been done in college), helped him out.
So the idea that YOU or I could improve over time at our golf game is only feasible if you really suck now, because of major flaws in your swing. And most people are unwilling to mess with their swing as an adult, because the inevitable result is a short-term deterioration of your game in the HOPE that you will improve later. People aren't willing to risk that deterioration in the short term.
I see the same thing in bowling. The only people who ever improve are people who start off with a major flaw in their game, then correct it. For most people, they are averaging about the same score at 50 as they were at 20.
Look at other "skill" sports. It is rare that anyone actually improves after age 20 at anything, despite a lifetime of practice, analysis, and repetition. Pro tennis players who appear to improve are generally just improving their level of conditioning, so that they can overwhelm their opponents in the later sets; but their level of skill doesn't generally improve. Was Michael Jordan a better shot at age 30 than he was at age 20? I doubt it.
So what is the point of practice? Most adults never practice (golf, tennis, bowling, etc) but it doesn't seem to matter.
It keeps you "limber," and prevents you from deteriorating with age, but that's about it.
