Golf is one of the most popular sports in the country. It commands enormous media attention and draws players from all walks of life, ever year. No wonder, the US has the most number of Golf courses than any other country in the world at 15372 courses, which is 45% of the world total of 34011 courses.

Yet, compared to other games, Golf is rife with myths and misconceptions that keep surfacing time and again. Some of the more common golf myths and golf misconceptions that you would have heard are:

“Golf is not a sport, just a past-time activity”

Just because golf does not involve huffing and breaking sweat all the time, some people hesitate to classify it as a sport. Yet golf involves a lot of technique around swinging, putting or making far-shots that one discovers with each passing day.  

“Golfing is expensive and for the rich and famous only”

People who love playing tennis, baseball or basketball often dismiss golf as an expensive affair. However, when a more minute, year-by-year comparison on time spent, money spent on equipment and apparel, training and membership fees, traveling and tournaments - are done, golf is not too expensive than other sports.

Also, many beginners make the mistake of buying expensive clubs which are not required. Most courses offer clubs for hire, while one can also buy second-hand clubs for a pittance.

“Golf is old-fashioned and stuffy”

Golf emerged from the hills of Scotland in the 18th century and carried a legacy of rules, etiquette and clothing when it was transported to the US. However, these have been updated with time, and today, Golf is one of the most fashionable and peppy sports in the US. Just look around the golf celebrities on TV channels, their lifestyle, and the quality of Golf Country Clubs, then the real picture will emerge.

“Golf is easy compared to many other sports”

The vigorous movement associated with games such as Baseball, Basketball, Soccer etc, that require hitting a moving ball, is why most people think golf is easy. However, a golf ball is much smaller and hitting it into a hole that is nearly 500 meters away is “a different ball game altogether”! Little wonder then that both amateurs and golfing pros take several years to perfect their game and start winning tournaments.

This has created another misconception that golf is only for old and leisurely folks. However, in recent years, golf has been drawing a lot of school and college students who have come to appreciate the niceties of the game. In 2014, 11-year old Lucy Li became the youngest player to qualify for the US Women's Open.

“Golf takes all day long and I don’t have the time”

One of the stereotypical images of golf is of players spending a whole day on the course, walking all over it with their caddies and golf carts. This is not true. While playing all the 18 holes could take four hours, given the hectic pace of today’s life, one can play 9 holes in half the time, or other short formats allowed by most courses.

“Golf is Male chauvinistic”

According to Channel Signal, 67% of all the new golfers in 2006 were women. Today, 19% of all golfers in the US are women, while worldwide, the World Golf Foundation (WGF) is supposed to have 30 million women registering for Golf memberships, tournaments or training, by 2017.

“Golf doesn’t meet my fitness goals”

Tennis, soccer, baseball and basketball involve vigorous movement and hence considered good cardiovascular exercises. You would be surprised to know that the intense concentration, bending, swinging, putting and walking around in golf provide the same amount of exertion but minus the risk of heart-attack, as with these sports. That remains the fitness secret of most middle-aged golfers.

Several misconceptions about how to swing, and Golf rules

Amateurs often dole out stereotypical advice on how to swing or posture for a swing, which have been debunked by golf pros. Further, there are many golf rules which are wrongly passed on from one player to another. That is why; one should always refer to the golf manual that is provided by most clubs to deter these wrong notions.

Golf is a constantly evolving game. Even as golfing bodies update or modify rules to keep up with the times, newer golf myths and golf misconceptions will keep emerging. One should always consult golfing pros or golf-related websites like this, to get their facts right!

Are you considering joining a private club? Plymouth Countly Club is the course where you finally shoot your lowest score and the place to make plenty of new friends while doing it.