I’m convinced that golf will eventually go mainstream;
If it isn’t already.
Traditionally, it’s been held back by how hard it was to access and play—either because that access was reserved for an elite few or because there simply wasn’t a course nearby.
But when you visit countries like Scotland or Ireland, those barriers seem to melt away, just like their good whisky does with a splash of water.
Ice? No, please! Never ice!
What I mean is, these barriers were there to be jumped over, just like the great Seve used to jump the wall at Real Golf de Pedreña on full moon nights.
And if he couldn’t, he practiced on the beach sand and became a bunker master. And if not, he’d hit balls into a fisherman’s net in his barn. And if not…
Even in Nordic countries, where ice doesn’t melt well and you don’t see grass for seven months a year:
Viktor Hovland, Norway’s golf star, used to hit balls into a net inside an unheated old airplane hangar. Annika Sörenstam, the Swedish player who was world number one for so many years, is said to have practiced in her basement during the winter months.
In Barcelona city—where I live—there aren’t many places to go, but there’s a rooftop.
At a hotel on Travessera de Gràcia, we’ve got a lovely net and about 1,000 m² to practice putting, short game…
You hit balls, take lessons. You give it everything! And the instructors are great.
And beyond that.
These days there are golf programs for kids in schools. And get this: in Málaga—this is huge—they have a University Golf Program (UGPM).
I love going to Málaga… but on top of that,
We now have indoor golf simulators.
And finally,
We’ve got those little portable gadgets that act as mini-radars and measure ALMOST everything. They call them launch monitors, I’ve tried them and they really help.
A lot. They help a lot.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ve got a short article on my website explaining how to choose the one that might suit you best.
All barriers are mental.
But having a coach and one of those gadgets around really helps. A lot.
Have a great weekend, golfers!