markTHEblake
23rd December 2004, 04:25 PM
This article has appeared in a number of Newspapers this week. Seems that they are talking about our beloved Ho's.
High-technology below par for hackers
Date: 21/12/04
By John Coomber
http://seven.com.au/news/topstories/146825
When Australia's 1.3 million golfers step up to the tee each weekend they do so wielding technology that grew out of international weapons programs.
They swing space-age clubs with gigantic titanium heads at balls that contain more science than the average family car.
They happily splash out $300 million a year on their equipment, upgrading each time a new wonder club comes along.
And here's the rub.
They don't get any better.
According to a detailed survey of golf in Australia conducted by Ernst & Young, the average handicap is not improving.
"One would think that we all must now play better golf - we do not," was the conclusion of survey authors Jeff Blunden and Alistair Boyd.
"Handicaps remain largely unchanged."
Like most things in golf, there is no simple explanation.
Nearly all golfers are obsessed with getting better, but the problem with obsessives is that they tend to behave irrationally.
The main mistake, according to former touring pro Brett Ogle, is that people use equipment that doesn't suit them.
"You can buy a $1,000 driver but it's not necessarily going to make you hit the ball any further," said Ogle, now a club professional at Bonnie Doon in Sydney.
"Too many people just buy on the spur of the moment in America or Thailand and the handicap goes from 14 to 17 and they're wondering why.
"They've bought the best equipment, but it's not necessarily going to make their game any better."
When they do buy new clubs they must have them fitted to suit the individual.
More info about the Ernst and Young Survey
http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/Australia/News_release-Whats_driving_Australian_golfers
High-technology below par for hackers
Date: 21/12/04
By John Coomber
http://seven.com.au/news/topstories/146825
When Australia's 1.3 million golfers step up to the tee each weekend they do so wielding technology that grew out of international weapons programs.
They swing space-age clubs with gigantic titanium heads at balls that contain more science than the average family car.
They happily splash out $300 million a year on their equipment, upgrading each time a new wonder club comes along.
And here's the rub.
They don't get any better.
According to a detailed survey of golf in Australia conducted by Ernst & Young, the average handicap is not improving.
"One would think that we all must now play better golf - we do not," was the conclusion of survey authors Jeff Blunden and Alistair Boyd.
"Handicaps remain largely unchanged."
Like most things in golf, there is no simple explanation.
Nearly all golfers are obsessed with getting better, but the problem with obsessives is that they tend to behave irrationally.
The main mistake, according to former touring pro Brett Ogle, is that people use equipment that doesn't suit them.
"You can buy a $1,000 driver but it's not necessarily going to make you hit the ball any further," said Ogle, now a club professional at Bonnie Doon in Sydney.
"Too many people just buy on the spur of the moment in America or Thailand and the handicap goes from 14 to 17 and they're wondering why.
"They've bought the best equipment, but it's not necessarily going to make their game any better."
When they do buy new clubs they must have them fitted to suit the individual.
More info about the Ernst and Young Survey
http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/Australia/News_release-Whats_driving_Australian_golfers