Hardest Segment in the Game of Golf?

[Michael G.]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.

[Davonu]

I think it’s that in-between distance…too long to chip, too short to take a full swing. For me, that’s roughly the 30-70 yard range.

[Rainger99]

For me, consistency is the hardest part. I may hit a great shot or two (rare to hit a good drive followed by a good second shot) but then it is followed by fat or thin shots or topped shots or pulled or pushed shots. Pros always make good contact. I went to a PGA tournament a few years back and I watched them practice on the driving range.
Every player always made great contact. The ball was hit high and far!!!

[Two Bills]

Trying to tear the covering off the ball with a driver was my downfall for years.
Stopped using the driver, went to a three wood off the tee, and bingo, I cracked it.
Settled for pretty good accuracy over distance.
My chipping was good, and saved many a round.
Putting? Was always good with a new putter.
I have a lot of putters! :shrug:

[MrFlorida]

Driving here, like the poster above, I stopped using the driver and now use a 3 wood with much better results.

[kkingston57]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.

Do not know answer to your ? but chipping and putting can save you a lot of strokes. Per the saying Drive for show, putt for dough.

[tophcfa]

That’s easy to answer, the hardest part of the game is all the waiting for slow players. If you can’t keep moving at a good pace, then you can’t get into a good rhythm and the game goes south.

[Michael G.]

If you can’t keep moving at a good pace, then you can’t get into a good rhythm and the game goes south.


Now my neighbor is just the opposite.
Foursome playing close behind us just freaks him out.

[rustyp]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.

Getting the ball in the hole.

[dtennent]

The hardest part of the game is getting a tee time in January!

[retiredguy123]

Sand traps

[Jim1mack]

For me it’s putting. It’s too stressful and I’m usually unsuccessful. Golf is a mental game. Play within your capabilities. Don’t try to make shots that have a low chance of success.

[Rainger99]

For me it’s putting. It’s too stressful and I’m usually unsuccessful. Golf is a mental game. Play within your capabilities. Don’t try to make shots that have a low chance of success.

Think positive! I can make this flop shot over water and land it within 5 feet!

Although I rarely do it! But you have to think you can do it!

[mrf0151]

Hardest part of the game? For me it is the joint pain the next day.

[kayak]

Ball cooperation is the biggest problem. I have a bunch of the dumbest golf balls you ever did see.

[Rwirish]

Putting

[Dilligas]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.
Getting the ball in the hole! 😖

[mike234]

That’s easy to answer, the hardest part of the game is all the waiting for slow players. If you can’t keep moving at a good pace, then you can’t get into a good rhythm and the game goes south.
yup...thats number one

[Kamaaina]

Finding my ball in the bushes and fishing my ball out of the edge of the ponds with an unseen gator lurking.

[jimschlaefer]

Remembering it's a game and being able to deal with your mistakes while still taking them seriously and working to improve. It's not that dumb club that makes the mistake.

[BillHitz]

Definitely my irons - can’t hit them to save my soul…

[coleprice]

My wife and I play Pitch & Putt Courses (Marsh View, Mickey Lee, Richmond) once a week and it has really helped Lower Our Scores on Executive and Championship golf courses. The distances range from about 45 to 120 yards, with most holes in the 55 to 75 yard range, depending upon hole positions. This has proven to be great practice prepping to play Executive and Championship golf courses!

[jarodrig]

Hardest part ?

CONSISTENCY of the sum of all parts …..

[ThirdOfFive]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.
I once heard golf described as "a game where you try to hit a little round ball into a little round hole with tools singularly unsuited for the purpose".

I can echo a couple of posters. With me it has definitely been trying to tear the cover off the ball. But less is more. I recently made two moves: 1. went to all hybrids; and 2) listened to my wife, who called to my attention several times that I was "playing with the wrong head" (a reference to testosterone). Once learned to swing the darned things--took more than a few rounds--things improved. Rather than uttering obscenities when my drives rainbowed into the water or skittered off into the trees I now hit shots off the tee with hybrids. I can get 160 - 180 yards out of the #3 hybrid pretty consistently, and with a lot more accuracy. There aren't many greens on the execs that are beyond that range.

Now, sand...:cus:

[HJBeck]

Getting the ball in the hole. 😊

[Ptmcbriz]

Consistency. Some games I’m doing great and other games I’m not. I do have the ability to lose my capabilities of an individual club for months at a time. I was a good chipper then about 2 months ago I can’t get it back, even doing worm rapers at times. Frustrating.

[ehonour]

The hardest part of my game is whichever part is being hardest this week! :shrug:

[mikemalloy]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.
Like you the most frustrating part of my game was chipping. I probably spent more time practicing that part than any other. Like everyone else my putting ran hot and cold but my chipping was always very cool. If you watch the top amateurs play, they can drive and putt close to the pros. But the difference is in getting up and down from off the green.

[dewilson58]

Hitting a One Iron.

[admiral72]

Being stuck playing with a jerk

[dewilson58]

Being stuck playing with a jerk

Does happen.
Good news, less than 5 times in over 10 years.
Most of the time, I decide life is too short.....head to the Pro Shop & get a refund.
Tomorrow is another day.

:icon_wink:

[TomSpasm]

Putting, no doubt.

[Normal]

For me it’s deciding on 2 beers or three after a game. A wrong choice could cost me an accurate relaxing post game reflection. Absolutely the 19th Hole is the most treacherous.

[fdpaq0580]

Getting out of the house before DW reminds me of my "to do" list. 🤫🤫🤫

[fdpaq0580]

Being stuck playing with a jerk

Sorry! My bad! 😔😟😢

[justjim]

Putting! Always a very good putter until about five years ago when I suddenly got the yipes. Has gotten a bit better but has been a challenge. Age is also a big and humbling factor. Fore!

[FredMitchell]

I know you asked about the hardest.

The easiest thing to do in golf - anybody can do it with no extra practice -

Make more putts!

[Rainger99]

Putting! Always a very good putter until about five years ago when I suddenly got the yipes. Has gotten a bit better but has been a challenge. Age is also a big and humbling factor. Fore!

Putting?? 98% of the time I get in with three putts or less. But I have never hit a putt in the water or out of bounds. I have done that many times with the driver.

[Scbang]

For me, consistency is the hardest part. I may hit a great shot or two (rare to hit a good drive followed by a good second shot) but then it is followed by fat or thin shots or topped shots or pulled or pushed shots. Pros always make good contact. I went to a PGA tournament a few years back and I watched them practice on the driving range.
Every player always made great contact. The ball was hit high and far!!!

Jack himself once said he wants some consistency!

Cheers!

[tophcfa]

Waiting for slow players totally ruins my game. Played Bonifay today and flew through the front 9 on Pensacola and posted a 37. Turned to Fort Walton and got stuck behind two foursomes of tortoises and threw up a dismal 47. I hate waiting.

[Stu from NYC]

Waiting for slow players totally ruins my game. Played Bonifay today and flew through the front 9 on Pensacola and posted a 37. Turned to Fort Walton and got stuck behind two foursomes of tortoises and threw up a dismal 47. I hate waiting.

Amazing how people can hang out on the green after putting out and not having a care in the world for the folks behind you

[Rainger99]

Amazing how people can hang out on the green after putting out and not having a care in the world for the folks behind you

Have you ever seen an ambassador go up to a slow group and tell them to pick up the pace or skip a hole? Never seen it down here but occasionally saw it up north.

[dewilson58]

Have you ever seen an ambassador go up to a slow group and tell them to pick up the pace or skip a hole? Never seen it down here but occasionally saw it up north.

Yes, but not enough.

They have the timesheets as an excuse.

[tophcfa]

Have you ever seen an ambassador go up to a slow group and tell them to pick up the pace or skip a hole? Never seen it down here but occasionally saw it up north.

It used to happen, but ambassador’s roles changed 4-5 years ago. They used to come by 2-3 times per 9 holes, stop and talk to the golfers, provide sand and water, and keep up the pace of play. Now, as far as I can tell, their only real function is to insure non paying golfers don’t sneak onto the course. They also seem to be very concerned with insuring all the rakes are inside the sand traps, so the contractors mowing don’t have to get off their machines to move the rakes. So, the pace of mowing is apparently more important than the pace of play?

[JMintzer]

Hitting a One Iron.

Who do you think you are, God? :p

For me the hardest part of golf is whatever I was doing well the week before...

[mtdjed]

I been playing on and off the game of golf in my life and would like to know your thoughts.

What is the most challenging part of the game of golf, driving, chipping, or putting??

For me it's chipping that I need lots of practice with.

You absolutely identified the most challenging part of the Game of golf in your last sentence, but it is not chipping. It is practicing which most of us seldom do. Especially us executive course players. It is a social event. Most get to the course and chat. A few of us may go to the practice green, but many just chat until Tee Time. Most practice occurs prior to the tee off on the first hole. We take a few practice swings to determine if our pain meds have kicked in yet.

Then the fun begins. Did anyone see where that one went? Where is the ball drop? Five foot Gimmees. Practice using ball retrievers. Find five balls. Success is ending with more balls than you started with.