Beginners think, “I am not ready for the course and I better keep practicing.” If we are lucky, they actually do persevere and try out playing their first 9 holes, which leads to the next problem. We end up overwhelming golfers by teaching them every skill in 5 lessons, and they leave not feeling very good at any of them.
#BEGINNER HANDICAP GOLF HOW TO#
Traditional Program thinking expects the beginners to figure out how to play golf outside of the program. It is tradition to avoid taking beginners on the course and telling them they need to “Get Ready” and keep practicing or taking lessons until they have the skills to play golf. This lesson is what ultimately led to us developing what is Operation 36 today. (Learn more about our story here) These participants came to our weekly classes consistently for 3 years, but never played golf! We didn’t think it was our responsibility to provide this. We lost 40 of our junior program participants. Ryan Dailey and I learned the hard way what happens if participants don’t actually play golf outside your program. Golf Professionals have been offering clinics, camps, and private lessons for years, and very rarely do they include playing golf. This goes for juniors or adults. Beginners rarely play golf on the course.
#BEGINNER HANDICAP GOLF FULL#
If we know it takes 55 rounds of golf to turn a beginner into a skilled golfer at the full tee-box, then why are we shying away from getting beginners on the course playing the game! Here are the top two reasons. We then give them clear goals and tools to guide them so they never feel lost on their golf journey. We don’t just use data to track development, we use it to gamify and encourage players to make them feel good about where they are in their golf game. With over 45,000 participants now being introduced to the game using the Operation 36 Development Model and technology, we can measure a beginner's development in a way the industry has never been able to do so previously. I hate to write it, but it is true! Data doesn’t lie. What if I told you that from our data and research it takes an average beginner over 55 - 9 hole rounds to develop the skills necessary to become a skilled golfer who could break 50 from a forward tee-box? That is right, over 55 rounds of golf! So how long does it take to become a 26 Handicap? It kept me motivated, I could get around the course with a good pace of play, and I wasn’t afraid to play with other people. I bet there are a lot of existing golfers who can relate to that experience. Personally, I can still remember writing down my first 49 on the scorecard for 9 holes from a full tee-box. I felt like a golfer. If we want people to feel comfortable paying to play a round of golf, for life, we need to get them to a skill level that matches that mindset. These stats tell us that most golfers that play consistently, grow rounds, and grow our game are actually quite skilled! This is precisely why we set the benchmark for where The Black Hole Phase ends at a 26 Handicap. It just makes sense. When you play better, you play more.ĭid you know that 93% of male golfers are a 26 Handicap or better? Did you know the Average Female Handicap is a 27.5 Index? ( Ref: USGA) It is proven that the more skilled a golfer is, the more likely they will identify as a golfer and want to play golf consistently. Why can’t we retain golfers? The Importance of a 26 HandicapĪt Operation 36, we believe that the golf industry massively underestimates the length of time beginners face The Black Hole Phase. We are underestimating how long it takes someone to go from never swinging a club to becoming a skilled golfer who wants to play the game for life. I’ll also share with you some ideas from the data we have collected at Operation 36 that may help you to rethink the introduction to playing golf. Here I would like to share some data and insight on why traditional programs are falling short to connect beginners golfers to the game. This indicates how real The Black Hole Phase is for beginners, yet there are very few suggestions on what Golf Professionals can change to retain all these new golfers.
“It’s almost inexplicable,” says Beditz. ( Ref: NGF) Just how big is the problem? According to the CEO of the National Golf Foundation, Joe Beditz, there have been over 12 Million people introduced to the game over the last 5 years, yet our actual golfers have only risen by 200,000. Specifically, we define The Black Hole Phase as the period of time from a beginner's first introduction to the game, to becoming a 26 handicap (can break 50 for 9 holes from a USGA recognized forward tee-box). It is rarely talked about and has one job, suck as many newbies out of the sport as possible!Īt Operation 36, we call this force “ The Black Hole Phase.” There is a negative force working against beginners golfers from day 1 of their journey.
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