Golf or diving?

[Hank49]

Another thread touched on this topic, and so as not to derail it further after Mr Ferrera posted an interesting reply regarding the time it takes to become good at either sport, I thought I'd start another thread.

Which is harder to become "good" at? Interesting. I guess first you do need to define "good". As there have been many threads on "what is a good diver" I guess I can quote some posts as best as I can remember. Many say that buoancy control, buddy awareness, awareness of your own skills and knowing when to call a dive, ability to plan and execute a dive....constitute a "good" diver. Well, I would say you could do that within a year of starting diving if you could dedicate yourself to it and didnt' have to work. All you had to do is dive every day, hang around divers and learn.
To get to the deep cave penetrations...I'm not sure. It may not be for everyone. Just as only .0001% of "good" golfers will ever qualify for the PGA Tour. Or any tour...
But "good" golfer....most would consider a single digit handicap good. And to get to that level most start at a young age and play at least three times per week for ....10 years or more?. (I believe the average handicap for men in the US is 18 or 20....meaning this is your average score over par) Personally, I started golfing as a kid and never got below a 12 handicapp.....I mean counting ALL strokes...
To be a 2 handicapp or scratch is very good. A two handcap player however, is as far from the PGA Tour in time spent practicing and need for improvement, as a 20 handicapper is from a 2 handicapp....so I've been told. I'd have to say that golf requires a lot more actual hours spent practicing to get "good" than diving....a lot more.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I used to golf a lot but then I found out I was a much better diver. I think golf has gotten easier, like diving, with the advent of new equipment. Diving is easier... for me.

 

[Hank49]

It's gotten longer with the new drivers, but so have the courses. But the short game is still all feel...

 

[NadMat]

Hey Hank, my handicap in golf is that I suck at it and don't really care
But that is just me, I don't find it a lot of fun, but then not every sport or hobby is for everyone. I do enjoy the driving range and whacking the crap out of a bucket of balls from time to time.

As to the statement that it takes longer to get good at than scuba, for me that is just another reason not to do it, all that practice would take away from my scuba, mountain biking and rock climbing, all of which are hard to find time and money for anyway, so why dilute the pool futher by adding hobby I could care less about. I'd rather race the golf carts around the course

But that is just me, my brother, dad, and brother in law all golf and enjoy it, and for those who do, I say go for all the fun you can while you can. Different strokes and all that...

I say do what you love most and don't worry if others disagree, it would really suck if everyone loved scuba as much as I as the dive sites would all be overrun.

Matt

 

[Hank49]

Actually Matt, I like diving far more than golf also. But that's not the point. It's which one is harder to learn and become "good" at.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Hank, you realize that my post was meant to be funny, right?

Few people approach either with the intention of being the best. Few of those who do, ever come close.

I think a measure of hours of practice required would depend on the person. Looking at a diver with good technique and calling them good is fine but they still haven't done anything. On the other hand the guys holding the probverbial "end of the line" generally spend many years doing nothing but cave diving. I can hover around looking about as good in the water as about anyone I suppose but see how far you can get in a super high flow cave. I'm a cluts and I don't get very far compared to those who are fish, read the cave and slip against that flow like it isn't there and don't use any air doing it. Likewise I've seen those who ooz through restrictions like an eel. Places that I can't hardly fit through at all even though they're bigger than me. I think there are levels of diving that most divers don't even know exist.

I don't know how long it takes but I suspect that just like the PGA in golf not all divers could get that good no matter how much time they spent practicing.

 

[socaldiver]

The old saying you get out of it what you put into it I think applies to not just the 2 sports mentioned but most everything you do in life.

With that being said, I enjoy both diving and golf. I do a lot more golfing now than diving, at least for the past couple of years. I take my diving seriously, as all of us should since our lives depend on us not being reckless. But I still am able to enjoy and have fun in the process snapping pics and just absorbing the surroundings.

I don't take my golf seriously. I don't normally practice except the day I play a round and then I normally only hit a few balls on the range. Golf is my way of relaxing, the peace and solitude of walking the course (whenever possible) and not having to listen to automobile noises makes it all worthwhile. I only get out and play normally about once every other week ( 10 hdcp).

 

[Dive-aholic]

Definitely diving. I gave up golf for good after I started diving. I was never that good at it. But I also didn't have the passion for golf that I have for diving.

 

[Hank49]

Hank, you realize that my post was meant to be funny, right?

Few people approach either with the intention of being the best. Few of those who do, ever come close.

.

Yeah, but it just got me thinking....which is really harder? Like, in diving, you plan it, execute it and if you use your skills, it pretty much goes smooth. Golf...no matter what, you still have that full body motion of swinging a club and meeting the ball perfectly...or even your best laid plan goes south real fast. Anyway, as you can guess, I'm not really busy right now....no harvesting going on...so I think too much.

 

[fins]

Guess I'm the exception here. I love to golf and love to dive.

Which is more difficult? or Which is more difficult to be "good" at?
These are tough questions. Especially because you have to define "good"

But here goes my attempt at a somewhat coherent answer.

First off, I'm 43, and while I was an athlete in high school (golf & baseball) and during my first year of college (baseball). However, you would never know it based on how clumsy I can be.

I have been golfing since I was 14 and currently range between an 8 and 10 handicap which goes up and down through the season mostly due to back problems and lack of practice time (as a result of those back problems).

I've been diving for a little over 3 years, have about 70 dives under my belt and
sure wish I had the time to dive a lot more.

With all this in mind...for me, which is harder or takes more work to get good at?

I'd say diving

In golf, I can go out and practice on my own or pickup a quick lesson from a local pro. I can easily golf several days in a row, and you golfers know that when you play several days in a row you get much better.

In diving, I can't go practice on my own. I need a buddy. If we are to head to a pool for practice we can only do so certain evenings, at certain times. If we heading out to the local lake, or quarry...well there's the drive time, getting tanks filled etc. And there is the cost. As expensive as golf is, diving "can be" much more expensive.

Anyway, don't know if I added anythign to this thread or not but what the heck. Let's go paly 18 and then do a night dive