Being a coach that specialises in introducing women to the game, beginners and high handicappers are my bread and butter and something I am very passionate about. I often liken learning golf to learning to drive. You look around and it seems everyone can do it, so how hard can it be? Then you stall at the front of the queue at traffic lights and all hell breaks loose! Like new drivers, it doesn’t take much for experienced golfers to get frustrated by the antics of those new to the game.

When you have been doing something for a long time, it is all too easy to forget the difficulties of learning something new, so much so that there is a cognitive bias that explains this phenomenon called the ‘curse of knowledge,’ which is essentially, once you know something, or in this case, how to do something, it can be hard to put yourself in the shoes of those who don’t. I think this feeling can also apply to those who are off high handicaps, averagely good golfers can’t comprehend why all those extra shots are required.

The introduction of the World Handicap System in 2020 saw the highest handicap available increase from 36 to 54, which works out roughly as 3 shots over par on each hole. It’s a move which disgruntled many with concerns that if you need that amount of shots, you are simply not good enough to be out on the course, along with the other worry being they will win every nett competition going. To be fair, that has been the experience of some club sections.