Continental Europe won the first two matches of the day before securing a narrow 3-2 lead over Great Britain and Ireland  against after the opening session of fourballs matches at the Hero Cup, a new team matchplay tournament that is being held at Abu Dhabi Golf Club this week.

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and Swede Alex Noren defeated GB&I Captain Tommy Fleetwood and Ireland’s Shane Lowry 1up in a thrilling opening clash at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

The Continental Europe pairing were 3up at the turn before Fleetwood and Lowry fought back to all square through 15 holes, but Noren – a man with a history of holing important putts on the final hole – rolled in a birdie on the 18th to secure the first point for his side.

Belgian Thomas Detry and France’s Antoine Rozner were two down against English duo Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Smith after four holes, but recovered well to secure a 2up victory, with Detry finishing in a style with an eagle at the last to celebrate his 30th birthday.

Italy’s Guido Migliozzi and Frenchman Victor Perez, representing Continental Europe, secured a half against the second all-English pairing of Callum Shinkwin and Matt Wallace in a match of high quality, while Robert MacIntyre and Séamus Power secured the largest margin of victory on day one, defeating Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Austrian Sepp Straka 4&3 to earn GB&I’s first winning point.

With the final match finishing after 15 holes, it was left to Continental Europe Captain Francesco Molinari and Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard to try and extend their team’s lead, however Richard Mansell matched Højgaard’s closing birdie to ensure the Englishman and Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson closed day one with a half.

Tommy Fleetwood said: “I think it was a good team performance on the first day. I know we would loved to have finished the day and been the right side of the scoreboard and been up. Unbelievable really that four matches go down the last. Just shows how close the teams are in terms of levels.

“I think in the end, to get out of that session 3-2, we’ll definitely go back to our team rooms feeling the better, and the guys, I just said to the guys, that’s why those guys are at the back, trust them to get something out of it at the last and be very tough coming down that last hole.”

Francesco Molinari added “I’m really happy and proud of how we started today. I think obviously a lot of tight matches which is good for Luke [Donald] and his Ryder Cup vice captains to see. My guys did amazing. Obviously it’s a nice start, long way to go but it’s always nice winning a day, winning a session.”

To see all the scores and a live leaderboard from the Hero Cup, click here.

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Golf is a hard game. Just how hard is it? According to the incredible golf movie The Legend of Bagger Vance, golf is a game that “can’t be won, only played.”

Golf is fun, but it takes a long time to master putting, chipping, and other common shots. Find out how long it usually takes to get good at golf here.

First – Let’s Define “Good”

Good is a very relative term, especially when it’s used in a complex game like golf. Perspective is everything. For example, a beginner-level golfer who regularly shoots a 110 on the golf course may think that any golfer who breaks 100 is a “good” golfer.

According to the USGA, the average handicap for a male golfer is 14.2 and the average handicap for a female golfer is 27.5. At the majority of golf courses across the country, par is set at 72 strokes. This means that the average male golfer shoots an 86 and the average female golfer shoots a 99.

So, if we strictly go by the USGA stats, any man who shoots under an 86 and any woman who shoots under a 99 would be considered a “good” golfer. Most folks who break 90 consistently on the golf course are considered good golfers unless they are playing with a group of folks who routinely shoot lower than 80 (LOL).

How Long Does it Take The Average Person to Get Good at Golf?

This question is difficult to answer because it depends on a variety of different factors. Some golfers can start to break 100 within a year or so of taking up the game, especially if they had the benefit of professional instruction. 

These same folks can often start to break 90 regularly in two to three years if they practice rigorously and play a round of golf often enough. As we learned from the USGA numbers above, breaking 90 is a heck of an accomplishment and would put the golfer into the good player category.

Factors That Affect How Quickly You’ll Make Progress

A whole host of factors goes into becoming a good golfer. Let’s take a look at each one of those factors below, in no particular order.

1. Natural Athletic Ability

Let’s face it. Some people are just more genetically gifted than others are, especially when it comes to innate athletic ability. Folks with an athletic build and natural hand-eye coordination can usually make loads of progress in a fairly short time.

2. Professional Instruction

Putting together a fundamentally sound golf swing is a tall order because the mechanics are so complicated. While there are some rare cases out there of successful golfers who are 100% self-taught (Bubba Watson), the large majority of folks need some type of professional instruction to take their game to the next level.

3. The Ability to Concentrate

Concentration is highly important in all sports, but it is even more important in a game like golf. This is because the margin for error when hitting a golf ball is so small. Any minute lapse in concentration can cause a terrible shot that can wind up costing you a penalty stroke or two because of hazards.

Good golfers seem to have the innate ability to calm their minds and always concentrate on their next golf shot. Just how important is concentration level on the golf course? This poll shows that 100% of golfers believe that concentration level greatly affects their performance.

4. Physical Conditioning

A lot of people believe that golf is a game full of overweight beer drinkers who aren’t concerned with what kind of shape they are in. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Playing 18 holes of golf is a heck of a workout, even if you are driving instead of walking the course.

Everyone loves John Daly and rightfully so! However, most golfers these days are in great physical condition, especially on the PGA Tour. If you want to rapidly improve your game, getting into better shape is a great place to start.

5. Energy Levels

Energy level affects our performance in all aspects of life, including golf. The better you feel, the better you play (for the most part). 

How do you positively affect your energy level? Make sure you are drinking plenty of water each day and that you are eating a nutrient-rich diet. Showing up to your round or practice session hungover or starving won’t help your performance in the least.

Most Important Areas to Focus On to Graduate Past a Beginner

So, if you only have a few hours a week to practice, what aspects of the game should you focus on to get past beginner level? Here is a shortlist.

1. Putting

We’ve talked about the importance of putting on several different occasions. Think about just how important putting is. Most of your strokes are used with the putter, especially when you are just starting to learn the game.

If you two-putt every green on the golf course, you’ve used 36 strokes. If you three-putt each green (which isn’t uncommon for beginners), you’ve racked up a whopping 54 strokes.

What this shows us is that the quickest way to lower your handicap is to work perfecting on your putting stroke. Folks who want to become good golfers should strive to never three-putt on any green, no matter how difficult it may be.

2. Chip Shots

Another key area to focus on in the short game is chip shots. Most beginners have trouble hitting consistent chips when they are near the green. They’ll either chunk the chip shot and watch it only roll a couple of feet, or they’ll catch the golf ball too thin and watch it fly past the pin. 

Inaccurate chip shots can destroy a scorecard just about as fast as a poor putting stroke. The next time you go to the driving range, take only your favorite wedge with you. That way you’ll make sure to set aside enough practice time for hitting chip shots.

3. Approach Shots

This is where your irons come into play in your pursuit to graduate past the beginner level with your golf game. You can be an excellent driver of the golf ball, but if you can’t hit accurate approach shots into the green you’ll never reach your full potential as a golfer.

When hitting your irons, make sure you are making contact with the ground AFTER hitting the golf ball. In one of our previous articles, there is a great drill that can help with this. Dialing in your approach shots is a crucial step on your journey to becoming a good golfer.

4. Accuracy on Tee Shots

Last but certainly not least, golfers who want to lower their handicaps must focus on keeping their tee shots in the fairway. If you’re a high handicapper, you probably step into the tee box and try to hit the golf ball as hard as you can. That type of “all or nothing” mentality can put you directly into a water hazard.

When working on your golf swing with the driver, place a premium on accuracy and don’t worry so much about distance. Do drills that teach you how to make a quiet backswing and a smooth full swing. This will help you avoid bogeys and double bogeys on the course.

3 Tips to Help You Get Good at Golf

1. Take Lessons from a Professional Golf Instructor

Everyone needs a coach, both in life and on the golf course. Nothing will help you improve your golf game faster than taking lessons from a PGA teaching pro. I know this from personal experience.

I toiled away on the practice range all by myself when I first started playing golf. No matter how long I practiced, I could never shoot better than a 105. Finally, after about a year and a half of frustration, I bought (12) half-hour golf lessons with an instructor at my local golf club. 

I was shocked at how fast my game started to improve. Within a couple of months, I was shooting 95 on the course regularly. Needless to say, that experience turned me into a big believer in professional instruction.

Having someone teach me the fundamentals of the golf swing made all the difference in the world for me. The main things that the pro helped me correct were my setup, grip pressure, and mentality. 

Don’t be too prideful to take lessons! Most PGA Tour players have their own swing coaches. This helps them improve their games in less time.

2. Commit to a Set Practice Schedule

Have you ever heard the saying from Malcolm Gladwell that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at something? That applies to becoming a good golfer! No matter how much natural talent you have, you’ll never become a good golfer without lots of practice time.

How much time should you set aside to work on your game? There is no foolproof formula, but most experts agree that it takes three to four practice sessions a week to see rapid improvement. Even if your schedule is too busy for that amount of practice, you can still benefit by practicing only once or twice a week.

3. Practice with a Purpose

Okay, now that you’ve committed to a weekly practice schedule, it’s time to make sure that all that precious time at the driving range doesn’t go to waste. Too many golfers spend hours and hours mindlessly pounding buckets of golf balls with no plan. You won’t see a scratch golfer making that mistake.

Use your practice time to work on your weaknesses. Don’t just stand there and hit your driver repeatedly just because it’s more fun. If you struggle to hit the ball out of the sand, find a practice bunker and do drills with your sand wedge.

If you haven’t been hitting your hybrid all that well, make a note to hit at least 20 good shots with it during your next practice session. Winners always make it a point to work on their weaknesses. Best of luck on your journey to becoming a good golfer!

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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A seesaw third round at the 2022 CJ Cup in South Carolina saw Rory McIlroy climb atop the leaderboard at Congaree Golf Club. McIlroy would ascend to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings for the ninth time in his career if he can hold on for the win Sunday, but it won’t be easy as the Northern Irishman has plenty of pursuers in his rearview mirror.

Sitting at 13 under, McIlroy shot out of the gates on Saturday with a birdie and an eagle in his first four holes. Quickly making up ground on overnight leaders Jon Rahm and Kurt Kitayama, McIlroy kept his foot on the gas when an unlikely eagle opportunity from off the green on the par-5 12th found the bottom of the cup.

Playing the three par 5s in 5 under during his third round, McIlroy was able to give himself room for mistake as two bogeys in his final six holes saw him retreat to the pack ever so slightly. Waiting for him are both Rahm and Kitayama, as well as K.H. Lee, who tied for the lowest round of the day with a 5-under 66 to sit at 12 under. 

Just past them on the leaderboard are a number of young stars-in-the-making including Cam Davis, Aaron Wise and Tom Kim. Quietly going about his business on Saturday, the 20-year-old remains within touch of his playing companion from the first two days at 9 under and will be looking for his third triumph in his last six tournaments.

The leader

1. Rory McIlroy (-13)

There may not be enough words to accurately describe what McIlroy has been doing in the world of golf this past year. Running low on adjectives, the 33-year-old has continued to impress this week in his PGA Tour season debut and is in line to successfully defend his CJ Cup crown from Las Vegas in 2021.

Ranked 14th in the world at the onset of that week, McIlroy’s ascent to the top of the game has simply been incredible. His 2021-22 season saw him tee it up 22 times worldwide while notching three victories, 19 top-20 finishes and 11 top-five finishes as well as top-10 finishes at all four major championships. He is clearly the best player in the world at the moment, and has an opportunity on Sunday to make it official with his 23rd title on the PGA Tour.

Other contenders

T2. Jon Rahm, K.H. Lee and Kurt Kitayama (-12)

T5. Aaron Wise and Taylor Moore (-10)

T7. Tom Kim and Brendon Todd (-9)

T9. Cam Davis, Tom Hoge, Maverick McNealy and Tommy Fleetwood (-8)

Saturday’s round could have easily gotten away from the 36-hole leader as Rahm experienced an up-and-down day. After playing his first seven holes in 1 under, the 27-year-old lost his touch on the greens and carded three bogeys from Nos. 8-11, two of which were the result of three putts.

Despite the turbulence and visible anger, Rahm kept a cool head and was rewarded for his patience. Playing his last seven holes in 3 under, he remained within touch of McIlroy and will pose as the biggest threat to the Northern Irishman on the final day at Congaree.

What else is on the line on Sunday?

McIlroy controls his own destiny, and with a win would not only secure win No. 23 on the PGA Tour but also regain status as world No. 1. However, if he is to falter, not all will be lost. If able to finish solo second, McIlroy still holds an opportunity to reach world No. 1 if Scottie Scheffler finishes worse than solo 34th. The current world No. 1 sits in a tie for 47th as he continues to struggle with the putter in hand.

Shot of the day

With Congaree playing firm and fast, hitting approach shots close to pins has become all the more difficult. Don’t tell Wyndham Clark that after the 28-year-old hit the shot of the tournament during his third round. Making a hole-in-one on the par-3 10th, Clark wielded a 7-iron to perfection from 181 yards.

2022 CJ Cup updated odds, picks

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

• Rory McIlroy: 5/4
• Jon Rahm: 5/2
• K.H. Lee: 8-1
• Kurt Kitayama: 17/2
• Aaron Wise: 20-1
• Tom Kim: 35-1
• Taylor Moore: 35-1

Only seven players are listed lower than 100-1 heading into the final round as the top of the odds board is filled with two of the game’s elites. The sentiment shared on Friday will be the same shared on Saturday: I will go out on a massive limb and say either Rahm or Rory will prove to be victorious come Sunday evening at Congaree.

The name of the game tomorrow between these two Ryder Cup teammates will be iron play. While McIlroy has improved each day from a strokes gained approach perspective, Rahm has actually struggled. If McIlroy continues this trend, he will be near impossible to beat, but it is almost encouraging for Rahm fans that he is only one stroke back without having his world-class iron play. In the end, I think the Spaniard figures things out with his scoring clubs and robs McIlroy of a successful defense.

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For the first time in more than a year, Brooks Koepka is victorious. Capturing the 2022 LIV Golf in Jeddah event on Sunday, Koepka finished at 12 under and needed three playoff holes to overtake his teammate and 36-hole leader Peter Uihlein at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. Playing alongside each other on the final day, up-and-down rounds were experienced by the two members of Smash GC.

Beginning the day one stroke off Uihlein’s pace, Koepka quickly went in front as his playing competitor carded a double bogey and bogey in his first three holes. The four-time major champion remained steady on his outward half, and ultimately turned in 1 under before adding another birdie on No. 10 to command a two-stroke lead over Uihlein, Sergio Garcia and a large cast of pursuers.

Only then did Koepka begin to experience some troubles of his own. Making three consecutive bogeys from Nos. 11-13, the 33-year-old’s name plummeted down the leaderboard. An unlikely birdie from the desert on the par-4 15th put Koepka back on the straight and narrow before he added another birdie on the 54th hole alongside Uilhein to knock Garcia and Joaquin Niemann out of contention at 11 under.

The two traded birdies on the first two extra holes, but disaster struck for Uihlein on the third playoff hole when he hit his third shot from the greenside bunker into the water. Leaving the door open for Koepka, the Smash GC captain marched on through and secured his first win on LIV Golf with yet another birdie.

“The last two years, they haven’t been fun. It’s been a long road, I am super excited,” said Koepka. “My whole team, we got the band back together, literally. We got Claude [Harmon] on the team, Peter [Cowen] — I’ve worked with Pete very, very hard — and Jeff [Pierce] as well, so shoutout to them, this is for them.

“I didn’t know if my career was over for a half second. I told Claude that I wasn’t sure if I was going to play. It’s nice to be able to come back and to be able to win.”

Koepka not only triumphed individually but also led his team to its first victory. While Brooks was the star of the show, it was younger brother Chase who provided the steady hand as his scores were used in each of the three rounds. With the victory, Smash GC moved up to fifth in the team standings — narrowly missing out on a bye in the first round of the Team Championship — and will be the first to pick their quarterfinal opponent for the LIV Golf finale in two weeks.

Team leaderboard

ZOZO Championship + LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah Recap, Reaction & Analysis | PGA Tour Podcast. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

What is next for LIV Golf?

The Team Championship is set to take place Oct. 28-30 at Trump National Doral in Miami. The 4 Aces, Crushers, Fireballs and Stingers have all secured a bye on the first day of competition while the teams ranked 5-12 will partake in the quarterfinals. 

Koepka’s Smash GC is the fifth seed, and as such will have the first opportunity to select the opponent it wishes to face. This selection process will continue for the Majesticks, Torque GC and the Hy Flyers. Teams will compete in three matches — two singles and one alternate shot — on the first two days of the championship before taking to stroke play where all four members’ scores will count.

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Dougherty aligns himself with the Golf Foundation’s core values, that golf should be fun, inclusive, innovative, inspiring and enriching, and has recently appeared at both The Open and the BMW PGA Championship as an unofficial ambassador of the Golf Foundation.

Dougherty’s vision now is to help make a significant impact at a junior level, with a particular focus on schools. Earlier this year, he helped the Golf Foundation to create and launch its ‘Golf Is Ours’ school campaign, aimed at getting golf into as many schools as possible.

Dougherty said: “I am so grateful for the role that golf has played in my life. From the joy that the game brings to the life lessons that it teaches, I have seen through the experiences of both myself and so many others, the positive impact it can play in people’s lives.

“Introducing it to children when they are young, impressionable and ‘learning the ropes’ of life with its ups and downs, just like the game itself, usually has a profoundly positive effect for them and their futures. Because of this, it is an incredible honour to accept the role of President of the Golf Foundation, an organisation that has been sharing these wonderful golfing gifts for 70 years.”

He added: “The Golf Foundation played a hugely important role in my development as a youngster, and the chance to work with them to support today’s children is immensely rewarding and important to me. I am extremely excited to play my part in helping to reach more children with our sport, to make it more inclusive and, with this shared passion of the Golf Foundation, push to make golf a part of the curriculum in schools so that the benefits of this amazing game are available to all.”

Dougherty’s first official engagement as president came at London Golf Club on October 6, where the Golf Foundation was celebrating its 70th anniversary by presenting awards to those who have made a major difference in growing junior golf across the UK. Dougherty, who is the youngest president in the Golf Foundation’s history, congratulated five deserving winners on the day, and shared some stories of his own path in golf.

“It feels like wonderful timing that Nick, who has already been a creative force for our charity, has accepted the role as President,” said Stephen Lewis, Chairman of the Golf Foundation. “We are quite sure his clear passion for golf, and the fun and inclusive way in which he welcomes everyone into the sport as equals, will be a massive help for us in introducing more youngsters from all backgrounds into the game. We are all delighted with this appointment.

“The Golf Foundation has put in a great deal of work in recent years to ensure that all our programmes are relevant to the modern families of today, to show how golf can be a fantastic, inclusive game for all. These are highly exciting times in the growth of junior golf.”

Dougherty will follow recently outgoing President of seven years Sandy Jones, the former Chief Executive of the Professional Golfers’ Association, whose love of the game and his influence throughout golf has done so much for the charity – and Stephen Lewis was also keen to stress the Foundation’s thanks to Sandy, who served so well as President in his term.

“Sandy has been a long-time supporter of the Golf Foundation,” explained Lewis. “He has always been such a great advocate for our work in bringing a new, younger generation to the sport. We would like to thank Sandy for all that he has done for the Golf Foundation.”

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