October 20, 2008

Practice Does NOT Make Perfect

Example: golf

Golf is something that many men play their whole lives, and don't get any better at it. Practice only makes perfect if you're practicing correctly. Repetition of horribleness does not create anything beneficial.


Marc said...

An art teacher I had once came up with a good aphorism to describe this phenomenon:

"Practice makes permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect"

Steve said...

I'd still say practice makes better at golf if only because it increases the likelihood of being able to consistently repeat the same swing. It might not make you great, but at the very least, you can adjust based on whether you slice or hook it instead of just spraying it randomly all over the course.

In this way, practice might keep you from ever being perfect because it does ingrain a fundamentally flawed swing, but it also keeps you from being awful as well. I guess you pick your poison.

Eric Olsen said...

that's a good point Steve. I just wonder if these guys would have a much better time playing if they started over, and starting "tweaking" a more easily repeatable swing?

Steve said...

True. I'd probably be better if I did it. But then, I'd need to actually invest in finding someone to actually see what is wrong with my swing (other than the fact that I take the club back way to far). It would be interesting, however, to watch my swing and see just how ugly it truly is.

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