I truly enjoy W.G.T. and the golf game they have provided online, but it has become more of just a personal practice session or a friends competition... It is challenging in so many ways. Yet I have to admit, even like real golf, when one gets older their reflexes, their acuity and mental skills slow down, especially the eye to hand reflex to operate this game, which is crucial.
It is exceedingly frustrating for me as I always had the skills to play almost any sport very well, including console gaming activities well into my 40's, yet things began to change quickly after that..
Although I have done fairly well here, can't complain, even becoming Master, and so have some friends and acquaintances done well that have played the game, the fact is our abilities slow way down and deny any real competition against the young whippersnappers online. So then many decide not to remain.
I suggest opening a Seniors only tour here, and just like Golf make the cut of at 50 years of age, maybe even 40, since it is an online game. Give us baby boomers a chance to compete. It is not that we cannot have a great game at times, but the consistency & skill level is simply not there. I am basically a par player with a few games under par, but the over all consistency is about par. That's not saying much when you have people averaging nearly 18 under par. They are simply in a world of their own, and good for them. Wish I was younger I would have given them a ride for their money, so to speak.
What this means is not being ever able to challenge the top players in this game consistently, and for a competitive person like myself it becomes almost meaningless to keep playing, if there is not an achievable goal.
My friends and I, simply do not posses the hand to eye contact skills to challenge the top dogs. Sure I can shoot games in the 60's, it is still fun to challenge myself, but that only takes one so far. When I was younger I could have easily Mastered this game. My skill level was very high in hand to eye reflex, but sadly those days are long gone.
One thing I do recall when doing anything as a youngster the memory was in tact. And repetition locked in certain dynamics to control whatever it was one decided to do. However, myself as well as certain friends have realized that with age comes the nagging result of not being able to recall or memorize what is needed to perform simple actions.
I believe that is one of the most frustrating things of all, not being able to remember what it was that is needed to perform a simple operation, even after doing it seemingly hundreds of times. As a kid, you never think about that because memory is an automatic result of youth, but when the mind ages so does the loss of memory, which is critical in this game, especially when there are a myriad of dynamics to consider in W.G.T.
I love the fact that W.G.T. is hard, and it's mentally grueling or else it would become like anything else, once mastered then move on. I am amazed that there are people shooting in the 50's as an average, boy I miss my youth. However, actually I would be bored if I was that good. The game must keep the interest alive. And if I was shooting 18 under par or better, my interest would fail because there would be nothing else to improve on, unless I was challenging those of the same skill level.
I get excited getting a birdy or the seldom Eagle as it should be, but if I was doing it all the time as I have done in other golf games, I would simply move on, as I did. That aspect of W.G.T. is what gives its real impressions of the real McCoy. Golf is not easy. To master the game takes thousands of hours of practice and then one only becomes good. Take the tour average score right now is at 71.40 the best golfers this year are averaging 69. So even the best golfers in the world are not going to shoot an average below 65. And I feel W.G.T. does a great job keeping the game rock tough for the majority, even though there are those shooting way below any normalcy patterns.
It was great watching Freddie Couples challenge the young superstars and he did exceedingly well considering he is now on the seniors tour, which he is basically dominating right now, but that is not surprising, they all do when they first join. And it blew me away that he was drilling some of his drives 320 Plus yards, that was incredible.
But the fact is, even having a great game, Freddie like so many others cannot challenge the youth with consistency no matter how good they still are. That is why they created a Senior's tour. To let older fans of the game still believe they can compete, or else-wise what is the use? Once you lose the ability to compete you begin to lose the desire. Don't want to see that happen with W.G.T's older fans or the majority of players..
One thing I guarantee is that this game can be fun for all ages, but without a Senior's tour in W.G.T. or a compromise in skill level, many will never be able to challenge consistently at their skill potential. I have friends my age or older that will not play in tournaments here or even join W.G.T, because they know they can't compete with the young stars. And that is sad because it is leaving out a whole lot of potential on the side lines for the over all success of WGT! These are people that are still out playing real golf because they still believe they can challenge their contemporary friends.
In theory W.G.T. could simply set up levels so that everyone could challenge, not based on their skill level as Hack, Amateur, Pro or Master, but the Average score level. if you can shoot in the 50's then your challenges should be those doing the same. Same as with (60-64) - (65-69) - (70-74) etc...
Think about it this way W.G.T, if there was a tournament with people who shot 70-74 average, I would play the money tournaments. But if I know I am going against people shooting in the 50' or 60's as an average then forget it. I am not going to throw money away. So if a seniors tour is too complicated then address the issue of true competition. The level of skills, such as pro or master is really a mute issue here. It is the over all average that shows the true skill level. And to stop anyone from undermining their own scores so they can play in lower level competition, well anyone who wins a competition they must move to the next higher level automatically in spite of their average score.
I became Master here because I was shooting great at Andrews averaging 33 per nine holes. This quickly brought me down to an average of just above 64. I then became master, but I surely was not a master of this game far from it. Now I am back up to the real numbers of about 70-72. So my skill level has nothing to do with being a Master, it is the over all Average. The fact is single competition rounds I never do well in because my skill level is not that high. But if I keep playing a course and challenge the same basic conditions I can finally do much better.
Let's be honest, golf is one game anyone can play well into their later years, so let's not leave out a huge potential on the side lines for W.G.T. cause a whole lot of folk may be persuaded to join if the competition was equaled out. Then again, maybe no one is interested in keeping us older dudes around, LOL, not really sure I blame them.
Just a thought, not complaining just explaining...still love playing W.G.T. ... thanx