Aces High and golf were both invented by the devil (with apologies to HTC) to punish people who weren't miserable enough in hell. Both present the player with challenges not found in other games or sports. Both are difficult to try to master and equally addicting because of that difficulty.
In all other sports, such as tennis, baseball, basketball, football, soccer, billiards, darts, etc., the playing field is the essentially the same. In bowling, a lane is a lane is a lane. Only in golf is every round different because of weather and wind, plus pin and tee placement. The variety of shots seem endless.
In AHII, the possibilities in a fight also seem endless because of our relative positions, energy states, altitude, weight and aircraft. We have to consider and use three-dimensional physics equally in golf and AH.
Both golf and Aces High are affected by the "feel" and familiarity of our equipment, our experience and our repertoire of shots or maneuvers, choosing the appropriate one at the right time and executing them well.
Just like golf, when crunch time comes in Aces High there are no pinch hitters or co-pilots. It's just you. The best sticks in the game and the best golfers share some common traits. One, is that they analyze their weaknesses and practice the things they need to improve at. Average golfers will hit their favorite club at the range, maybe a 7-iron, over and over because they love to watch the trajectory. Aspiring golf pros practice hitting out of divots, sidehill lies, downhill lies, knockdown shots from tight lies, low screaming hooks and high cuts to get up, around, under and through some trouble they've put themselves into. On any golf hole, hit two good shots and you'll score well. In Aces High, execute two good maneuvers in a fight and you'll do well.
It's the same in learning to fight in Aces High. You have to practice the difficult situations you can find yourself in, not the easy-peasey things.
In both, you also have to anticipate. Anticipate where you want to place your drive for the best shot at a pin. Anticipate where you want your aircraft to be to have the best shot at an adversary. You learn when to be aggressive and when being over aggressive can place you danger. A pro learns when to lay up, just like when flying, a little lag pursuit is called for.
Both games have a shallow learning curve, not a steep one. It takes pretty long on the time axis (x) to get high on the knowledge axis (y). Getting to a 10 handicap isn't that hard. Shooting in the 70s takes playing a few times a week. Scratch golfers are rare and taking that to a +4 , about what you need before you throw in your money for the Qualifying School, is much more difficult.
Professional golfers and great sticks in this game have something else in common. They are all smart cookies. No dummies in the group, with the possible exceptions of John Daly and the Muppets
There is nothing wrong with enjoying golf or Aces High as a 10 handicap. You can do both and have a great time with your friends, knocking it around on the course or in the game. But getting down to scratch takes playing with people who are better, expanding your repertoire of shots and maneuvers and using your head. You have to play the right shot into a green, just like you have to fly the maneuver called for in a situation.
And just like golf, no one wants to play with low-class whiners.
