Whether that's a good analogy depends on whether the reasoning challenges we face from day to day are more like playing golf against a seasoned pro, or playing golf against casual amateurs. (If someone takes golf lessons and, after a reasonable time, he isn't doing any better against other people at roughly his own level, then I think he is entitled to ask whether the lessons are helping.)

Do you have reasons to think that we're in the former rather than the latter situation? If so, what are they?