is golf a sport?

Boner_18 · 01-30-09, 02:24 PM

Back in high-school I argued with a buddy for years about whether or not NASCAR is a sport (I think it is). What we eventually settled on is that if you believe golf is a sport than NASCAR must be a sport. I think both are.

A sport need not be intensely physical but involves physical ability, mental ability, strategy, gamesmanship and a variety of other factors. This is a great question.

Matt Rain · 01-30-09, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by Boner_18

A sport need not be intensely physical but involves physical ability, mental ability, strategy, gamesmanship and a variety of other factors.

I like that answer and would be inclined to call golf a sport... but what about pool then? I'm not willing to call pool a sport.

BigAL · 01-30-09, 02:34 PM

good post Mr. Boner. I agree alot of things are sport that do not require great athletic ability. Hunting? bowling, billiards, darts, archery, ice curling, ping pong ect. They may require a honed skill or a genetic gift in dexterity, or fine motor skills or eyesight. But you don't have to "be in great shape" to excel

the most common sports we talk about in the western culture are team sports. football, baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey. and you need great athleticism to play at an elite level at almost every position. As well as some of the above traits. you also need a great deal of practice and this may be the biggest need for this type of sport, individual and team practice. Raw Athleticism alone will not carry you to the top at an elite level in these sports.

Individual sports, such as weightlifting, swimming, track, ect. the biggest need to raw athleticism first and then you need to hone that with lots of technique and workouts.

is the best decathalon athlete truly the best athlete in the world?

BigAL · 01-30-09, 02:36 PM

1 a: a source of diversion : recreation b: sexual play c (1): physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2): a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in

according to this masturbation would be a sport

ShamsWoof10 · 01-30-09, 02:39 PM

If women and old men can play it it's not a sport!!!

I would say golf is a lot like kicking FG's so if golf is considered a sport then kickiing FG's is a sport too...

PuckOff · 01-30-09, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by Boner_18

Back in high-school I argued with a buddy for years about whether or not NASCAR is a sport (I think it is). What we eventually settled on is that if you believe golf is a sport than NASCAR must be a sport. I think both are.

A sport need not be intensely physical but involves physical ability, mental ability, strategy, gamesmanship and a variety of other factors. This is a great question.

So I guess Poker is a sport.

Boner_18 · 01-30-09, 02:41 PM

Matt and AL, funny that you mention pool and bar "sports." As my high-school convo's would often lead us there. I actually DONT believe that billiards is a sport (bowling and hunting on the other hand, sports). For some reason, I feel there is a difference between a "game" and a "sport." Though I have never been able to put my finger on what it is.

Perhaps it IS a certain degree of physical activity (or stamina in the case of hunting). Any other thoughts?

Boner_18 · 01-30-09, 02:42 PM

Puck,

I believe poker is a game. Physical activity is a component of sport, it just need not be intense...

Shortstop · 01-30-09, 02:45 PM

This is an interesting thread. Here's my question, is John Daly an athlete?

raydog · 01-30-09, 02:56 PM

yes, he is an athlete. all golfers are athletes. before you say they arent, you realize that there are and have been a ton of football linemen who were nothing but fat pieces of shit who took up space. so you gotta look at that before you call golfers, who walk 5 miles a day while pulling of precision motions with their body to hit a ball perfectly, non athletes. pool, chess, poker...these things are games. golf, tennis, swimming, these are sports. i dunno bout racecar driving but i would imagine they are closer to a sport than a game.

Shortstop · 01-30-09, 03:52 PM

Are race car drivers and jockeys athletes?

BigAL · 01-30-09, 03:53 PM

Originally posted by raydog

yes, he is an athlete. all golfers are athletes. before you say they arent, you realize that there are and have been a ton of football linemen who were nothing but fat pieces of shit who took up space. so you gotta look at that before you call golfers, who walk 5 miles a day while pulling of precision motions with their body to hit a ball perfectly, non athletes. pool, chess, poker...these things are games. golf, tennis, swimming, these are sports. i dunno bout racecar driving but i would imagine they are closer to a sport than a game.

really that's all it takes to be an NFL linemen? just be a big fat guy? Well since Daly is suspended right now, why doesn't he just ink a contract to play O-line somewhere. Pretty sure he is a big fat piece of shit.

I agree that golf takes major precision, skill, hand-eye, dexterity, muscle memory. But let's not throw "walking 5 miles miles" into the mix. that just makes your argument laughable. There is nothing Anaerobic in golf and barely anything aerobic. You can't call O-linemen unfit, until you play a game of 50+ snaps, struggling all-out for 5-7 secs on quick bursts of full-body battles against 275 lb defensive ends with 9% bodyfat that run 4.5 40's. 99% of people on this board would puke after 10 plays like that.

Matt Rain · 01-30-09, 03:57 PM

Race car drivers, absolutely. F1 drivers are all in top shape. You and I can't handle the G-forces produced by these crazy machines, nor think fast enough to drive them to speed.

This guy has a racing license and regularly drives supercars for TV... see how he fares in a proper race car:

Shortstop · 01-30-09, 03:58 PM

Yeah, I remember those grueling workouts our college golfers had to endure everyday. I totally disagree with Raydog that "all golfers are athletes." Some, but definitely not all.

BigAL · 01-30-09, 04:10 PM

you are not required to be an athlete, if by athlete you are referring to having to be above avg (over the male population) in terms of Aerobic or Anaerbic outputs, you don't have to have better strength, flexibility ect. It MIGHT help to be so. But you don't have to be in good shape to compete professionally. This is not true of most professional sports outside of bowling, billiards ect. Hell even Sumo Wrestlers are prob in "good shape" compared to the rest of the population.

race car driving would take some above avg physical capabilities. and even a great athlete could try it, and would feel beat up the next day. Not so much with golf. I'm not taking anything away from golfer's talents or skills and i'm not saying that some golfers aren't great athletes. but you don't have to be

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 03:17 AM

IS golf a SPORT??? OO i wish i could pull a GHOST DAD right now.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 03:22 AM

Originally posted by raydog

yes, he is an athlete. all golfers are athletes. before you say they arent, you realize that there are and have been a ton of football linemen who were nothing but fat pieces of shit who took up space. so you gotta look at that before you call golfers, who walk 5 miles a day while pulling of precision motions with their body to hit a ball perfectly, non athletes. pool, chess, poker...these things are games. golf, tennis, swimming, these are sports. i dunno bout racecar driving but i would imagine they are closer to a sport than a game.

lol@ the walk 5 miles comment.... I guess guys like Richard Simmons are great athletes too......I have a lot of respect for golfers....I certainly can't do what they do, it takes a tremendous amount of skill.... but comparing golfers to football players is apples and oranges. And i think most golfers would be fine with that. Golf like more then most sports is just as much mental/emotional ect then it is physical no doubt you have to have your skills super honed by hrs and hrs of practice, but if you don't have the mental makeup TOO.... you are in trouble

reno cool · 01-31-09, 03:35 AM

no

jockeys of course are

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 03:36 AM

Tiger Woods closed this case at the US Open, if anyone didn't see, read up on it.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 03:38 AM

Originally posted by brooks85

Tiger Woods closed this case at the US Open, if anyone didn't see, read up on it.

what do you mean?

tullamore · 01-31-09, 03:40 AM

If most people were to list traits of great athlete they think of speed and strength. Those two skills are easily measured in some sports and not in others. Growing up the best athlete was either the fastest kid in town or the strongest kid. Its hard to measure intangibles, and therefore sports that don't have athletic skill sets easily defined or measured often get over looked and a viewed as non sports.

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 03:42 AM

He had a F'd up knee. After, every stroke he was in agonizing pain, you could see it on his face and his follow through. And he still won.
And he had the injury the whole year and didnt say a word about it being serious enough to require surgery.

tullamore · 01-31-09, 03:43 AM

Originally posted by brooks85

Tiger Woods closed this case at the US Open, if anyone didn't see, read up on it.

Woods was courageous and a tough SOB, not sure if thats what makes him an athlete. I agree Woods is athlete, but those traits aren't the reason why.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 03:46 AM

Originally posted by brooks85

He had a F'd up knee. After, every stroke he was in agonizing pain, you could see it on his face and his follow through. And he still won.
And he had the injury the whole year and didnt say a word about it being serious enough to require surgery.

ok that is a great story, but really has nothing to do with the question at hand.

I'm not even sure which side you are arguing for.... a) Tiger was such a great athlete that he overcame a physical liability and injury to win the open.....thus tiger is a great athlete so golfers are great athletes and it is a sport

or

b) this dude had a fuked up knee and was still able to win over those other fight slobs..... you don't even need two legs to win at golf....obviously its not a sport if a gimp can win at it

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 03:58 AM

you should read that quote you have tag'd. That would be the reason you dont see what side I would be arguing.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 04:06 AM

well if you are arguing for case a....using your genius logic

I go to the local catholic church, and there is this dude with a broken left arm and sprained right wrist, but he is playing bingo with 30 cards....guy is big and strong, looks fast and in good shape....he was courageous and ended up winning at bingo that night......

thus bingo is a sport

and thus all bingo players are great athletes

the topic isn't if tiger woods is a great athlete.....HE IS...no argument...but that doesn't mean the craft he exels at is a sport (by the way I think it is...if we adhere to the defination of sport)

just because a great athlete like Tiger plays the sport, doesn't mean that craig stadler or jon Daly are great athletes

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 04:08 AM

bingo is not a sport, just as poker is not a sport. If you are really going to sit there and argue golf is not a sport than you dont know the first thing about sports. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. But, I guess everything is a matter of opinion.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 04:14 AM

you are arguing with thin air.....

I just go done posting that golf was a sport

I was using hyperbole with the bingo statement to say, you can't pick one guy out that plays the sport and say....since he was/is a great athlete then ALL pro golfers HAVE to be great athletes....

that's like me saying babe ruth wasn't in good shape, so you Nobody has to be in shape to play baseball.....all players can eat 20 hot dogs and drink 20 beers every night...

You can't take an exception and claim him as the rule.... Tiger is an exception...does his athleticism help him? I think so.... but you don't NEED to be in great shape to be a pro golfer like you need to be to play more "mainstream" games.

I put golf, with darts, bowling ect.... you can be 75 and compete and beat 19 year olds... can't say that about most mainstream sports like football, baseball, basketball.... or individual sports like track and field and swimming....

golf and other sports are mostly apples and oranges

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 04:18 AM

Tiger isn't the exception, yes he owns the sport, but there are plenty of over cases of injuries. Mickelson with is left hand. Singh had a leg issue. I know Justin rose had a injury. And im sure their are plenty others but they point is they play through them. Comparing any sport to any other sport, cant be apples and oranges, because they are both sports, they have everything in common, everything. Except most dont get media coverage.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 04:19 AM

????

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 04:21 AM

I dont get what is hard to understand. Tell me one thing that is different in football than golf. Beside physical contact.

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 04:23 AM

ok so i'm confused you seem hung up on this injury thing...... for you to define someone as athletic do they need to overcome an injury?

i'm just saying that Tiger is the exception in golf......do you deny that his strength, stamina, conditioning ect are exceptional when compared to his counterparts in golf?

you can compare golf to basketball, but what is the point? they don't have alot in common...they require completely different skill sets and conditioning

A good athlete can become decent at golf with alot of practice....many former professional b-ball, baseball, and football players are outstanding almost pro-level golfers...

I'm still waiting for the first retired golfer to start playing semi-pro basketball or arena league football

Chi_archie · 01-31-09, 04:25 AM

Originally posted by brooks85

I dont get what is hard to understand. Tell me one thing that is different in football than golf. Beside physical contact.

running
throwing
jumping
spinning
catching

seriously should I go on?

you HAVE to be conditioned to play football at a high level..... you DON"T have to be to play at a high level of golf

brooks85 · 01-31-09, 04:31 AM

"seriously should I go on?" no please dont. Because you have lost me. And, yes, you have to 100% be condition to play golf at a high level. The fact you would even think otherwise is crazy.