Golf a Sport?

Sugar_Ray

No disrespect intended, but is Golf really worthy the title of a Sport.
More a game really isn't it. It's not like Athletes are competing.
A very skillful game at that

Villain

It's not like Athletes are competing

I tell you what, you play 72 holes over 4 days in front of thousands of fans and tell me their not competing!!!

delboy159

I have individual Leinster medals and team All-Ireland medals in Athletics and County and Leinster medals in GAA (football) from my younger days and I can tell you that I'm not even within an asses roar of competing at local level in golf - I've spent the last 6 months trying to improve at this game and it still has me stumped. How the pros manage to string together such consistent golf under such pressure and on such difficult and long courses astounds me - and I've competed at a few sports....

Go out and play a round and try to break 100 strokes - which is considered poor enough (the level I'm at) - then you'll see if its a sport or not..

OP, do you think snooker is a sport?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Or darts even?

css

I guess it all comes down to your perception of what a Sport is. If you think all sports involve running/jumping/being superfit then you might perceive golf to be a non-sport. Is horse riding/jumping/racing a sport? You don't need to be superfit to be a jockey/rider, it's the same argument.

Golf fitness is entirely different to the fitness required for most sports. Have you ever seen Tiger stop his swing before he hits the ball??
I challenge you to find a sport where the athelete can do that!! The strength required to stop yourself mid-swing is absolutely incredible...

slumped

I think if the Irish Sports Council deem it a sport then they obviously have grounds for spending millions of euro on it.

I think the OP is just stirring some sh1t

S

armchairninja

All I have to say is look at Tiger Woods!

He gets out of bed at 5 in the morning and goes on a 4 or 5 mile run, he then comes back and does another few hours in the Gym, before going to the course for a round or two, and then to the range for a few hours!

And thats EVERYDAY!.....Going on that he trains harder and longer than most "sports people"!

And even he sweats at the end of a round of golf, so I think its alot more than a skill game!

Endurance Man

Agree with slumped, reckon the OP's just a bit sore cause he sucks . I just got off the course after playing what can only be called a very large mountain, good fun all the same. This game tests the body and the mind vigerously, its a great sport.

Sugar_Ray

I'm not doubting the skill level of the game. I agree it's quite a difficult game and I myself very rarely break the 100 stroke mark. But if old men can play it 2-3 times a week, and I mean OLD men, then to me it's not Sport as I would see it. Maybe you golfers believe it to be or want it to be. Darts and snooker are even better examples of GAMES, not Sport. They are skillful games. It's like Ludo, Chess, snakes and ladders. Though I'm sure somewhere down the line these may make the Olympics and be classified as sport. I see sport as not just competeing on a skill level, but also having a decent endurance/stamina and guts level. Like say Track and Field, Cycling, swimming, Rowing, Boxing, Wrestling, soccer, Rugby. Now they're sports!!!

And before anyone says Golfers are fit and stuff, Old bloody men are constantly poncing around golf courses. Fit for their standars, but athletes???

Villain

Do these old men play 72 holes in 4 days?

Going by that logic Soccer is a game, as I have seen guys in their 50's play it twice a week. Seriously think!

css

The greatest thing about golf is the ability of all ages to play it.

Those old men you are on about, will tap the ball 100 yards up the fairway at a time. They will have handicaps that are more than likely quite high.

You say you can barely break 100, well to break the 100, 90, and 80 mark takes not just skill, but a certain level of fitness. It might not be marathon running fitness, but there you go. As I said before, the next time you are on the course, take a full strength swing at a ball, and then try to stop the club before you hit the ball...

A game or a sport is a good one, I'd go with a sport, I've had this conversation before..

Sugar_Ray

irish1 wrote:

Do these old men play 72 holes in 4 days?

Going by that logic Soccer is a game, as I have seen guys in their 50's play it twice a week. Seriously think!

Look let's be realistic. I'm sure 50 and 60 year olds could have a go at anytyhing whether it be boxing, running, soccer, Rugby, but to be actually competitive and rival the best in that sport, I don't think so. Kevin Keegan for example can still run and play soccer, but he's never again going to play for England is he?. The thing with Golf is that men in their late 40's and 50's, men like Montgomerie (a picture of health) are actually at the top of the game.
To say they are fit is ludicrous as regards real sports fitness. Golf is a great game that requires skill, concentration and natural ability. But so does snooker, darts, archery, Bowls etc etc. Don't try tell me that Monty is the picture of an athlete, or Jack Nicklaus, up until very recently he was still doing very well. I'm sure there are golfers out there who do cardio training and maybe the odd weights, but so what.

sofireland

Two words. Tiger Woods
He's only just over 30 and he's won 12 majors!!
He's fit! You can tell by looking at him...

css

Sugar_Ray wrote:

To say they are fit is ludicrous as regards real sports fitness. Golf is a great game that requires skill, concentration and natural ability. But so does snooker, darts, archery, Bowls etc etc. Don't try tell me that Monty is the picture of an athlete, or Jack Nicklaus, up until very recently he was still doing very well. I'm sure there are golfers out there who do cardio training and maybe the odd weights, but so what.

Ok so take your real world really fit athelete and tell him to drive the ball 330 yards, and hit over 90% of fairways, every week. Golf is an entirely different kind of fitness. These guys have hit thousands of golf balls PER DAY practicing. You still ignore my post about stopping your swing though...

Sugar_Ray

I think you are misunderstanding fitness. It's the same type of fitness required to walk a flight of stairs, make a cup of tea or go for a leisurely stroll.
I'm talking about athletes who really exert themselves and work hard. Footballers, cyclists swimmers etc. Never try compare what Golfers and old men do on a golf course to what real athletes do. This thing about the swing and stopping. Yes it's a skill one must perfect. You don't get that from threadmills, bagwork and hard training. It's perfected over time and requires a natural flair. Same with snooker, practice makes perfect, but natural flair is also needed. No amount of fitness or lack of will determine whether or not you can do it. Games require skill, concentration and ability with the slightest of emphasis placed on fitness, courage, guts and heart. Sport requires it all.
Jack Nicklaus will be able to play golf till' he drops, because fitness is not needed. Well at least reall fitness that is. Anyway what's the harm in calling it a game rather than a sport!!

Sport is for athletes, games are for everyone

css

Sugar_Ray wrote:

I think you are misunderstanding fitness. It's the same type of fitness required to walk a flight of stairs, make a cup of tea or go for a leisurely stroll.
I'm talking about athletes who really exert themselves and work hard. Footballers, cyclists swimmers etc. Never try compare what Golfers and old men do on a golf course to what real athletes do. This thing about the swing and stopping. Yes it's a skill one must perfect. You don't get that from threadmills, bagwork and hard training. It's perfected over time and requires a natural flair. Same with snooker, practice makes perfect, but natural flair is also needed. No amount of fitness or lack of will determine whether or not you can do it. Games require skill, concentration and ability with the slightest of emphasis placed on fitness, courage, guts and heart. Sport requires it all.
Jack Nicklaus will be able to play golf till' he drops, because fitness is not needed. Well at least reall fitness that is. Anyway what's the harm in calling it a game rather than a sport!!

Sport is for athletes, games are for everyone

You are mixing things up entirely. You go on about 50-60 year old golfers being still able to play. Yet you do not go on about 50-60 year old atheletes who can still run/play football/whatever.

You can play golf until you drop, but you won't be competing at the top as much as the younger fit guys. Jack Nicklaus has stopped playing competitively btw.

It's all the one what you call it, but saying golf is just a game, and not being proficient at it yourself, is like saying motor racing is for girls, and not being able to drive yourself. A bit rich. I will say no more.

Villain

Never try to compare what old men do on a golf course to what the professional golfers do every day of the week. The ammount of training they do is incredible, its like comparing my sunday league team players to Arsenal players. Soccer is a game for some and a sport for others same goes for golf, I realy don't think you realise the ammount of work Pro golfers do.

armchairninja

Well for a Sport thats apparently not a Sport, I have one thing to say look at the 100 celebrities list, Tiger Woods(GOLFER) is the highest ranked Sportsperson, then the next nearest person is Ali(RETIRED and can Barely move) and then Phil Mickelson(Another Golfer).....
ANd woods is classed as an ATHLETE whose primary Attribute is Talented and his second is...:eek: :eek: :eek: PHYSICALLY FIT!

Second of all, the 50-60 yr olds you talk about, hit the ball about 75 yards at a time, and walk at a snails pace, they get out more for the socialising....

And 50-60 year olds can run,kick, punch etc. just cos there not competitive anymore in the sport theyre playing doesnt mean its not a sport

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/53/Athletes_Rank.html

allin-king

css wrote:

. Is horse riding/jumping/racing a sport? You don't need to be superfit to be a jockey/rider, it's the same argument.

OT but to say a jockey doesn't have to be fit is possibly the stupidest thing i've ever read here!

They are probably the fittest and most dedicated of sportsman there are,
every muscle in your body would be aching if you galloped for a mile like a jockey, not to mention the horrible weight limits they must keep

Sugar_Ray

allin-king wrote:

OT but to say a jockey doesn't have to be fit is possibly the stupidest thing i've ever read here!

They are probably the fittest and most dedicated of sportsman there are,
every muscle in your body would be aching if you galloped for a mile like a jockey, not to mention the horrible weight limits they must keep

I agree and possibly the bravest of all sports people. As for Woods being the highest ranked sportsperson. I know as golf is the richest 'sport' on the planet. And don't tell me that has nothing to do with corporate Involvement.
It began as a game for old men and the wealthy old men who after they retired, they took up Golf. Then the monet really went OTT and of course then it became so very serious and scientific. But to try and justify Woods or Monty or Harrington earning money as they do, to what say Lance Armstrong earns
is silly. The Seniors on the senior tours are earning millions per year. Who in gods name would pay to watch these has-beens struggling around a golf course. But that's the crazy world of sport we live in today. Sorry I disagree with the majority, but no matter what spin is put on it, Golf to me will always be a game for the elderley. A retirement game.

Enjoyable at that by the way, playing I mean. To watch you;d have to be a wee bit MAD!!!

GreeBo

To those who dont think that golf is a sport, are soccer goalkeepers sportsmen?
What defines a sport?
Exertion, sweat, competition?

GreeBo

Sugar_Ray wrote:

It began as a game for old men

Really?
Tell that to the shepherds in Scotland then will ya?
If you are going to make statements like that, at least do some research.

kc66

Sugar_Ray wrote:

The thing with Golf is that men in their late 40's and 50's, men like Montgomerie (a picture of health) are actually at the top of the game.

Montgomerie is only in his early 40s. Maybe the exertion and pressure of the sport make him look older.

Endurance Man

GreeBo wrote:

To those who dont think that golf is a sport, are soccer goalkeepers sportsmen?
What defines a sport?
Exertion, sweat, competition?

Well put..

lopppy

the max recieved on the senior tour last year was 277,000 and only 3 made more than 200 grand....millions ya?

GreeBo

lopppy wrote:

the max recieved on the senior tour last year was 277,000 and only 3 made more than 200 grand....millions ya?

ahh dont go ruining his arguments with facts!

armchairninja

And for a game thats not a sport, why then do the 2 biggest manufacturers of sports wear and equipment have such a large involvement in it

i.e. Nike, who sponser the likes of Tiger, Faldo, Immelman, Cink

and

Adidas, who sponser the likes of Garcia and Goosen...

TBH, I think your fighting a loosing battle as it is a sport and money only became a big factor after woods entered the game and brought it to the next level with his "then" rediculous" training regime and attitude towrds the game.

And as for Monty, Hes in his forties and able to keep up with the younger of the game because of his fitness levels and training.

Sugar_Ray

armchairninja wrote:

And for a game thats not a sport, why then do the 2 biggest manufacturers of sports wear and equipment have such a large involvement in it

i.e. Nike, who sponser the likes of Tiger, Faldo, Immelman, Cink

and

Adidas, who sponser the likes of Garcia and Goosen...

TBH, I think your fighting a loosing battle as it is a sport and money only became a big factor after woods entered the game and brought it to the next level with his "then" rediculous" training regime and attitude towrds the game.

And as for Monty, Hes in his forties and able to keep up with the younger of the game because of his fitness levels and training.

I may have been losing the arguement until you came up wit the absurd notion that Monty is keeping up with the young lads due to fitness. Monty and fitness should never be used in the same sentence. Laughable!!!!!

For god's sake, they don't even carry their own poxy clubs. How lazy can one get. Fit my arse. You guys wouldn't recognise an athlete if he stood in front of you. It's an insult to the greats of sport like Ali, Pele, Armstrong, Michael Johnson, Redgrave, Sampras etc to attempt to call these pro golfers sportsmen, let alone athletes!!!.

Nicklaus retired very recently at aged 65 or there abouts. If that's not evidence that the game does not require athletes fitness, I don't know what to say. And I'm sure he'll go on playing to the morons who are willing to pay big money to see him and older compete on the Seniors tour

Villain

Oh dear god, seriously man have you ever seen a Pro train??

I saw the players warming up on the range before the European open at the K Club and I can tell you you would have to be seriously fit to be able to do that warm up then play a round of golf which on average means a walk of around 6 miles a round.

Plus mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness.

GreeBo

Sugar_Ray wrote:

Fit my arse.

Have you every played a proper game of golf?
Have you ever gone to the range and hit 4 or 5 buckets of balls?

Sugar_Ray wrote:

You guys wouldn't recognise an athlete if he stood in front of you. It's an insult to the greats of sport like Ali, Pele, Armstrong, Michael Johnson, Redgrave, Sampras etc to attempt to call these pro golfers sportsmen, let alone athletes!!!.

Interesting how many of these guys have taken up golf and not been very good.

Sugar_Ray wrote:

Nicklaus retired very recently at aged 65 or there abouts. If that's not evidence that the game does not require athletes fitness

What was he winning?
What tour was he on?
You havent a clue about the game and yet feel that you are entitled to knock it.
Its a non contact sport so people can play it for longer, big deal.

Answer my previous question, is a golkeeper a sportsman?