can someone tell me why golf is considered to be a sport?

[icy manipulator]

it's one thing i dont understand. it's ridiculous to think that Tiger Woods is going to become the first sporting billionaire. i can understand that Tiger might be alot fitter than everyone thinks he is, in the same way that Micheal Schumacher was alot fitter than everyone thought he was, but seriously, why is Tiger getting paid more than $100 million a year? is it because golf is the only sport that yuppies can succeed at? even if Tiger Woods is one of the fittest athletes in the world, look at Phil Mickelson, he's a fat middle aged bloke yet he's the 3rd highest earning sport star in the world. is this some kind of inside joke? can you really tell me that he deserves to make more money than someone roger federer who's more of a supreme athlete than fat cunt phil mickelson?

someone please enlighten me into the world of golf

[bigblu89]

I don't golf myself, but know people who do.

It requires a ton of skill. Yeah it's a simple as "see the ball hit it, put it in the hole", but any sport could be that simplified.

If you're the top 5 whatever in any profession, you'll get paid accordingly.

I'm not gonna go into why they earn as much as they earn, because we could be here all day with that.

And you don't have to have a body like David Beckham to be an athlete.

There's a difference between looking "athletic" and being an "athlete".

[Dorothy Wood]

sport: an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition.

well, Tiger does a lot of endorsements that pay big money...and generally the tournaments and such pay a lot of prize money. It's an expensive sport, therefore the people who play it can afford to spend money. Tiger appeals to a big range of people, from ladies who think he's hot, to kids who think he's cool, to old men who respect his game...an advertiser's dream.

It's a little ridiculous, yes, but golf is one of those things that not everybody is good at...so like any sport, the people who are amazing at it become professionals.

[icy manipulator]

sport: an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition.

well, Tiger does a lot of endorsements that pay big money...and generally the tournaments and such pay a lot of prize money. It's an expensive sport, therefore the people who play it can afford to spend money. Tiger appeals to a big range of people, from ladies who think he's hot, to kids who think he's cool, to old men who respect his game...an advertiser's dream.

It's a little ridiculous, yes, but golf is one of those things that not everybody is good at...so like any sport, the people who are amazing at it become professionals.

is tiger actually any good at golf tho? coz less than 10% of his earnings come from prize money. i know that greg norman is one of australia's most recognised/highest paid sportsmen that's internationally recognised, yet no one gives a shit about him over here. plus i think he only won 1 or 2 majors. him and Mick Doohan actually went to the same school yet i think more ppl know who greg norman is even tho mick doohan achieved so much more than him

[Yeti]

is tiger actually any good at golf tho?

Huh?
He is in his prime and has almost won more tournaments and majors than any golfer in history.

[funk63]

has anyone tried that Tiger gatorade?

[Dorothy Wood]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_woods

[Whatitis]

As high level as they way the pros play I would consider it a sport. For the recreational golfer it is a game. I love golf and it is very hard to be as consistent and good as they play it. To have the mental concentration and strength to make every shot good, and walking about 3.1/2-4 miles(leangth of golf courses) while doing it, is not an easy feat.

[icy manipulator]

well look at the Laureus Sportsmen of the Year awards, the only ppl that have won it are

Micheal Schumacher
Roger Federer
Lance Armstrong
and Tiger Woods

i dont think tiger woods deserves to be on that list

[abcdefz]

If billiards and poker can be sports, golf certainly can.

[Dorothy Wood]

why do you hate tiger woods so much? racist!

[Guy Incognito]

i dont think tiger woods deserves to be on that list


He is far superior than anyone else in golf. If he's 7 or 8 shots behind on the last day he is still feared and has a chance of winning.
He has reinvented the swing.
He is a great ambassador for golf
he will be remembered as the greatest ever when he retires.
The other golfers know they are only competing for the world no.2 spot.

He deserves to be in that list cos he has dominated his sport for long period just like the others in that list.

I cant believe you even questioned it to be honest

[abcdefz]

Why is Magic Johnson considered a "good" basketball player?

[bigblu89]

well look at the Laureus Sportsmen of the Year awards, the only ppl that have won it are

Micheal Schumacher
Roger Federer
Lance Armstrong
and Tiger Woods

i dont think tiger woods deserves to be on that list

Why not? You've asked us to explain why golf IS a sport, let us know why you think golf ISN'T a sport.

This reminds me of that scene in Big, right beofre Tom Hanks and John Heard go to play Paddleball:


Hanks: Well, I'm much better at Video Hockey.
Heard: That isn't a sport.
Hanks: It requires hand-eye coordination.
Heard: It's not a sport because you don't sweat.
Hanks: Well you don't sweat playing Golf, and that's a sport.
Heard: It's not a sport becasue you're letting a machine do all the work.
Hanks: Well, what about Auto Racing?
Heard: Ahh Shut up Baskin!

[jabumbo]

anybody who can hit that ball 350 yards straight down the pike is cool by me....



have you ever played golf? its not that easy, and its frustrating as hell when you can't figure it out

[icy manipulator]

Why not? You've asked us to explain why golf IS a sport, let us know why you think golf ISN'T a sport

because in my opinion it requires one skill, how well you can swing a club. that for me doesn't classify as a sport let alone athletic ability.

[Guy Incognito]

because in my opinion it requires one skill, how well you can swing a club. that for me doesn't classify as a sport let alone athletic ability.

but its about being able to swing a club and hit ball in a certain direction, use another club to get it on the green then have the stones to put the ball in the hole. Consistently, under pressure, over a long career.
If you think its just about swinging a club then i suggest you do some research before starting threads dude

[bigblu89]

because in my opinion it requires one skill, how well you can swing a club. that for me doesn't classify as a sport let alone athletic ability.

I guess any Designated Hitter in baseball aren't athletes either?

It's not a distance contest. It's not like "Tiger hit the ball 350 yards, he wins". There's other aspects of the game. Like gettting the ball in that little hole.

That would be like saying any fool that can catch a soccer ball can be a professional soccer goalie.

All Roger Federer does is chase a ball with his racket. But he does it better than 99.9% of the people in this world, so he gets rewarded for it.

[roosta]

because in my opinion it requires one skill, how well you can swing a club. that for me doesn't classify as a sport let alone athletic ability.

Ah...come on. Theres much more to it then just swinging a club. Theres a multitude of factors have to be taken in on every shot. Every hole, every course has to be approached with intelligence, and a game plan.

Golf takes skill. To be good at golf takes alot of skill. Tiger Woods is an incredibly skilled golfer.

[abcdefz]

I thought golf was some simple, weakling gentleman's sport until I tried it.

[abcdefz]

Hey, Icy -- is bowling a sport?

[icy manipulator]

I guess any Designated Hitter in baseball aren't athletes either?

It's not a distance contest. It's not like "Tiger hit the ball 350 yards, he wins". There's other aspects of the game. Like gettting the ball in that little hole.

That would be like saying any fool that can catch a soccer ball can be a professional soccer goalie.

All Roger Federer does is chase a ball with his racket. But he does it better than 99.9% of the people in this world, so he gets rewarded for it.

i dont know much about baseball so i cant comment on that.
would you say that tiger woods is a better athlete than roger federer tho? nadal, djokovic or roddick? prolly not right
the whole point of this thread is that i think it's silly that even someone like federer wouldn't even make a quarter of what woods would. even kimi raikkonen would barely make half what tiger woods does.

btw, talking about baseball, was Babe Ruth bounds and leaps ahead of everyone else?

[jabumbo]

dude, c'mon.... (http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/news/images/kemp18web.jpg)

[icy manipulator]

Hey, Icy -- is bowling a sport?

bowling, billiards and poker. nyet sportski

[Yeti]

We are witnessing a legend in real time when it comes to the Tiger issue. I think golf is a sport. When I think of sports: baseball, soccer, football, and basketball normally come to mind. And when I think of games: chess, monopoly, checkers, poker normally come to mind. So where does golf fit into this spectrum? Well for one thing it is not a official olympic sport. I think it is up to the person. Some people consider billiards a sport. Personally I consider Tiger a top notch athlete but when I watch I can also see John Daly walking around smoking a cig and drinking diet coke after diet coke. Former all-star baseball player John Kruk once told a lady, “I ain’t an athlete, lady, I’m a ballplayer!” Of course, John Kruk doesn’t exactly set the mold for baseball players. He was a cigarette smoking pot bellied slob.

Wikipedia says that a sport combines physical and mental activity for the purpose of competition, and that there is a scoring system involved. It would seem that golf is covered under this definition.

Tiger said--“I’ve always felt that golf is a sport, and you have to train as if it’s a sport.” (from GolfDigest.com) After making that comment, Woods does mention lifting weights.

[abcdefz]

bowling, billiards and poker. nyet sportski



Suffleboard?

C'mon... ya gotta love shuffleboard.

[abcdefz]

Tiger said--“I’ve always felt that golf is a sport, and you have to train as if it’s a sport.” (from GolfDigest.com) After making that comment, Woods does mention lifting weights.



He was in Men's Fitness not long ago, saying the same stuff.

[Dorothy Wood]

I was on the golf team in high school, and it's definitely a sport. we did strength training. it's also something that you kinda have to be a natural at. I'd never played before, but my friend wanted me to try out with her. I ended up being pretty decent at it for a beginner, my mom's friend (a golf pro) gave me a few lessons and said that I was a natural. I earned a varsity letter and everything! not that I was really very good at all, just better than some.

you do realize that there are different clubs with different purposes? and that every hole is different? you have to take a lot of factors into account to play a hole...like wind and the lay of the land. and swinging a club involves your whole body and a sense of control and balance.

I think you just have a boner for tennis for some reason. in my opinion, tennis is boring as shit to watch. but so is golf for that matter.

Tiger is popular because he's young, talented, attractive...and seemingly a charming and cool dude. although I don't particularly like him that much.

[abcdefz]

Croquet?

Frisbee football?

Go cart racing?

Yachting?

[bigblu89]

i dont know much about baseball so i cant comment on that.
would you say that tiger woods is a better athlete than roger federer tho? nadal, djokovic or roddick? prolly not right
the whole point of this thread is that i think it's silly that even someone like federer wouldn't even make a quarter of what woods would. even kimi raikkonen would barely make half what tiger woods does.

I can only speak for America here, but Golf is a much more popular sport in America than tennis is. It gets better ratings and has more media coverage, so they have sponsoers that are willing to pay more to advertise on their TV coverage, and pay even more to have the elite of the sport advertise their products. If it's a dollar thing that concerns you, that's the best way I can answer it.

In America, Tiger Woods pushes Gatorade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp4n2Wuczl0), Nike (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oTMosZ76b8), and countless other products and brands.

Roger Federer pushes Shaving Cream (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGX72GOjHC4). And Tiger's in the same commercial.

The best players in every sport usually earn the most money, there's just more money to go around in Golf than there is in Tennis.

When it comes to the dollars, it's just a matter of popularity. More people golf on a consistent basis than play tennis, so it's fitting that the most Elite golfer is a more popular figure than the most elite Tennis Player.


btw, talking about baseball, was Babe Ruth bounds and leaps ahead of everyone else?

At the time that he played the game, yes. There were seasons that he had better offensive statistics than some entire teams.

[abcdefz]

Synchronized swimming?

[Loppfessor]

people’s ignorance cracks me up sometimes….not only does golf require a great deal of skill it does require athletic ability. Anyway can go out and swing a club but I would bet most of you can’t hit the ball let alone hit if for any sort of distance or accuracy.

[roosta]

would you say that tiger woods is a better athlete than roger federer tho? nadal, djokovic or roddick? prolly not right



you cant compare them, because they play different sports.

[Gareth]

well look at the Laureus Sportsmen of the Year awards, the only ppl that have won it are

Micheal Schumacher
Roger Federer
Lance Armstrong
and Tiger Woods

i dont think tiger woods deserves to be on that list

why not?
tiger dominates golf.
he's won 13 majors.
even though they play different sports, i'm pretty sure that's more majors than roddick + nadal + djokovich combined.
and his wife is hot.
tiger is an elite athlete, end of story.

[Gareth]

is tiger actually any good at golf tho?

you must surely be having a laugh