# Is golf really a sport?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 29, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076 "2007-04-29T19:16:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/41 "2007-04-30T17:58:21Z")
If you wear slacks while playing, its not a sport.
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### Author:  [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/42 "2007-04-30T18:10:34Z")
[QUOTE=Ellis Dee]
While you might consider it odd to not call the Olympic events sports, I find that to be a very common sense conclusion. Sports are all about pitting humans against humans in head to head physical competition. Racing against a clock makes your opponent time, which is not what sports are about. That’s what races are about.
[/QUOTE]
My own, idiosyncratic, view is that if it’s not an Olympic event, it’s not much of a sport.
This has the fortune of making curling a sport, while American football wouldn’t be. That, I’m alright with. Rhythymic gymnastics and ice dancing, though…
:dubious: … hmm. Still needs work. Maybe “if it’s not an Olympic sport, unless it looks like something you’d see on _Dancing With the Stars_.”
So, for me, still no Olympic golf, so it’s not a real sport. Like synchronized diving. Or like synchronized trampolining was.
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus]
I will alert the New York Times, they have been mistakenly putting golf coverage in their Sports section.
[/QUOTE]
Indeed. It should obviously go into the Business section.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/43 "2007-04-30T18:15:35Z")
[QUOTE=Lightray]
My own, idiosyncratic, view is that if it’s not an Olympic event, it’s not much of a sport.
This has the fortune of making curling a sport, while American football wouldn’t be. That, I’m alright with. Rhythymic gymnastics and ice dancing, though…
:dubious: … hmm. Still needs work. Maybe “if it’s not an Olympic sport, unless it looks like something you’d see on _Dancing With the Stars_.”
So, for me, still no Olympic golf, so it’s not a real sport. Like synchronized diving. Or like synchronized trampolining was.
Indeed. It should obviously go into the Business section.
[/QUOTE]
As should all professional games.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/44 "2007-04-30T18:18:52Z")
[QUOTE=Ellis Dee]
As for your laundry list of “but that means such-and-such isn’t a sport”, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I know that’s what you’re saying. And what you’re saying is ridiculous. You’re taking a perfectly good word and completely redefining it with arbitrary boundaries in an illogical and pointless manner. Essentially nobody in the English-speaking world agrees with you; you’re more than welcome to make up your own language, but we usually use English on the SDMB, so don’t be surprised if you confuse some people with this new word you’re using that’s spelled S-P-O-R-T.
Sprinting is a sport, and anyone who says it isn’t is simply wrong. It’s not really a matter of opinion; every bit of precedent, context, common usage, real life practice, linguistic authority, and common sense says it’s a sport. You may personally choose to say it isn’t, but you are objectively, and quite obviously, wrong. You can also choose to say that dogs are not mammals, but the rest of the world isn’t gong to go along with you.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/45 "2007-04-30T18:23:04Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn]
If you wear slacks while playing, its not a sport.
[/QUOTE]
I wear a cute little skirt. How does that rate?
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### Author:  [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/46 "2007-04-30T18:25:44Z")
Where do you put trap shooting? Competitive, against other persons, no defense, a large measure of skill, and swinging an eight pound club that kicks you in the chest every time you pull the trigger, twenty five times a round requires some physical strength and endurance.
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/47 "2007-04-30T18:26:19Z")
I don’t buy the “golf is a game” business.
I mean, yeah golf is a game. But that doesn’t differentiate it from football or baseball. Football is a game, too. Baseball is a game. They’re sports too, and golf is a sport — when it’s competition. I see sport as recreational competition: more than just recreation, and more than just competition. Reading a novel is recreational, and presidential elections are competitions. But neither is a sport.
Each sport has a different sort of specialty, too. Some involve precision, like basketball, where you have to put a ball through a small hoop. Some involve aerobic conditioning, like basketball, where you do 30-yard sprints. Some involve strength or power, like basketball, where you go elbow to jaw against a 6’8 power forward. Some involve stamina, like basketball, where if you’re a key player in a key game, you might never get subbed. And so on.
Golf is a hell of a lot on the precision. Not so much on the aerobics, but a little. Some power (although muscle tone and control are not strength driven). And quite a bit of stamina. It’s the precision side of golf that is so beautiful to golf appreciators. Seeing that hole-in-one or eagle. Or that magical seven-iron approach shot that lands far beyond the hole, and then rolls slowly backward, accelerating with the swell of the roar, until it plops into a plastic cup to the elation of all and sundry.
It’s a damn good game and a damn good sport.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/48 "2007-04-30T18:28:08Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia]
I wear a cute little skirt. How does that rate?
[/QUOTE]
I give it a … FORE!
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/49 "2007-04-30T18:34:24Z")
Deleted.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/50 "2007-04-30T18:35:25Z")
[QUOTE=LionelHutz405]
True, but it’s not just the fat. If you are going to call John Daly ‘athletic’ thats a bit of a stretch. (Overweight, heavy smoker, heavy drinker.) If you can be all that and still be one of the sport’s top players I think it is proof that athleticism isn’t a requirement.
[/QUOTE]
I once saw a Kirby Puckett/Kent Hrbek successful double steal. The Metrodome shook under the combined weight of two fairly old (for ballplayers), fat (for ballplayers), slow guys stealing bases.
Saw Cecil Fielder steal one once, too.
There are some sports where endurance is king and you can’t have extra weight - basketball, soccer, running sports. There are plenty of other sports where weight and endurance type athleticism isn’t nearly as important - where strength or flexibility (or both), or coordination or technique win out.
Would Tim Herron be a better golfer if he lost some weight and made up for it in strength training? - possibly. But the best, most consistant golfers on tour tend to be pretty athletic. Tim Herron/John Daily/et. al. are the exception.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/51 "2007-04-30T19:04:36Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay]
Yes, I know that’s what you’re saying. And what you’re saying is ridiculous. You’re taking a perfectly good word and completely redefining it with arbitrary boundaries in an illogical and pointless manner. Essentially nobody in the English-speaking world agrees with you; you’re more than welcome to make up your own language, but we usually use English on the SDMB, so don’t be surprised if you confuse some people with this new word you’re using that’s spelled S-P-O-R-T.
Sprinting is a sport, and anyone who says it isn’t is simply wrong. It’s not really a matter of opinion; every bit of precedent, context, common usage, real life practice, linguistic authority, and common sense says it’s a sport. You may personally choose to say it isn’t, but you are objectively, and quite obviously, wrong. You can also choose to say that dogs are not mammals, but the rest of the world isn’t gong to go along with you.
[/QUOTE]
Damn, man, what the fuck has your panties in such a wad? Is it because the mean ol’ football fan called out your ridiculous logic about baseball having as much action as football? Get over it. Nobody in the English-speaking world agrees with you.
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### Author:  [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/52 "2007-04-30T20:10:20Z")
[QUOTE=Ellis Dee]
Damn, man, what the fuck has your panties in such a wad? Is it because the mean ol’ football fan called out your ridiculous logic about baseball having as much action as football? Get over it. Nobody in the English-speaking world agrees with you.
[/QUOTE]
Pardon me, but are you referring here to the baseball v. football action, or to your oddball assertation that sprinting is competing against a clock and not against other athletes, and is therefore no sport?
Because, you know, the later is an idea worth much flatulence. Racers compete against _the guy (or gal) in the next lane_, as well as the guys (or gals) in the next heat. Quite sporty.
As for the former, eh. Lighten up, Frances.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/53 "2007-04-30T23:16:48Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia]
I wear a cute little skirt. How does that rate?
[/QUOTE]
I dunno. Got a picture?
😉
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### Author:  [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/54 "2007-05-01T00:35:34Z")
Golf:
1. Is a sport, by any reasonable definition of the word
2. Is not particularly athletic as competitions go (see John Daly and the aforementioned Craig Stadler, not to mention watching Arnold at 80+ play it).
3. Is damn annoyingly difficult.
4. Is highly addictive. 😃
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/55 "2007-05-01T00:51:45Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq]
Golf:
1. Is a sport, by any reasonable definition of the word
2. Is not particularly athletic as competitions go (see John Daly and the aforementioned Craig Stadler, not to mention watching Arnold at 80+ play it).
3. Is damn annoyingly difficult.
4. Is highly addictive. 😃
[/QUOTE]
Ol’ Arnie was pretty fit until M.A.S. caught up with him. Still looks okay. Personally, I don’t think I could stand the guy.
To the topic;
A game _has_ to be competetive to be a sport? I don’t think so.
What would you call serious recreational skiing (or boarding), for example? Surely (I told you not to call me that) not a game?
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### Author:  [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/56 "2007-05-01T06:31:01Z")
I actually consider golf to be maybe the purest sport of all the popular sports worldwide. Golf has the fewest arbitrary human interventions. In golf, it is you against the course, with a set of clubs and balls as your weapons. Thats it. There is no clock, no refs or umpires (technically not true, but for all intents & purposes), no special lines where shots count for double, no judgment calls, no fluff. Just about every other sport suffers from these, and the referee is the most egregious. No sport that requires arbitrary human judgement as a major element of the game (NBA, I am looking in your direction, but most of the rest are guilty as well) can be taken too seriously.
Bear in mind here, baseball is probably my favorite sport, and I would never watch golf as a spectator, but I still think it has a lot going for it. Plus spending a warm sunny day on a giant grass field with a couple of beers and some friends can’t be all that bad…
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/57 "2007-05-01T07:10:12Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay]
> [@Sage Rat](#):
>
> Definition: A sport is a game in which two or more parties/teams concurrently compete to get a better score that is set based on accomplishing certain goals according to certain rules, and which game requires athleticism.
Sage Rat, your own definition of sport contradicts your claim that boxing is not a sport; it meets your own definition of a sport. It would also seem to say that, say, the 100m dash is a sport, but the long jump is not, which is kind of absurd.
[/QUOTE]
No, because neither boxing, running, nor jumping have **scores** based on some sort of gaming ruleset. All of them are a simple linear “accomplish this _first_” with nothing more to do. True, there is something like a “score” in boxing, but that’s for the sake of being able to break a tie and is really just a tool for the judges, not a goal.
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### Author:  [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/58 "2007-05-01T07:13:47Z")
[QUOTE=mangeorge]
The only game slower and less eventful is, I think, baseball.
Peace,
mangeorge
[/QUOTE]
No, from fastest to slowest it’s baseball, soccer, cricket, golf.
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### Author:  [@Alwrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alwrong)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/59 "2007-05-01T11:37:02Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus]
I will alert the New York Times, they have been mistakenly putting golf coverage in their Sports section.
[/QUOTE]
Yup.
Golf scores and articles about it are in the Sports section of various newspapers and online news sites, and coverage is in the sports segment of TV news broadcasts.
Golf books are in the sports section of various bookstores and online sites.
Is golf really a sport?
What’s the definition of “really”? 😉
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-golf-really-a-sport/402076/60 "2007-05-01T13:16:45Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat]
All of them are a simple linear “accomplish this _first_” with nothing more to do.
[/QUOTE]
So, if it’s “accomplish this first” it’s not a sport, but if it’s “accomplish this more often” it is a sport?
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