Published Sunday, February 18, 2001, in the Miami Herald Tiger's got game, but he's no athlete Tiger Woods is many things -- a magnificent champion, the most famous face in sports, the world's greatest golfer -- but this is what he's not: He's not an athlete. Golfers aren't athletes. They have a skill, just like bowlers, fishermen, brain surgeons and seamstresses. To be an athlete, one must jump, run, catch or (this would be nice) at least move. Golfers? They need even their bags carried for them. Golf is something Michael Jordan does for 54 holes before participating in a playoff game, kind of like stretching. What golfers possess is wonderful hand-eye coordination (just like pool players, who aren't athletes), mental strength (just like chess players, who aren't athletes) and flawless mechanics (just like jugglers, who aren't athletes). What they don't possess, by and large, is very much athleticism. When I think of an athlete, I think of Edgerrin James, Alex RodrÃguez, Kobe Bryant, Evander Holyfield. I do not think of John Daly. You say baseball players like tubby Boston pitcher Rich Garces aren't athletes? I say at least baseball players are dealing with a ball that is thrown, chased or caught (and a caddie doesn't stand next to the mound holding Garces' glove). Put the ball on the tee, and baseball players wouldn't be athletes any more. They'd be golfers. Speed, stamina and strength are sports signatures, but you can win at golf without having any of them. Granted, Tiger Woods' picture-perfect swing and overwhelming power make him more of an athlete than most golfers, but that's a backhanded compliment, kind of like saying someone looks pretty handsome for an ugly person or writes well compared to Cote. There is no sweat in golf, no exertion. The most physically demanding thing a golfer does is walk. Heck, I'd crawl 18 holes if there were a $500,000 check at the end. Just because Woods has more athleticism than most golfers doesn't make him an athlete any more than my having more muscles than Pee Wee Herman makes me a bodybuilder. Boxing and George Foreman exempted, what real sport has athletes still playing into their second century? Golfers, meanwhile, keep churning along professionally into their 60s. If you don't think an athlete playing into his 60s is absurd, imagine Art Donovan trying to tackle Marshall Faulk. For the love of Arnold Palmer, an 82-year-old woman last week had two holes-in-one in the same round, meaning she has done something Woods may never do. Tiger Woods is a great hero who continues to redefine his game. He just isn't an athlete. dlebatard@herald.com ------------------
I dunno -- he makes a pretty good argument, though. I guess it just depends on how you define "athlete". ------------------ http://www.swirve.com ... more fun than a barrel full of monkeys and midgets.
A wise man once told me that golf is an activity, not a sport. ------------------ Brought to you by the letter M.
I guess it depends on how you define sports. To me, sports is competition involving physical skills. Recreational skiing or boarding is much more demanding physically, but wouldn't qualify in my book, because there is no competition. Some people consider hunting and fishing sports, but I don't. I think the competition has to be human to be sports. ------------------
By definition this is a sport, an individual or group competitive activity involving physical exertion or skill, governed by rules, and sometimes engaged in professionally. With that said technically golf is a sport and I agree it is. Now although it seems it is not a sport with athletes because of the low visible activity but playing 18 holes on a professional course against the greatest in the world should be enough to be considered a sport. ------------------ Ceo of the Walt Williams and Lisa Malosky fan club. atheistalliance.org
I like Moe's approach. First we have to define a sport. And I think he has a good defintion, which is, as I understand it, a physical competition. What keeps golf, and race car driving, and horseback riding, skiing, running and a bunch of other stuff from being considered by me to be sport is that there is no defense, so there is no direct competition. In Irving's The World According to Garp, the protagonist reflects on sport and decides that wrestling (the real kind, not that WWF bull****) is the purest of sports because it pits man against man and has no intermediary object (like a bat or a basketball) between them. I like that assessment. Wrestling also does not have much distinction between what is offense and what is defense, which, I think, adds to its stature. The same can be said of boxing. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
The following I do not consider to be sports: Golf Frolf Bowling Auto Racing Pool/Billiards Ping Pong Badmitten Those who paticipate in these non sports are not athletes. They are gamers. ------------------ "We messed with the Bull, and we got the horns." -- Larry Brown "quote" from AirBullard.com
I dunno . . Gymnastics don't seem that much of a Sport. . they are definately Athletic Rocket River ------------------
It's a sport. A wussie sport, but a sport nonetheless. he he he. ------------------ Art don't pay the rent.
If you can wear clothing that restricts your movement(slacks, collared shirts) and suffer no corresponding drop in performance, it's not a sport. Golf is not a sport. ------------------ The Rockets will be the NBA champions. Believe.
Too funny! If putting a collar on your shirt hurts your performance, you are definately not an athlete. Sorry, coach. I could have definately hit that ball out if this damn collar wasn't holding me back. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Moe (edited March 09, 2001).]
Uh yeah I have golfed. I have golfed at some of the top courses in Houston, namely Shadowhawk, the Houstonian, Black Horse, and Champions. And it sucks. There is NO and I repeat NO athleticism involved. Yes you have to swing a stick and hit a ball. Great. But sorry, still not an atheletic move. You don't have to run after the damn ball or catch the ball or ANYTHING even remotely athletic. All you have to do is WALK for goodness sake. And not everyone does that. Have YOU ever played golf? ------------------ Poopy!
"Boxing and George Foreman exempted, what real sport has athletes still playing into their second century? Golfers, meanwhile, keep churning along professionally into their 60s. If you don't think an athlete playing into his 60s is absurd, imagine Art Donovan trying to tackle Marshall Faulk." Umm, let's see. I ride horses (and yes this is a REAL sport, one that requires serious physical capabilities and coordination) and people can participate in it well into their sixties. Don't give that crap about how the horse does all the work. blah blah blah. If you say that then you have never riddena horse. I agree with the rest of the article. Golf is absolutely a game of skill and one that I cannot play. But athelete? No way. Really though, it all comes down with how you define sport and athelete. Isn't this the whole debate that is going on with Casey Martin? ------------------ Poopy!
Have you ever golfed? I would say not, judging by your opinion. Golf is more than just skill. Are Nascar drivers atheletes? Housewives drive cars, old people drive cars (rather slowly, I might add). They drive a car around in a circle for a couple of hours is that athletic? ------------------ "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."- (Aldous Huxley)
BS...I don't buy it...you've played that many courses and still don't think its a sport? wow..unless they are putt-putt courses you listed, that's another story... IMO, people who have argued against golf being athletes have not even stepped on a golf course before, ever...it looks easy and everything on TV, but try walking ALL 18 holes... ------------------
I can see how people have the idea that golfers are not athletes. I don't really care what people think, but here are some other angles on some of what is said. Like most sports, and I do think golf is a sport, the best golfers are the best athletes. Tell you what, go out and hit 1000 golf balls in one day and see if your arms don't feel like they are going to fall off. Generally, there is not much sweating, but there is conditioning to be just as sharp on 18 as you are on the first hole. I think most people agree that the best overall athletes are basketball players. I have seen some guys trying to play in pick-up games that don't look very athletic. Same thing in golf. Lots of football players don't look athletic, but play at a professional level. A hole-in-one is a poor analogy to define athleticism, as it is mostly luck, requiring no power. An eagle on a long par 5 would be much more defining. I'm a better athlete than I am a golfer, but would be a worse golfer if I were a worse athlete. By and large, I would say the best golfers are also the best athletes, with a heavy dose of skill. ------------------
This is a good question. True, golfers don't run or jump, but a swing is DEFINITELY an athletic move, just ask a baseball player. And golfers do spend a lot of time and effort improving their swing and technique, I heard that Tiger does some strength and fitness training. I would still agree that golf is more of a game or activity than a sport. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Live (edited March 09, 2001).]
C'mon ya'll, the golf swing requires skill and athleticism...of course we I may not be talking about your swing, but a good one . It may not require much strength, but does demand excellent flexibility and timing. These are 'athletic'. Requiring brute force to be classified as 'sport' or an 'athlete' is probably a distinctly American perspective.
