Golfers - Athletes?

[SoCalDomer]

i think where the discussion of this issue breaks down most is when most people think of their favorite sport and conclude no way the skill required of a golfer equals that. but i don't think it's that easy. compring two sports is neigh impossible objectively, and just because one require more skill, doesn't mean the players who play the other are NOT athletes.

take football for example. not every position requires skill. look at the offensive and defensive lines. much of that position is brute force and leverage. i hope no one would call 350lb guys athletes. i'm not saying what they do is easy, just that it is more aboutusing their size, strength and positioning against the other guy.

take a hockey goalie. someone could argue that they really just hang out in front of the goal. obviously it requires much more than that, such as the hand eye coordination to position themselves to stop pucks shot at incredible speeds. they also have to do it with heavy gear on. and have the stamina to do it a whole game.

consider a center in basketball. for the most part a player like Shaq just uses his big ole butt to back into the basket and turn and lay it up or throw it down. you don't see him doing any fancy dribbling, splitting defenders and making acrobatic shots.

the point is, if you're a golf fan or ever tried to play it, you understand how difficult it really is. add to that difficulty having to walk ~400 yards x 18 holes x 4 rounds (not including practice rounds) and maintain that muscle memory to swing the same way. then do the same thing the next week with about one days rest.

the most common reason people claim pro golfers are not athletes is because they don't think golf is on the same level as other pro sports. but that doesn't mean the pro players are NOT athletes, just that they may not be as high a caliber of athletes.

[SoCalDomer]

i think the more interesting question is where sports fall on the athletic spectrum (i.e. which sports require the most athleticism down to the least).

i personally think soccer is the highest considering you use only your feet and have to essentially jog, sprint, walk for 90 minutes (usually only 2-3 subs are allowed).

[domer1961]

like someone said earlier, its a different type of athlete. obviously its not one where you use speed and a lot of strength at one time, but it does talk (im not sure what youd call it) either stamina or endurance. just to walk in the hot sun for a few hours. its like hiking kind of, which some people would consider athletic, although not the "regular" type of sport

[ACamp1900]

I don't have NEAR the respect for golfers that I do for baseball, football, hockey and others but they are indeed atheles... try playing a round of golf and tell me what you think then.

I grew up with a chip on my shoulder towards golf as a kid b/c I was too poor to play it and those who did seemed to be the upper class types that liked to thumb their nose at the hard working lower middle class. BUt that has NOTHING to do with golfers being athletes...

any sport you play you have to devote time to... The great one never scored an empty neter without practing with the puck a thousand times and Jordan never drained a three either...

in just about all sports it's 10% natural ability and 90% who works hardest and stays most fit.

[MattDMB72]

I can't believe there are people that wouldn't consider golf a sport. I am actually a professional golfer and train just as hard for golf as I would for any other sport. I think the part people are confusing, is that playing golf recreationally and being a professional are in two totally different leagues. When I played in college you played tournaments with 36 holes in one day, and you carry your own bag. So for anyone who says that doesn't take any endurance, go strap a 35 pound bag on your back and then go walk 12 miles up and down hills all day, cause thats what it comes out to. Go stand on a driving range for 4-6 hours a day and hit balls continuously and tell me that there's not strength involved. Try hitting a ball 300 yards with a club moving at 125 mph and say that there's not speed involved. I know there are exceptions to the rule, and there are definitely some out of shape golfers, but its no different than being a kicker in the NFL or being a DH in baseball. Those guys would absolutely be considered athletes and they only have one skill that they have to master. I mean I guess I'm partial but thats my 2 cents.

[NDOM]

Originally Posted by MattDMB72

I can't believe there are people that wouldn't consider golf a sport. I am actually a professional golfer and train just as hard for golf as I would for any other sport. I think the part people are confusing, is that playing golf recreationally and being a professional are in two totally different leagues. When I played in college you played tournaments with 36 holes in one day, and you carry your own bag. So for anyone who says that doesn't take any endurance, go strap a 35 pound bag on your back and then go walk 12 miles up and down hills all day, cause thats what it comes out to. Go stand on a driving range for 4-6 hours a day and hit balls continuously and tell me that there's not strength involved. Try hitting a ball 300 yards with a club moving at 125 mph and say that there's not speed involved. I know there are exceptions to the rule, and there are definitely some out of shape golfers, but its no different than being a kicker in the NFL or being a DH in baseball. Those guys would absolutely be considered athletes and they only have one skill that they have to master. I mean I guess I'm partial but thats my 2 cents.

Ok. I was in the Army and WE all had to do that everyday but we had about 60 pounds strapped to our back and had to walk up and down more than just hills......So are you saying that we are athletes in the army? I wouldnt. Trust me, their are not very many athletic men/women in the army. That would just make you in good shape. You dont have to be athletic to walk 12 miles with 35 pound bag strapped to your back. Thats a bunch of rubbish.

[SoCalDomer]

Originally Posted by NDOM

I was in the Army and WE all had to do that everyday ...

Really? when you were in the army, you had to carry wieght on your back, walk alot, then hit a little golf ball into a small hole 500 yards away 36 times? Or hit a few hundred practice balls into the same area over the course of 4-5 hours?

You are clearly only reading what you want to read. He didn't say carrying weight on his back and walking 12 miles made him an athlete. Its having to do those things, then make precision shots that require you have stamina coupled with athletic skill.

Walking Golf Course Affects Swing, Performance
FRIDAY, June 6 (HealthDay News) — If you walk rather than ride a cart when you golf, you'll be adding more exercise to your life — and maybe more strokes to your score, a new report suggests.

When walking 18 holes, a golfer's swing and mechanics change for the worse, causing the player to hit the ball with less distance and accuracy, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, May 28-31, in Indianapolis.

Researchers studied seven recreational golfers, who typically average a score between 80 and 95, who walked while carrying a weighted golf bag during a simulated golf game. The one female and six male golfers walked 6 miles in total in 1-mile increments. Before the first mile, and after each subsequent mile, each player hit 20 tee shots, totaling 140 tee shots for the round.

Researchers found that over time, the golfers were less able to properly transfer weight to their front leg on a swing, resulting in less club head velocity that could affect how far the ball would travel. The study also showed that over time, the angles of the front knee and ankle at the top the swing changed, a development that could affect a shot's accuracy.

"I think many golfers are realizing that their bodies are the most important tool they have in the golf swing, and that improving physical fitness may be more helpful than expensive golf clubs," researcher Nick R. Higdon said in a prepared statement. "The study suggests that golf mechanics change and performance may decline the longer the golfer walks and swings. Getting in better shape may help golfers combat the effects of fatigue while playing golf."

— Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: American College of Sports Medicine, news release, May 29, 2008