2008 Woodie Awards
Getting tee'd off by those who mislabel the game of golf
Mike Brusko
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Soap Box
About a week ago, my roommates and I sat watching "SportsCenter" when highlights of the Masters, the biggest tournament in the game of golf, came on. We casually chatted for a few minutes about it until one of them made the remark that "Tiger Woods is the most dominant athlete of all time." Inevitably a debate ensued.
Before I go on, let me say that I am a huge fan of golf and that I enjoy playing it when I have time.
My argument was simple: In order for someone to be considered the most dominant athlete of all time, he or she must play a sport. Call me crazy, but for something to be considered a sport, it must require the people who play it to demonstrate athleticism. Let me clarify that this has nothing to do with Tiger Woods. I believe he is the most dominant golfer of all time.
My issue is with golf being labeled a sport. Now, I am the first person to acknowledge that it is extremely difficult to be a successful golfer at the highest level. I am also the first to acknowledge how difficult it is to format a computer program, but that does not make it a sport. The most athletic thing that a golfer does is walk 18 holes - and that's only required if it's a PGA Tour event.
Reader: "But Mike, do you know how difficult it is to walk 18 holes in 90-degree heat?" Actually, yes I do. It's not that difficult, especially considering that Arnold Palmer can still do it now, and he is like 100 years old. If walking a lot constitutes something being a sport, then I guess these people are all athletes as well: the milkman, the golfer's caddy - who has the added task of carrying the clubs, just about every single college student ever and, finally, my mother.
Reader: "OK, fine, but it still takes a ton of athleticism to be able to hit a golf ball far and straight." You know who hits the ball as far and as straight as anyone in recent memory? John Daly, the same 300-pound man whose agent ditched him recently because he was more interested in drinking and doing other things than playing golf. If that's not convincing enough for you, consider this: If my grandfather, who's drunk off scotch and smoking a cigar, can beat me at it, I have a lot of trouble considering it a sport.
Just to prove this point, I've been kind enough to provide you with a list of other things that he is better than me at when he's drunk off scotch: drinking scotch, telling stories about Vietnam and playing rummy - until he falls asleep in his chair
I'm sorry, but in my opinion, golf just is not a sport; it's a game. Oh, and to all you KPE majors who were taught that it's a sport because it is organized; the score is kept; there are rules and regulations; and it has a playing field, I have one question: Doesn't that also make Scrabble a sport?
My apologies to anyone I may have offended with this article. It's all in good fun.
Mike Brusko is a third-year journalism major and can't wait to grow up to be just like his grandfather.
Before I go on, let me say that I am a huge fan of golf and that I enjoy playing it when I have time.
My argument was simple: In order for someone to be considered the most dominant athlete of all time, he or she must play a sport. Call me crazy, but for something to be considered a sport, it must require the people who play it to demonstrate athleticism. Let me clarify that this has nothing to do with Tiger Woods. I believe he is the most dominant golfer of all time.
My issue is with golf being labeled a sport. Now, I am the first person to acknowledge that it is extremely difficult to be a successful golfer at the highest level. I am also the first to acknowledge how difficult it is to format a computer program, but that does not make it a sport. The most athletic thing that a golfer does is walk 18 holes - and that's only required if it's a PGA Tour event.
Reader: "But Mike, do you know how difficult it is to walk 18 holes in 90-degree heat?" Actually, yes I do. It's not that difficult, especially considering that Arnold Palmer can still do it now, and he is like 100 years old. If walking a lot constitutes something being a sport, then I guess these people are all athletes as well: the milkman, the golfer's caddy - who has the added task of carrying the clubs, just about every single college student ever and, finally, my mother.
Reader: "OK, fine, but it still takes a ton of athleticism to be able to hit a golf ball far and straight." You know who hits the ball as far and as straight as anyone in recent memory? John Daly, the same 300-pound man whose agent ditched him recently because he was more interested in drinking and doing other things than playing golf. If that's not convincing enough for you, consider this: If my grandfather, who's drunk off scotch and smoking a cigar, can beat me at it, I have a lot of trouble considering it a sport.
Just to prove this point, I've been kind enough to provide you with a list of other things that he is better than me at when he's drunk off scotch: drinking scotch, telling stories about Vietnam and playing rummy - until he falls asleep in his chair
I'm sorry, but in my opinion, golf just is not a sport; it's a game. Oh, and to all you KPE majors who were taught that it's a sport because it is organized; the score is kept; there are rules and regulations; and it has a playing field, I have one question: Doesn't that also make Scrabble a sport?
My apologies to anyone I may have offended with this article. It's all in good fun.
Mike Brusko is a third-year journalism major and can't wait to grow up to be just like his grandfather.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Beau
posted 4/21/08 @ 3:16 PM EST
Your analogies are pretty good. Assuming that you are a young man, which you seem to be, then the memories of your football days and "4 touchdowns in a high school football game" are probably not a distant memory. (Continued…)
Adam
posted 4/22/08 @ 10:06 PM EST
I agree that golf should be classified as a sport, and Beau you make some very great points. One thing I don't think you recognize is Brusko is a football player on the UMaine squad and is in great shape I assume. (Continued…)
grimmer
posted 4/23/08 @ 6:31 PM EST
I too think golf is a sport. But the personal attack on Mike Brusko was a bit rude and innapropriate. Brusko is a pretty good athlete, I know because I went to three football games last year and he scored two touchdowns in one of them, and threw four a few more. (Continued…)
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