Originally Posted By ClintFlint2 Golf is a game which requires no special physical stamina, strength, speed or agility. It requires finesse and concentration. So ESPN, Nike and Fox Sports stop calling woods a great athlete because he isn't. Golf doesn't require athleticism to be great. He is a great player though.
Originally Posted By ClintFlint2 I wouldn't go that far but I can see why you would ask anyway. I just like to spice this joint up a bit and I am being honest about the golf thing. I get out and hit balls for fun every so often so I wanted to see some other opinions on golf as a game verses sport.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Did you see Woods during the Open? That guy is ripped. How many times have you played 4 rounds of golf in four days? And...did you ride or walk? I consider golf a sport.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<I get out and hit balls for fun every so often so I wanted to see some other opinions on golf as a game verses sport.>> Do you ever actually play the game of golf, or do you just "hit balls for fun every so often?" Let's see... physical stamina? The typical championship course is about 7,000 yards, or 4 miles long. Just walking 4 miles in 90-100 degree heat would take a fair amount of stamina, don't you think? Now walk that far while playing 18 holes of golf. Strength? Wood's drives an average of 300 yards. My best drives ever fall in the 180 yard range. Of those extra 120 yards, I would say that 60 yards are do to better technique but 60 yards are undoubtedly due purely to strength. Speed? Most professional golfers reach a club head speed of over 100 mph. Tiger Woods has been known to hit 125 mph. Is that fast enough for you? Source: <a href="http://www.aip.org/dbis/stories/2005/15036.html" target="_blank">http://www.aip.org/dbis/storie s/2005/15036.html</a> Agility? Try some of the contortions needed when trying to hat a ball out of a tight location (behind a tree, etc.). Plenty of agility? Yes, golf is a real sport. Is football a real sport? Half the guys on the team only need to be huge enough to stop another guy. Since when is being huge being athletic?
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Originally Posted By vbdad55 Usually the most noice made about golf not being a sport is from non- golfers. AS previously mentioned - these guys walk 4 - 5 miles a day, in very warm conditions, and usually this is after hitting a few hundred balls on the range -- ( and when you hit them like a pro, your legs let you know all about the athletic effort )- then many times hit another 100 + balls after the round. On tournament week, this is 5 days in a row when a pro am is involved. The club head speeds generated exceed that of a baseball batter....and the hand-eye required to square up the little ball is harded than most sports. There's a reason why only 5-10% of golfers shoot a legitimate sub 100 round on any type of challenging course - which would of course leave them 30 + shots from being in contention. If it was not a sport than all the pro athletes should be excellent golfers - using their athleticism and current hand eye coordination. How well do most of them do---- the answer is go to most pro ams- or celebrity tournaments -- not very ! Golf is not a game of chance, or luck, it takes strength, stamina and tremendous hand - eye coordination - sounds like the description of an athlete to me.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder I've never played a round of golf in my life, but golf is definitely a sport, no question. If Clint wants to "spice things up", he should try posting something intelligent.
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Originally Posted By vbdad55 LMAO !! SPP btw - if you get a chance drop in on WDW thread on soda stealing - I think you'll find some interesting comments there also on legal responsibility for providing alcohol to those under the legal drinking age, and what happens if they then drive drunk and deaths occur. Would value your legal expertise there buddy. ( PS -- Cubs win ! )
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<And for the record I am far stronger than the average 36 year old. I am built very nicely since I work out 2 out of 3 days with weights. I weigh 200 flat and I am 6' even. My legs are not that big but my upper body like chest and arms are muscular.>> A body builder. Well, that explains that.
Originally Posted By ClintFlint2 I am not a body builder like some of those silver back gorilas in th gym. But I do keep in very good shape for my age and I am far stronger than the average joe out there. So many of my peers are fat slobs who have no stamina but I can walk EPCOT in August not even being phased in the slightest. Probably because the one of the three days where I don't work out with weights I hit the running machine for 1 hr non stop on the 7.5 speed out of 10 increments.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 forget the technique, it is a lot of athleticism -- just for the record - I am 6'3" and 225 ( down 20 pounds this summer after getting a good look in the mirror) and am 52 years old. I can generate plenty of power as need however even though I have the same technique today that made me a 3 handicap golfer in the day.....my athletic skills have diminshed some now - and that is why there is 30 - 40 yards less on my drives than there used to be.....and I can tell you the 4 mile stroll ( I usually carry btw as that is how I was taught when I learned to play) - which really is only 4 miles is you hit it perfectly straight tee to hole - is a fine workout now. And have you seen the American public lately -- you think most could walk 4 miles ? In a week ? Look around WDW next time there and let me know any second thoughts on that.
Originally Posted By ClintFlint2 Hey somebody out there answer this one with honesty please. I know some of you play golf often so you will automatically become defensive but try to be honest anyway. How many elderly and retirees play basketball, football, tennis, baseball, racketball, handball, diving, motorcross, Lacrosse, rugby football, rock climbimg or soccer?????????? How many elderly and retirees get out and play golf??????
Originally Posted By ClintFlint2 ///you think most could walk 4 miles ? In a week ? //// No I don't think that at all. I agree with you there. but that's not the point here is it. I am saying that that feat is so doable for millions so once again it doesn't impress me at all.
Originally Posted By ClintFlint2 I will relent and eat crow I promise if someone can answer my number fifteen post.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <How many elderly and retirees play basketball, football, tennis, baseball, racketball, handball, diving, motorcross, Lacrosse, rugby football, rock climbimg or soccer?????????? < a LOT more than you think -- I know a lot won't want to hear it but the boomers are a different generation physically -- you are only 33 - and likey don't hang with a lot of 50 somthings - but I play on some teams that will compete with anything you have -- I played competitive hockey until just 2 years ago -- and my right knee just will not take any more -- but I still skate fairly regularly I play in 2 softball leagues in summer - one is 50 and over and the other is open to all -- softball is big in Chicago. We have the same team entered in both leagues -- we are in 3rd place in the al ages league and 6th in the 50 and over. More than a few ex pro athletes in each league. My good friend from HS is a high school principal in Minneapolis and is an avid mountain / rock climber and travels the world to do so ( takes some outstanding pictures also ) - there is likely almost an equal amount of over 50 tennis players to over 50 golfers - so that I believe is a really bad example for you to use. plenty of senior basketball / volleyball leagues also, growing number all the time. No likely no senior football players - but is that what makes something a sport ? The ability to run into each other ? I would be willing to bet there are a LOT of senior tennis players and basketball players and volleball players that would run you at 33 off the court. Does that make you less of an athlete - no ? I am 52 and would hazard a guess to say you couldn't play hockey with me now, or 10 years from now if your life depended on it. The youngest guy on my team was 44 - and we played 18 and older teams...and there are plenty of teams like us, filled with ex college athletes. Heck, Chris Chelios will be what 47 - 48 when the season starts for the Red Wings this year ? Maybe 25 years ago people retired to sedentary lives, that is no longer true. How many seniors ski ? A lot that I know - and if you have never done so it is very physically demanding. My best friend lives in Irvine Ca... and is 60 and retired. He is one of the best surfers and has been for 40 years in his area. it's a new dawn Clint -- and while I will admit that many of my friends and I are not the athletes we once were -- we are better than a huge % of those 30 years our junior - and usually in better shape also. The well conditioned athletes today, yeah, they are awesome... and would kick our backsides - but that is a small % of todays group I fear. My oldest daughter is a D1 athlete in 2 sports - and is in tremendous shape - most of the kids she graduated HS with -- not so. I believe it is no longer age but conditioning and drive that determine the amount of athleticism. I'll use tennis since you mentioned it "In the year 2020, 50% of the population is expected to be over 60 years old. This increase in the older population is reflected in tennis as well -- in the 1996 National Championships for the age groups 50-over and above, there was an 18% average increase in participation. Currently, national rankings go up to 85+ for males and 80+ for females, with several pilot programs in higher age divisions." <a href="http://ww3.telerama.com/~johnv/tennis/tennis20.htm" target="_blank">http://ww3.telerama.com/~johnv /tennis/tennis20.htm</a> and yes even senior Lacrosse leagues -- age 55 and older........ <a href="http://www.bclacrosse.com/2007/masters/" target="_blank">http://www.bclacrosse.com/2007 /masters/</a> and my guess is these teams would destroy most of us ---
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<How many elderly and retirees play basketball, football, tennis, baseball, racketball, handball, diving, motorcross, Lacrosse, rugby football, rock climbimg or soccer?????????? How many elderly and retirees get out and play golf?????? >> You are changing the game there guy. You started out saying that... <<So ESPN, Nike and Fox Sports stop calling woods a great athlete because he isn't.>> The game that Woods and other professional golfers play is entirely different than the game played by most retirees. I can assure you that very few retirees play 72 holes of championship caliber golf over a period of 4-5 days. I also doubt that many of them walk the holes like the pros... I'm sure the great majority use carts. Now if you want to make your comparisons THAT way; I'll be more than happy to. Do retirees play catch and bat the ball around with their grandkids? Yes they do. Will they take a few shots at the basketball hoop at their kid’s house; maybe even play a game of HORSE? Absolutely. Play a little touch football with the gang at Thanksgiving? No doubt. Handball and racquetball? I've personally seen many older guys playing handball and racquetball at the 'Y'. So would you like your crow baked or broiled?
Originally Posted By vbdad55 here's an example of a senior soccer league.....( again just showing one example - there are plenty -- <a href="http://www.bcseniorsgames.org/pdfs/2007/Soccer-Core-2007-3.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.bcseniorsgames.org/ pdfs/2007/Soccer-Core-2007-3.pdf</a> skiing comps for age 55 and older... <a href="http://www.snowtosurf.com/raceinfo.php" target="_blank">http://www.snowtosurf.com/race info.php</a> baseball - softball <a href="http://www.dcmsbl.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.exe/show_league" target="_blank">http://www.dcmsbl.com/cgi-bin/ foxweb.exe/show_league</a>@leagues/Local_League?leagueID=DCMSBL age divisions all the way up to 75+ <a href="http://www.softballrating.com/2002/55.php" target="_blank">http://www.softballrating.com/ 2002/55.php</a> how would you like your crow ? Trust me, if you value being an athlete as I and many of my friends did, you will not let go of that, you will hang on kicking and screaming all the way.... There was a certain amount of pleasure when playing hockey and listening to trash talking from 20 somethings -about grey hair, being slow etc....when you'd catch them just right along the boards and lay the 'old' body into them as they released a pass -- I miss it now, but play an occasional game here or there -- some of my over 50 teammates still playing, and playing well.
