Is Golf Physical?

Just did. He agreed as long as I bought him dinner. He thinks it's going to be like carrying his backpack around campus. This should be entertaining.
I look forward to reading the write-up... video would be awesome if you care to whip out a camera around the 16th-17th hole or so.
 
Sports takes coordination, strength, agility and a strong mind amongst other things. To be successful at golf takes more skill than some of the other sports out there. Heck to be somewhat good you need skills. I think golf is a sport, do you know the amount of core strength is tied into being a successful. There are exception to the rule but for the most part to be successful you need to be in shape
 
Well, his point is this. It's not physical because you don't have to be in shape.

Literally he said this and I'm not kidding, "You are the most out of shape kid I've seen our age and somehow you play golf very well, what does that say about your "sport"?

I didn't know whether to be pissed or sad.
 
Just did. He agreed as long as I bought him dinner. He thinks it's going to be like carrying his backpack around campus. This should be entertaining.

I have a couple of bricks you can borrow.
 
Well, after hitting a 90-ball bucket on a warm day I'm sweaty as I am after 30 minutes on the elliptical.
 
Well, after hitting a 90-ball bucket on a warm day I'm sweaty as I am after 30 minutes on the elliptical.

My club pro told me that playing an 18 hole round burns 3000 calories, I don't know how accurate this is but I can tell you I lost 30 pounds in the spring from playing every day and gained some arm muscles
 
Well, his point is this. It's not physical because you don't have to be in shape.

Literally he said this and I'm not kidding, "You are the most out of shape kid I've seen our age and somehow you play golf very well, what does that say about your "sport"?

I didn't know whether to be pissed or sad.

People who are in terrible shape can be decent at various sports.. Throwing a football, hitting a baseball..

I'm not sure what his hangup is on being physically fit to play a sport at various levels.
 
I was at the range today and there were two guys hitting a few spots down from me. I overheard them talking and it went something like this, "man, I played football and basketball, that stuff was easy. This game makes you humble." By the looks of it, they were probably two decent athletes in their heyday.
 
Haven't read through all 6 pages. I love golf, but in my view golf is a game of skill, not a sport.

It requires skill to excel, but as with games such as poker or croquet, it does not require any outstanding or specific athletic ability. Some basic motor function and even well below average flexibility is all that is requires to play.

Even when played at the highest levels skill trumps any form of superior athletic ability, even if they are more likely to overlap at that level.

I'm assuming someone like John Daly (even during his days boozing, 300+lbs and strung out on dozens of cokes each day) or Tim Herron could outplay any member of this forum. That's skill, not athleticism.
 
Haven't read through all 6 pages. I love golf, but in my view golf is a game of skill, not a sport.

It requires skill to excel, but as with games such as poker or croquet, it does not require any outstanding or specific athletic ability. Some basic motor function and even well below average flexibility is all that is requires to play.

Even when played at the highest levels skill trumps any form of superior athletic ability, even if they are more likely to overlap at that level.

I'm assuming someone like John Daly (even during his days boozing, 300+lbs and strung out on dozens of cokes each day) or Tim Herron could outplay any member of this forum. That's skill, not athleticism.

You're saying that swinging a small club head at 100mph or more to hit a small ball takes basic motor functions and average flexibility?

Interesting.. Golf is an easy game to play poorly and an incredibly difficult game to excel at. It takes MASSIVE amounts of skill/flexibility/hand eye/etc to accomplish.

It's no coincidence that Daly will never be considered one of the best.
 
If you look up the word sport, it is defined as requiring physical exertion and a competitive nature, some definition list sports and golf is one of them. I think golf fits the bill on that pretty easily, just because you are not running or jumping doesn't make it any less of a sport.
 
Golf is certainly a physical sport. If not so, I doubt the players would be concerned about conditioning. For me its one of the most difficult games I have played requiring a great deal of both mental and physical stamina.
 
Absolutly a sport and anyone who doesn't agree has never walked a long course in grueling heat while competing against the course and competitors.
 
So is ping pong not a sport? Curling is a sport too. Those are in the olympics so they must be sports and they are not very physical.
 
So is ping pong not a sport? Curling is a sport too. Those are in the olympics so they must be sports and they are not very physical.


I don't think people understand the definition of the word sport, look it up, its origins, etc. We define it now based off of football, basketball, baseball and hockey, which require a decent amount of physical exertion, skill, etc.
 
I disagree. I know plenty of people who arent in top physical condition who play awesome golf.
I told him you have to be in top physical condition to play good golf and he laughed at me. This is hopeless.
 
I don't think people don't understand the definition of the word sport, look it up, its origins, etc. We define it now based off of football, basketball, baseball and hockey, which require a decent amount of physical exertion, skill, etc.

I still think Golf requires some skill and physical exertion, sure an unfit person can play golf but it takes a lot of physical work to walk18 holes everyday during a PGA event, plus practice rounds and such. I think golf is a game about endurance vs strength though
 
He's not budging. It's almost ridiculous. I told him you have to be in top physical condition to play good golf and he laughed at me. This is hopeless.

have him walk 36 holes with you in one day and see how he feels after . . .
 
It's physical, just ask my elbow, knees and back after a round.
 
You're saying that swinging a small club head at 100mph or more to hit a small ball takes basic motor functions and average flexibility?

Interesting.. Golf is an easy game to play poorly and an incredibly difficult game to excel at. It takes MASSIVE amounts of skill/flexibility/hand eye/etc to accomplish.

It's no coincidence that Daly will never be considered one of the best.

No. That's a different question. Do you need to swing at 100mph to play golf well? No way. I've seen a few 60-70 year olds that can barely get their club past 110 degrees on their back swing, but have massive skill around the greens and shoot solid bogey golf or better. My guess is a 70-80mph swing takes very little athletic ability if shown how to rotate the body properly. Is that athletic? Is walking a golf course sport and considered athletic? Is walking around the block?

In retrospect I should not have used PGA pros to illustrate my thoughts. General joe/jane golfer is fine.

I think many consider Daly one of the most talented to ever play actually. Just unfulfilled talent.
 
I still think Golf requires some skill and physical exertion, sure an unfit person can play golf but it takes a lot of physical work to walk18 holes everyday during a PGA event, plus practice rounds and such. I think golf is a game about endurance vs strength though

I agree with you but compared to other sports like football or basketball it is much more grinding. I use to play football, I play pickup basketball, played baseball and I feel like I get beat just the same honestly.
 
No. That's a different question. Do you need to swing at 100mph to play golf well? No way. I've seen a few 60-70 year olds that can barely get their club past 110 degrees on their back swing, but have massive skill around the greens and shoot solid bogey golf or better. My guess is a 70-80mph swing takes very little athletic ability if shown how to rotate the body properly. Is that athletic? Is walking a golf course sport and considered athletic? Is walking around the block?

In retrospect I should not have used PGA pros to illustrate my thoughts. General joe/jane golfer is fine.

I think many consider Daly one of the most talented to ever play actually. Just unfulfilled talent.

That's why golfers have to have the right equipment for their game because not everyone needs to be in amazing shape to play golf and with the right ball, a 70-80 mph golfer can play a great game
 
I agree with you but compared to other sports like football or basketball it is much more grinding. I use to play football, I play pickup basketball, played baseball and I feel like I get beat just the same honestly.

Oh yeah, football takes a lot of work. I'm not implying that a recreational golfer can play football lol because football takes a lot of dedication. For example, I used to have a hard time breathing when I used to run a lot and the doctor recommended me to play golf as an alternate means of exercise so I wouldn't die haha but it still keeps me healthy
 
Golf is funny in that some people no one would consider overly athletic can excel, but many really "athletic" people can't figure it out and never get good at it.

That's why it's the best sport.

Kevin
 
This is a good way to look at it. In the end though, the best part is that everyone can play golf and enjoy it to the best of their abilities.
 
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