Golfers aren't athletes?

About 23 years ago, when I was not quite 40 years old, I was having lunch with a person, whose opinion I deeply value and character I admire, and several others (who were at least 15 years my senior). We were engaged in light banter and as we enjoyed the delicious lunch served to us, we started to share what we do for exercise. Most of those present said they were not engaged in very strenuous sports or games. A number said they were into brisk walking while others said they were weekend golfers who played the sport just for the fresh air.

When it was my turn to speak, I said I do play golf off and on but I had not played for more than three years because the demands of my government job did not allow me to spend four to five hours even on weekends in the golf course. The person whom I much admired and revered, very gently commented, “But Popoy, you are too young to play golf. I can understand these other gentlemen but you should play other sports that will require you to exert more effort.”

A bit startled by the insight offered by this person, I made a mental note to resurrect it (out of the many fond memories I have of that person) at the appropriate time. That moment came a few days ago when I got hold of a copy of the September 2011 issue of the Athletes Issue of “Golf Digest” (GD), arguably the number one golf publication.

This particular issue devoted some 15 of its 150 pages to highlight the new physical demands of the golf sport and, presumably, to debunk the notion held by purists that golf (like bowling, chess, billiards, darts and poker) is not a sport because it lacks some of what are assumed to be the essential characteristics of a sport.

These purists adhere either to the dictionary definition of sport (Webster Illustrated, Contemporary Edition: “A diversion; pastime; a particular game or physical activity pursued for diversion, esp. an outdoor or athletic game, as baseball, football, track, tennis, swimming, etc.”) or to a variant from dictionary.com, “An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature”. Others however add that “Sport is an activity in which mind and body are challenged.”

Some sports journalists, domestic and international, who could also be regarded as purists, even say they don’t write about chess, billiards and similar activities “because they are not sports”. Some say that golf and other similar activities is not a sport but a game. But then, one wonders, why does the Olympic movement call the biggest quadrennial gathering of athletes the world over, the “Olympic Games” and not the “Olympic Sports”?

At any rate, we will momentarily leave this complicated debate ( whether golf, chess, billiards, etc. is a sport or a game) and move on to the cover story in the GD written by Ron Kaspriske, “Who says golfers aren’t athletes?”, which features the new demands elite golf makes on golfers. The point of the article is obvious: golf is a sport (because there is athleticism required in playing it) and golfers are athletes.

 Kaspriske says, “Look (at the young tour pros and amateurs), their frames are lean, their legs are long, and their muscles sinewy…they can do things like swing a driver north of 130 miles per hour, dink a basketball, crush a hockey puck and do single-leg squats until butts hit the ground. There was a time when the high school quarterback wouldn’t dare admit he played golf. Now the high school quarterback is no longer a quarterback – he’s a golfer.”

An example of a golfer who’s built like a basketball player and trains like a triathlete is PGA Tour star, Dustin Johnson. In the GD interview, when asked why he chose golf over several other sports at which he excelled, including basketball, the 6’4”, 190-pound Johnson didn’t’ wait for the end of the question before answering, “Best competition there is.” Johnson adds, “If you want to play at this level, you’d better get in the gym, or you’re gonna get lapped.”

Kaspriske adds that “statistics certainly support the conclusion that an influx of elite athletes (is) choosing golf. In 2001, 13 players averaged 290 yards or more off the tee on the PGA Tour. Through June of this year – and let’s not forget to credit improved equipment for some of this – there were 77 players eclipsing that mark. On the Go Long Tour, otherwise known as the Nationwide Tour, there were 40 players averaging 300 yards or longer, and the tour’s average driving distance was 295.”

Next week, more on the emerging taller, stronger and more flexible golfer and Tiger Woods’ thoughts on preparing for elite golf tournaments.