What constitutes a sport?

[Drake Tungsten]

Think up a point system and orgies may qualify...

[vovan]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Think up a point system and orgies may qualify...

New olympic sport.

[Drake Tungsten]

Best Olympic sport ever!

[rah]

In the old days, I would have agreed that Golf isn't really a sport, but now a days, tiger and the new generation has shown me that it really is a sport. They're all in the weight room now. There distance is not derived totally through swing mechanics but a lot from actual strength. Watch tiger hit a ball out of deep rough. THAT"S pure strength. Watching his full turn makes my back hurt. Granted technology has helped, but I'm sorry, the old boys couldn't hit their 8 iron 210.

Granted they're just walking, but on the days where they have two rounds, and spend 10 hours of grueling play when it's 90+ degrees. You still have to generate power in their swing after a 10 mile hike. And have nerves of steel.

The older guys stay somewhat competitive by having great short games. But the younger guys are spending hours and hours a day on the putting green and on the range. The skill required to play is easily evident to anybody that has ever picked up a stick. And finally the mental aspect is quite important. There are 1000's of good golf pros launguishing at country clubs feeling up older women while they teach them how to swing. They can hit the ball a mile and can chip well, but consistently sinking a 4-6 foot putt is beyond their capabilities. That part is all in the head.

SO you have an activity that requires strength, massive skill, and ungodly mental skills, strategy, endurance, that can be played individually or in teams. Definately a SPORT.


Disclaimer: The above opinion is not just a personal opinion but shared by multiple OWNERS of this site, so it is an official stand by the organization and can not be disputed by normal means. Anyone disputing this stand will be taken out back and beaten

[-Jrabbit]

No, Rah, you're wrong. The existence of Tiger does not make it a sport. And walking 36 holes in the heat is not an athletic feat. Golf is still full of guys who are 5 foot 8, 155 poiunds and couldn't compete in anything else. The fact that atheticism has made inroads and can make people more successful just show how non-athletic it's been from the beginning. Plus, you don't see a lot of athletically gifted people opting for golf even now, even though it's low risk and high reward. Physically unimposing guys with great hand-eye skills and mental toughness are still the norm.

The players are extremely skilled, and their mental toughness is great. But they're basically taking about 70 shots, each physically taking roughly one second, over about 4 hours, punctuating a 5-mile walk. They're allowed to hydrate, snack, etc. while playing. It's much more mental than physical. Definitely a literal walk in the park.

I love golf, but I just don't think it's close to measuring up as a sport.

My contribution to the criteria discussion:
Sports do not demand silence. If they "shush" the audience, it's not a sport.

Ergo -- country club activities like tennis and golf are out.

[rah]

Your opinion only. Interestingly enough, your discription of golfers and what they do sounds considerably more intense then what the average right fielder in baseball does over 4 hours. He stands around most of the day instead of walking 5 miles. He takes less than 70 swings that last less than a second. He may be required to run 90 feet less than a dozen times. And in the past most of them were physically unimposing with not as good hand eye coordination. More baseball players are learning the physical side than the past, very similar to golf. Of course baseball players are more likely to cheat and use drugs. And they're also allowed to hydrate and snack during the game.
So by your own list, baseball is not a sport.

[-Jrabbit]

I'm OK with that.

[rah]

Ok, if baseball isn't a sport, I'll concede that golf isn't either. Now consider the punter or kicker in football......

[flipside]

Originally posted by rah
Ok, if baseball isn't a sport, I'll concede that golf isn't either. Now consider the punter or kicker in football......

Now that we have established that golf, baseball and playing special teams at american football are not sports/ sporting activities.
Can we please establish if having sex or shooting Welshmen is a sport?

[rah]

Listening to everyone's restrictions, I'm beginning to believe that sports really don't exist. They're all just activities, including sex and shooting Welshmen. (or is there something sporting in shooting Welshmen that I'm not aware of. I was under the impression that it was quite easy and didn't require any special talents)

[flipside]

Originally posted by rah
Listening to everyone's restrictions, I'm beginning to believe that sports really don't exist. They're all just activities, including sex and shooting Welshmen. (or is there something sporting in shooting Welshmen that I'm not aware of. I was under the impression that it was quite easy and didn't require any special talents)

Special talents?
Longbow skills.
An ability to lure the feisty little fellows to Chester or Hereford.

They are also our closest nearest human relatives.

[rah]

But I think I prefer not to meet your non-human relatives.

[SlowwHand]

What about croquet?

[flipside]

Originally posted by rah

But I think I prefer not to meet your non-human relatives.

*flipside ponders the irony of this statement*

[-Jrabbit]

1. Sports do not exist.
2. We exist on the Sports Forum.
Ergo,
3. We do not exist.