Golf - A Gentleman's Game

Golf_Beauty · February 2, 2006

And A Civilized Spectator Sport

The following is not intended to offend fans of tennis, basketball, football or baseball. It is, rather, an attempt to put everything in its proper perspective... However, if you are offended because of your favorite sport, please tell someone else.

Ever wonder why golf is growing in popularity and why people who don't even play go to tournaments or watch it on TV? The following may shed some light:

1. Golf is an honorable game, with the overwhelming majority of players being honorable people who don't need referees.

2. Golfers don't have some of their players in jail every week.

3. Golfers don't kick dirt on, or throw bottles at, other people.

4. Professional golfers are paid in direct proportion to how well they play.

5. Golfers don't get per diem and two seats on a charter flight when they travel between tournaments.

6. Golfers don't hold out for more money, or demand new contracts, because of another player's deal.

7. Professional golfers don't demand that the taxpayers pay for the courses on which they play.

8. When golfers make a mistake, nobody is there to cover for them or back them.

9. The PGA raises more money for charity in 1 year than the NFL does in 2.

10. You can watch the best golfers in the world up close, at any tournament, including the majors, all day every day for $25 or $30. The cost for even a nosebleed seat at the Super Bowl costs around $300 or more, unless you buy it from scalpers, in which case it's $1,000+.

11. You can bring a picnic lunch to the tournament golf course, watch the best in the world, and not spend a small fortune on food and drink. Try that at one of the taxpayer funded baseball or football stadiums. If you bring a soft drink into a ballpark, they'll give you two options-get rid of it or leave.

12. In golf, you cannot fail 70% of the time and make $9 million a season, like the best baseball hitters (300 batting average) do.

13. Golf doesn't change its rules to attract fans.

14. Golfers have to adapt to an entirely new playing area each week. Golfers keep their clothes on while they are being interviewed.

15. Golf doesn't have free agency.

16. In their prime, Palmer, Norman, and other stars, would shake your hand and say they were happy to meet you. In his prime, Jose Canseco wore T-shirts that read "Leave Me Alone."

17. You can hear birds chirping on the golf course during a tournament.

18. At a golf tournament, (unlike at taxpayer-funded sports stadiums and arenas) you won't hear a steady stream of four letter words and nasty name-calling while you're hoping that no one spills beer on you.

19. Tiger hits a golf ball over twice as far as Barry Bonds hits a baseball.

20. Golf courses don't ruin the neighborhood.

21. And Finally: Here's a little slice of golf history that you might enjoy:

Why do golf courses have 18 holes-not 20, or 10, or an even dozen? During a discussion among the club's membership board at St. Andrews in 1858, a senior member pointed out that it takes exactly 18 shots to polish off a fifth of Scotch. By limiting himself to only one shot of Scotch per hole, the Scot figured a round of golf was finished when the Scotch ran out.

gjones77 · February 2, 2006

These are the many reasons I fell in love with this sport and plan to pass my love onto my nephew, though he's only one I'm still eyeing those Taylormade jr clubs for him, have him hoeing in no time :cheesy:

simmoboy · February 3, 2006

These are some of the reason i have taken up golf and fallin in love with it over the last few years.

I had played lots of basketball and bits of aussie rules football before i took up golf and when you playing those junior sports there is always the one parent or a few that yell out and abuse players and abuse refs but on a golf course it is nice a quiet and if anyone comes out and yells they get kicked of the course.

Another reason I fell in love with golf was because of the fact that if you have a bad round you cant blame anyone but yourself.

Brent

peter3 · February 3, 2006

Golf_Beauty: very nice post. Sums it up very, very good. Thank you.

MrParr1Noid · February 3, 2006

I really did get a kick out of Woods last week after Ollie missed that put.......It was really exciting to see him do the moonwalk across the green and spike his putter and raise a index finger toward the people in the grandstands. What was really exciting was to watch Furyk jump up into the bleaches and to punch out that guy for throwing beer on him a couple weeks ago. :cheesy: ......No...Wait!......Maybe i was watching something else......OH...Never Mind! :)

Golfchicago · February 3, 2006

I love this post. Thank you!

BridgestoneKevin · February 3, 2006

15. Golfers dont have free agency....but they do...

im getting the notion that you really dont like paying your taxes so that it goes to stadiums huh.... lol

Good post though

animalistic · February 3, 2006

great post, sums up golf nicely :cheesy:

RagingAardvark · February 3, 2006

1. Golf is an honorable game, with the overwhelming majority of players being honorable people who don't need referees.

While I like most of these, I don't know if I believe #1 here. Almost everyone I know plays with mulligans (my friend and I do not anymore). We had one guy take at least SIX mulligans in 9 holes, including after he dropped his tee shot on a par3 into a pond. He then proceeded to knock his second shot to one-shot distance, made his putt and declared BIRDIE! umm, yeah, by my count that's a 4. Where's a ref when you need one? :cheesy: Nothing like playing a STRAIGHT round and having the guy that's cheated all over the course that he beat you.

Marc · February 3, 2006

I agree with most everything on here, however I really don't like the way they promote all the screaming at this FBR tournament.. What is that hole? 16 I think where they try to time their screams with the impact of the tee shot.. What is that about? I don't like the way the crowds have started to act like they are at football or hockey games.. It all started with that jerk that said "You Da Man".. BOY would I like to strangle whoever started that. NOW it is "Get In The Hole".. even on par 4 tee shots... Oy Vey.. :cheesy:

tarik · February 3, 2006

What I love about this game is how you can know everything there is to know about your competitor's strengths and weaknesses, yet it adds absolutely nothing to your advantage. Success and failure are in the players hands.

ce_me_golf · February 3, 2006

Another reason I fell in love with golf was because of the fact that if you have a bad round you cant blame anyone but yourself.

Brent

You can be playing the worst round in your life and hit one or two shots that are pure MAGIC! :cheesy: :)

On top of that in many cases you are outside on a beautiful day, in beautiful surroundings, enjoying a sport you truly love. No matter how well I play I STILL HAVE A GOOD TIME!

sergizmo · February 4, 2006

I agree with most everything on here, however I really don't like the way they promote all the screaming at this FBR tournament.. What is that hole? 16 I think where they try to time their screams with the impact of the tee shot.. What is that about? I don't like the way the crowds have started to act like they are at football or hockey games.. It all started with that jerk that said "You Da Man".. BOY would I like to strangle whoever started that. NOW it is "Get In The Hole".. even on par 4 tee shots... Oy Vey.. :cheesy:

I'm sick of the "You da man!' and "Get in the hole!" shouts as well. It's like a bunch of Jets fans started going to PGA tour events. Thankfully this hasn't spilled over into the LPGA or European Tours.

sergizmo · February 4, 2006

Another reason I fell in love with golf was because of the fact that if you have a bad round you cant blame anyone but yourself.

Brent

You can be playing the worst round in your life and hit one or two shots that are pure MAGIC! :cheesy: :)

On top of that in many cases you are outside on a beautiful day, in beautiful surroundings, enjoying a sport you truly love. No matter how well I play I STILL HAVE A GOOD TIME!

Great point. I've had rounds that were so bad that I stopped keeping score, but would hit an approach to a couple of feet or hole a long putt or chip later in the round that would make up for it.