Golf is a sport for loners – true or false?
The question whether golf is a social game or not has been asked ever since golf went mainstream. Ever since, experts, fans, officials and players have tried to answer the question in their own unique way.
Unlike many long running topics, the answer to the question is quite settled. Golf is NOT a sport for loners.
On the contrary, golf is among the few sports in the world that offer plenty of opportunities for socializing. The players socialize with other players and officials both on and off the course.
Even the crowd of spectators that is a constant fixture of any golf event is a social crowd. The fans talk to their favourite stars and there is always someone to egg on the players.
It is very easy to see the origins of the misconception about the isolation of a golfer. In early 1900’s, golf used to be a leisure activity for the rich. With the rigid class system in place, it is easy to imagine the lone golfer knocking the ball around
the vast golf course.
This scenario changed abruptly as the golf became a recognized sport with a large public following. Golf slowly morphed into an activity for all ages and income brackets.
With the influx of players from all social backgrounds, the social character of golf was born and defined.
Over years, golf courses have become an important place of social interaction. Yes! There are still private clubs that discourage general public, but they are an exception to the rule. Today, many courses have opened their doors to the public in the hopes
of driving the revenues up.
The advent of the modern tour system and its network of tournaments have made the sport accessible to all. Players now put in extra efforts to develop and retain contact with their fans and sponsors.
Golf has become highly commercialized and like all commercial activities, there is no space for a loner on the golf course.
Modern sports journalism is another key factor in developing the social face of golf. Whenever a tournament is announced, a flood of comments, analysis and predictions by various experts make isolation impossible for any player.
Consider the case of a major tournament such as the US Open. Even before the entry list is confirmed, the players announce their availability and press has a field day in pre tournament comments from the players.
When the list is announced, there is a flood of expert comments about the chances of each player. The post tournament scene is not much different.
Social media is another phenomenon that makes isolation virtually impossible. Almost every player is on twitter and the fans are regularly kept up-to-date about the latest happenings.
Some players even tweet non-golf related news and increase their interaction with their fans.
Golf has undergone a complete change in the past fifty years. The loner is out of the equation as the golf course has become a part of social forum of the society. A club house membership is a prestigious article and is regularly flaunted as a status symbol.
At one time, golf did used to be a sport for a loner. That time is long gone.
With the advent of modern media and online journalism, golf has become a very social sport, offering almost unlimited interactivity among players, fans, officials, management and sponsors.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: