Why isn't golf considered a physically demanding or tough sport?

Question

Many people think golf is only old men driving around with a cart and a beer, swinging a club at a little white ball. It is very frustrating, especially to me. People are so ignorant and have no idea what it takes. I played a two day tournament (18 holes) in 105 degree heat with no clouds, walking the entire course with no caddies aloud. This takes about 6 hours, after waiting for the groups in front to hurry and finish the hole. That alone is entirely exhausting, and then you have to still be mentally able and forgot how tired you are or else you will make a bad shot. Also, good golfers do a lot of strength training. I guess this is just my little ramble, but does anyone agree 95% of the world are ignorant people who have no idea what they are talking about when saying golf is not a hard game?

Answer 1

You are out of shape, plain and simple.  "WAAAH! I walked slowly for 6 hours over two days with plenty of rest breaks along the way!"

Golf is NOT athletic, and it is NOT physically demanding.  Seriously, if walking for 5-6 miles is exhausting to you, then your concept of athleticism is as ignorant as you claim others' understanding of golf is.  

Climbing to the summit of FOUR 14,000' peaks with a 20lb pack in one day is utterly exhausting.  Bicycling 120 miles over three 12,000' mountain passes in one day is exhausting.  I know this because I have done all of the above and more; I am an athlete, not a couch potato or armchair quarterback.  I golf because it is fun and challenging, but it doesn't raise my heart rate at all.

I will agree that golf IS a difficult game to play, and it takes TONS of practice just to hit the ball consistently (not to mention straight).  But it does not take physical strength or stamina, just a strong core and a lot of patience.  It is a game, not a sport, and its players are not pushing the limits of physical ability like true athletes do.

Answer 2

probably because they are ignorant, true i doubt is as demanding as say football, but one must be in shape to hit the long ball and it requires alot of concentration and skill to be good at it.

Answer 3

Because playing a great game of golf versus playing a crappy game of golf has less to do with what shape I'm in versus my mental stamina, focus and muscle memory.  You can't look at a person and tell if they'd be a better golfer than the next person by the physical shape they're in.

Physically demanding sports require a person be in great shape before the mental aspects are even considered.  Golf demands the mental aspects over the physical for the most part and that's why it's not considered physically demanding.

But is it a tough sport?  Yes, one of the toughest.  I've played before and it's frustrating as h**l.  I've tried to imagine the time it would take to become good at it and wince thinking of all the time I'd spend practicing and still being horrible.  I admire anyone that's good at it and wish I had your dedication to that particular sport.

Answer 4

People think that golf is easy because they simply have never played it  before.  If they did after just 3 holes they would know better.  The amount of power, speed, and agility that it takes far exceeds the level of fitness required, as compared to some other sports.  For example, I love baseball, but you can find over weight and very unhealthy players, playing on EVERY team.  Just look at Tigger Woods.  He is in better shape they 95% of baseball players today.  Some other sports though, are a bit tougher like football.  But what makes that sport easy depends on the position you are playing.  It doesn't take much health in order to take a hit and block someone.  I play baseball, weight lift, kick box, run, and use various cardiovascular machines at the gym.  I am never as exhausted as when I play golf.  Golf is very mental and most people wouldn't know that either unless they play the game.  Golf is one of the oldest games in the world and is for a reason.  

P.S.  Nadanada you are a dumb *** and shouldn't write or comment about a subject that you have no idea about.  You just make yourself look so uneducated.  

Answer 5

Golf can get physically demanding. Go play when it's 90 degrees out.

I definitely think this is more demanding than a few sports (Bowling, Pool, NASCAR, etc.)

Answer 6

Unfortunately, Golf is one of those games that looks boring from the outside.  I use to be one of those that think Golf is boring, for old & rich people riding around in a cart.  Never watched golf on TV because I'll fall asleep.

BUT.... I, just like all the others I know, got hooked on the game and find it to be a sport that required such precision and a tough mental mind to be good at.  I just play a round in 105 degree sun with only 1 tree on the entire course, and yes, it is very demanding both physically and mentally. But you'll never convince a non-golfer of that until they picked up a club and tried to hit that little white ball...Then they're hooked......

Answer 7

I don't think people are ignorant when they say "golf is not a hard game", they just don't understand what's involved in golf to become a good golfer.

Have a good one...

Answer 8

because there is no cardio-activity.  all other sports (meaning basketball baseball football)  all have running in it.  Golf is a skill game.  just because they put it on ESPN and sports illustrated doesn't make it a sport

Answer 9

As a soccer player from around the years 80-90 it was not as popular here as it is now and the idea of people saying that a sport that requires constant running on a 80x120 field for 45 minutes a half only three subs in game allowed and alot of contact with no pads I understand your point . I have never played golf but family does and with anything you have not done its easy to say how its a simple game but golf is a skill sport and takes years of playing just to suck ...I felt the same about baseball and played it and sucked horribly  changed my view of baseball. Pro golfers are pros just like any sport .  

Answer 10

That's because we make it look too easy.

We don't have drink driving charges against us after a bad game the way footballers do

We aren't arrested for causing a public nuisance for skinny dipping in fountains like other glamour sportsmen do.

And our worse crime is not enough drug cheats want to sell us enhancers.

Why shouldn't they think golf is too easy ... LOL

Answer 11

Probably they think so bec. they haven't tried it. Or at least tried the driving range. Yes, it's a physically and mentally demanding sport. I just love golf!

Answer 12

Ask Tiger's knee

Answer 13

i dont know anything that can be tougher than this : standing on the 18th fairway, 1 stroke ahead, with strong winds and a huge pond on the left of the green and needing to just make par to win.

you definitely need a strong mind and body to be able to do that.

and i dont know what's more satisfying than this : actually making par to win by 1 stroke.

i love golf. sorry, this might be irrelevant to the topic, but i just needed to share that.

Answer 14

Golf can be extremely demanding, but the simple fact is that there are a lot of other sports that require more physical effort to be competitive.

Golf is like cricket - there is physical activity, but they are both more mentally draining, which can still leave you feeling tired afterwards,  but its never going to compare to something like football in terms of pure physical exertion.

Answer 15

golf is definitely very demanding. Physically and mentally. you have to be very flexible and very in-control of your body to be a good golfer. And I myself played 54 holes (walking with clubs on my back) in three days and was quite sore from it. And I'm even an athlete. (football, wrestling, tennis, etc.) Thats about 12 hours of golf. It can really drain you. It is very much a mentally demanding game. More mental than physical, but it drains you in the same way a more phyisical sport would. The ones who put golf down are just ones that have never played. It is a great sport in my opinion.  

Answer 16

Golf does deserve more respect, and yes there are way to many people out there that are ignorant to the fact that it's the toughest sport on earth.  How many professional golfers out there that make it big?  Also, how many other athletes are there out there where their pay is contingent upon someone else's or their teams performance?

Golf, by far is the best sport on earth.  It is as physically demanding as the next sport, and without a doubt takes more mental toughness than any other.  

I too have played in 36 hole tournaments, each of which were in 100+ degree weather. By far the toughest golf I've ever had to play.

You're right to bring this up, and many people need to just give golf a shot!!

Answer 17

It isn't considered tough or demanding because everything you listed is done by every other athlete plus more.

You make your case using an extreme example of a 105 degree day. Most other athletes would die performing what they do in that kind of weather.

All sports require a mental side to them. If you are playing quarterback you have to be mentally able to realize when to throw it away and such and when to run it. Plus you have a much shorter time to do it.

Maybe people do somewhat down play the fact that golf does have a physical aspect to it but the bottom line is it isn't close to being as physically demanding as other sports.

There is a reason all our grandparents still play.

EDIT---"Why isn't golf considered a physically demanding or tough sport?"

Fine, I will try to answer your question better.

Golf is not considered a physically demanding or tough sport because even though I may not score a amazing score if I played I could still finish a game. A golf player would (literally) die trying to keep up with other professional athletes in such sports as football, track, tennis, soccer, basketball, and others.

http://www.dietbites.com/article0102.htm...

With the exception of bowling and pool golf burns the least amount of calories and last time I checked you burn calories through physical activity.

Sorry if you don't like the answer but it is true.

Answer 18

Golf can be a sport where you can be overweight or out of shape and still play, BUT if someone takes there golf seriously, there are many physical and mental parts of golf to understand.  My routine is school - then I go to the range after school and prac for about 4 hours, then I get home and have exercises that take me around a hour to complete.  The next day I will go to the gym for a workout and then do some short game prac.  On the weekends I am at golf 7-10 hours playing and practicing and I have lessons on top of this.

I do this every week I am 17 and I play off 5.

So If someone says that it doesn't take physical strength, then they mustn't know anyone who takes golf seriously.

Answer 19

Does it really matter that some people do no think that golf is physically demanding?   It really doesn't, does it?

Secondly, if you are a pro trying to make a living for yourself and your family and you're not winning enough to put bread on the table,  let some of these fools tell that pro that it is not mentally exausting.

I don't think we need to say much more to those fools.

Answer 20

For those who walk the course, carrying a bag from 18-25lbs for 5 miles, picking up the bag after every shot and shouldering it up to the next shot location, is the perfect example of such criticism without walking the same shoes is just shallow in view.

Even riding in a cart...the point is to enjoy the game...away from the concrete asphalted structured surroundings...in a setting that would please a Buddhist Monk...peaceful, pleasant and away into another world, enjoying the moment...