If you are a part of the debate of “Is golf a sport or not?” or if you are confused about the remarks you should put your absolute faith on. Keep reading. 

It is understandable how the environment of playing Golf is not at all like a good sport. Players do drink, and smoke while is playing Golf, which makes it seem more like a hobby and not a sport. But the United States alone has more than 26 million golf players. 

So, here are the ten reasons which explain that Golf is indeed a sport, even though it does not require the endurance of tennis, soccer, or swimming. 

1. Is Golf a Sport: The Game Satisfies the Meaning of Sport

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, “a game, competition, or activity needing physical effort and skill that is played or done according to rules, for enjoyment and as a job.” 

According to www.dictionary.com

“an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.”

Golf is indeed a sport, especially in the aspect of rules.  

2. Is Golf a Sport: Golf is Present in the Olympics

In this universe, the Olympics is acknowledged as one of the greatest and prestigious athletic events; and in the year 2016, golf return in the Olympics almost after a century. After 1904 golf was removed from the Olympic games. If you would compare Golf with soccer and basketball, then I would undoubtedly debate about the presence of archery in the Olympics. 

According to Jack Nicklaus, “you can win tournaments when you are mechanical, but Golf is a game of emotion and adjustment. If you are unsure about the things that are going on in your mind and your body when you are playing, you will never be able to be the very best you can be.” This point certainly proves that Golf is a sport.

3. Is Golf a Sport: The Sport Takes Enough Strength and Capability for Those Who are Really into it

Jack Nicklaus once said, “You can win tournaments when you’re mechanical, but Golf is a game of emotion and adjustment.

Justin Thomas, the winner of the Dell Technologies Championship, which happened in Massachusetts, his weight is around 150 pounds, and he hit the golf club till about 350 yards and more. Without a doubt, he is a lot more fit and flexible than players of other sports like tennis, baseball, or football, not only because he has good gaming skills but also because his workouts are acute.

4. Is Golf a Sport: The Contribution of Tiger Woods in Increasing the Sporting Status of Golf

Tiger Woods’s way of playing Golf can be compared with Michael Jordan’s way of playing basketball and Tom Brady’s way of playing football. The way Tiger Woods plays and depicts Golf, it certainly is a sport for his audience and viewers. Tiger Woods is an inspiration to a lot of young golfers. Golf requires athleticism, skills, clarity, and accuracy under pressure; there is no doubt golf is a sport. 

Watch Tiger Woods’s gameplay:

5. Is Golf a Sport: Still in Doubt? Try Speed Golf

Speed golf is that version of Golf, which clears the doubt of Golf being a legit sport. Speed golf is also known as extreme Golf, hit and run Golf, and many more, which elaborates the meaning of speed golf. The score of speed golf is given based on the number of swings along with the duration of completion of the sport. Smokers and alcohol consumers shall not take part in speed golf because it is tough to participate, and it takes time to learn to sprint and to swing the ball simultaneously.

In the recent past, Brandon Tucker shot 18 holes in just 76 minutes. He ran about five miles and burned approx 700 calories. Now you can imagine how much skill and energy is required to play speed golf; indeed, Golf is a sport.

6. Is Golf a Sport: Golf Needs More Mental Stability and Fitness Than Any Other Sport

Honestly, I am not aware of any other sport which requires more concentration and a calmer mind. You cannot choose your teammate or even give them some sign through facial expression when it comes to Golf. It is not even about the results; just staying calm and focused at that moment makes it extremely difficult. The balance is very tough to achieve.

7. Is Golf a Sport: Golf Is Perhaps The Only Sport In Which The Players Have To Walk More Than Six Miles In a Single Round

It does not matter if the golf event is professional or non-professional; the players have to walk. It depends entirely on the weather and the playing ground, that how difficult and tiring the game or event is going to be, and the players cannot let weakness and lethargy affect their game, and for that, they have to stay fit and always in shape.

If you are healthy with a proper body structure, six or seven miles can burn up to 1000 calories along with a heart rate of more than 90. The severe and professional golfers do a lot of cardio, strength, and flexibility workout so that they can run or walk carrying their bag without taking the help of any caddies. In a nutshell, Golf takes loads of physical strength, no matter what.

8. Is Golf a Sport: The Exactness in this Sport is Unmatched 

Once, Ted Williams argued that no sport has skills as strenuous as hitting a moving baseball. Sam Snead, in defense and out of business, said, “But you don’t have to go up in the stands and play your foul balls. I do.”

In a nutshell, the smallest mistakes in the golf sport can cost you a lot, perhaps more than any other sport. Try to think in this manner: A professional golf player has a 120-yard green area to drive a white ball, and the shot has to cover the area of 20 to 30 ft. The players have to drive the shot up to a distance of 10 ft. 

In baseball, the players are in extreme advantage since the distance between the home plate and the center-field wall is not that huge. The players have a high risk of getting in trouble if they take a shot to the left-center or right-center, and shots to the extreme left or extreme right of the fields are considered devastating. 

Then think about the golf players, who have to drive a white ball in a routined mattered within an area of 300 yards (which is 900 ft.) and with reasonable accuracy. It’s fascinating that some people do not consider Golf as a sport but just a mere ‘pastime. 

9. Is Golf a Sport: The Muscle Work that is Required in this Sport is Immense and Other Health Benefits

• Golf is an outdoor game: Playing Golf means spending a lot of time outside your own house. Fresh air helps you with your blood pressure, cardiac rate, and many chronic health diseases along with obesity. Sunlight provides you an immense amount of Vitamin D, which helps you by boosting your immune system. Any outdoor activity helps you with your anxiety and immensely by increasing your self-esteem.
• Competition is not necessary all the time: Unlike many other sports, you could play Golf alone, on your own without any game. And, what better way to increase your self-esteem and practice in a proper way than playing without any scorecard and counting of the number of shots you took. Without any rival or competition, you can attend your goal at your own pace.

• Golf increases one’s concentration and helps with boosting brain: Other than the accuracy, Golf also helps by encouraging creative thinking, like the foreseeing about how far and in what direction your shot will fly. The more number of swings improves your muscles of memory, and the course of navigation provides you a better and greater sense of depth and distance.
• Golf is beneficial for the heart: Since Golf helps you with your blood circulation, it deliberately encourages your heart to work more appropriately and help to build the muscle covering the heart.
• Golf can help you with your sleep: While playing Golf, you may experience it as low impact activity, but Golf is a very effective workout. Golf can affect your sleep timing and quality, which can eventually make you a brilliant and potential golfer.

• Golf burns a fair amount of calories and helps with your weight loss as well: Indeed, Golf is not a high energy game like soccer and basketball, but that does not mean it cannot help you with reducing your weight. You will not feel the same energy or weakness as you feel while working out but swinging, putting, and walking for several miles does compensate for that. The constant movement that you have to perform helps you with reducing your weight.
• Severe injury is very unlikely to happen when it comes to Golf: There is barely any sport or physical activity with no risk of injury, but certainly, Golf is a low-risk sport. Since Golf is a low impact activity, it barely reveals you for any sort of serious injury. You just have to stay cautious and careful while carrying your golf kit. A lot of backswing work can get you golfer’s elbow, which is similar to a tennis elbow. For a golfer’s elbow, all you need is just to involve in the process of physiotherapy, which will help to reduce the pain and strengthen your muscles.

10. Is Golf a Sport: Golf Does Fall Under NCAA, Hence this Game is Undoubtedly a Sport

Perhaps, in a fundamental ground, but Golf comes beneath the administration of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Because of that, a lot of schools offer Golf Athletic Scholarships for both men and women.

The ten above mentioned reasons are ample to clarify that Golf is indeed a sport. It satisfies the definition of sport, it is present in the Olympics, and it falls under the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Tiger Woods has set a record that is barely present in any other sport. Golf can be a low risk or low impact game, but it is not a pastime; it is a sport.

Do you have any other reason that shows how Golf is indeed a sport? Do you have a favorite golfer? If yes, who is it? Please write it down below in our comment section. – TOP 10 REASONS WHY IS GOLF A SPORT

Last Updated on August 5, 2023 by kalidaspandian