Typically, people consider sports “real sports” when they involve some sort of physical extortion. That includes basketball, football, hockey, etc. It’s no secret that golf has been popularly seen as the “rich old man” sport but actually, golf is a great activity for young kids to get involved with and is a way for them to grow physically and mentally. To hit a golf ball perfectly every swing requires repeatedly synchronized muscle movements. It is a game of precision and mental focus. Yet, there is still discussion around this topic about whether golf even is a real sport! That’s a shame too considering it’s so awesome. The 43.5” steel shafted wood driver 64 year old Mike Austin used to drive a ball 515 yards makes golf as sporty as it can be.

1. Golf still includes physical exertion

Definition of sport. There’s no doubt that golf already satisfies that definition. Keep in mind that there is physical activity in golf and these athletes have to swing a club using a lot of power with enough accuracy to actually hit the ball. In order to have the ability to swing this many times and keep repeating accuracy, one must be in good shape and practice a ton. In many golf games, without a golf cart, you would probably be walking at least 5-10 miles. Even without a cart you’re walking a few miles to the greens and the fairways. It’s tiring. 

2. Competition stress

As someone who has been golfing competitively since the age of 14, I can assure you that the stress that comes from wanting a perfect performance in a competition is just mentally draining. Golfing takes a great deal of hand-eye coordination for a good ball striking which builds tension to think about during a game. Competitive activities like golf can make an individual focus on a hierarchical view of themselves with others and make them feel insecure about their social environment. Something like hiking has the physical skill to be a sport but lacks regular competition. Not golf.

3. The frequent training put into it

Those who want to play well will put in hours and hours of training and practice into golf, especially professionals. Golf incorporates balance coordination, cardiovascular exercise, and muscle activity. Professional golfers like Tiger Woods make training essential for being successful for the sport. A lot of beginner golfers benefit from strength training and can practice their body system through building the basics of a strength routine. It’s a quite confusing sport to master, probably as confusing as the film Scavengers. 

Video: 25 Minute Golf Mobility Routine by Tom Merrick

So why should you play golf or at least consider it? Golf doesn’t require many bodily requirements like being tall, fast, or strong and is a sport purely based on technique. With the underlying structure of meditation and awareness, golf gains our attention with the ability of noticing and seeing. In addition, with no team to rely on, I think it’s more interesting to participate in individual sports as an opportunity to focus on yourself and your performance.