Unfortunately, the game's signature moment in recent years hasn't come on the course. Is this a reflection on golf itself, or merely on the media that cover the game? Maybe golf has wonderfully compelling storylines that the media ignore in favor of the sensational.
#Soap opera central series#
Wading through the botched 2002 All-Star Game and PED controversy and everything else, there's been great coverage: the Diamondbacks' dramatic World Series win in 2001, the retirement of Cal Ripken, Ichiro Suzuki's single-season record for hits, the first World Series wins in nearly a century for both the Red Sox and White Sox, the enormous accomplishments of Albert Pujols, even Barry Bonds hitting 73, before the record was tainted by the cream and the clear. We could do this for any sport, but for now let's look just at baseball, which has been rocked by a number of scandals in recent years. But for every steroid bust or criminal accusation, there are a dozen headlines about the sport itself. Obviously, every sport has its share of scandals, and they're often big stories. To the casual observer, this looks more like a soap opera than a sport. Where's the coverage of actual athletic accomplishments? It takes a back seat to the circus. And the current Tiger scandal, which has probably received more coverage than all the others combined. There was the controversy over Augusta National's refusal to admit women as members. Let's briefly review the biggest golf stories of the last decade or so: And what does make it onto the front page of the newspaper? It isn't Lefty's sweet swing, that's for sure. Casual fans aren't going to linger on PGA (or, heaven forbid, LPGA) coverage, so we just see what makes it onto SportsCenter or the front page of the newspaper. The problem, for casual fans, is that we don't see much action. That doesn't sound very athletic, but it at least resembles a sport. Also, the ball is moving 90 mph when you try to hit it. In baseball, you then run somewhere while someone else tries to catch the ball, then throws it at fast as he can to someone else, who is required to catch it. In golf, you then walk to wherever you hit the ball. In both sports, you swing a stick at a ball. In a way, golf is somewhat like baseball. Golf is obviously a competition, but how athletic is it? Other activities, however, are on the border of "athletic" (how athletic is billiards, really?) or "competition" (for the last time, Dancing With the Stars is not a sport). Personally, I'd want to refine that, but it does immediately rule out poker, so that's a good start.
There is not a universal definition of sports, but I think a simple one that would be widely accepted is "athletic competition". If you're a critical thinker, or a wiseass, there's a good chance you believe otherwise. If you are a serious golfer or a fan of the game, you almost certainly believe - with great conviction - that golf is a sport. Phil Mickelson won the Masters this weekend, which raises the obvious question: is golf really a sport? Chances are, you have a fairly strong opinion on this matter.
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