Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy

<!doctype html> <html lang="en" class="topic-desktop ui-ie7 ui-ie"> <head prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns# fb: https://ogp.me/ns/fb#"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130"> <link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js" /> <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.png" /> <meta name="description" content="Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?" /> <meta name="keywords" content="Golf, encyclopedia, encyclopeadia, britannica, article" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate" /> <title>Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy | Britannica</title> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel"> window.$UI = {}; window.Constants = {"LICENSE_URL": "/bps/license","DEFAULT_TEST_VERSION": "A","DEFAULT_STATE": "XX","QUIZ_URL": "/quiz","SPOTLIGHT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/spotlight","CONTENT_TYPE_TEXT": "text/plain;charset=UTF-8","TOPIC_FACTS_DATA_URL": "/facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_IMAGE_QUIZZES": "images","TOPIC_MEDIA_PATH": "/images-videos","USER_PROFILE_URL": "/user","DEBUG_URL": "/debug","ONE_GOOD_FACT_URL": "/one-good-fact","ERROR_404_URL": "/error404","PROCON_CITED_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/ProCon-in-the-News","PROCON_URL": "/procon","TOPIC_PAGE_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/page","INFINITE_SCROLL_PREFIX_URL": "/scroll","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_BROWSE_URL": "/questions","CC_USD": "USD","domain": "britannica.com","SURVEY_URL": "/survey","CATEGORY_BROWSE_URL": "/browse","STORY_BROWSE_URL": "/stories","COUNTRY_US": "US","OPEN_MEDIA_OVERLAY_PARAMETER": "/media","NEWSLETTER_SUBSCRIPTION_URL": "/newsletter-subscription","MAINTENANCE_ERROR_URL": "https://maintenance.eb.com","IMARS_EDITOR_ID": "12365882","PROFILE_EB_EDITOR_URL": "/editor","WEB_INF_RESOURCES_PATH": "WEB-INF/resources","AI_ABOUT_PAGE_URL": "/about-britannica-ai","TOPIC_ADDITIONAL_INFO_PATH": "/additional-info","SUDOKU_GAME_URL": "/games/sudoku","CC_INR": "INR","ARTICLE_PRINT_URL": "/print/article","FIRST_EDITION_URL": "/subscriber/firstedition","WW1_PORTAL_URL": "/discover/World-War-I","MENDEL_COOKIE": "__mendel","DEMYSTIFIED_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/demystified","LIST_BROWSE_URL": "/list/browse","PROFILE_EXPERT_URL": "/contributor","ASSEMBLY_IMAGE_URL": "/image/assembly","DAY_IN_HISTORY_URL": "/on-this-day","DEFAULT_CURRENCY": "USD","CONTENT_TYPE_XML": "text/xml;charset=UTF-8","PORTAL_FINANCE_BROWSE_URL_PREFIX": "/money/browse","MONEY_IMARS_CATEGORY": "13000","AJAX_PREFIX_URL": "/ajax","TOPIC_BROWSE_URL": "/topic-browse","MARKETING_CONTENT": "/marketing-content","ENV_RUNTIME": "runtime","GALLERY_URL": "/gallery","topicUrlClassesList": "topic|animal|art|biography|event|place|plant|science|sports|technology|procon","CONTENT_TYPE_HTML": "text/html;charset=UTF-8","ENV_LOCAL": "override","MEDIA_OVERLAY_URL": "/media-overlay","CHATBOT_PAGE_URL": "/chatbot","NEWSLETTER_PAGE_URL": "/newsletters","ENV_DEV": "development","MEDIA_URL": "/media","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_URL": "/question","PORTAL_FINANCE_URL_PREFIX": "/money","PODCASTS_URL": "/podcasts","STAND_ALONE_VIDEO_URL": "/video","MORE_ON_THIS_DAY_URL": "/more-on-this-day","TOPIC_QUOTES_URL": "/quotes","SEARCH_PAGE_URL": "/search","PROCON_CLASS": "PROCON","KUSTOM_MENDEL_APPLICATION_ID": "1","TOPIC_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/topic","ENV_BRANCH": "branch","ERROR_URL": "/error","MAIN_VERSION": "mainVersion","DEFAULT_S3_REGION": "US_EAST_1","TOPIC_COLLECTION_URL": "/summary","LOGINBOX_URL": "/auth/loginbox","ONE_GOOD_FACT_BROWSE_URL": "/one-good-fact/all-good-facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_URL": "/quiz/browse","BIO_BROWSE_URL": "/browse/biographies","LIST_URL": "/list","TIGHTROPE_QUIZ_URL": "/quiz/tightrope","ALPHA_BROWSE_URL": "/sitemap","CONTENT_TYPE_JSON": "application/json","DICTIONARY_URL": "/dictionary","COBRAND_IMAGE_URL": "/image/cobrand","PROCON_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/pro-and-con-issues-in-the-news","PROCON_BROWSE_URL": "/procon","QUIZ_BROWSE_VOCAB_QUIZZES": "vocabulary-quizzes","SUBMISSION_URL": "/submission","EB_LOG_OUT": "/auth2/logout","ENV_PRODUCTION": "production","EXPLORE_PORTAL_URL": "/explore","TOPIC_AJAX_URL": "/ajax/topic","TOPIC_SUMMARY_BROWSE_URL": "/summaries","WTFACT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/wtfact","VIDEO_CHANNEL_URL": "/videos","GALLERY_BROWSE_URL": "/gallery/browse","CACHE_URL": "/cache","PROCON_ABOUT_URL": "/procon/About-ProCon","COMPANION_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/companion","MEDIA_FOLDER": "/eb-media","SHOW_ALL_CONTRIBUTORS": "/additional-info#contributors","BRITANNICA_EDITORS_ID": "4419","ENV_CACHE_DISABLED": "mendelCache","CALCULATORS_BROWSE_URL": "/calculators","STORY_URL": "/story","DEFAULT_COUNTRY": "US","NAVBAR_URL": "/ajax/navbar","EB_LOGIN_URL": "/auth/eb-login","NEW_ARTICLES_URL": "/new-articles",}; window.CDN = "https://cdn.britannica.com"; window.CAM_LOGIN_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com"; window.CAM_SIGN_UP_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/registration" window.Mendel = { "config" : { "domain": "britannica.com", "page": "Topic", "videoPlayerId": "UyMCoK2v", "sharedUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate", "amuselabsUrl": "https://cdn3.amuselabs.com", "resourcesPrefixUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/[url]?v=3.130.14", "date": 20241203, "userInfo": { "type": "ANONYMOUS" ,"currency": "AUUS" ,"country": "SG" ,"state": "XX" ,"timezone": "Asia/Singapore" ,"bcomId": "943149543805404625" ,"hasAds": true ,"testVersion": "B" ,"adsTestVersion": "B" ,"consumerId": "" ,"instId": "" ,"consumerUserName": "" ,"instUserName": "" ,"cognito": null }, "tvs":{ "r":[25,25,25,25], "a": [25,25,25,25]}, "isLoggedInAsUser": false, "isPhone": false, "isDesktop": true, "logoutUrl": "/auth2/logout", "selfServiceUrl": "https://myaccount.britannica.com", "cdnUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com", "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "fetchOffset": 800, "mendelCookieName": "__mendel", "mendelCookie": {"surveyShown":false,"visitedTopicId":2255607,"currentDate":20241203}, "autocompleteToSearchPage": false,"topicUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate" ,"freeTopicReason": "NO_REFERRER" ,"topicId": 2255607 ,"template": "PROCON" ,"type": "PROCON" ,"hasToc": true ,"chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api" ,"showPreview": false ,"infiniteScrollList": [{"p":1,"t":2255607},{"p":2,"t":238012},{"p":1,"t":617747},{"p":1,"t":478108},{"p":1,"t":408375},{"p":40,"t":43654},{"p":2,"t":765016},{"p":1,"t":1686247},{"p":1,"t":205346},{"p":1,"t":2070848}] ,"sequence": 1 ,"topics": {} }, "GA": {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","articleTemplateType":"LARGE","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} }; </script> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1887621861548296"/ <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@britannica" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?"/> <meta property="og:type" content="ARTICLE"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy | Britannica"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?"/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Encyclopedia Britannica" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" /> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="init opengraph"> Mendel.openGraph = {"type":"ARTICLE","title":"Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy","description":"Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?","imageUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg","imageType":"image/jpeg","pageUrl":"https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate"}</script> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/" > <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/icon?family=Material+Icons"> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/vendor-bundle.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/mendel-css.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <script type="text/javascript"> if (self !== top) { top.location = self.location; } // if ('scrollRestoration' in history) { history.scrollRestoration = 'manual'; } </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/at.js?v=3.130.14" async ></script> <script> dataLayer = []; </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= '//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5W6NC8'); </script> <meta name="last-modified" content="2024-10-17" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"headline":"Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy","image":{"url":"https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg","@type":"ImageObject"},"author":[{"name":"The Editors of ProCon","url":"https://www.britannica.com/editor/procon-editors/12941390","@type":"Person"}],"keywords":"Golf","wordcount":4968,"url":"https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate","datePublished":"2000-01-01T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-10-17T00:00:00Z","description":"Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?","publisher":{"logo":{"url":"https://corporate.britannica.com/wp-content/themes/eb-corporate/_img/logo.png","@type":"ImageObject"},"name":"Encyclopedia Britannica","@type":"Organization"},"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"article"} </script></head> <body data-leg="B" class="new-topic topic-procon first-page-true user-ANONYMOUS user-ads md-desktop leg-bb-ie">  <script>Mendel.config.adProvider='ay';</script> <script async src="https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js"></script> <script> window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/15510053/CMP_1x1', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-1709766812090-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <script async defer src="https://launchpad-wrapper.privacymanager.io/0ccc6fe8-1870-4ad8-b47b-6d029ac116fc/launchpad-liveramp.js"></script> <script async src="https://JRyhoywLYXNLYMAhs.ay.delivery/manager/JRyhoywLYXNLYMAhs" type="text/javascript" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" ></script><div class="ie-warning d-flex align-items-center align-self-center justify-content-center site-alert bg-orange"> <div> You are using an <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please <a class="text-white text-underscore" href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience and security. </div> </div> <script id="json-navbar-info" type="application/json"> {"topSectionLinks":[{"title":"Ask the Chatbot","url":"/chatbot","navbarId":"CHATBOT"},{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse","navbarId":"QUIZZES"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society","navbarId":"HISTORY"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech","navbarId":"SCIENCE"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies","navbarId":"BIOS"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature","navbarId":"ANIMALS"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel","navbarId":"GEOGRAPHY"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture","navbarId":"ART"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","selected":true,"navbarId":"PROCON"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money","navbarId":"MONEY"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos","navbarId":"VIDEOS"}],"selectedSuperCategory":{"id":7,"title":"ProCon","url":"procon","description":"Explore pros and cons lists for debated issues presented in a non-partisan format with supporting background information, statistics, and resources.","keywords":"Pros and cons, Debate topics, Opposing views, pros cons list, Controversial topics","classId":"PROCON","sortOrder":7},"selectedNavbarLink":{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","selected":true,"navbarId":"PROCON"}} </script> <script id="json-hamburger-menu" type="application/json"> {"britannicaMenu1":[{"title":"Home","url":"/"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money"}],"britannicaMenu2":[{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos"},{"title":"On This Day","url":"/on-this-day"},{"title":"One Good Fact","url":"/one-good-fact"},{"title":"Dictionary","url":"/dictionary"},{"title":"New Articles","url":"/new-articles"}],"browseByCategory":[{"title":{"id":5,"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},"links":[{"title":"Lifestyles & Social Issues","url":"/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues"},{"title":"Philosophy & Religion","url":"/browse/Philosophy-Religion"},{"title":"Politics, Law & Government","url":"/browse/Politics-Law-Government"},{"title":"World History","url":"/browse/World-History"}]},{"title":{"id":6,"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},"links":[{"title":"Health & Medicine","url":"/browse/Health-Medicine"},{"title":"Science","url":"/browse/Science"},{"title":"Technology","url":"/browse/Technology"}]},{"title":{"id":3,"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},"links":[{"title":"Browse Biographies","url":"/browse/biographies"}]},{"title":{"id":1,"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},"links":[{"title":"Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates","url":"/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates"},{"title":"Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates","url":"/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates"},{"title":"Environment","url":"/browse/Environment"},{"title":"Fossils & Geologic Time","url":"/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time"},{"title":"Mammals","url":"/browse/Mammals"},{"title":"Plants","url":"/browse/Plants"}]},{"title":{"id":4,"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},"links":[{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/browse/Geography-Travel"}]},{"title":{"id":2,"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},"links":[{"title":"Entertainment & Pop Culture","url":"/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture"},{"title":"Literature","url":"/browse/Literature"},{"title":"Sports & Recreation","url":"/browse/Sports-Recreation"},{"title":"Visual Arts","url":"/browse/Visual-Arts"}]}],"browseByFeature":[{"title":"Companions","url":"/stories/companion"},{"title":"Demystified","url":"/stories/demystified"},{"title":"Image Galleries","url":"/gallery/browse"},{"title":"Lists","url":"/list/browse"},{"title":"Podcasts","url":"/podcasts"},{"title":"Spotlight","url":"/stories/spotlight"},{"title":"Summaries","url":"/summary"},{"title":"The Forum","url":"/stories/the-forum"},{"title":"Top Questions","url":"/question"},{"title":"#WTFact","url":"/stories/wtfact"}],"moreFromBritannica":[{"title":"Britannica Kids","url":"https://kids.britannica.com/","newTab":true}],"menuType":"DEFAULT"} </script> <header id="header" class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="global-nav-top-bar"> <div class="grid gx-0 h-100 justify-content-between align-items-center container-lg mx-auto p-0 position-relative"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <button class="d-flex align-items-center justify-self-start js-toggle js-toggle-hamburger btn btn-link link-white btn-sm rounded-0 p-10"> <div class="hamburger-tooltip"> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24" id="nav-toggle" data-icon="menu"></em> </div> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24 global-nav-search-icon" id="nav-search-icon" data-icon="search" ></em> </button> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center ml-10"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-logo global-nav-logo-left" /> </a> <div class="global-nav-top-search-bar global-nav-top-search-container global-nav-search-container" id="global-nav-top-search-bar"> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> </div> </div> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-center global-nav-logo non-homepage-logo" /> </a> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small global-nav-center search global-nav-center-search-container"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> <div class="col-35 col-sm-auto text-right order-3 mr-lg-15 align-items-center d-flex justify-content-end"> <div class="d-none d-md-inline-block"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2 marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2"><a href="https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-outline-white-orange py-5 mr-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Subscribe </a></SPAN></div> <div class="d-inline-block d-md-none mr-5 mr-sm-10"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE"><a href="https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS" class="subscribe-link btn btn-xs btn-orange-dark p-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Subscribe </a></SPAN></div> <button class="js-toggle-user-dropdown js-toggle btn btn-sm btn-link link-white rounded-0 px-md-15 pl-5 pr-5"> <span class="d-none d-md-inline-block mr-5">Login</span> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block d-md-none font-16 font-sm-20" data-icon="account_circle"></em> <div class="d-none dropdown-menu-subscription-link">https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS</div> <em class="material-icons inactive-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_down"></em> <em class="material-icons active-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_up"></em> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none hamburger-menu-subscription-link"><DIV class="marketing-HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5" target="_blank"> Subscribe <span class="d-none d-md-inline"> Now</span> </a></DIV></div> <div id="global-nav-react"> <div class="d-none"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a></li> <li><a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a></li> <li><a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a></li> <li><a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a></li> <li><a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> <li><a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/procon">ProCon</a></li> <li><a href="/money">Money</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a></li> <li><a href="/videos">Videos</a></li> <li><a href="/on-this-day">On This Day</a></li> <li><a href="/one-good-fact">One Good Fact</a></li> <li><a href="/dictionary">Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="/new-articles">New Articles</a></li> </ul> <a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues">Lifestyles & Social Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Philosophy-Religion">Philosophy & Religion</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Politics-Law-Government">Politics, Law & Government</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/World-History">World History</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Health-Medicine">Health & Medicine</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Science">Science</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Technology">Technology</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/biographies">Browse Biographies</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates">Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates">Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Environment">Environment</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time">Fossils & Geologic Time</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Mammals">Mammals</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Plants">Plants</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture">Entertainment & Pop Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Sports-Recreation">Sports & Recreation</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Visual-Arts">Visual Arts</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/stories/companion">Companions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/demystified">Demystified</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/browse">Image Galleries</a></li> <li><a href="/list/browse">Lists</a></li> <li><a href="/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/spotlight">Spotlight</a></li> <li><a href="/summary">Summaries</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/the-forum">The Forum</a></li> <li><a href="/question">Top Questions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/wtfact">#WTFact</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="https://kids.britannica.com/">Britannica Kids</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </header> <div class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="container-lg p-0 d-flex justify-content-center global-nav-categories-bar overflow-hidden"> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 global-nav-slider category-snap-slider"> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex font-14 overflow-hidden text-nowrap mx-5"> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-CHATBOT " href="/chatbot">Ask the Chatbot</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-QUIZZES " href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-HISTORY " href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-SCIENCE " href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-BIOS " href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ANIMALS " href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-GEOGRAPHY " href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ART " href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-PROCON selected selected" href="/procon">ProCon</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-MONEY " href="/money">Money</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-VIDEOS " href="/videos">Videos</a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-procon"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="2255607"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate">Golf</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/procon/golf-debate">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389663"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389663">Early History of Golf</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389664"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389664">Definition of Sport</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389665"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389665">Definition of Athlete</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389666"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389666">Golf in the Olympics</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389667"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389667">Golf in the Supreme Court</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389668"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389668">MET Values</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389669"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389669">Pros</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref389670"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389670">Pro 1: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by requiring physical exertion.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref389671"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389671">Pro 2: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by being competitive.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref389672"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389672">Pro 3: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by requiring skill to play.</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref389673"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389673">Pro Quotes</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389674"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389674">Cons</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref389675"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389675">Con 1: Golf does not require enough physical exertion from golfers to meet the definitions of sport or athlete.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref389676"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389676">Con 2: Golfers are not consistently competitive enough to meet the definitions of sport and athlete.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref389677"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389677">Con 3: Golf requires skill but involves too much happenstance to be considered a sport and its players athletes.</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref389678"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389678">Con Quotes</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389679"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389679">Discussion Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389680"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389680">Take Action</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref389681"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389681">Sources</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/golf-debate">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/219726" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-004-82923F76/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg" alt="Golf" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/144774-050-04E3AC46/golfers-Old-Tom-Leith-Links-Morris-golf-May-17-1867.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/149849" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/144774-004-4A6531BE/golfers-Old-Tom-Leith-Links-Morris-golf-May-17-1867.jpg" alt="Golf history" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/197936-050-ACC46C1E/Tiger-Woods-trophy-US-Open-Golf-Championship-2002.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/231179" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/197936-004-B7108675/Tiger-Woods-trophy-US-Open-Golf-Championship-2002.jpg" alt="Golfer Tiger Woods" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/204583-050-24066FBB/Annika-Sorenstam-2006.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/241793" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/204583-004-5CF466E4/Annika-Sorenstam-2006.jpg" alt="Annika Sörenstam" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/100th-anniversary-of-the-pgas-founding"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/189415-131-B54406B7/ROCHESTER-NY-hole-round-Steve-Stricker-bunker-August-10-2013.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="ROCHESTER, NY - AUGUST 10: Steve Stricker of the United States plays a bunker shot on the 11th hole during the third round of the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club on August 10, 2013 in Rochester, New York" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/100th-anniversary-of-the-pgas-founding" >100th Anniversary of the PGA’s Founding</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/pro-and-con-golf"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/35/197935-131-41291CF7/Tiger-Woods-2002.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="U.S. golfer Tiger Woods, 2002. (sports)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/pro-and-con-golf" >Pro and Con: Golf</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-unusual-sports"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/86/239086-131-80CE73A7/Red-Bull-Soapbox-Race-Zagreb-Croatia.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-unusual-sports" >10 Unusual Sports</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/lpgas-evian-championship"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/172760-131-D3D39CD6/player-LPGA-Park-In-Bee.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Inbee Park of South Korea watches a shot during the Honda LPGA Thailand 2013 tournament at Siam Country Club in Chon Buri, Thailand, Feb. 2013." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/lpgas-evian-championship" >LPGA’s Evian Championship</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/7-canceled-or-reintroduced-olympic-sports"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/124073-131-EA3EACC6/Tug-of-war-US-Naval-Academy-Maryland-Annapolis-2005.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Tug-of-war at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., 2005." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/7-canceled-or-reintroduced-olympic-sports" >7 Canceled or Reintroduced Olympic Sports</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-discover"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Discover </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-best-sports-rivalries-of-all-time"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/189653-131-A7E9422A/Kevin-Garnett-shooting-Ronny-Turiaf-Boston-Celtics-2008.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-best-sports-rivalries-of-all-time" >10 Great Sports Rivalries</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/which-religion-is-the-oldest"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/223091-131-A986B08A/relief-Zoroastrian-god-Ahura-Mazda-Persepolis-Iran.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism," width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/which-religion-is-the-oldest" >Which Religion Is the Oldest?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/why-cant-you-tickle-yourself"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/194970-131-9F41ECF1/Mother-daughter-garden.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Mother tickling her daughter, sitting in a garden" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/why-cant-you-tickle-yourself" >Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/is-mount-everest-really-the-tallest-mountain-in-the-world"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/83817-050-67C814CD/Mount-Everest.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Mount Everest (Mt. Everest, mountains, Himalayas)." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/is-mount-everest-really-the-tallest-mountain-in-the-world" >Is Mount Everest Really the Tallest Mountain in the World?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/7-vestigial-features-of-the-human-body"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/80/176180-131-065C343F/Eye-Eyelash-Eyeball-Vision.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Eye. Eyelash. Eyeball. Vision." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/7-vestigial-features-of-the-human-body" >7 Vestigial Features of the Human Body</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/can-you-drink-water-from-a-cactus"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/193840-131-258B734E/Saguaro-cacti-landscape-Sonoran-Desert-Arizona-National.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Saguaro cacti dot the Sonoran Desert landscape at Saguaro National Park, Arizona. Formerly Saguaro National Monument cactus" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/can-you-drink-water-from-a-cactus" >Can You Drink Water from a Cactus?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/what-did-cleopatra-look-like"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/204161-131-F139DA5F/Cleopatra-temple-Horus-Egypt-Idfu.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Cleopatra hieroglyphic carving the Ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/what-did-cleopatra-look-like" >What Did Cleopatra Look Like?</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div class="toc-sticky-header-inner-container align-items-center d-flex mx-auto h-100 w-100"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-sm btn-white text-blue border-2 border-gray-100 gtm-mobile-toc-header-button js-sections-button d-lg-none p-10"> <em class="material-icons my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Contents </button> <div class="header-ai-ask-button-placeholder"></div> <div class="header-ai-summarize-button-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grey-box w-100 grey-box-top grey-box-bottom"> <div class="grey-box-content mx-auto w-100"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 1, "item" : { "@id" : "/procon", "name": "ProCon" } } ] } </script> <nav class="mt-10"> <a class="procon-label font-weight-semi-bold font-14 super-category-badge rounded" href="/procon">ProCon</a> </nav> <div class="page2ref-true topic-content topic-type-REGULAR" data-student-article="false"> <script class="page-description-json" type="application/json"> { "url": "/procon/golf-debate", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate", "browserTitle": "Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy", "firstTopicPage": true, "topicId":2255607 } </script> <div class="reading-channel"> <div class="desktop-header-image module-spacing"> <figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-20 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13684" data-asm-type="image"> <div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"> <a style="min-height: 160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2255607/219726"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Golf" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/162540-050-1D07AA68/Golf-course-park-district-activity.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/219726">Golf</a> <span><span>Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Golf</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">Is Golf a Sport and Are Golfers Athletes?</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="2255607"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <button class="js-print-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2255607] .md-print-modal" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </button> <div class="md-print-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">print</em> Print </div> <div class="mt-20 mb-10"> Please select which sections you would like to print: </div> <form action="/print/article/2255607" method="post" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div class="print-box-items"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><label><input class="mr-10" type="checkbox" name="sequence[]" value="0">Table Of Contents</label></li> </ul> </div> <input type="submit" class="btn btn-blue md-disabled" value="Print" /> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2255607] .md-cite-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="verified"></em> Cite </button> <div class="md-cite-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom mb-15"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">verified</em>Cite </div> <div class="font-serif"> While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="The Editors of ProCon" data-title="Golf" data-published-date="17 Oct. 2024" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2255607] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Golf" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate">https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/2255607"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/procon-editors/12941390" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of ProCon</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">ProCon's editors write and verify new content and update existing content. ProCon presents the pro and con arguments to debatable issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of ProCon</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-10-17T00:00:00CDT" >Oct 17, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/golf-debate/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <section><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">According to <em>Forbes</em> in 2023, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/golf" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">golf</a>’s impact in the United States has topped $100 billion, a 20% increase since 2016. When golf’s indirect contributions (through impact on travel, hotel stays, and strategic home purchases) are included, the contribution to the U.S. economy tops $200 billion.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-95">[95]</a> But despite the obvious popularity of golf and its omnipresence globally, debate still rages over how to classify the game and its participants. Specifically, is golf a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/sports" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">sport</a> and are golfers athletes? <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-69">[69]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-70">[70]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-71">[71]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-72">[72]</a></p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section><span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389663"> <h2 class="h1">Early History of Golf</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="149849" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/144774-050-04E3AC46/golfers-Old-Tom-Leith-Links-Morris-golf-May-17-1867.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2255607/149849"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/144774-050-04E3AC46/golfers-Old-Tom-Leith-Links-Morris-golf-May-17-1867.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/144774-050-04E3AC46/golfers-Old-Tom-Leith-Links-Morris-golf-May-17-1867.jpg?w=300" alt="Golf history" data-width="1600" data-height="909" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/144774-050-04E3AC46/golfers-Old-Tom-Leith-Links-Morris-golf-May-17-1867.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/149849">Golf history</a><span>Early professional golfers—including “Old Tom” Morris (right, with club)—on the Leith Links golf course in Scotland, May 17, 1867.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The origins of golf remain somewhat murky because several countries invented games that involved hitting a ball with a club at a target. The 11th-century French game “palle-mail” or “jeu de mail” and the 13th-century Dutch game “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/golf#ref222216" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">kolven</a>” are arguably predecessors to golf. A claim has even been made that the Chinese recorded a description of the game in a text written during the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Song-dynasty" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Song Dynasty</a> (960–1279 <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>).<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-42">[42]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-43">[43]</a></p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The invention of golf as we know it today, with the crucial aspect of hitting a ball into a hole, is generally credited to Scotland in the 1300s. Historians say that golf was played at St. Andrews in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Scotland/Cultural-life#ref44574" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Scotland</a> even before the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-St-Andrews" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">university</a> was founded in 1411.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-42">[42]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-43">[43]</a></p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Middle-Ages" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Middle Ages</a> the Scots were so captivated by golf that King <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-II-king-of-Scotland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">James II</a> feared it was interfering with the archery practice needed to help protect Scotland against the English. On Mar. 6, 1457, the Scottish Parliament banned golf with a decree that read, “[I]t is ordained and the decreed that the lords and barons both spiritual and temporal should organise <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/archery" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">archery</a> displays four times in the year. And that football and golf should be utterly condemned and stopped.… [W]e ordain that [those found playing these games] be punished by the local barons and, failing them, by the King’s officers.” The ban was lifted in 1502 when the Treaty of Glasgow temporarily ended the wars between Scotland and England. King <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-IV-king-of-Scotland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">James IV</a> made the first recorded purchase of golf equipment in that same year and became an avid golfer. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-1">[1]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-44">[44]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-45">[45]</a></p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">St. Andrews, the home of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Royal-and-Ancient-Golf-Club-of-St-Andrews" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews</a> (R&A), originated the 18-hole golf course in 1764 when golfers felt that some of the holes on the then 22-hole course should be consolidated. To this day 18 holes remain the standard for a round of golf. In 1897 the R&A was recognized by existing golf organizations as having the authority to determine the rules of golf. According to the official rulebook, “The Game of Golf consists of playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules.” The first golf club in America was St. Andrew’s Golf Course in Yonkers, NY, built in 1888. The Amateur Golf Association of the United States (now called United States Golf Association, or USGA) was formed on Dec. 22, 1894.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-1">[1]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-46">[46]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-47">[47]</a></p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389664"> <h2 class="h1">Definition of Sport</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The question of whether golf is a sport hinges on the definition of “sport.” <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport" data-show-preview="true">Merriam-Webster defines sport</a> as “physical activity engaged in for pleasure; a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in.”<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-6">[6]</a></p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">John C. Phillips, professor of sociology at the University of the Pacific, asserted that people have an instinctual idea about what “sport” means: “[I]n one sense the word sport need not be analyzed. Anyone who speaks English knows what sport is and is not.” The topic has nonetheless been subject to significant analysis. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-48">[48]</a></p><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Sports philosopher Bernard Suits named four elements that distinguish sports from games. “First, it is a game of skill, which marks it off from games of chance.…Second, it is a game of physical skill….Third, a sport is a game that has a wide following…Fourth, and last, a sport is a game that has achieved institutional stability.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-49">[49]</a></p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="231179" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/197936-050-ACC46C1E/Tiger-Woods-trophy-US-Open-Golf-Championship-2002.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2255607/231179"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/197936-050-ACC46C1E/Tiger-Woods-trophy-US-Open-Golf-Championship-2002.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/197936-050-ACC46C1E/Tiger-Woods-trophy-US-Open-Golf-Championship-2002.jpg?w=300" alt="Golfer Tiger Woods" data-width="1234" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/197936-050-ACC46C1E/Tiger-Woods-trophy-US-Open-Golf-Championship-2002.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/231179">Golfer Tiger Woods</a><span>Tiger Woods holding a trophy after winning his second U.S. Open Golf Championship, 2002.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Sociologists Tim Delaney and Tim Madigan defined sport as “institutionalized, structured, and sanctioned competitive activity beyond the realm of play that involves physical exertion and the use of relatively complex athletic skills.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-48">[48]</a></p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Lincoln Allison, founding director of the Centre for the Study of Sport in Society at Warwick University, noted that the definition has shifted over time. “In English, the primary meaning of the word ‘sport’ changed dramatically in the period after 1880. Before that date, if you picked up a book on sport…it would certainly have been about some combination of hunting, shooting or fishing.” According to Allison, the modern concept of sport began to solidify around 1930. “And yet, for all that sport can mean…the core of what people understand by sport in its serious and interesting sense can be defined briefly: sport is the institutionalisation of skill and prowess.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-50">[50]</a></p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h4"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389665"> <h2 class="h1">Definition of Athlete</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Merriam-Webster defines “athlete” as “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-91">[91]</a></p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The word, according to researchers Francesco Campa and Giuseppe Coratella, “comes from the Greek root ‘Athlos’ which means ‘achievement’ or ‘contest’ and a more complex figure than just the simple sportsman, since he/she embodied the greatest virtues of a human being. The first testimony of the term athlete is found in the Odyssey, when Ulysses was mocked by Feaci for not wanting to participate in sports competitions, and they accused him of being greedy, lacking virtue and consequently not being an athlete.”<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-93">[93]</a></p><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD13 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Ross Tucker, sports science researcher for World Rugby, adds nuance to the definition: “You have to expand the definition of ‘competition’ to be broader than just competing against other athletes in that specific moment. For instance, is a person who climbs Mount Everest an athlete? I’d say so, because they’re pushing boundaries, which I think meets a definition of competition where ‘competitive’ means challenging oneself to perform better.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-92">[92]</a></p><span class="marker MOD13 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD14 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="241793" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/204583-050-24066FBB/Annika-Sorenstam-2006.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2255607/241793"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/204583-050-24066FBB/Annika-Sorenstam-2006.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/204583-050-24066FBB/Annika-Sorenstam-2006.jpg?w=300" alt="Annika Sörenstam" data-width="1600" data-height="1067" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/204583-050-24066FBB/Annika-Sorenstam-2006.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2255607/241793">Annika Sörenstam</a><span>Professional Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) golfer Annika Sörenstam practicing her drives, 2006.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">However, some believe that everyone could be an athlete. Jim Afremow, sports psychologist, argues, “The reason why I think embracing an athletic identity is important for us is it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves lead to expectations about our actions. And then those lead to those behaviors and actions, and that reinforces itself where it bolsters our sense of being an athlete.” He continues: “There is an athlete in all of us. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your particular situation is. What matters is thinking of yourself as an athlete, having athletic goals and reaping the rewards of being more active.” Nike, the sports apparel company, echoes this idea in their mission statement: “If you have a body, you are an athlete.”<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-92">[92]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-94">[94]</a></p><span class="marker MOD14 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h5"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389666"> <h2 class="h1">Golf in the Olympics</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD15 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">For many, the Olympics serve as a barometer for whether an activity should be viewed as a sport and its players athletes. Golf was included in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Paris-1900-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Olympics in 1900</a> (for men and women) and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/St-Louis-1904-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">1904</a> (for men only) before being removed. The golf events in the 1904 Olympics, held in St. Louis, Missouri, consisted of 74 American and three Canadian men. In 1908 the golf events were canceled reportedly because of a lack of international entries and a conflict with the R&A. Subsequent years also saw a dearth of competitors that resulted in the game’s continued absence from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Summer-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Summer Olympic Games</a>. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-51">[51]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-52">[52]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-53">[53]</a></p><span class="marker MOD15 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD16 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The first major push to return golf to international sporting competition did not come until 1992, when the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Atlanta-1996-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Atlanta Olympic</a> Organizing Committee announced its intent to get golf approved for the 1996 Games. The proposal was met with opposition from major golf organizations, who were reportedly concerned about having their regular tour events overshadowed. The committee’s plan to hold the event at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Masters-Tournament" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Augusta National Golf Club</a> prompted concern because at the time the club had a male-only membership and just one Black member, and so the proposal was withdrawn. On Aug. 20, 2012, Augusta announced that two women, former Secretary of State <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Condoleezza-Rice" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Condoleeza Rice</a> and businesswoman Darla Moore, were accepted as members—the first women admitted in the 80-year history of the club.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-53">[53]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-67">[67]</a></p><span class="marker MOD16 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD17 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Another bid to include golf was rejected in 2005, reportedly due to lack of support from the professional golf tours. A <em>Sports Illustrated</em> poll conducted in May 2005 found that 29% of respondents thought golf should be added to the Olympics, second to rugby, favored by 38%. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-54">[54]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-55">[55]</a></p><span class="marker MOD17 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD18 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 2009 the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Olympic-Committee" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">International Olympic Committee</a> (IOC) members voted 63–27 to return golf to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Rio-de-Janeiro-2016-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro</a>, Brazil. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rugby</a> was also voted in for the first time since it was removed in 1924. IOC president Jacques Rogge voiced his support for the decision, saying, “Both golf and rugby are very popular sports with global appeal and a strong ethic. They will be great additions to the Games.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-2">[2]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-56">[56]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-57">[57]</a></p><span class="marker MOD18 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD19 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Some people who opposed including golf said that the vote was neither a reflection of golf’s merit nor an endorsement that it is a sport, but rather that the IOC wished to add golf because of megastar golfer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tiger-Woods" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tiger Woods</a> and golf’s potential for increased sponsorships and television earnings.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-37">[37]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-38">[38]</a></p><span class="marker MOD19 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD20 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Olympic golf has been played at the following courses: Compiègne Golf Club (Paris, 1900); Glen Echo Country Club, Normandy, Missouri (St. Louis, 1904); Olympic Golf Course, Barra da Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro, 2016); Kasumigaseki Country Club, Kawagoe (Tokyo, 2020); and Albatros Course at Le Golf National, Guyancourt (Paris, 2024). For upcoming Olympic Games, golf will be played at the following courses: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California (Los Angeles, 2028); and Royal Queensland Golf Club, Eagle Farm, Queensland (Brisbane, 2032). <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-74">[74]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-75">[75]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-76">[76]</a></p><span class="marker MOD20 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h6"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389667"> <h2 class="h1">Golf in the Supreme Court</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD21 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">On May 29, 2001, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Supreme-Court-of-the-United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. Supreme Court</a> ruled 7–2 in <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://images.procon.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/pga-tour-v-martin-opinion.pdf" data-show-preview="true"><em>PGA Tour, Inc.</em> v. <em>Martin</em></a> that the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour had to allow disabled golfer Casey Martin to use a golf cart, despite the PGA’s claim that “the condition of walking is a substantive rule of competition” in professional tournaments. Martin was born with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome, a degenerative disease that caused Martin’s right leg to atrophy and made him unable to walk across a golf course. The Court noted that Martin was a “talented golfer” who won his state high school golf championship and captained the 1994 Stanford University NCAA champion golf team.</p><span class="marker MOD21 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD22 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The decision, delivered by Justice <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Paul-Stevens" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">John Paul Stevens</a>, said, in part, “We observe that the use of carts is not itself inconsistent with the fundamental character of the game of golf. From early on, the essence of the game has been shotmaking—using clubs to cause a ball to progress from the teeing ground to a hole some distance away with as few strokes as possible.” The decision further stated that “Golf is a game in which it is impossible to guarantee that…an individual’s ability will be the sole determinant of the outcome. For example, changes in the weather may produce harder greens and more head winds for the tournament leader than for his closest pursuers. A lucky bounce may save a shot or two.”</p><span class="marker MOD22 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD23 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In the dissenting opinion, Justice <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Scalia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Antonin Scalia</a> asserted that the issue of whether walking is essential to the game of golf was irrelevant, but noted that “Many, indeed, consider walking to be the central feature of the game of golf hence <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mark-Twain" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mark Twain</a>’s classic criticism of the sport: ‘a good walk spoiled.’”<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-4">[4]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-68">[68]</a></p><span class="marker MOD23 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD24 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Casey Martin earned $206,874 over the course of his career as a professional golfer and is now the golf coach for the University of Oregon. The debate over the fitness level required to succeed as a professional golfer continues, however. Those who say golf is a sport point to the athleticism of top golfers such as Tiger Woods and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rory-McIlroy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rory McIlroy</a>. Woods has reportedly bench-pressed 315 pounds, and much has been made of McIlroy’s improved results following his commitment to become more muscular. Those who say golf is not a sport point to the example of John Daly, a professional golfer who won two Majors even though he once weighed as much as 285 pounds and struggled with alcoholism.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-20">[20]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-64">[64]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-65">[65]</a></p><span class="marker MOD24 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD25 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">As <em>Popular Science</em> succinctly framed the debate: “Is Tiger Woods proof that golf is a sport, or is John Daly confirmation to the contrary?” It even ventured an answer, suggesting it “probably depends on whether you’ve got a set of clubs in the garage.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-7">[7]</a></p><span class="marker MOD25 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h7"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389668"> <h2 class="h1">MET Values</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD26 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) values are a way to estimate how many calories are burned during a specific physical activity, according to the American Council on Exercise. A higher value correlates with more oxygen used by the body during that activity, so running has a higher MET value than sitting still, for example.</p><span class="marker MOD26 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD27 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">According to <em>The Compendium of Physical Activities</em>, “MET (Metabolic Equivalent) [is] the ratio of the work metabolic rate to the resting metabolic rate. One MET is defined as 1 kcal/kg/hour and is roughly equivalent to the energy cost of sitting quietly. A MET also is defined as oxygen uptake in ml/kg/min with one MET equal to the oxygen cost of sitting quietly, equivalent to 3.5 ml/kg/min.”</p><span class="marker MOD27 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD28 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">To find the MET values for golf and more activities, visit the <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://pacompendium.com/" data-show-preview="true">Compendium of Physical Activities</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD28 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="summary"><table class="pro-con"><thead><tr><th>PROS</th><th>CONS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Pro 1: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by requiring physical exertion. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389670">Read More.</a></td><td>Con 1: Golf does not require enough physical exertion from golfers to meet the definitions of sport or athlete. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389675">Read More.</a></td></tr><tr><td>Pro 2: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by being competitive. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389671">Read More.</a></td><td>Con 2: Golfers are not consistently competitive enough to meet the definitions of sport and athlete. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389676">Read More.</a></td></tr><tr><td>Pro 3: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by requiring skill to play. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389672">Read More.</a></td><td>Con 3: Golf requires skill but involves too much happenstance to be considered a sport and its players athletes. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389677">Read More.</a></td></tr></tbody></table></section><span class="marker" id="pro-2255607"></span><div class="mb-15" id="ref389669"><h2 class="h1 d-inline-block mb-0">Pro Arguments </h2> <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389674">(Go to Con Arguments)</a></div><section class="pro"><span class="marker" id="ref389670"></span> <h2 class="h2">Pro 1: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by requiring physical exertion.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD29 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Golfing without a cart burns an average of 360 calories per hour. Golfers who play a nine-hole course (2–2.5 miles) without a cart while carrying their own clubs burn 721 calories (613 calories if a caddie carries the bag of clubs, which weigh 30–50 pounds on average). Professional tournaments have four rounds of 18 holes, which would be 4,904 calories burned over four days. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-8">[8]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-9">[9]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-10">[10]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-11">[11]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-29">[29]</a></p><span class="marker MOD29 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD30 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Further, golf’s demand for physical exertion often results in injuries. Golf is so physically demanding that up to 62% of amateur golfers and approximately 88% of professional golfers suffer injuries each year. Playing golf can lead to problems in the lower back, elbow, wrist, hand, shoulder, or head. More than half of professional golfers have had to stop playing because of their injuries. One-third of PGA players have experienced lower back injuries that lasted more than two weeks.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-21">[21]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-22">[22]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-23">[23]</a></p><span class="marker MOD30 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD31 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Stephen W. West, postdoctoral research fellow in the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre at the University of Calgary, explained, “The physical demands of competitive golf are characterised by long periods (typically over 5 hours) of low/moderate intensity exercise, punctuated by the high speed movements required to accelerate the golf ball to speeds exceeding 160 mph. Successful performance is reliant upon the athlete’s ability to execute a wide range of fine motor skills within the context of very changeable environmental conditions.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-80">[80]</a></p><span class="marker MOD31 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD32 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">For the casual or recreational player, golf still offers the benefits of sports and athleticism: strength and endurance, flexibility, aerobic fitness, and balance and core stability, because the sport requires walking, strength training, and balance. Carrying his own 25-pound golf bag, the average male golfer can expect to burn about 1,442 calories playing 18 holes. Even using a pushcart for the golf bag results in burning about 1,436 calories over an 18-hole course. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-78">[78]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-79">[79]</a></p><span class="marker MOD32 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="pro"><span class="marker" id="ref389671"></span> <h2 class="h2">Pro 2: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by being competitive.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD33 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">“Golf is a sport. Many people enjoy it on a solely social level and that’s fine. But, first and foremost, it’s a sport where players compete against the course and each other, trying to better previous performances or outplay an opponent,” according to Fergus Bisset, contributing editor of <em>Golf Monthly</em>. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-86">[86]</a></p><span class="marker MOD33 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD34 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Golf tournaments such as the four Majors can be some of the most difficult contests in all of sports to win. Golfers are not only playing against their opponents but themselves, the golf course itself, and external conditions including the weather. Padraig Harrington, who won multiple Majors, stated, “The test is there for all golfers, all across time….It’s what we all want to measure our careers.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-88">[88]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-89">[89]</a></p><span class="marker MOD34 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD35 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Golfers can be competitive as athletes when playing socially and not playing in a tournament. A post at GolfGurls.com stated: “Still, I don’t think of golf as your usual competitive sport. At least not for me. When I play a round of golf my focus is seldom on beating the other players. I actually pay very little attention to anyone’s score but my own. My competition is with my own game: with how I am playing today compared with how I have played yesterday, or the day before. I am always competing with myself: one hole at a time, one round at a time. I am always trying to best my past record, lower my handicap and increase my ability.” <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-87">[87]</a></p><span class="marker MOD35 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="pro"><span class="marker" id="ref389672"></span> <h2 class="h2">Pro 3: Golf meets the definition of sport and golfers that of athletes by requiring skill to play.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD36 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Golf requires coordinated muscle use. The golf swing uses at least 17 muscle groups in the coordinated movement of the hands, wrists, arms, abdomen, and legs, according to a study in the <em>British Medical Journal</em>. Playing golf on a professional level requires athletic ability to walk long distances (4–5 miles per 18-hole course) and hit long drives with consistent depth and aim. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-8">[8]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-13">[13]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-14">[14]</a></p><span class="marker MOD36 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD37 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Plus, physical training leads to improvement in a golfer’s performance. In golf, like in other sports, there is a correlation between an athlete’s physical training and improved performance. A 2009 peer-reviewed study found that golfers who focus on balance, flexibility, posture, core stability, strength, power, and cardiovascular training have better results. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-8">[8]</a></p><span class="marker MOD37 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD38 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Rory McIlroy, World No.1 for 95 weeks (2012–15), credits his training regimen with helping him reach the top spot. Tiger Woods has reportedly bench-pressed as much as 315 pounds. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-20">[20]</a></p><span class="marker MOD38 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD39 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><em>Golf Educate</em> summarized, “Golf is rated as one of the most difficult sports to play well, and while there are millions of golfers in the US, only 3% of them play at very high skill levels of scratch or better, and only 10% of golfers break 80 regularly. There’s no denying it; golf is hard.”<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-82">[82]</a></p><span class="marker MOD39 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h9"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389673"> <h2 class="h1">Pro Quotes</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD40 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Jentry Barton, national director of fitness at US Sports Camps, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD40 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“In the golf swing, your body twists, torques, and turns to create a violent energy. While using the ground as force, it spirally connects your legs, core, and spine to create impact into a tiny white ball…</p> <p>Now, don’t be fooled. Golf is hard. Even the professionals have days where they can’t get it to go straight. The hardest working athletes still fall, and especially in golf. Golf is not just a challenge of the body, but also of the mind. But do not be mistaken, golf is a sport. The golf swing is a learned, yet athletic move.”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Jentry Barton, “Believe It or Not Golf Is a Sport,” scga.org, Jan. 23, 2019</p> </blockquote> <span class="marker PREMOD44 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Jake Woolf, style writer at <em>GQ</em>, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD44 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“The fact that these guys consider themselves athletes at all is evidence of a seismic shift in the landscape. Ultimately, these young guns took a page out of Tiger’s book and literally beat him at his own game, putting as much effort into their core as they do into their chip shots. Though golf may still be considered a leisure sport, the sheer power Rory McIlroy exhibits when driving a ball 350 yards off the tee looks like anything but a walk in the park. (Or, you know, 436 yards.) With the results to prove that fitness leads to wins, this new generation of planking, squatting, deadlifting golfers have finally erased the stigma that golf is just for fat old men.”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Jake Woolf, “In Praise of Swole Golfers,” gq.com, Aug. 17, 2015</p> </blockquote> <span class="marker PREMOD47 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Mario Santos-Davidson, college golfer at Whitman College, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD47 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“Golf may seem simple from the outside, but it’s one of the most complicated sports to date. So many factors go into every single shot, that no matter how long you play the sport, no two shots will ever be exactly the same…</p> <p>Golfers must walk about 5 miles during a typical round, while carrying a 30-pound bag along for the 4 or 5 hour trek. This is not to mention the violence of the swing–twisting and turning your spine 40 times in a day requires some serious agility and athleticism. Hitting a golf ball requires an unbelievable amount of coordination.”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Mario Santos-Davidson, “6 Reasons That Prove Golf Is a Sport,” <em>Odyssey</em> website, Sep. 20, 2015</p> </blockquote> <span class="marker PREMOD51 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Mark Willard, ESPN radio host and columnist for <em>Fore Magazine</em>, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD51 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“There is athleticism in trying to hit out of a bunker, plain and simple. Hooking a ball around a tree to get back in the fairway takes athleticism…</p> <p>Maybe the best evidence is the fact that so many athletes from other sports play golf. In other words, what does a big time athlete do to challenge themselves outside their normal game? They play golf… What is the anatomy of an athlete? An athlete uses his or her body to get competitive juices flowing, release stress and energy, express themselves and have fun. So, that makes golfers athletes. And it makes athletes want to golf.”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Mark Willard, “Range Tokens: If Golfers Aren’t Athletes, Then Why Do So Many Athletes Play Golf?,” <em>Fore Magazine</em>, Summer 2014</p> </blockquote> </section><span class="marker" id="con-2255607"></span><div class="mb-15" id="ref389674"><h2 class="h1 d-inline-block mb-0">Con Arguments</h2> <a href="/procon/golf-debate#ref389669">(Go to Pro Arguments)</a></div><section class="con"><span class="marker" id="ref389675"></span> <h2 class="h2">Con 1: Golf does not require enough physical exertion from golfers to meet the definitions of sport or athlete.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD55 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Burning 360 calories per hour playing golf without a cart or caddie is far fewer than the number of calories athletes burn per hour in more vigorous sports: 900 in soccer and 727 in football, basketball, and tennis.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-9">[9]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-29">[29]</a></p><span class="marker MOD55 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD56 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Moreover, nearly half of the maximum calories burned while playing golf are from walking the course and carrying the clubs, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that walking is not an essential aspect of golf. In <em>PGA Tour, Inc.</em> v. <em>Martin</em> (2001), the justices ruled 7–2 that the pro tour had to allow a golfer with a disability to use a golf cart because it would not “fundamentally alter the nature” of the activity. Using a cart while playing golf reduces the number of calories burned even further, by 42% percent (from 721 to 411 for nine holes).<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-4">[4]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-9">[9]</a></p><span class="marker MOD56 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD57 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Professional golfers are sometimes overweight, old, or out of shape, and their caddies carry the equipment for them. There is no running, jumping, or cardiovascular activity in golf. Many pro golfers smoked while playing (Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Fuzzy Zoeller) or both smoked and drank while playing (John Daly). If an activity does not make you break a sweat, or if it can be done while drinking and smoking, then it is not a sport and the player is not an athlete.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-73">[73]</a></p><span class="marker MOD57 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD58 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">When ESPN ranked the athletic difficulty of 60 activities in 2004 based on ten categories such as endurance, agility, and strength, it ranked golf 51, lower than ping-pong and just ahead of roller skating. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-31">[31]</a></p><span class="marker MOD58 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD59 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Golf is certainly competitive, and it requires skill, but it is simply good exercise and does not require enough physical exertion to be a sport. For elderly male golfers, an 18-hole game is moderate to high intensity; however, the game requires only moderate exercise for middle-aged men and is low intensity for young men. Regardless of age, all golfers perceived their exercise as weak to moderate, which is a far cry from the sweat dripping off the faces of basketball and football players. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-81">[81]</a></p><span class="marker MOD59 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="con"><span class="marker" id="ref389676"></span> <h2 class="h2">Con 2: Golfers are not consistently competitive enough to meet the definitions of sport and athlete.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD60 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Golf involves competition, keeping score, and declaring a winner, but those facts alone do not make it a sport and do not make golfers athletes. Spelling bees, poker, and darts are competitions with scores and winners that are sometimes broadcast on the sports network ESPN, but those activities are not sports and the players are not athletes.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-30">[30]</a></p><span class="marker MOD60 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD61 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The fact that golfers are able to be competitive professionally so far past the age of peak athleticism—which is age 26, according to a June 2011 peer-reviewed study—shows that golf is not competitive enough to be a sport. For example, Tom Watson nearly won one of the biggest tournaments in professional golf, the British Open, at age 59 in 2009. Jack Nicklaus won 11 of his 18 Majors after turning 30.<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-32">[32]</a><a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-33">[33]</a></p><span class="marker MOD61 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD62 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">According to Chris Mile, president of Miles of Golf, “‘Golf’ and ‘Competitive Golf’ are almost two different activities. Both are fun but the competitive part of the game makes it really different. Golf is mostly about being with friends and enjoying the beauty of the game, the exercise, and the challenge. Competitive Golf should have everything that Golf has but with the added twist of beating other players. The addition of this little variation really changes the game.” Golf is frequently played during business meetings or for social events, without much or any competition. By contrast, few players distinguish between “tennis” and “competitive tennis,” because the goal is nearly always for one side to win. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-85">[85]</a></p><span class="marker MOD62 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="con"><span class="marker" id="ref389677"></span> <h2 class="h2">Con 3: Golf requires skill but involves too much happenstance to be considered a sport and its players athletes.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD63 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">“The more I practice, the luckier I get,” said golfer Jerry Barber (although the quote is frequently attributed to golfer Gary Player).<a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-82">[82]</a></p><span class="marker MOD63 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD64 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">From avoiding water hazards and sand traps to hoping your ball isn’t carried off by winds or local wildlife, golf is widely influenced by luck. As Gary N. Smith, Fletcher Jones Professor of Economics at Pomona College, explained: “A total of 222 golfers have won at least one of the four majors (Open, Masters, U.S. Open, and PGA Championship). Of these major winners, 140 (63%) never won another major afterward. Even among the best golfers, luck is endemic. There is considerable happenstance in gusts of wind and in fortunate and unfortunate bounces. Sometimes a ball lands on a bank of grass and sticks; sometimes it rolls into a lake or sand trap. Sometimes a ball whistles through a tree; sometimes it bounces off a branch. Sometimes a branch ricochet puts the ball back on the fairway, where the grass is cut short and the ball can be played cleanly; sometimes the ball bounces into foot-high grass.” Rarely if ever is an ace in tennis, a three-point bucket in basketball, or a pitched strikeout in baseball affected by a wind, a wet or dried-out and bumpy playing service, or a freakish happenstance of nature, all of which routinely affect golf and who wins and loses. <a href="/procon/golf-debate#pcref-2255607-90">[90]</a></p><span class="marker MOD64 mod-inline"></span> </section><span class="marker h11"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389678"> <h2 class="h1">Con Quotes</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD65 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Cameron Fox, high school student and sports contributor for <em>The Herd</em>, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD65 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“Golf is definitely not a sport. Even some sports experts agree that golf lacks the athletic rigor needed for it to be a real sport. How could a sport be something you can do while drinking and smoking? Some people argue that golf is a sport because you compete, keep score, and declare a winner. However, you would do the same while playing board games and chess.”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Cameron Fox, “Golf Is Definitely Not a Sport: Fact,” theherdkhs.net, June 17, 2019</p> </blockquote> <span class="marker PREMOD68 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Douglas Marr, regular contributor to <em>The Herald</em>, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD68 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“Of course there is a very good reason why golf hasn’t been in the Olympics since 1904. It’s not a sport. How can something that includes an umbrella as part of its essential equipment be taken seriously, let alone be dignified as a sport?</p> <p>At best golf is a game, a gentle pastime to while away the time as one becomes too old for genuine sport. I readily accept to play it well requires a modicum of skill. But again, so does darts and ludo [a board game], and I don’t detect a clamour for their inclusion in the Olympics…</p> <p>Even the old cliché about golf being a good walk spoiled no longer holds good. Passing the local golf course I noticed lines of strange vehicles resembling the issue of an unnatural congress between a milk float and an invalid carriage. I am reliably informed that these are golf buggies that save golfers the inconvenience of walking between swipes.”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Douglas Marr, “Golf Should Not Be an Olympic Sport,” <em>The Herald Scotland</em> website, July 15, 2016</p> </blockquote> <span class="marker PREMOD73 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Conor McGregor, professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD73 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“Golf isn’t a sport, it’s a game. I’m not saying it’s not a difficult game, with lots of mental stuff. But it’s not a sport like mine. Where is the combat, the intensity of what we do?”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Alastair Campbell, “Conor McGregor: I Am Going for Multi-Multi-Millions,” gq-magazine.co.uk, Dec. 14, 2015</p> </blockquote> <span class="marker PREMOD76 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Mike Gold, a retired entrepreneur, stated:</p><span class="marker MOD76 mod-inline"></span> <blockquote> <p>“Golf is not a sport…Now why don’t I consider it a sport? 1. Golfers don’t all look like they are in shape. Is the name Jon Daly familiar to you? He’s reported as being 5’11” tall weighing 215 lbs. He does not look like he’s ever stopped at the salad bar. However, he can drive a ball well over 300 yards. This pisses me off. 2. You are on the honor system. Any real sport does not let you get away with this. 3. If you watch any United States President play golf, the secret service agents who hide out in the woods will kick an errant shot back out onto the fairway. What’s sporty about that?”</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>—Mike Gold, “Left Coast / Right Coast: Tennis vs. Golf,” News of Mill Creek website, June 24, 2016</p> </blockquote> </section><span class="marker h12"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref389679"> <h2 class="h1">Discussion Questions</h2> <ol><li><div>So, is golf a sport and are golfers athletes? Why or why not?</div></li><li><div>If every “athlete,” by definition, participates in a “sport,” is every participant in a sport therefore an “athlete”? In other words, can participants in a sport be “nonathletes”?</div></li><li><div>Can you name other sporting events and competitions that do or do not support your position on this debate?</div></li></ol> </section><span class="marker h13"></span><section data-level="1" class="takeaction" id="ref389680"> <h2 class="h1">Take Action</h2> <ol><li><div>Consider the pro position of <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.golfpass.com/travel-advisor/articles/why-golf-absolutely-is-a-sport-nine-legitimate-reasons" data-show-preview="true"><em>GolfPass</em> senior staff writer Mike Bailey</a>.</div></li><li><div>Explore <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://practical-golf.com/is-golf-a-sport/" data-show-preview="true">myths and misconceptions</a> about golf at Practical Golf.</div></li><li><div> Analyze <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/13772-golfing-isnt-a-sport-and-golfers-" data-show-preview="true">Bruce Campbell’s con position</a> at <em>Bleacher Report</em>.</div></li><li><div>Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.</div></li><li><div>Push for the position and policies you support by writing U.S. <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm" data-show-preview="true">senators</a> and <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative" data-show-preview="true">representatives</a>.</div></li></ol> </section><section class="sources"><h2 class="h1" id="ref389681">Sources</h2><div><ol><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-1">St. Andrews Links, “A Brief History of the Links,” StAndrews.org.uk (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-2">Associated Press, “Golf, Rugby Added for 2016 and 2020,” ESPN.com, Oct. 9, 2009 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-3">Kurt Badenhausen, “Sports’ First Billion-Dollar Man,” <em>Forbes</em>, Sep. 9, 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-4">U.S. Supreme Court, <em>PGA Tour, Inc.</em> v. <em>Martin</em>, Oyez.com, May 29, 2001</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-5">Notable Names Database, “Associate Press Athlete of the Year (Female),” NNDB.com, 2012</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-6">“Sport,” merriam-webster.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-7">“Sport,” Dictionary.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-8">S.L. Kobridger et al., “The Contribution of Golf to Daily Physical Activity Recommendations: How Many Steps Does It Take to Complete a Round of Golf?,” <em>Mayo Clinic Proceedings</em>, Aug. 2006</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-9">Neil Wolkodoff, PhD, “An Exercise in Futility?,” <em>Colorado Avid Golfer</em>, Apr. 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-10">Bill Lubinger, “Inside the Life of a PGA Caddie,” <em>Cleveland Plain Dealer</em>, Aug. 3, 2011.</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-11">John Koshuta, “Calories Burned During Sports,” Livestrong.com, Jan. 19, 2010</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-12">Brett Zarda, “Is Golf a Sport?,” <em>Popular Science</em>, Jan. 2, 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-13">AJ McHardy, “Muscle Activity During the Golf Swing,” <em>British Journal of Sports Medicine</em>, June 6, 2005</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-14">Greg D. Wells et al., “Physiological Correlates of Golf Performance,” <em>Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research</em>, May 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-15">National Collegiate Athletic Association, “2011-12 NCAA Division I Manual,” NCAAPublications.com, Aug. 1, 2011 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-16">International College Athletic Connection, “College Golf Scholarships,” Icacsports.com (accessed Apr. 6, 2012) </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-17">“About Nike Golf,” nike.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-18">Will Tidey, “Golf’s Biggest Players: Who Are the Super Agents Running the Game?,” CNN.com, June 16, 2011 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-19">Excel Sports Management, “Steinberg, Woods Join Excel,” ExcelSM.com, July 11, 2011</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-20">Tom Yantz, “Tiger Woods Bench Presses 315 Pounds in Nike Photo Shoot,” <em>Connecticut Courant</em>, Sep. 22, 2010 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-21">Jan Cabri et al., “Golf-related Injuries: A Systematic Review,” <em>European Journal of Sport Science</em>, Oct. 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-22">“Golf Injuries,” The Hughston Clinic website (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-23">“Golf Injuries,” American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine website, 2008 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-24">Bob Harig, “Barron First Player to Violate Policy,” ESPN.com, Nov. 3, 2009 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-25">Ray Stefani, “The Methodology of Officially Recognized International Sports Rating Systems,” <em>Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports</em>, Oct. 2011 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-26">TV Guide, tvguide.com</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-27">“Game,” merriam-webster.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-28">“Game,” Dictionary.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-29">B. E. Ainsworth et al., “2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: A Second Update of Codes and MET Values,” <em>Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise</em>, Aug. 2011 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-30">Amy Goldstein, “The National Spelling Bee’s Moment,” ESPN.com, June 2, 2011</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-31">“Ultimate Degree of Difficulty Grid,” ESPN.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-32">Geoffroy Berthelot et al., “Exponential Growth Combined with Exponential Decline Explains Lifetime Performance Evolution in Individual and Human Species,” <em>Age</em>, June 2011</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-33">Larry Schwartz, “The Green Master,” ESPN.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-34">Karen Crouse, “Woods to Return Next Week in Match-Play Event,” NewYorkTimes.com, Feb. 19, 2009 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-35">“Sleeping Positions,” livestrong.com (accessed May 23, 2012) </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-36">Keith T. Palmer, “Pain in the Forearm, Wrist and Hand,” <em>Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology</em>, Feb. 2003</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-37">Mark Starr, “Tiger Woods: A Golfer Still, but on Whose Team?,” Global Post, Dec. 11, 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-38">Katie Kieffer, “Whiffed up Olympic Politics,” KatieKieffer.com, Feb. 15, 2010</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-39">Joe Steranka, “Golf: America’s $76 Billion Economic Engine,” Econclub.org, July 21, 2008</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-40">Gallup, “What Is Your Favorite Sport to Watch?,” Gallup.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-41">National Golf Foundation, “Frequently Asked Questions,” NGF.org (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-42">Malcolm Campbell, “Battles Lost But a Game Won the Illustrious History of Scottish Golf,” Worldgolf.com, July 16, 1999</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-43">Paul Kelbie, “Chinese ‘Invented Golf 1,000 Years Ago,’” <em>The Independent</em>, Jan. 12, 2006</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-44">National Library of Scotland, “Acts of Parliament Banning Golf,” Digital.nls.uk, 2010 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-45">The Official Gateway to Scotland, “Making the Links,” Scotland.org (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-46">US Golf Association (USGA), “Rules and Decisions,” USGA.org (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-47">Joseph F. Beditz, PhD, “The Future of Private Golf Clubs in America,” National Golf Foundation website, 2008 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-48">Tim Delaney and Tim Madigan, <em>The Sociology of Sports: An Introduction</em>, 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-49">William J. Morgan, <em>Ethics in Sport</em>, 2007</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-50">Lincoln Allison, <em>The Politics of Sport</em>, 1986</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-51">Tim van Vrijaldenhoven, <em>Reaching Beyond the Gold: The Impact of Global Events on Urban Development</em>, 2007</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-52">Milton Wayne, PhD, “Golf’s Shambolic History in the Olympics,” <em>HK Golfer</em>, Oct. 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-53">Bill Mallon, “Golf and the Olympic Games,” LA84Foundation.org, Summer 1993</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-54">“Golf News,” Eagleparbirdie.com, Apr. 17, 2008</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-55">EM Swift, “Is This an Olympic Sport?,” <em>Sports Illustrated</em> website, June 6, 2005</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-56">Simon Turnbull, “Golf and Rugby Turn Back Clock in Re-entering the Olympics,” <em>The Independent</em>, Oct. 10, 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-57">International Olympic Committee, “Golf and Rugby to Join 2016 Olympic Programme,” Olympic.org, Oct. 9, 2009</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-58">Gene Wojciechowski, “Something Smells Rank in this System,” ESPN.com, May 10, 2012 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-59">Rolex, “Rankings,” Rolexrankings.com, Sep. 2011</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-60">PGA Tour, “2012 Tournaments,” PGATour.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-61">Mason Levinson, “Masters TV Ratings Fall 22% as Bubba Watson Wins in Playoff,” <em>Bloomberg News</em>, Apr. 9, 2012</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-62">National Golf Foundation, “Frequently Asked Questions,” NGF.org (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-63">Michael Fitzpatrick, “Golf’s Decline in America: Work/Life Balance Is the True Culprit,” Bleacherreport.com, Mar. 29, 2011</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-64">“Casey Martin,” pgatour.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-65">Bill Stieg, “How Rory McIlroy Won the Honda Classic,” <em>Men’s Health</em>, Mar. 2012</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-66">PGA Tour, “About PGA Tour,” PGATour.com (accessed May 23, 2012)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-67">Karen Crouse, “Augusta National Adds First Two Female Members,” <em>New York Times</em>, Aug. 20, 2012 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-68">Antonin Scalia, Dissenting Opinion in <em>PGA Tour, Inc</em> v. <em>Martin</em>, May 29, 2001</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-69">National Golf Foundation, “2015 Golf Participation in the US—A Slight Dip Tempered by Strong Positive Indicators,” ngfdashboard.clubnewsmaker.org, Mar. 2016</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-70">Darren Heitner, “The State of the Golf Industry in 2016,” forbes.com, May 8, 2016</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-71">Public Policy Polling, “Sports Poll,” publicpolicypolling.com, May 14, 2015</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-72">Public Policy Polling, “Sports Poll,” publicpolicypolling.com, May 12, 2016 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-73"><em>Golf</em>, “The Best Photos of Golfers Smoking,” golf.com (accessed June 29, 2016)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-74"><em>Golfing Herald</em>, “Tournoi Olympique de Golf,” golfingherald.com, Oct. 1, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-75">Glen Echo Country Club, Homepage (accessed Aug. 3, 2022) </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-76">International Golf Federation (IGF), “Olympic Games,” igfgolf.org/olympic-games (accessed Aug. 3, 2022)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-77">Nevada Golf Alliance, “Golf Economic Impact Study,” nevadagolfalliance.com (accessed Aug. 3, 2022) </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-78">Allie Flinn, “6 Health Benefits That Prove Golf Is Great Exercise for Your Body and Mind,” wellandgood.com, Aug. 17, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-79">Nick Heidelberger, “Breakdown of Calories Burned Golfing,” golflink.com (accessed Aug. 9, 2022)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-80">Stephen W. West et al., “Beyond Physical Load in Golf—the Tip of the Load Iceberg,” blogs.bmj.com, Sep. 25, 2020</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-81">Gi Broman, Lena Johnsson, and Lennart Kaijser, “Golf: A High Intensity Interval Activity for Elderly Men,” <em>Aging Clinical and Experimental Research</em>, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Oct. 2004</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-82">Golf Educate, “Is Golf Luck Or Skill?,” golfeducate.com, July 26, 2022 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-83">Gianni Magliocco, “Golf 101: Is Golf a Sport?,” golfwrx.com, July 25, 2020 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-84">Don Spetner, “Spetner: I’d Rather Be Lucky Than Smart,” prweek.com, Oct 31, 2017</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-85">Chris Mile, “Competitive Golf,” milesofgolf.com (accessed Aug. 9, 2022)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-86">Fergus Bisset, “Competitive or Social Golf: Which Is Better?,” golfmonthly.com, May 2, 2015 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-87">GolfGurls.com, “Golf Is NOT Your Usual Competitive Sport,” golfgurls.com (accessed Aug. 9, 2022)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-88">Kingdom Golf, “What Does It Take to Win a Major Championship?,” kingdom.golf (accessed Aug. 9, 2022)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-89">Kathy Bissell, “Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Others Explain Why It’s Hard to Win a Major,” bleacherreport.com, Aug. 10, 2013 </li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-90">Gary N. Smith, “The Paradox of Luck and Skill,” mindmatters.ai, Aug. 12, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-91">Merriam-Webster, “Athlete,” merriam-webster.com, Apr. 16, 2023</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-92">Ian McMahan, “Do You Think of Yourself as an Athlete or an Exerciser? Here’s Why It Matters.,” washingtonpost.com, Feb. 22, 2022</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-93">Francesco Campa and Giuseppe Coratella, “Athlete or Non-athlete? This Is the Question in Body Composition,” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, <em>Frontiers in Physiology</em>, Dec. 17, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-94">Nike, “Our Mission,” about.nike.com/en (accessed Apr. 17, 2023)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2255607-95">National Golf Foundation, <em>Golf Impact Report 2022</em>; Erik Matuszewski, “Golf’s Economic Impact In U.S. Topped $100 Billion In 2022,” forbes.com, May 9, 2023</li></ol></div></section></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"PROCON","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":2255607,"pageLength":4968,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"LARGE","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Golf | Definition of Sport, Definition of Athlete, Pros, Cons, Debate, & Controversy | Britannica