While I am not much of a golf fan, there are many friends and family members who keep me up to speed with the "sport". They talk about the PGA with the same intensity as college football, the NFL, MLB and even the NBA.
I place quotations around sport as I feel golf is more qualified to be labeled a game for several reasons.
First, golf is something more simple than a sport as it only requires one person to focus on one thing at a time. No one attempting to block your shot, no one covering your well executed pass route, no one checking you against the board, and no one on base as you try to bunt a ball being thrown at you in speeds in excess of 90 mph.
Second, everyone has to be quiet when you finally decide to hit the ball. The ball that is sitting perfectly still on the ground. The crowd is not a factor in your snap count, nor are they screaming as you attempt a free throw.
Third, you only walk. You don't even carry your own clubs. You don't run. You don't have to make cutbacks or spin moves. You don't have to box out or even jump. Hell, you don't even have to power walk.
Last, while I can not deny that does in fact take skill to play golf, you are really playing with others, not against them. You are competing against yourself. Other players may have a good day, but did they really beat you at something that requires absolutely no defense? No, they didn't.
Simply put: Golf is only a game as you only have to do one thing with no pressure, no screaming crowds, you only need one person to play (like solitare or freecell) and it is one sided; offense only. The only real challenge is defeating boredom.
But, that's just one guy's opinion!
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