Giving Golf A Chance as a Spectator Sport

Those of you who know me understand that I have always contended that golf is not a sport. Yes, it is a very, very difficult game (and I am certainly horrible at it) and it does require you to swing a club precisely to get accurate shots. But that's it folks. It is not an athletic activity.

Indeed, golfers need very little athletic ability to play - even at a high level. I know some pros like Tiger Woods are very physically fit, but the point is they don't have to be. Other great, great golfers old and new are or were not athletic like those who play tradition sports like baseball, basketball, football, hockey, tennis, cycling, track, etc.

Hey...anything you can do (well) while smoking a cigar and wearing a pinky ring is not a sport.

But...

This past Thanksgiving a relative convinced me to give golf a chance. His reasoning was that I was able to get him into soccer enough to appreciate the game and even watch some World Cup and Sounders FC matches, so I should open my mind up to watch a big of golf and see if I liked it. It is competitive, can be dramatic and has a cast of characters. He had a point and I get ticked off when someone disparages a sport I like out of, what I consider to be, ignorance. So, at minimum I need to walk the talk.

His recommendations were: watch the Masters on TV in April and then if I liked it he would take me along to one of the days of the US Open which will be played in the Seattle area later in 2015.

Now, I have watched golf on TV in the past, and this is a primary reason why I don't like it. Boring.

None the less, I've taken up my relative's challenge and I WILL be tuning into The Masters this weekend. My goal will be to try and appreciate the strategy, competition and unpredictable nature of the event. I will not be watching the whole thing, but on Sunday I will make a point to watch all or most of the broadcast of the final round.

Live events are a whole different story. I completely believe a person could have a great time at, say, a major golf tournament in person...walking around, enjoying the views, eating, drinking, hanging out. So, that would not be a stretch for me.

We'll see.