One of the most insipid and stupid debates I keep hearing is over Tiger Woods' status as an athlete. Just yesterday I heard the issue discussed on the ESPN national morning show (I think it was Colin Cowherd), and it got me a bit fired up. You see this topic everywhere you look.
The argument goes like this:
Guy A: Tiger Woods is the greatest athlete of our generation.
Guy B: Well, he's good and all, but he's not an athlete.
Guy A: Why not? He plays a sport, doesn't he?
Guy B: No. No he doesn't. He plays golf. He walks around a golf course all day hitting a little white ball. Offensive lineman in the NFL, by comparison, are true athletes. The NBA is filled with athletes. Athletes jump and run and have to perform all sorts of physical feats, whereas golfers just walk and swing. Tiger Woods is a great competitor, he's highly skilled...but he's not an athlete.
Guy A: You're a jerk!
See, to me, this debate is the poster-child for hair-splitting. It's a slippery slope kind of thing. I mean, where do you draw the line? Is a NASCAR driver an athlete? How about a cyclist? Are only basketball, baseball, and football players athletes?
Sports talk show hosts love these discussions because there aren't any hard conclusions. It's just a matter of opinion. And a stupid waste of time.
For instance, if we can all agree that NFL players are athletes, then what do we do with the kicker? I mean, he exerts far less physical effort in his athletic duties than a golfer does. All the kicker has to do is stand around all game and every so often kick something. If an NFL kicker is an athlete—and I think that he is (check out the roster of all-time scoring leaders)—then nearly everyone who has ever kicked anything is one as well.
In soccer, the goalie does occasionally need to jump to make a save, but mostly he just stands around for 90 minutes getting a sun tan.
Right fielders the world over are known for largely standing around and doing nothing all game. That's why they always put the weakest kids on the Little League team in right field, myself included.
I also remember lots of talk in sports journalism a few years back—when the steroids/Barry Bonds thing was just becoming a huge story—about how steroids don't help you as a baseball player. They make you stronger and baseball players don't use strength to hit home runs; they use hand-eye coordination. Anyone else remember that talk?
All the analysts who said that must think that either baseball players aren't athletes, or that golfers—who require truly great hand-eye coordination to compete—must be athletes after all.
Let's call on the geniuses over at Merriam-Webster's dictionary to help us put this silly debate to rest, shall we? According to them, an athlete is:
A person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
Notice the use of the word "skilled." Notice also that people who exercise, as well as anyone using agility or stamina, counts as an athlete. So, using these parameters, we can say with certainty that golfers—along with NASCAR drivers and a host of others—are definitely athletes. Race car drivers use stamina. Gymnasts use agility.
Now, would someone please call the honchos over at ESPN and tell them that, so that I won't have to listen to this ridiculous argument ever again.
What they're trying to do is appeal to your argumentative nature by suggesting a topic they know the audience is split on. (They use the same tactic for those tired "Greatest Quarterback" debates.) Then they instantly get flooded with phone calls from people defending their world view.
Golfers call in and say that golf is a sport. Walking a course and making the perfect golf swing isn't as easy as it looks. And the jocks who played defensive tackle on their 3A high school football team call in and say that golfers are sissies—real athletes need pads and helmets and must be strong. (Never mind the fact that Tiger is, by all appearances, stronger than most of us. That dude is ripped.)
In my opinion, those who insist that Tiger isn't an athlete fall into one of two categories:
A. People who played a so-called "tough guy" sport, such as football, and don't want to see their superiority challenged. Or...
B. People who generally don't like to see others succeed and prefer to tear down anyone who dares to excel.
A better debate to have (while still being a goofy waste of time,) is: what counts as a sport and what doesn't? Is chess a sport? How about cornhole? Table tennis? Disc golf? Then, after we have this sport-definition issue settled, maybe we can all just agree that if something counts as a sport, its participants must be athletes.
Don't fall for it, people. It's a mindless way to fill some radio time. It's also a way to avoid having to decide if Tiger is the best athlete ever, using misdirection to distract us into a semantic debate. "He can't be the best athlete ever if we can't all successfully agree to classify him as an athlete!"
Of course Tiger Woods is an athlete—one of the best to ever live. He plays a sport. He exerts energy and relies on agility, strength, body control, and hand-eye coordination...and he does all that better than maybe anyone ever has.
Not that it matters to him. He's off buying mansions for $65 Million and cruising in his 155-foot yacht. I'm sure he'd be fine with the sports community labeling him a "little weenie girl," as long as he keeps winning every tournament he plays in and raking in tens of millions of dollars in endorsement deals.
The only people wrapped up in this debate over his "athlete" status are desperate radio hosts, bored newspaper columnists, and mindless sheep like you and me who get suckered into it every time—just as I did here today.
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4 months ago
"Golfers call in and say that golf is a sport... that walking a course and making the perfect golf swing isn't as easy as it looks."
Anyone who thinks golfers aren't athletes should try walking 18 holes four consecutive days in 100 degree heat, wearing long pants...and even shoot anything CLOSE to par on even one of those days. Then come tell me about golfers not being athletes.
4 months ago
Agreed.
4 months ago
I am absolutely speechless. This is one of the greatest articles I have ever read since people give me trouble on how golf is a "pussy" sport. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
4 months ago
I used to think the hard part of golf was hitting the ball straight, until my brother dragged me out to a game, luckily for me, we only played nine holes, it is tiring. and when you think about it, they probably walk a couple miles before the day is out, and walking any distance is the shoes they wear with those clothes is hard. golfers should be allowed to wear shorts, then maybe more people would see it as a sport
4 months ago
A lot of people can walk a couple of miles with ease.
But to shoot under par at Augusta in 100-degree heat while walking those couple of miles?
Don't tell me that doesn't take an athlete. Good read, Jeremy.
4 months ago
I agree Jeremy. Anybody who doesn't think golf is a sport, and that golfers aren't athletes, should walk 18 holes in the sun and wind and rain. They should also attempt to have a driving range session with Stevie and whoever Tiger's coach is at the moment.
Tough, man, just tough.
Now the Senior Tour (or the Champion's Tour now) is another matter...give me forty years and I may just make my living hitting golf balls with a bunch of 50 and 60 year olds.
4 months ago
Great article once again. Woods is an icon, even the guys announcing the NIT tourney tonight were talking about him.
I'd like to see someone try the golf equivalent of roughing the kicker "roughing the golfer?" on Tiger. Then the headline would be "Tiger wins another one, and pummels an over-excited fan!"
Jason
4 months ago
GOLF IS A SPORT, TIGER IS AN ATHLETE
4 months ago
Excellent article Jeremy. I haven't frequented the site much recently, the quality of work seems to be dwindling, but this my friend is excellent. The fact I agree completely with you doesn't hurt, but your presentation and the actual writing itself is outstanding. Great, great article.
4 months ago
Tiger Woods is the best athlete in the world and it is clearly on display because of his domination on the PGA Tour. The gap between Tiger and 2nd place is so far that it's not even funny; you cannot say that about athletes in sports like baseball, football, and hockey. He spends a tremendous amount of time and effort into being the best, and that is the reason why he is so amazing. I've played golf for the last 6 years and no player has captivated the sport like he has. He is an international icon and golf would be unbearable if we couldn't watch him play. Thanks, Tiger!
4 months ago
Tiger is an athlete, period. So are 9-ball players, dart-throwers, and chess pros. By the M-W definition, it's hard to determine what to consider "skilled in exercises" -- I have always thought the definition should be anything that falls into the Olympic category. But I no longer believe that -- ribbon dancing is a stretch, and parlor games (and chess) should fo sho be in the Olympics.
4 months ago
A 7,200 yard golf course equals 4.09 miles, tee-to-green. (1 mile = 1,760 yards. 7,200/1760 = 4.09.)
Throw in the (cumulative) distance from 17 greens to the next tee box, pre-round practice, etc., and conservatively you've got yourself a decent 5-plus mile stroll.
It ain't "a couple of miles" guys.
4 months ago
Tiger Woods isn't an athlete
Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, and Ernie Els are athletes
Tiger Woods is a god
GREAT read
from 4 months ago
Chris,
Did you ever hear the one where Jack, Arnie, and Tiger all show up in Heaven?
from about 1 month ago
Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els..????
Checked their BMI lately??
Can you guys READ????
4 months ago
Tiger Woods has, in fact, taken the "athletic" level of golf to an entirely new level with his conditioning - both mentally and physically. As others have said, golf can present some of the most trying conditions in sport, and to survive these conditions for 4 days while keeping mental focus is a duel feat of athleticiscm.
from about 1 month ago
I'm 100% positive you don't really know what an athlete is.
Walking around for 4 days, etc. etc.
Get a life, guys.
4 months ago
If you don't think golfers are pussies then you are a pussy. They may have technique but they're not athlete's. Typing this comment took as much effort as swinging a golf club, add the energy exerted in my last 5 blinks and it's more.
Wait hang on I'm getting a cramp...
from 4 months ago
Cheez Bruce,
Sounds like somebody didn't get enough attention from Daddy...
from 4 months ago
yes that must be it.
4 months ago
If it's so easy Chuck, you do it. Drive in circles that is enduring the G's you endure for the amount of time you must do it in the heat you must be able to withstand. You go out there, out of shape, and attempt to do that. When you've done it, then talk.
3 months ago
Shoot, I consider myself an athlete and when I golf 9 it's with a cart and a 6 pack, ok I lie, it's a 12 pack.
from 3 months ago
It takes physical strength and stamina to do what they do, it takes physical exertion.
about 1 month ago
It doesn't take any type of real conditioning to play golf. That is why it is for retired people with nothing else to do.
If you saw a guy with a prostetic leg run a marathon, he would be an inspiration.
If that same guy played golf, it would be no big deal because the leg wouldn't matter. It takes no athletic ability.
about 1 month ago
A person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
Also you should read this definition : golfers are not trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
Golf requires no physical strength, agility, or stamina
about 1 month ago
>Anyone who thinks golfers aren't athletes should try walking 18 holes four consecutive days in 100 >degree heat, wearing long pants...and even shoot anything CLOSE to par on even one of those days. >Then come tell me about golfers not being athletes.
Where are you? Golfers aren't athletes.
It probably would be a problem to do the things you mentioned. If you are some fat ass white guy who needs a continuous stream of Enzyte. That is to say, Phil Mickelson, John Daley, etc.
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