Six Factors that Make a Game a Sport - Yahoo Voices

Part of the problem of determining what is or isn't a sport is that there is perhaps no clear definitionas to what actually makes a "game" into a sport. There are six major criteria that separate a mere"game" from an actual sport, which are listed here in order of importance. As a means of explainingwhy certain games are indeed not a sport, we can take golf as an example when applied to thesecriteria.

1. Athleticism

The most important element of a true sport is athleticism, which revolves around movement. Themantra of every coach is "move your feet". Not only do golfers not move their feet, they try to limitall bodily movement. Athleticism involves instantaneous physical reaction to changing conditions.For example, a luger may seem to lie quietly on a sled, but he or she is reacting constantly with theirentire body to the physics of the turns and the imperfections of the ice. Golf seems to be theantithesis to athleticism in that it involves the refinement of extremely limited, repetitive movement.When have you ever heard or read, "Wow! That was a really athletic shot or move" about a golfer?This is not to say that golfers can't be athletes, it's just the game itself doesn't require it.

2. Speed and Strength

In all real sport, speed and strength give great advantages. Even driving off the tee, strength doesnot play a major role, and being quick or strong never won a golfer a match. Technique, includingleverage and timing, are much more important in generating club head speed and driving the ball along way.

3. Injury

In any real sport, sad but true that the higher level youplay at the more at-risk you become for injury. Not just the"major" sports: field hockey, tennis, soccer, ice skating,equestrienne, etc., all produce their share of directlyrelated injuries, from sprained ankles to deaths. Otherthan perhaps some back injury or getting conked in thehead from another golfer, there are not many injuriesdirectly related to playing golf.

4. The Impact of Others

In a real sport, you are directly impacted by others and by your environment. In golf, there is no onehitting or throwing a ball at you. There is no one sticking a hand in your face or some fifteen-hundred pound horse ignoring your commands. Forget the elements as an adversary; you could betaking a walk in the park (without the bother to hit a motionless little ball) and be bothered by rainand wind, perhaps even to the point of slipping and hurting yourself. That's not considered a sport.

5. Conditioning

Not that every athlete is in top-notch condition-even if they should be!-but even the most well-conditioned golfer is not going to improve his or her game because of her conditioning. In highlycompetitive sports, great conditioning often makes the difference over skill. Although many golferswork out these days, there are still many successful professionals who do not.

6. Age and gender

In any real sport, 45 is ancient. Most professional athletes are retired long before the age of 40.Because speed and strength are important, women cannot compete directly with men, although inmany sports the defining qualities are agility and grace. In golf, teenage girls have competed in thesame field as men with some success, and former great males have made semi-successful comebacksin their mid-fifties. They may not have won those tournaments, but the fact that they could even becompetitive shows how unimportant the criteria of a sport are to playing golf.

Conclusion

Other than President Eisenhower's passion that initially catapulted the game into the public eye,what makes golf so popular is that virtually anyone, regardless of age, physical condition, or lack of

coordination, can play the game. The game is you against the course, so skill and success becomequite relative. Some years ago the IOC actually considered contract bridge as a possible Olympic"sport". Bridge is highly complicated, mentally challenging, and requires great concentration and asort of endurance. That also describes golf. Neither one are sports.