Anonymous asked: Sport is sociologically defined as skilled, competitive with physical requirements. I am not a golfer. But there are physiological demands. Motor racing in general, rely's heavily on car design, research and car construction. We've recently seen how important the right car is, and potentially how the right car can dictate success or failure. The ability and of course fitness of drivers is seldom significantly greater than other competitors with only those that live a little closer to the edge (Michael, Ayrton, etc) appearing noticeably better.
I respect the obviously opinionated comments within the blog. You obviously understand that golf IS a sport, and if you think that Formula 1 is a sport, then you KNOW that Golf is a sport.
More accurately you might have suggested that you don't respect golfers as sports persons because as a person you don't see value in the skills or physiological requirements. You are obviously more a car orientated person.
Let's be clear GOLF, in it's nature devised for husbands to get away from the wife's (Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden). Could perhaps be perceived as the PERFECT sport. It's competition is only really ever with yourself.
Interesting points, some accurate, some just off touch.
Whilst sport is defined as skilled, competitive with physical requirements it is also defined as “Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.”
Whilst I can appreciate that the PGA is classed as a competition, I don’t quite understand how a set of obligatory rules about course setting, limitations and scratch cards can mean that is competitive from the outset.
Whilst I take your point about drivers only being an element, it’s still a pretty big element. Robert Kubica was in a car in 2010 that on average was 0.600 behind the Red Bull (the fastest car of 2010) - yet on 3 occassions managed to get within 0.005 on a single lap? Was this down to the car being ultimately faster on that particular lap? Yes aereodynamics, technology et al all play their part but driver skill is massive, and to aid drivers being physically fit is not an advantage but a necessity. Could someone of Colin Montgomerie’s physical prowess fit into and drive an F1 car on the limit - which is what all drivers are asked to do week in week out? The honest answer is…NO!
Just because I recognise that F1 is a sport doesn’t mean that I see golf as a sport, I respect a lot about it, but I don’t see it as a sport and that was the point to my post.
And, the whole car orientated thing…I’m southern Italian, we live by three sporting religions…Motorsport, Football and Cycling - I love my cycling, and the guys that do the Giro/Tour/Vuelta are extreme athletes (undoubtedly drugged to the eye balls to do the distances they do) and belong in teams - it’s a team sport.
If competing with yourself is to be classed as a sport, then I will take more notice when having to chose which laundry detergent would suit me best because that’s always the most mental battle I have to face.
Thanks for your input though :)
