Golf - The Greatest Game Ever Invented?
Is golf the greatest game ever invented? The greatest sport ever played? Arnold Palmer once said: "Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. It satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening. It is without doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented."
Golf is different. Why? It challenges the trinity of mind, body and soul. You actually do not have an opponent. There is no one there to tackle you, distract you or defend and block you. You don't form a wall to prevent the other fellow from putting his ball on the green or into the hole. Sometimes, I quietly wish I can do this to the other golfers especially when they are leading. You are not even playing against the course.
It is a game where you live or die by your decisions. Your decisions can in turn lead to hopelessness and despair or a great sense of elation or accomplishment. There are no managers or coaches to give you instructions. Sometimes, on a bad day, you may feel like giving up after 5 holes but you are not allowed a substitute.
It was claimed that it originated from Scotland the land of great whisky. So 18 holes to finish the whisky? Others claimed that it is a version of an ancient game called "Kolven" played in Holland or "Chole" played in France and Belgium. The Chinese who invented many things can lay claim to this as well. Maybe Scotland was given credit for putting holes enough to finish the whisky. Some say shepherds used to reverse their staff called flog to hit stones so reversing that word gave us golf. I want you to listen to this talk by Martin Jacques "Understanding The Rise Of China" for his great insights and go right up to the end of it to see something special.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imhUmLtlZpw
Here are other reasons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0si8RH7Jmvg (I love FedEx!)
I do not wish to offend other sports fans for I am also a sports fan of various other sports.
Honour - Golf is such an honourable game. It is the only game played without an umpire or referee.
Discipline - You do not read about players in drunken stupor, having sex with their fans, gambling, or fans fighting and rioting. Or the players fighting or thrown in jail.
Money - Professional golfers are paid only when they play. They don't sit on the bench and get paid and they are paid in direct proportion to how well they play. Golfers don't play games through their agents to hold out on contracts or demand for more money because another player is paid more. Also tax payers do not pay for the courses they play on.
Mistakes - When a player makes a mistake there is no one and nothing to cover up for them or to back and support them.
Charity - Golf raises more money for charity than any other sports.
Ticket Prices - You can get to watch all the best players in the world up close for free or for just a pittance of $20-$30 all day and everyday of the tournament. Not separate and expensive tickets in other sports. You do not to buy scarfs or jerseys. You can't even bring your own food or drinks in certain sports events or to the cinema. No such things in golf.
Success/Failure - In golf you can't fail 70% of the time and make millions like in some other sports.
Rules - Golf does not change rules to attract fans. In golf, no two courses are the same. Golfers will have to adjust and adapt to entirely new courses, areas, weather, terrains and conditions. Even playing the same courses, the holes are not at the same spot all the time. It's like shifting the goal posts in soccer or the basketball net in different places each time.
Personality - At his prime, great players like Arnold Palmer would shake hands with you and are happy to meet you. Today's other sports stars are all prima donnas, at least mostly.
Nature - You can hear birds chirping and insects buzzing at golf courses. You don't hear name-calling, nasty chants, abusive language and at the same time fearing a fight may break out or someone may spill their beers on you from the back row.
Power - You can actually hit a golf ball further than a soccer ball or baseball or any other balls.
Cheers - You always get claps and cheers when you put one in the hole in a few strokes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64RHWvy_SoI
Why 18 Holes? - By limiting himself to one shot of Scotch per hole, the Scots figured that a round of golf was finished when his Scotch ran out.
Neighbourhood - Contrary to popular belief, golf courses do not ruin the neighbourhood. They are built near reservoirs, lakes, etc. as the land are not suitable for industrialisation or near airports where high rise living are not permitted. Besides, it compliments the surroundings.
Golf is the only game where you can play and drink, drink and drive on the course. It is the only one where they tell you when they detect that lightning is coming. It is a game where you can eat and drink immediately after it ended. Or when there's a storm you can sit there all day while watching the grass grows. Here is Robin Williams' rant on golf (some expletives were used for comic effect).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y3MpFaq0EM
However, it is easier to play golf than to watch golf especially in the wee hours. If you can fall asleep watching soccer please do not bother with golf. The commentators seem to be saying the same things all the time in a very boring and measured tone. "We are on the sixth green" (pause with a bird chirping in the background) or "They're on the seventeen looking over their second shot." "He's going with the fairway wood". "It's a five wood". Sometimes, you can hear the grass grows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w86X4wjjhw
They should engage some Brazilian or Mexican soccer commentators to do golf as they will go "Gooooooollllllll!!! Gol! Gol! Gol! Gol Gol!!! Gooolll!!!! Or like boxing, ladies strutting around holding a board to inform you which hole you're on and the score card. Only then will golf be exciting to watch? I don't know as I hardly watch golf. I do so to find out what clubs the pros are using or how to play certain shots and to laugh at their mistakes. When I catch them hitting into the water, I feel vindicated.
Watch how you drive a buggy though as I have known people who crashed into a pond or got thrown off it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1JN2M7GO5g
We should have someone doing this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubAxWIfcE5I&feature=related
No other sports or games give you such equal doses of pleasure and pain. Joy and misery. Despair and victory. In social golf with friends you can even laugh at your fellow flight mates. You could even talk them to land their balls into the watery grave. Psyche with their stuff six inches between their ears and later console them. Finally, there is no other game where you can conquer or win over your competitors except golf. A stronger soccer or rugby team or a better badminton or squash player will thrash you with abundance. That's where the handicap in golf kicks in. It's a great leveler. Is golf the greatest?
It is a game where you live or die by your decisions. Your decisions can in turn lead to hopelessness and despair or a great sense of elation or accomplishment. There are no managers or coaches to give you instructions. Sometimes, on a bad day, you may feel like giving up after 5 holes but you are not allowed a substitute.
It was claimed that it originated from Scotland the land of great whisky. So 18 holes to finish the whisky? Others claimed that it is a version of an ancient game called "Kolven" played in Holland or "Chole" played in France and Belgium. The Chinese who invented many things can lay claim to this as well. Maybe Scotland was given credit for putting holes enough to finish the whisky. Some say shepherds used to reverse their staff called flog to hit stones so reversing that word gave us golf. I want you to listen to this talk by Martin Jacques "Understanding The Rise Of China" for his great insights and go right up to the end of it to see something special.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imhUmLtlZpw
Here are other reasons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0si8RH7Jmvg (I love FedEx!)
I do not wish to offend other sports fans for I am also a sports fan of various other sports.
Honour - Golf is such an honourable game. It is the only game played without an umpire or referee.
Discipline - You do not read about players in drunken stupor, having sex with their fans, gambling, or fans fighting and rioting. Or the players fighting or thrown in jail.
Money - Professional golfers are paid only when they play. They don't sit on the bench and get paid and they are paid in direct proportion to how well they play. Golfers don't play games through their agents to hold out on contracts or demand for more money because another player is paid more. Also tax payers do not pay for the courses they play on.
Mistakes - When a player makes a mistake there is no one and nothing to cover up for them or to back and support them.
Charity - Golf raises more money for charity than any other sports.
Ticket Prices - You can get to watch all the best players in the world up close for free or for just a pittance of $20-$30 all day and everyday of the tournament. Not separate and expensive tickets in other sports. You do not to buy scarfs or jerseys. You can't even bring your own food or drinks in certain sports events or to the cinema. No such things in golf.
Success/Failure - In golf you can't fail 70% of the time and make millions like in some other sports.
Rules - Golf does not change rules to attract fans. In golf, no two courses are the same. Golfers will have to adjust and adapt to entirely new courses, areas, weather, terrains and conditions. Even playing the same courses, the holes are not at the same spot all the time. It's like shifting the goal posts in soccer or the basketball net in different places each time.
Personality - At his prime, great players like Arnold Palmer would shake hands with you and are happy to meet you. Today's other sports stars are all prima donnas, at least mostly.
Nature - You can hear birds chirping and insects buzzing at golf courses. You don't hear name-calling, nasty chants, abusive language and at the same time fearing a fight may break out or someone may spill their beers on you from the back row.
Power - You can actually hit a golf ball further than a soccer ball or baseball or any other balls.
Cheers - You always get claps and cheers when you put one in the hole in a few strokes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64RHWvy_SoI
Why 18 Holes? - By limiting himself to one shot of Scotch per hole, the Scots figured that a round of golf was finished when his Scotch ran out.
Neighbourhood - Contrary to popular belief, golf courses do not ruin the neighbourhood. They are built near reservoirs, lakes, etc. as the land are not suitable for industrialisation or near airports where high rise living are not permitted. Besides, it compliments the surroundings.
Golf is the only game where you can play and drink, drink and drive on the course. It is the only one where they tell you when they detect that lightning is coming. It is a game where you can eat and drink immediately after it ended. Or when there's a storm you can sit there all day while watching the grass grows. Here is Robin Williams' rant on golf (some expletives were used for comic effect).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y3MpFaq0EM
However, it is easier to play golf than to watch golf especially in the wee hours. If you can fall asleep watching soccer please do not bother with golf. The commentators seem to be saying the same things all the time in a very boring and measured tone. "We are on the sixth green" (pause with a bird chirping in the background) or "They're on the seventeen looking over their second shot." "He's going with the fairway wood". "It's a five wood". Sometimes, you can hear the grass grows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w86X4wjjhw
They should engage some Brazilian or Mexican soccer commentators to do golf as they will go "Gooooooollllllll!!! Gol! Gol! Gol! Gol Gol!!! Gooolll!!!! Or like boxing, ladies strutting around holding a board to inform you which hole you're on and the score card. Only then will golf be exciting to watch? I don't know as I hardly watch golf. I do so to find out what clubs the pros are using or how to play certain shots and to laugh at their mistakes. When I catch them hitting into the water, I feel vindicated.
Watch how you drive a buggy though as I have known people who crashed into a pond or got thrown off it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1JN2M7GO5g
We should have someone doing this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubAxWIfcE5I&feature=related
No other sports or games give you such equal doses of pleasure and pain. Joy and misery. Despair and victory. In social golf with friends you can even laugh at your fellow flight mates. You could even talk them to land their balls into the watery grave. Psyche with their stuff six inches between their ears and later console them. Finally, there is no other game where you can conquer or win over your competitors except golf. A stronger soccer or rugby team or a better badminton or squash player will thrash you with abundance. That's where the handicap in golf kicks in. It's a great leveler. Is golf the greatest?
Golf as in life, play as it lies.
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