Is golf a sport? The question of whether golf is or isn’t a sport is about as divisive as you can get and the debate will likely rumble on and on. For a balanced take, here at GolfWRX, we will present both sides of the argument and ultimately allow you to make up your own mind.

Let’s start with the reasons why golf should be considered a sport.

Is golf a sport?

Golf is a sport because

1. The dictionary says so.

Sport defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

“A contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to a specific set of rules and compete against each other.”

Golf certainly fits the bill here as it engages several key muscle groups. The golf swing is an athletic movement, golfers compete against one another, and as for the rules, I think it’s fair to say there are a “specific set of rules”, don’t you?

2. The skill level required is insane.

Golf is impossible to master. The skill level and precision required is out of this world. To call any competitive psychical exertion not a sport when it requires so much mastery is disrespectful.

3. The competition surpasses other sports.

In what other sport could the best player of his generation win approximately just 23% of the events he has entered in his career and that number to be lauded as insanely good? Golf is the hardest sport to pick up victories. 

Roger Federer has to beat seven guys to win the U.S. Open. Tiger Woods has to beat 140+ guys to win the U.S. Open. Enough said.

4. Fitness is required.

It takes athleticism to hit a golf ball far. Tiger Woods in the noughties was head and shoulders above the rest of the competition in part thanks to his athletic build. Now look at the likes of Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau, all fit as a fiddle and all able to crack it 350-yards down the fairway. 

Yeah, there are some out of shape players too, just like in bonafide sports such as football, baseball etc. The best players in any sport will always be in top shape.

5. The mental capacity needed is significant.

Concentration, focus and the ability to hold your nerve is required far more in golf than other sports.

A soccer player is much more likely to choke a penalty than a great chance in open play. Why? Because the player has time to think over a penalty while the majority of opportunities he’d get during a match he would go on instinct. Golfers have time to think before EVERY single shot.

Now let’s look at the counter argument.

Golf is not a sport because

1. No running is involved.

Yeah walking the course with your clubs might burn over 500 calories, but an actual sport leaves you exhausted by the end. The physical exertion in golf is minimal.

2. Old guys can win big events.

Tom Watson nearly won the Open Championship at 59. In what other sport would that be possible, and how can you consider golf a sport if that can happen?

To put it into perspective, that would be the equivalent of John McEnroe finishing runner-up at Wimbledon in 2018..

3. Overweight guys win.

Stamina does not equal athleticism. There’s been several out of shape golfers that have won multiple majors throughout the game’s history. You don’t get out of shape quarterbacks, who regularly drink and smoke, picking up the Vince Lombardi trophy.

4. Skill doesn’t really mean sport.

The majority of people wouldn’t consider pool, snooker, chess or darts a sport, so why should golf receive an exemption? If they don’t qualify as a sport, then why should golf?

5. The dictionary also says it’s a game.

Game defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

“A physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other.”

Whether you adamantly believe golf is a sport or merely a game or past-time, I think we can all agree that it is one of the greatest sport/game/past-times about.

But what side of the fence are you on and why?

• Also, check out what our members have been saying about the debate: Golf – Sport or Game?