Golf. Why?

[Eamonnca1]

Not being snarky here, I'm genuinely curious, I don't know much about this game and I've never played beyond a bit of whacking balls on the driving range (which I soon got bored with). My question is, what is the appeal of golf?

Separate answers please for:

A - what the appeal is for a participant.
B - what the appeal is for a spectator.

And in a separate question, why is it so popular in Ireland and why does the place seem to consistently produce so many top flight players?

[Rossfan]

Can't stand the bloody stuff myself .
I see that McIllroy gasún about whom  all the fuss was about seems to be rapidly going downhill.

[BennyCake]

I don't mind golf, but don't really watch a big pile of it. Its kind of relaxing though having it on in the background. Unlike rugby, I just want to kick the TV when I see that on. Can't stand that stupid game.

[5 Sams]

Not being snarky here, I'm genuinely curious, I don't know much about this game and I've never played beyond a bit of whacking balls on the driving range (which I soon got bored with). My question is, what is the appeal of golf?

Separate answers please for:

A - what the appeal is for a participant.
B - what the appeal is for a spectator.

And in a separate question, why is it so popular in Ireland and why does the place seem to consistently produce so many top flight players?

Thanks Eamonn. You have just articulated something that has been running through my head for many years. Looking forward to the answers.

[muppet]

Can't stand the bloody stuff myself .
I see that McIllroy gasún about whom  all the fuss was about seems to be rapidly going downhill.

Is there anything you do like?

[Orior]

Not being snarky here, I'm genuinely curious, I don't know much about this game and I've never played beyond a bit of whacking balls on the driving range (which I soon got bored with). My question is, what is the appeal of golf?

Separate answers please for:

A - what the appeal is for a participant.
B - what the appeal is for a spectator.

And in a separate question, why is it so popular in Ireland and why does the place seem to consistently produce so many top flight players?

A - what the appeal is for a participant.
Because of the handicap system - golf is like sex. No matter how bad you are at it, you still enjoy it.

In simple terms, it is all about getting the little ball into the hole. There are lots of permutations, and everyone thinks they can play like Tiger. What brings me back week after week is the:
- personal challenge
- desire to beat my playing partners
- entertainment value of my playing partners
- the general craic
- 5 hours away from the wife
- sitting at a desk all week wrecks my shoulders (stress and all that). Swinging a golf club is a great way of relieving tension in my neck and shoulders
- fresh air
- dont need to be super fit (though you will get fit)


B - what the appeal is for a spectator.
I watch it a lot on telly, but i would watch any sport - even cricket. I enjoy watching the pressure build, and seeing how the top guys cope

C - why is it so popular in Ireland
Our weather, and green fields

D - why does the place seem to consistently produce so many top flight players?
Perhaps it is the plethora of courses. On the other hand, we are just going through a good period

[trileacman]

A - Golf is a good walk ruined. Hated playing it whenever I tried.

B - Top sport to watch. Beautiful setting, every dog has its day, huge potential for upsets, strong tradition (EU v the Yanks), great history/ characters (Gentle Ben, Jack, Daly).

Long slow paced easy watching for long periods often ratcheted up to high tension finishes. High skill level, thin margin of error. Tactics/ conditions influencing games.

To be honest this is all a load of shite, you have to experience your first golfing thrill to really get it. For me it was Harrington's emergence as a major winner and the Irish Open victory around that time. Real edge of the seat stuff.

I haven't even touched Ryder Cup golf which is simply a clear step above stroke play golf for entertainment.

[ziggysego]

I played golf once. Accidentally clubbed my boss around the back of the head. Never played it again.

[Aaron Boone]

If on the driving range, the thrill of hitting the driver to kingdom come. 200 yds for me.

[Milltown Row2]

Played tonight, first time in 2 years, I'm still at same standard, one par, 8 bogeys 2 dings 6 double bogeys 1 triple bogey? Something like that, playing off 28, should have been higher. But I actually enjoyed it and the amusement on their faces at my hurly swing

But I wont be joining clubs or societies, waste of time for me, 4 hours around the course, while the craic was mighty and slagging great I think I could do something better.  I get bored around the 12th hole

[Eamonnca1]

Thanks for the info.

[thewobbler]

Appeal for participants?

You can always get better at golf. You can say this in any sport, but there's few if any sports in which you can so easily gauge your performance so accurately.

The handicapping system means that any two people, regardless of ability, can play a match against each other with a goal of winning.

In strokeplay/stableford, despite you often playing against a field of 100s, you aren't actually playing against any of them. You're playing against yourself. It's not other players that beat you, it's the drive you shanked, or the 3-putts you took from 10 feet.

There is so much fun in watching a drive go 300 yards. So much fun in hitting a pitch to a couple of feet. So much fun in draining a 30 foot putt. For the majority of golfers, these things are all attainable, but don't happen that often.

It's probably the only sport in the world in which the average fun player can actually play in the same arenas as the highest echelons of the sport. Some of these arenas will cost you, but some of them are surprisingly affordable.

You can play golf, within reason, for as long as you can walk. And due to the handicapping system, together with the need for a touch, you can still be competitive even after nature has slowed your athleticism down.

Appeal for spectators?
For me it's mostly about:

a) watching how some people have so much mastery over a game that is so difficult to master, but,
b) how these superstars also make, from time-to-time, the same mistakes that high handicappers make.

I also do love the way a golf tournament unfolds. Strokeplay golf is like no other sport, and it genuinely only takes one bad hole, at any time, for an odds-on favourite to tumble into the pack.

Ireland
Ireland has just under 1% of the world's golf courses. As countries go, it's awash with them.

It's actually a bit debatable if Ireland overachieve or underachieve on the international stage. At the minute we're very good (pro rata) at golf, but it was 60 years between Harrington's first major, and Ireland's previous major.

But as we've got stacks of courses, and very established routes and paths to get youngsters into the right environments, right coaching, right tournaments, the current success will continue for some time.

[ONeill]

I played it for fun before the children were born - driving ranges, smaller courses etc.

After the arrival of the bairns it was more important/enjoyable to spend my free time with them instead of selfishly wandering around fields for four hours at a time hitting a ball with a stick. Seven years later it's still the same.

So golfers are pure cnust.

[Applesisapples]

I used to laugh at golfers, then I started to play. It is 4 hours each week where my smart phone leaves me alone, no emails, no texts, no calls, no facebook...Fresh air and excercise. Competing again even if only against yourself.

[Tony Baloney]

I played it for fun before the children were born - driving ranges, smaller courses etc.

After the arrival of the bairns it was more important/enjoyable to spend my free time with them instead of selfishly wandering around fields for four hours at a time hitting a ball with a stick. Seven years later it's still the same.

So golfers are pure cnust.

So the wife doesn't let you out to play then? Same as me.