Golf: What's the big deal?
At first glance, one may wonder why the game of Golf has a great number of followers. None of the players can do awesome slam dunks like Michael Jordan or his “heir” Vince Carter. There aren’t any buzzer beaters that leave you gasping for breath. There aren’t any aces or smashes, nor are there home runs or tries or touchdowns. If Golf isn’t as exciting or exhilarating as other sports, how come the game is so popular?
What is Golf?
Simply put, Golf is a game where the main objective is to; using one of several clubs hit a ball into a hole in the least amount of attempts or putts. The game is played in a vast area called golf courses and the course is landscaped to include traps that make getting the ball inside a specific hole slightly more difficult. The person who finishes the entire course with the least number of strokes is declared the winner. The game of Golf can be played by teams or by individuals.
Golf’s Beginnings
There is much debate as to where the game of Golf originated. Initially, only the Dutch and the Scottish vied for the honor of being the inventor of the sport but in recent years, researches show that the game may have been played in China long before Golf was introduced in Europe .
According to evidence discovered by the Lanzhou University, a game called chuiwan was mentioned and illustrated in the Donxuan Records from the Song Dynasty, about 500 years the game made its debut in Europe. Chuiwan is similar to Golf because, like golf, a ball is driven into holes by clubs. Chinese researchers believe that the game was brought to Europe sometime in the middle ages by Mongolian travelers.
The Dutch claim to have invented the game because it was first played at the Loenen aan de Vecht in Netherlands , in 1297. The game, as the Dutch first played it, involved driving a leather ball into a target several hundred meters away. The person who hits the target the least number of times is declared the winner.
However, despite the evidence that it may have originated from China and that it was first played in the Netherlands , the game, in the form played today, came from Scotland . To end all debates on the origin of Golf, a spokesperson for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has declared that "Stick and ball games have been around for many centuries, but golf as we know it today, played over 18 holes, clearly originated in Scotland."
The Popularity of the Game
Since its humble beginnings, whether in China , the Netherlands of Scotland; golf has grown and is now one of the most popular games in the world. There are about 32,000 golf courses in the world, about half of which are located in the United States . Numerous golf tournaments are held all year round and professional golf tournaments, especially those sponsored by the PGA, are much anticipated. The main championships for men, in a year are The Masters, US Open, the Open Championship (also known as the British Open) and the PGA Championship. For women, the main tournaments are the Kraft Nabisco Championship, US Women’s Open, LPGA Championship and the British Open. There are also tournaments for men and women aged 50 years and above, as well as tournaments for youngsters aged 12 to 18.
Playing the Game
Basically, a game of golf starts when a player hits the ball from the teeing box. The player then follows the trajectory of the ball either on foot or on motorized carts. From where the ball has landed, the player will then strike the ball again and will keep doing so until he has successfully put the ball in the cup. The person or team who has the best score for that particular hole has the right to tee off first for the next round. The object of the game is to play all 18 holes of the course with the least amount of strokes.
What Makes Golf Different from other Sports?
Every sport is different. What, then, sets Golf apart? Why is Golf such a big deal? The answer to these questions lie in the way the game is played. Golf, is also fondly called “The Gentleman’s Game”. Why - because, you need to have the impeccable conduct of a gentleman to survive and succeed in this sport. Golf is probably the only sport where the responsibility of scoring and applying penalties rest on the shoulders of the players themselves. There are no referees, no umpires, and no watchers who would make sure that you are playing the game properly, by the rules, and not tweaking the figures to your advantage.
Another reason why Golf is different from other sporting activities is the huge amount of concentration needed in the game. It’s not just about hitting the ball; it’s about channeling all your thoughts and energy into your arm to produce the perfect stroke – one that is either strong enough to send the ball flying several hundred yards in the right direction; or one with just enough power to move a few inches and fall into the cup. If you think that’s an easy task, try to put a ball into a small cup with thousands of eyes on you and the scores of your opponents and yours in mind. The pressure truly is quite hard to bear.
Finally, Golf is much of a physical game as it is a mental one. No other game has a delightful mix of both brain and brawn. A player needs strength: for powerful drives; as well as endurance and stamina: to be able to play and keep one’s cool even after spending much time walking under the sweltering heat of the sun. Golf can be considered as the great equalizer. Anyone of any ethnicity, whether tall or short, lean or stout; there is no need for one to be tall, or swift, or quick – everyone has the opportunity to succeed in this game.
Those are the reasons why Golf is a big deal: because it requires both intellect and strength; not just physical, but also of one’s character. It involves patience and a high degree of humility and self control. Golf relies solely on a player’s skills and abilities. In Golf, although you have other opponents, you really compete with yourself.
Golf is probably the last remaining vestige of integrity and honest-to-goodness sportsmanship in the world of sports, and that’s why Golf, though laid-back and less exhilarating than other athletic pursuits, is one of the most popular and most widely watched games today.
Блог на русском языке - Путешествие по жизни. | 
