Let's rehash golf

This always happens in the summer after the NBA finals are over. There's nothing to talk about, so we start turning our attention to boring things like baseball, racing, and golf. And every year, it comes down to two factions going over the same argument, is or is not a sport. This time the lobs have come from - gasp - actual writers.

I'm not bringing them up because I agree with them (but I do) but because of what MDS said about it. Look, I'm not going to go over why I think it's not a sport. You may have your own views on it, and truthfully, you have a case either way, whether you support me or not. But what you can't do, is this:

But at least Lewis is, as usual, funny and entertaining as he makes this silly claim.

But to suggest that golf is therefore not a sport is dumb, and it's bizarre how many sports writers like to make that suggestion. If you don't like golf, fine. But it is a physical competition with a set of rules, and thus it is a sport.

Arguing that golf is a sport is just the opposite side of the same coin when arguing it's not. Neither have any proof either way, and no matter how much arguing goes on about it, the change of mind will never happen. So you can't go about saying that this is a "silly claim" when all it does is differ from your opinion. Suggesting that golf isn't a sport is not dumb, and it isn't bizarre that people feel that way. What is dumb is suggesting that your point of view is completely right on the subject while dismissing the opposite argument on a non factual idea. When you do that, you lose all credibility for your own opinions.

Go ahead, write that golf is a sport. I personally think you're wrong, because you can eat an apple, and smoke a cigarette while playing, and still do it well. You can also do it well when you're 80 years old. To me, that's just not enough arbitrarily designated physical activity to classify it as a sport. But don't tell me that my claim is silly when yours is equally silly, but in the other direction.

[Fanhouse] Dan LeBatard doesn't think golf is a sport
[Fanhouse] Michael Lewis doesn't think golf is a sport