Posted on 08/29/2003 10:42:38 AM PDT by robjna
The following is forwarded not to offend tennis, basketball, football or soccer fans. It is, rather, an attempt to put everything in its proper perspective.
Ever wonder why golf is growing in popularity and people who don't even play, go to tournaments or watch it on TV?
These truisms may shed some light.
Golf is an honorable game, with the overwhelming majority of players being honorable people who don't need referees.
Golfers don't have some of their players in jail every week.
Golfers don't scratch their privates on the golf course.
Golfers don't kick dirt on, or throw bottles at, other people.
Professional golfers are compensated in direct proportion to how well they play.
Golfers don't get per diem and two seats on a charter flight when they travel between tournaments.
Golfers don't hold out for more money, or demand new contracts, because of another player's deal.
Professional golfers don't demand that the taxpayers pay for the courses on which they play.
When golfers make a mistake, nobody is there to cover for them or back them up.
The PGA Tour raises more money for charity in one year than the National Football League does in two.
You can watch the best golfers in the world up close, at any tournament, including the majors, all day, every day for $25 or $30.
The cost for a seat in the nosebleed section at the Super Bowl will cost around $300 U.S. or more.
You can bring a picnic lunch to the tournament golf course, watch the best in the world and not spend a small fortune on food and drink. Try that at one of the taxpayer funded baseball or football stadiums. I brought a Coke into Oriole Park at Camden Yard last year, and an usher came to my seat and told me I had to dispose of it, or I would not be allowed to stay in the stadium.
In golf you cannot fail 70% of the time and make $9 million a season, like the best baseball hitters(.300 batting average) do.
Golf doesn't change its rules to attract Fans.
Golfers have to adapt to an entirely new playing area each week.
Golfers keep their clothes on while they are being interviewed.
Golf doesn't have free agency.
In their prime, Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer and other stars, would shake your hand and say they were happy to meet you. In his prime, Jose Canseco wore T-shirts that read 'Leave Me Alone'.
You can hear birds chirping on the golf course during a tournament.
Ladies are welcome players.
At a golf tournament, (unlike at taxpayer-funded sports stadiums and arenas) you won't hear a steady stream of four letter words and nasty name calling while you're hoping that no one spills beer on you.
Tiger Woods can hit a golf ball almost three times as far as Barry Bonds can hit a baseball.
Golf Courses don't ruin the neighborhood.
Finally, here's a slice of golf history I thought
Why do full-length golf courses have 18 holes, and not 20, or 10 or an even dozen?
During a discussion among the club's membership board at the venerable St. Andrews in 1858, one of the members pointed out that it takes exactly 18 shots to polish off a fifth of Scotch. By limiting himself to only one shot of Scotch per hole, the Scot figured a round of golf was finished when the Scotch ran out.
Now you know!
There is no doubt that Daly is one of the longest hitters on tour. But if he were to ever try his hand on the Long Drive Tour he would get his ass kicked. Hell, last year at the RE/Max World Long Drive Championship he went up against 10 amatuers and LOST to 7 of them! It was the Pinnacle Distance Challenge.
Yep, so it's kinda nice to belong to one of 'em. And some of the best are that old too.
Perhaps, but you're dealing with far too many intangibles to defintively say it has no benefit.
There are plenty of public golf courses that don't turn a profit and are propped up by the City that operates them.
Isn't that essentially what I originally said?
But actually, I think you're spot-on in one regard....now that I think about it. Most Muni's were built 30-80 years ago....usually when the city was relatively small and there are still open tracts of cheap land.
To build a Muni in a major city these days would probably be pretty financially stupid. The cost of the land alone would would be absurd. Stadiums are much more logical choices. Even if it doesn't turn a profit, it's far more likely to.
You need to hit it straighter. :^}
Not very. Maybe 500 yards.
SD
A more logical choice would be for government to stay out of the entertainment business altogether.
True, but that's because no city 100% operates a stadium facility the same way it operates a golf course.
I suspect most of these old country clubs catered to Northeastern railroad money back in the early decades of the 20th Century.
Probably. Its hard to work and post at the same time.
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