In terms of appeal, what does Golf have

[daphish1]

That is exactly the point I was trying to make in this.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=61033
In order for there to be more money in the games of pool, there needs to be a revamping of the aura or feel of the game of pool from the publics point of view.

Yep, totally agree, but the next pool movie coming out is probably Kid Delicous's story which will be about him hustling and not about him becoming a pro later on. Well that might be the last 2 minutes of the movie. Not that i won't watch the movie

 

[trustyrusty]

these arguments are all well and good, but anyone who has played ANY sport at a very high level thinks that those who haven't can't possibly understand how difficult/intricate/mentally challenging/etc. their sport is. I have broken 70 on a number of occasions on relatively tough courses, but I know I couldn't sniff breaking 80 on say a US Open set-up at Bethpage. I have hit hot streaks and ran a few racks in matches in tourneys, and also know I would most likely be 2 and out at any tourney with a STRONG field. And, I also played baseball a a pretty high level, and know that even if I could hit over .250 off of major league pitchers, that thousands of others could too - and have better arms, speed, defensive skills, etc. than me (I had very good speed, above average arm, fair defensively -3rd base, and limited outfield experience in college, and hit for average and good power better than most all others in the conference.....what did it get me??? A brief stint playing minor league ball, where I quickly found out the reason they took 22 year old college players - to help the real prospects - the super talented 18-20 year olds (we were cheaper than hiring coaches ). ---ok, back to topic after a brief ramble - playing at a very high level at anything is tough, but I think most who have a passion for playing just about anything can appreciate the skills required to get to a high level....just apply that knowledge to others sports that you're not as passionate about!

 

[Da Poet]

Reading all this stuff about golf has got me thinking about regripping my clubs for the spring. lol (It's +10 F outside right now)

Comparing sports and games on a professional level is always a murky subject. The real difference between Golf and Pool exists on the recreational level.

Starting with Golf, at a recreational level, it's really not very competitive. Sure some folks go out and throw in a few bucks on the par threes etc, but at that level, it's entirely social.

Pool, even at the most basic recreational level is firecly competitive. Sure there are exceptions, but playing pool is largely about winning and losing, plain and simple. This is what I like more about Pool than Golf.

I consider myself a competitive recreational player at both, but at pool, I enjoy the hell out of playing an a$$hole for an hour and winning more than playing a guy who is fun to hang around with and lose. At golf, I wouldn't want to spend $50-$75 to walk around with an a$$hole for 4 1/2 hours under any circumstances no matter how good he was.

 

[midnightpulp]

these arguments are all well and good, but anyone who has played ANY sport at a very high level thinks that those who haven't can't possibly understand how difficult/intricate/mentally challenging/etc. their sport is. I have broken 70 on a number of occasions on relatively tough courses, but I know I couldn't sniff breaking 80 on say a US Open set-up at Bethpage. I have hit hot streaks and ran a few racks in matches in tourneys, and also know I would most likely be 2 and out at any tourney with a STRONG field. And, I also played baseball a a pretty high level, and know that even if I could hit over .250 off of major league pitchers, that thousands of others could too - and have better arms, speed, defensive skills, etc. than me (I had very good speed, above average arm, fair defensively -3rd base, and limited outfield experience in college, and hit for average and good power better than most all others in the conference.....what did it get me??? A brief stint playing minor league ball, where I quickly found out the reason they took 22 year old college players - to help the real prospects - the super talented 18-20 year olds (we were cheaper than hiring coaches ). ---ok, back to topic after a brief ramble - playing at a very high level at anything is tough, but I think most who have a passion for playing just about anything can appreciate the skills required to get to a high level....just apply that knowledge to others sports that you're not as passionate about!

Good stuff. Like I said, it's about impossible to determine what game is harder than another. You can go as far and say that any game performed at its highest level is hard. Videogames, boardgames, pool, golf, baseball, croquet. There's always going to be people who can change your perspective and make you view a silly game in an entirely different way. There's always a select few who take something up and set a new standard, playing a role in its evolution.

I appreciate anything performed at a high level. I find very few things boring and thus have a lot more interests than I can handle. That's why I have an idealism about people being able to make a comfortable living off the thing they are passionate about and talented at. I know this is unrealistic, but it's a little disheartening that a great, say, checkers player can't make a living. In some weird, alternate universe, Tiger greatness at Golf could be deemed useless while the checkers player is a world wide phenomenon.

 

[DaveK]

.... Golf is more accessible, which is why it enjoys more success on TV.

I believe that you have this backwards. When golf started to become a popular game on TV it was not that accessible a game. The build-up of public courses may have been a result of the popularity of the professional game. The upper class in North America has had access to golf for the last 100 years, but the common folk started golfing much later than that. I think that sometimes people see the PGA Tour and think it's always been that way, it hasn't. Pro golf started with independant tournaments run by individual promoters very much like pool is today. Once they got organised things started to come together and over time it built up to what it is today.

For general interest in old pro golf have a read of some of the stories at :

http://www.golflegends.org/walter-hagen.php
http://www.golflegends.org/gene-sarazen.php



Dave

 

[midnightpulp]

deleted. accidental double post.

 

[midnightpulp]

I believe that you have this backwards. When golf started to become a popular game on TV it was not that accessible a game. The build-up of public courses may have been a result of the popularity of the professional game. The upper class in North America has had access to golf for the last 100 years, but the common folk started golfing much later than that. I think that sometimes people see the PGA Tour and think it's always been that way, it hasn't. Pro golf started with independant tournaments run by individual promoters very much like pool is today. Once they got organised things started to come together and over time it built up to what it is today.

Dave

I meant more accessible to understand and appreciate, and more accessible in terms of its entertainment value.