Pool Will Never Be Big Like Golf
- Thread starter Johnnyt
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Golf is a more prestigious game in the public eyes and a much healthier sport. The main reason why I think there's more money in Golf is the format of the game. Although its pretty boring to watch, you don't need to be that knowledgeable to be able to enjoy watching a game of golf. Pool on the other hand.. it really takes a lot more understanding of the game to watch it. I remember when I was younger and I didn't play pool nor golf, I had a much easier time watching golf because the concepts are much easier to grasp. However, as I got the fundamentals of pool down, pool became much more interesting to watch.
You don't need to be a serious golfer to be able to enjoy watching golf, but you need to be somewhat of a serious player to enjoy watching pool. That's my take.
You don't need to be a serious golfer to be able to enjoy watching golf, but you need to be somewhat of a serious player to enjoy watching pool. That's my take.
Pool is just fine. In Asia. Here it may or may not ever take off. As a spectator sport for the general public it ranks right up there with house painting. It is what it is.
More money is always nice but be careful what you wish for. If pool ever did get as big as golf I bet a lot of people wouldn't like it as much as they think they might.
More money is always nice but be careful what you wish for. If pool ever did get as big as golf I bet a lot of people wouldn't like it as much as they think they might.
Hey everything has it's cycles. In the 80's tennis was a BIG Game. Borg, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and everyone even knew the second tier guys like Ilie Nastase. It was on the TV every weekend and the grand slam events were must see TV. Considered upscale and the players transcended the sport and were selling cameras and cars.
Today I would argue that the sport is in decline. People tastes change. What happens to golf (in the US) if no American is in the top 5 for say 10 years (see tennis). Will the sport still get the attention it gets today?
I'm sick of Pool being compared to Golf. You might as well compare it to NASCAR.
Nick
Today I would argue that the sport is in decline. People tastes change. What happens to golf (in the US) if no American is in the top 5 for say 10 years (see tennis). Will the sport still get the attention it gets today?
I'm sick of Pool being compared to Golf. You might as well compare it to NASCAR.
Nick
I've never played a round of golf, but I will for sure be watching the final round tomorrow.
Whether it was popular at one time and has declined since,,,whenever, it has always had a bad reputation. Check out any old movie going back as far as you want. The poolroom was always depicted in an unfavorable light.
I was watching Ken Burns' doc on jazz, and on the segment about Louis Armstrong, they talk about his lowly upbringing in whorehouses, and how he used to gamble in poolrooms. That's in the teens. At what point the game took this turn, I wouldn't know, but it was longer ago than people think. Too bad. Yes the game is beautiful, but it seems it had a natural appeal to lowlifes.
I was watching Ken Burns' doc on jazz, and on the segment about Louis Armstrong, they talk about his lowly upbringing in whorehouses, and how he used to gamble in poolrooms. That's in the teens. At what point the game took this turn, I wouldn't know, but it was longer ago than people think. Too bad. Yes the game is beautiful, but it seems it had a natural appeal to lowlifes.
I was playing pool today and they had a golf tournament on television. Some guy was in the sandtrap and hit the ball up onto the green and I guess it went in the cup. The crowd applauded and cheered enthusiastically. That was just as much luck as skill but the crowd loved it.
How often does that happen in high level pool? Almost never. And it usually isn't applauded.
The average person just can't relate to pool. It's too subtle a game. It's so much easier to watch one player at a time shooting for one hole and then watch another player shooting for one hole.
Another factor is that a group of golf duffers can go out and have their abilities compared only to one another. In a pool hall it is painfully obvious if you are a bad player.
Just some random observations about the low popularity of pool.
Many other similar observations could be made of pool vs. other sports.
How often does that happen in high level pool? Almost never. And it usually isn't applauded.
The average person just can't relate to pool. It's too subtle a game. It's so much easier to watch one player at a time shooting for one hole and then watch another player shooting for one hole.
Another factor is that a group of golf duffers can go out and have their abilities compared only to one another. In a pool hall it is painfully obvious if you are a bad player.
Just some random observations about the low popularity of pool.
Many other similar observations could be made of pool vs. other sports.
LAlouie again and his fixation with pool "lowlifes".
Get a clue. Do you know how much time Babe Ruth spent in whorehouses? Why do you think his nickname was "The Sultan of Slut"?
I'll believe the exercise part when I start seeing "pool carts" in pool halls.
As far as the clean air part- being forced to share someone else's addiction sucks but that's my fault for living in a state as backward, corrupt, and governmentally incompetent as Nevada.
Lots of inane comments in this one
Pool isn't as big as golf because the mystique of golf is much more well known, a couple hundred years older, and steeped in royalty and old money. Pool is the game people used to play waiting for the ponies to start so they could lay their bets.
You can go to a bar and play pool, with borrowed sticks on a rented table. Golf costs more, takes longer, and even municipal golf courses are higher-end than your average bar. Golf etiquette is written into the rules provided by the only governing body in the US. Pool etiquette and rules are different in every bar, pool hall, den, garage, and back yard you may find a pool table in or on.
Golf balls get replaced after every water hazard, every other shot in the rough, and whenever you start a new round. Pool balls get replaced when they get so badly cracked and pitted they don't roll any more. Bottom line, the average person's picture of pool is a bit less glamorous than the average view of golf.
We can't (and shouldn't) get pool out of the bars, or golf off the golf courses. The trick has to be getting pool into schools, movies, community centers, catching 'em young and keeping 'em with pool as a pleasantry instead of seedy. Otherwise, yeah, pool is going to stay creepy and golf is going to stay classy.
Pool isn't as big as golf because the mystique of golf is much more well known, a couple hundred years older, and steeped in royalty and old money. Pool is the game people used to play waiting for the ponies to start so they could lay their bets.
You can go to a bar and play pool, with borrowed sticks on a rented table. Golf costs more, takes longer, and even municipal golf courses are higher-end than your average bar. Golf etiquette is written into the rules provided by the only governing body in the US. Pool etiquette and rules are different in every bar, pool hall, den, garage, and back yard you may find a pool table in or on.
Golf balls get replaced after every water hazard, every other shot in the rough, and whenever you start a new round. Pool balls get replaced when they get so badly cracked and pitted they don't roll any more. Bottom line, the average person's picture of pool is a bit less glamorous than the average view of golf.
We can't (and shouldn't) get pool out of the bars, or golf off the golf courses. The trick has to be getting pool into schools, movies, community centers, catching 'em young and keeping 'em with pool as a pleasantry instead of seedy. Otherwise, yeah, pool is going to stay creepy and golf is going to stay classy.
It cracks me up that because a guy wears a golf shirt instead of a t-shirt he's automatically less creepy. Some of the largest douchebags I ever met were wannabe high class golfer types. Personally I dont see the allure of the game and find peoples fascination with it as a game for elites a bit silly.
I also bet most of the master of the universe types who damn near crashed our economy were all golfers. There are bad guys in every pursuit. Golf just doesnt talk about theirs.
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You a putt putt hustler
So true!!!
No fans just competitors
In my opinion pool doesn't go anywhere in the US because there is no real fan base. It is only competitors who want to play better than the guy they are watching. I don't think that pool is an interesting enough visual game for people who don't play to watch. Most people who watch tennis, don't play, but it is a more interesting game to watch. Probably because it takes an incredible physical ability to play. Americans seem to move toward physical ability.
Although, as I understand in our history, Willie Hoppie drew 40,000 fans when he played billiards. So, I guess tastes change, and as everyone is saying, there are a lot of interesting things to watch and do, and pool really hasn't been one of them.
In my opinion pool doesn't go anywhere in the US because there is no real fan base. It is only competitors who want to play better than the guy they are watching. I don't think that pool is an interesting enough visual game for people who don't play to watch. Most people who watch tennis, don't play, but it is a more interesting game to watch. Probably because it takes an incredible physical ability to play. Americans seem to move toward physical ability.
Although, as I understand in our history, Willie Hoppie drew 40,000 fans when he played billiards. So, I guess tastes change, and as everyone is saying, there are a lot of interesting things to watch and do, and pool really hasn't been one of them.
Never is a long time????????????????
We use the term loosely when we say never.
My father used to tell me for years to never buy any stocks because it's gambling and you could lose everything you own.
Eventually he was right. One day the stocks went haywire. Finally he had a glimmer of being right after years. He had his shining moment. Many people lost everything they owned. Especially with the Bernie Madoff thing.
I feel the same about pool. Someday things will really turn around. Baseball players got paid only sqwaut once upon a time.
Never is a long time.......
We use the term loosely when we say never.
My father used to tell me for years to never buy any stocks because it's gambling and you could lose everything you own.
Eventually he was right. One day the stocks went haywire. Finally he had a glimmer of being right after years. He had his shining moment. Many people lost everything they owned. Especially with the Bernie Madoff thing.
I feel the same about pool. Someday things will really turn around. Baseball players got paid only sqwaut once upon a time.
Never is a long time.......
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No wonder. It takes 6 months in advance to get a tee off time on the DRIVING RANGE!!! Plus, labor in China is used to groom rice fields, not golf courses. Pool is a CHEAP and enjoyable sport in Asia.
Some people find Pool boring to watch, and you must recall in the 50's, and 60's Pool was on TV, and they played in Business Suits. Other do not understand why golf has a huge following, and tiger Woods makes mega buck for product endorsements, before he hits a ball.
Most Golf Courses , and All Country Clubs have strict Dress, and Conduct Codes. People who do antics like Earl Strickland is famous for in the pool World, would be ask to LEAVE a Golf Tournament, or Country Club..
Many Country Club have initiation fees in excess of $100,000.00 to join, and than you have pricey monthly dues. Don't see that at the local pool Room.
Hell if you want to play a Round of Golf in Monterey CA at Pebble Beach World Class Golf Course, better bring about $500.00 for just the Round of Golf. Your Roll of quarter will get you nothing.
Also a lot of big business deals are conducted at Private Country Clubs, where people are playing that Round of Golf, as the rich, famous, & well off seem to want to do the Golf thing even if they suck at Golf.
Well there are also good guy in Golf, and I know as when I was a kid I use to Caddy at a very nice Country Club on the weekends. Never got a bad check for Caddy Fees, never got stiffed out of Caddy Fees, and some of the golfer even threw you a couple of buck tip at the end of the day.
Golfers are charitable people and I am constantly seeing Charity Golf Tournament advertised in the local Newpaper with money going to everything from Cancer Research, to the local Boys, and Girls Clubs.
Pool could learn a lot from how the PGA, MLB, NBA, and other pro sports operate, and make money in a bad economy. NFL made how many billions last year?
No I do not play golf like I said I use to Caddy when I was in Hi School. no i don't watch Golf on TV as most of the time it is boring.
It's not the tie that makes the man
..damn str8! If I'm broke, and walked into the hall, I'll get a hundred spot from at least two guys.
It's not the tie that makes the man
True but some place on this Earth you are not Welcome Unless you fit the DRESS CODE!
