Is Golf the Most Mentally Challenging Sport?

[Chrono]

Personally, I think golf is probably the most mental of the other sports played in the US. Who agrees or disagrees?

 

[honestrosewater]

Head coach of an NFL team.
Is there strategy in golf? I don't know much about it.

 

[dextercioby]

I think there's a real shame snooker's not too popular in the US.

Daniel.

P.S.Oh,and to answer your question:chess.

 

[Chronos]

Of course there is strategy in golf. Like when you tell your opponent 'You can make it over that lake easy with a 3 wood'.

 

[honestrosewater]

Oh, well I don't watch golf- that's why I asked.
What's snooker?
Isn't chess quite mechanical? I guess if you have time limits or something it would be harder...

 

[Moonbear]

Of course there is strategy in golf. Like when you tell your opponent 'You can make it over that lake easy with a 3 wood'.

I thought people played golf to relax, not to concentrate. But, if golf is a mental sport, maybe bowling is too.

 

[Grogs]

Personally, I think golf is probably the most mental of the other sports played in the US. Who agrees or disagrees?

If by mental you mean it will drive you mentally insane, then I agree with you.

Seriously though, I think the mental challenge of most games varies with the participant. Most golf hackers (myself included) tend to take a very rigid approach to the game: Ok, par 4, hit driver. Ok, 150 yards from the pin, 7 iron. Just off the green, pitching wedge. Pros like Tiger Woods may spend several minutes studying a shot because he has literally hundreds of shots to pull out of his repitoire. For me, the options on any given shot are something like 'hit it as hard as I can' -or- 'don't hit it quite as hard.'

 

[honestrosewater]

I thought people played golf to relax, not to concentrate. But, if golf is a mental sport, maybe bowling is too.

How strange- I was thinking about bowling too. Just because it's another solitary sport.

 

[Moonbear]

What's snooker?

Something like billiards, but with smaller balls and a much bigger table. I've never seen it, just been told about it, so I hope I remembered that right.

 

[honestrosewater]

For me, the options on any given shot are something like 'hit it as hard as I can' -or- 'don't hit it quite as hard.'

Hey, maybe I should start playing golf- I think I could handle that. Don't know what I would wear...

 

[dextercioby]

Oh, well I don't watch golf- that's why I asked.
What's snooker?
Isn't chess quite mechanical? I guess if you have time limits or something it would be harder...

Snooker is a sport similar to pool,but played on a bigger table,with white ball,15 red balls (one point each) and colored balls:yellow 2 points,green 3 points,brown 4 points,blue 5 points,pink 6 points & black 7 points.

The rules are complicated.I can't really explain them.It's definitely a brain-requiring sport.And "touch"...

Chess is pure maths,ergo genius...

Daniel.

 

[Moonbear]

For me, the options on any given shot are something like 'hit it as hard as I can' -or- 'don't hit it quite as hard.'

For me, it's more like, "Should I go for the hole under the windmill, or the easy shot to the side?" Oh, you didn't mean that type of golf, did you? (I really like mini golf though, especially those "adventure" courses that look like pirate's ships and coves, etc. Yaaaahhhrrr!).

 

[honestrosewater]

Snooker is a sport similar to pool,but played on a bigger table,with white ball,15 red balls (one point each) and colored balls:yellow 2 points,green 3 points,brown 4 points,blue 5 points,pink 6 points & black 7 points.

The rules are complicated.I can't really explain them.It's definitely a brain-requiring sport.And "touch"...

Chess is pure maths,ergo genius...

Daniel.

Yes, I guess pool could be difficult- I've only ever played for fun.
That's the point about chess- you don't have to account for nearly as much. You know all the possible future states of the board given the current state.

 

[Bartholomew]

Rosewater, chess is a lot more about understanding the position than working it through mechanically. You can't begin to work things through until you understand what's going on. If it were only about mechanics then computers would have been beating humans in 1975.

On the other hand, chess is not pure math. Alan Turing was a mediocre chess player despite being a mathematical genius and studying chess.

 

[Bartholomew]

Anyway, chess isn't a "sport"... you have to do something with your body for it to be a sport.

 

[honestrosewater]

Okay, so how do you understand the position?
Edit: It isn't by knowing the possible future states of the board?

 

[Bartholomew]

You think about what you might do, and what your enemy can do, and who can bring force where, and what tactics might stay available for a few moves, and how "together" your position is... there are books on this kind of thing.

 

[honestrosewater]

You think about what you might do, and what your enemy can do, and who can bring force where, and what tactics might stay available for a few moves, and how "together" your position is... there are books on this kind of thing.

Okay, fair enough.

 

[JasonRox]

It's obviously HOCKEY!

Who can argue that one?

 

[brewnog]

Moonbear, snooker and billiards are played on the same size table, - 6' by 12', although a 10' by 5' table is often used. Pool has the small table, with big balls and massive pockets.

 

[dextercioby]

Anyway, chess isn't a "sport"... you have to do something with your body for it to be a sport.

You are...EXERCISING THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR BODY:the brain...


Daniel.

 

[Bartholomew]

It's not a sport... it's sport, but not a sport.

 

[dextercioby]

You've mistaken the thread.The one with illogical sentences is close,though.So keep searching.

Daniel.

 

[russ_watters]

Clarification: being "mental" is not the same as being "intellectual." No, golf isn't anywhere near as intellectual as chess, but it requires the same concentration and mental toughness. Its hard to explain if you've never done it, but hitting a good shot is entirely dependent on your mental state.

 

[Bartholomew]

No, dexter, that's not nonsense, it's just the way the words are used. "A sport" means a physical sport; "sport" means any kind of recreation.

 

[dextercioby]

Yes,then chess is a physical sport.

Daniel.

 

[Bartholomew]

A physical sport is one where the things you do have immediate physical significance, such as kicking a soccer ball or windsurfing.

 

[dextercioby]

Yes,at chess you get to do plenty of physical activity.U can get up during match (while the opponent is burning neurons) and go for a walk.Or u can kick a soccer ball...

Daniel.

 

[Bartholomew]

And we all know how intrinsic kicking a soccer ball is to the game of chess...

 

[dextercioby]

Yes,it helps clear you midd,oxygenete neurons and get another overall feeling when coming back to the table.

Daniel.

 

[Bartholomew]

I guess you're right. I had wondered why so many chessmasters come from Brazil and wear cleats and shinguards to the matches.

 

[Chrono]

P.S.Oh,and to answer your question:chess.

Yeah, I'm sure chess is a lot more mental than golf. I really should learn how to play.

There is strategy in golf. Knowing what club to hit at what distance. Using the wind to your advantage. Mentally calculating the distance between the ball and the hole.

 

[tribdog]

Something like billiards, but with smaller balls and a much bigger table. I've never seen it, just been told about it, so I hope I remembered that right.

sounds like me on a king size
I mean EVERY single sentence in that post sounds like me on a king size

 

[franznietzsche]

Yeah, I'm sure chess is a lot more mental than golf. I really should learn how to play.

There is strategy in golf. Knowing what club to hit at what distance. Using the wind to your advantage. Mentally calculating the distance between the ball and the hole.

Thats not strategy. Thats physics. Strategy is a bit more subtle than that. Strategy would be planning how your tee off on the first hole sets you up ton win in the 18th hole. Except golf doesn't work that way. Its not strategy.

Yay chess!

 

[Chrono]

Thats not strategy. Thats physics. Strategy is a bit more subtle than that. Strategy would be planning how your tee off on the first hole sets you up ton win in the 18th hole. Except golf doesn't work that way. Its not strategy.

Ok, then. You still use decision-making skills, and the sport involves the control of repetitive movements, it instills mind-body discipline. Plus, it's also a social sport.

 

[franznietzsche]

Ok, then. You still use decision-making skills, and the sport involves the control of repetitive movements, it instills mind-body discipline. Plus, it's also a social sport.

Still no strategy.

 

[Chrono]

Still no strategy.

Well, I didn't necessarily mean that was strategy. They're probably some of the best things you get out of it, though.

 

[Grogs]

Still no strategy.

I have to disagree with you here. There is a strategy to be played here. Professional golfers talk about 'playing a hole backwards.' That is, they look at the green and decide where they'd like to shoot at the green from (distance/angle), then decide which shot or shots can get them there.

There's also an aspect of risk management. Course designers know that the length of a hole isn't much of a problem for top professionals. For example, on a par 5 hole, most pros can probably reach the green in 2 shots (instead of the 3 it takes most mere mortals.) To combat this, course designers place bunkers, water hazards, trees, etc. on the course to make such a strategy more risky. A player who's in a tournament and several strokes behind may elect to go for the risky shot, while one who is in the lead probably won't.

 

[franznietzsche]

I have to disagree with you here. There is a strategy to be played here. Professional golfers talk about 'playing a hole backwards.' That is, they look at the green and decide where they'd like to shoot at the green from (distance/angle), then decide which shot or shots can get them there.

There's also an aspect of risk management. Course designers know that the length of a hole isn't much of a problem for top professionals. For example, on a par 5 hole, most pros can probably reach the green in 2 shots (instead of the 3 it takes most mere mortals.) To combat this, course designers place bunkers, water hazards, trees, etc. on the course to make such a strategy more risky. A player who's in a tournament and several strokes behind may elect to go for the risky shot, while one who is in the lead probably won't.

Well you got me there.

 

[Chronos]

Slamming a piece down with decisive indifference is a fine art.

 

[noobie]

Golf is tough because you got to focus and concentrate but at the same time you can't tense up (your muscles have to stay loose). Oh and the absolute worst is when you realize that you have a chance to make a decent score with a couple of holes to go. Then EVERYTHING starts to fall apart.