Why is it that tennis majors are usually more exciting than golf majors?

[xxsoultonesxx]

I grew up like most people thinking that golf is a boring, slow game for old retired folks. Couldn't be bothered to have any interest in the game outside of whooping ass at mini-golf.

Now that I've been playing the game it is a whole different point of view. Hitting a 200yd 4-iron is a feat of athleticism, dropping huge curling putts under pressure is amazing. Most people don't understand how hard these things are, therefore it isn't compelling.

Tennis has action! Anyone can turn on tennis and be entertained. They are running. sweating, and yelling. and the game is relatively simple.

I personally find golf much more exciting, just because I know how hard these guys work to get to that level.

[The Tin Man]

I just came from the course. 2pm on a Sunday.  4 TV's in the Club House, two with football, another skate boarding, the other ladies tennis.

[Topper]

A couple of years ago I was at my boxing gym and a guy (who was more than a little overweight) indicated he was there to get in shape for tennis.  The first thing that popped in my mind was "holy $&%#, people still play tennis."  To his credit, our conditioning programs were pretty intense and he was giving it a real try.  He didn't last.   So I guess I can't relate to your golf vs tennis analogy.

[jmanbooyaa]

I think it really comes down to who is in the finals or final grouping that makes it interesting. For me Tennis was amazing in the late 90's early 2000's with Sampress Agassi matches. I am new to golf and with that comes new viewing of golf tourneys. As of now I really don't see a real rivalry in golf and really don't enjoy tennis anymore due to in my opinion a lack of player interest.

[ghalfaire]

One thing I like about tennis is it is "sudden death".  Lose once and your done.  Sort of like match play.

[Fourputt]

I don't see it like the OP does at all.  With tennis, on the final day it's guaranteed that there are only 2 players left in the competition - the winner is definitely going to be one of them.  With golf majors, there can be a dozen or more still in contention, with the possibility of a dark horse coming out of the pack too.  I don't see how you can possibly say that tennis is more exciting - there certainly aren't as many possible permutations.  A 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 match is no less boring than McIlroy's win this year, but at least with golf there are other players to watch in the contest for second, third, fourth, etc.

As far as comparing the games themselves, you just can't do it.  Apples and oranges - there's no similarity.  I find tennis boring to watch no matter what the competition, but that's just me.

[Kieran123]

I played tennis competitively for 8 years and loved watching it

I used to hate watching golf

I now play golf and love watching it

I now hate watching tennis for periods longer than 15 minutes

If you have a passion for something it is something you want to see

[deasy55]

Whatever you think about tennis, you can't deny that last nights final was one of the most entertaining moments of the year in sport. The skill and power both of them showed was incredible!

[nevets88]

It was a great match. Quite the display of power tennis and the Joker actually came to the net, but I miss Federer and his effortless game. He may have lost a notch or two on Rafa and Joker but no one swings more elegantly, gracefully, with enough power to keep up with the modern day player.

If Rafa and the Joker are power players, like JB Holmes or Dustin Johnson, Luke Donald/Ernie Els/Fred Couples are the Federers of tennis.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by deasy55

Whatever you think about tennis, you can't deny that last nights final was one of the most entertaining moments of the year in sport. The skill and power both of them showed was incredible!

Hmmm.... I guess I must have missed it.  What event was that again? I don't think I've watched a tennis match in 20 years.

[Spyder]

I have never been able to watch Tennis for even a minute. It falls in the same category as ping pong, polo, swimming and NASCAR for me.

[Gresh24]

It's all a matter of preference.  If you don't like (insert sport) or watching it, many times even the bast match/game/series in the world will not make it entertaining or appealing to you.  And golf is one of the most difficult to compare to any other sport, not that any two sports are very comparable in terms of personal taste.

[johnclayton1982]

I think at its heart, you can go for it alot more in tennis, because the worse case scenario is you lose a point.  In golf, you can have one bad hole lose you the tournament, so you go for it alot less.  Every tennis point has one of the two players usually hitting really hard at the lines trying to win the point.  Golf has way more not to lose, because conservative golf can win on the PGA Tour.  Its very difficult for a "pusher" (<- anyone who has played competitive tennis knows what these guys are) to win a professional tennis match.

[newtogolf]

I prefer to watch women's tennis over mens as the matches are more than just power serves (except for Williams sisters) and some of the ladies aren't too hard on the eyes.  I still would rather watch golf though.

[The Recreational Golfer]

ladders 11 got it right. In tennis, the top players, just the players you want to see duke it out, always seem to be in the semis. It would be like Tiger (old Tiger) and Phil always being in the last two groups on Sunday.