The Athlete as Golfer

[Bull worker]

I was watching the Golf Channel last evening and they had the ad for the new show with Sugar Ray Leonard, et. al.  I was watching his swing on the commercial and was thinking, "This guy was the best boxer of his generation???" (Although I still think Hagler beat him.)

But watching other non-golf athletes play, it is apparent that athleticism in one sport doesn't translate to being a good golfer.  Charles Barkley has one of the most creative swings I have seen.

Tony Romo and Aaron Rogers seem to have golf talent.

Possibly the best athlete non-golfer who golfed was...George Herman Ruth, who apparently could play toe to toe with the likes of Hagen.  I'm not sure how filled with accuracy that is, or if it is another Ruthian legend. (The legend of the 700 foot homerun might be the best though.)

[saevel25]

Charles Barkley has a mental condition with his golf swing. Its not like the yips which is a neurological condition in the hands...

Its true, but certain sports translate better. I think Baseball and Hockey translate better into Golf. Especially Pitchers, Smolts who played for the braves is a really good golfer.

Its basically repetition. some people have great hand eye coordination, and can get away with alot of mistakes. Not sure if you say, well lets take these golfers and say, what if they played another sport. The physical make up isn't there. Football you really need to be a certain size to play. So QB's yourl looking at above 6'3", you have your exceptions, like Breese, but there are few. Baseball is probably the closests, but like golf, you get to be a pro by playing it for a long time. I doubt very few players could jump from one sport to another. Its just the whole dynamics in each sport is crazy. Look at MJ, he sucked at baseball. There have been few crossover athletes in sports that prioritiez athletism more than golf. So i don't see a reason to think that they could make the jump to really competative golf, near or at pro level.

[nevets88]

Ivan Lendl is scratch.

[k-troop]

Anyone watch this one this year?

http://tahoecelebritygolf.blogspot.com/2011/07/in-football-and-golf-linebacker-aj-hawk.html

It hit (pummeled) the tower at the end of the range while still traveling about 100-MPH, and rocketed back towards the tee inside the 300-yard line.  It hit the tower hard enough that it came back 40+ yards.

It would have gone close to 400 if the tower hadn't been there.  Maybe longer.  The golf swing is an athletic motion, and there are plenty of athletes out there who take to it easily.

[x129]

Michael Jordan didn't suck at baseball. He want from not playing to hitting .200 in minor league ball in about 15 months. That is pretty awesome. If as a golfer he went from playing weekend rounds to finishing at the bottom of the nationwide tour, I sure wouldn't say he sucked at golf.

Golf is a lot different than other sports. It isn't very reactive (i.e. no one is actively plotting against you) and there are whole components (putting, around the green) which you can get really good at if you can practice 2 hours a day. To see how athletes transfer to golf look at the driving ability of guys that played DI hockey or baseball.  They generate great amounts of power and hit the ball solid (it is a lot easier to hit a stationary object than a moving hockey puck or baseball). But as long drive guys will tell you, that is less than 1/3 of the game.

Quote:

Charles Barkley has a mental condition with his golf swing. Its not like the yips which is a neurological condition in the hands...

Its true, but certain sports translate better. I think Baseball and Hockey translate better into Golf. Especially Pitchers, Smolts who played for the braves is a really good golfer.

Its basically repetition. some people have great hand eye coordination, and can get away with alot of mistakes. Not sure if you say, well lets take these golfers and say, what if they played another sport. The physical make up isn't there. Football you really need to be a certain size to play. So QB's yourl looking at above 6'3", you have your exceptions, like Breese, but there are few. Baseball is probably the closests, but like golf, you get to be a pro by playing it for a long time. I doubt very few players could jump from one sport to another. Its just the whole dynamics in each sport is crazy. Look at MJ, he sucked at baseball. There have been few crossover athletes in sports that prioritiez athletism more than golf. So i don't see a reason to think that they could make the jump to really competative golf, near or at pro level.

[The Tin Man]

What I find amazing is the percentage of talented surfers who play.  If anything translates I haven't found it.  Maybe that's the attraction?

[WWBDD]

Originally Posted by The Tin Man

What I find amazing is the percentage of talented surfers who play.  If anything translates I haven't found it.  Maybe that's the attraction?

Balance ...

... and for me personally, the symetrical body motion relates to skiing. When that mentally clicked for me, my swing improved immensely.

[k-troop]

And surfers are incredibly strong from non-traditional body positions, and flexible.

[Bull worker]

I must apologize for not remembering the name of the show, however, it was The Haney Project.  I watched the first episode last evening.  I think one is enough.  I forgot how much self-love Sugar Ray affords himself. Angie Everhart might have the best swing of the bunch.

[Elvisliveson]

Originally Posted by Bull worker

Angie Everhart might have the best swing of the bunch.

That's what I thought too. She's obviously had lessons before that she stuck with. Haney might just mess her up .

[saevel25]

But are we talking from going from the best of another sport, professional players, to being a professional player in golf just because there athletic. That doesn't happen. Its very rare to see players actually be successful in multiple sports. I believe Reggie Jackson was the one i can think of, i believe he played football as well. Can a person from another sport go and play golf at a scratch or single digit handicapper, yea, but majority of the time you will see more of these players who play sports that incorporate moves similar to the golf swing. Like pitchers and  hockey players. Romo plays golf well because he plays it a ton in the off season. But pure athletism trasnlating to being able to transfer from one sport to another, specifical from another sport to golf isn't that solid of a relation. As you see they might be able to hit the driver well, but distance control, putting, chipping, game management, comes from hard work and experience. It doesn't come from athletism. They might start off at a lower handicap than your general player and progressa  bit faster, but there is not direct correlation, its still takes some sort of effort to improve, whichi is above and beyond athletism.

[Gresh24]

Golf is a sport that pure athleticism is not needed, unlike (some of the) other professional sports.  You see more (great) athletes playing football and baseball, or picking between football, basketball, and baseball.  Some have done both... Bo Jackson, Dieon, and a few others.  Baseball/Football seems to be the combo that has actually had two sport pro athletes, due to timing of seasons.  I realize baseball is a "skill" sport, and not just based almost solely on athleticism like basketball and football.

Pure athletes are more likely have the ability to choose between a couple different pro sports.  Golf is seldom, if ever, one of them.

And pro athletes have a lot of spare time, and many of them take up golf.  Most are good enough to become very good, scratch, but that is still a far cry from a tour pro.  Maybe a few could make it if they made it their careers, but I bet not many.

[westcyderydin]

Being an athlete, somebody who plays other sports has an advantage when they start out in golf compared to people who don't.  I don't exactly mean pro athletes, just anyone.  Athletes are more coordinated and have gone through similar learning processes in their other sports, they are used to athletic motions, and they are often times stronger and/or in better shape.

Of course there are exceptions on each side, but i would say an athlete has a little bit of an edge when they start to golf.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Bull worker

I was watching the Golf Channel last evening and they had the ad for the new show with Sugar Ray Leonard, et. al.  I was watching his swing on the commercial and was thinking, "This guy was the best boxer of his generation???" (Although I still think Hagler beat him.)

But watching other non-golf athletes play, it is apparent that athleticism in one sport doesn't translate to being a good golfer.  Charles Barkley has one of the most creative swings I have seen.

Tony Romo and Aaron Rogers seem to have golf talent.

Possibly the best athlete non-golfer who golfed was...George Herman Ruth, who apparently could play toe to toe with the likes of Hagen.  I'm not sure how filled with accuracy that is, or if it is another Ruthian legend. (The legend of the 700 foot homerun might be the best though.)

There are a lot of scratch and near scratch (on both sides of 0) golfers who were ex hockey and baseball players. Some people are gifted with great hand eye coordination and balance. They have a sense of spatial orientation while moving. They're gifted. We all knew a few people growing up who could just absolutely own a sport if they ever took the time to focus on it. Doesn't have to be a stick and ball sport a person excels at either to show a connection between a physical gift and golf proficiency. Could Kenny G and Joe Louis have had more different non-golf careers?

[WUTiger]

Athletic ability transfers across sports.

Jack Nicklaus was considered for a basketball scholarship to Ohio State, but opted to play golf instead.

Another case is swing guru Jimmy Ballard, who got his start back in the 1970s. He taught several athletes from other sports how to play golf, including tennis star Arthur Ashe. Ballard  compared the "hand loading" aspects of golf, tennis, and baseball swings.

Ballard also worked with former SF 49er quarterback Jim Brodie, who suggested that Ballard use videotape and stop-action to analyze golf swings. (a la football gameday tapes). Brodie later became the only NFL vrteran to ever win a Champions Tour event.

The latest success for the Ballard and the "Connection" method has been Rocco Mediate. Here's Ballard's website for those interested: http://www.jimmyballardgolf.com/

[westcyderydin]

Like i said the athletic ability is a plus...

But on the other hand have u ever seen a basketball player throw out the first pitch at a baseball game?  Some of those guys throw more like a girl than my little sisters...even when they were like ten...But usually it helps.

[Merfal]

One of the differences is that professional athletes have been in sports and athletics their whole lives. When they were youths they developed the fine motor skills and fine sports skills that are best developed at certain windows during growth. Thus, when they try to play golf they already have a solid athletic foundation to build upon.

[Jwat381]

I have 4 friends that played baseball in H.S., and they're not overly skilled at golf, but that swinging motion that they have down definitely does help their golf game. They're able to swing and generate a little more clubhead speed, generally speaking, whereas I, who played other sports, has to work at it a little more. But as was already mentioned, it's only a fraction of the overall game.