Kathy LC

I'm a big girl.. I can take it. I'm not going anywhere. Stay tuned for my much less incendiary comments. And, no, I wasn't ticked off, just as tired of this thread as everyone else. I really meant it when I said have a good day. Amen.

I am a golfer, Erik, and not a very good one. Have a nice day.

Golly! Holly Cow! Erik, you're tough. I wrote an opinion. That's what the original blog was - an opinion, written in the spirit of fun among fellow golf nuts. No belittling was done - by me, ever. If some responded with tongue firmly in cheek, that's all part of blog participation. I certainly recognized it as such. No one needs to be chastised or given a timeout for his/her opinions. We're all grown-ups here.

Hey all, I didn't mean to stir up a hornet's nest! I am a writer and was actually referring to written references to golf in magazines and newspapers and blogs. Of course in our daily conversations, words evolve so say whatever you like. Writing professionals should have higher standards. Of course, again, that has changed with the common use of texts, emails and blog-posts such as this one. So those of you you like to golf, feel free, but please also have fun when you tennis. Personally I'll play golf.

Thanks Julia. I enjoy all things golf but there's not much that I enjoy more than golf with the girls.

Thanks Scott for "getting it'.

As an insecure, high-handicap female golfer, I would never ask for changes in the game of golf. I love the blasted game. Though a video of my swing at an early lesson reduced me to swallowed tears, I kept on, only occasionally using Jim Furyk’s swirly style as motivation. I am no stranger to choking, having lost more Ladies’ League rounds on the back nine than I can count, thus would never comment on Greg Norman’s 1996 Masters humiliation. A confession: I once feigned a fainting spell at a lesson when I kept topping the ball and I was sure I heard the Golf Pro groan (or laugh). So no, I would not request that golf change for me. I am not good but I am devoted. But I am hereby begging, begging the golf-writing community and all golfers to stop using the horrid, non-existent verb “to golf.” Admittedly, this offense is usually perpetrated by generic writers who do not play the game of golf or by generic golfers who do not often write about the sport. But please, golf is a noun. One plays golf. One does not golf. The Ladies’ League does not golf on Wednesday mornings. The ladies play golf then. Gerund-like expressions are equally awful. “ Golfing is a game for all ages,” is a travesty as is the lazy infinitive form, “Sign up to golf in the men’s locker room” (never mind the dangling modifier). Daily papers are using this verbish form more and more frequently, revealing the quality of their sports page reporters. Golfers must surely cringe to read the onerous headline, “Golfing is down at local courses,” not because we golfers worry about the economic downturn, but because “golfing” is not down but “rounds of golf” are. Journalists listen up: Golf is a noun. Golf is a noun. Golf is a noun! Do we verb-alize other sports? Do we tennis? Do we baseball? How about football? Do we do it? No, no and nope. We play tennis, baseball and football. No one crickets and no one rugbys. We do bowl and we do swim but those two words have been verbs from the beginning. There is only one exception to the noun-only rule for golf. Golf may be used to modify or define, as in golf clubs, golf tips and golf nuts like me. Writers, please, don’t be lazy. Keep the play in golf. Golf is an ancient and beloved game which is only and always a noun.