Tiger Woods the golfer. Athlete? Great Athlete? Best ever?

[matfanofold]

ath·lete

NOUN:

A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

This is how I take it in context. (and should everyone as per definition)

Personally, I think if one were to make a list of the top 50 athletes ever, more than half would have to be in the profession of boxing. I do not consider hitting a golf ball an athletic trait. A talent, yes! an athletic trait? No. And please spare me the crap that walking a green takes an athletic body. It helps, but does not an athlete make.

 

[matfanofold]

Well, thus far 16% - 17% feel he should be included in a debate as one of, if not the greatest athletes ever. And unles I missed something, not one has chimed in and try to validate that opinion with context. Not supprising really as I feel there is none. However, I am not supprised that the overwhelming majority do not consider him the greatest athlete(or even arguably). I expected as much, but am still somewhat shocked at the handful who truely believe Tiger Woods, the golfer, is arguably the greatest athlete ever!

 

[J.O.]

mentally, he's the best athlete. and the best golfer of all time

 

[matfanofold]

mentally, he's the best athlete. and the best golfer of all time

Wow, I'm not even sure what that means....


What ideals do you use to determin his mental athletic ability as compared to others? Why would he be more mentally athletic than say, Jordan? Ali??

 

[ChasHawk]

ath·lete

NOUN:

A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

This is how I take it in context. (and should everyone as per definition)

Personally, I think if one were to make a list of the top 50 athletes ever, more than half would have to be in the profession of boxing. I do not consider hitting a golf ball an athletic trait. A talent, yes! an athletic trait? No. And please spare me the crap that walking a green takes an athletic body. It helps, but does not an athlete make.

I look at Tiger as an athlete because, imho, he works harder to stay in shape and perfect his game moreso than anyone else on the tour. I do not consider Daley an athlete because he can hit the ball far. He is a drunken fat-ass.

Part and parcel to how our society functions, if you were to compile votes on a list of the 50 greatest athletes of all time, you may not find one boxer, decathlete, or triathalon competitor on the list.

In our world, greatness = popularity, and the names you more than likely would end up with are: Jordan, Tiger, Lebron, Jeter, Ruth, Aaron, Peyton, Montana, et al.

 

[matfanofold]

ath·lete

NOUN:

A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

This is how I take it in context. (and should everyone as per definition)

Personally, I think if one were to make a list of the top 50 athletes ever, more than half would have to be in the profession of boxing. I do not consider hitting a golf ball an athletic trait. A talent, yes! an athletic trait? No. And please spare me the crap that walking a green takes an athletic body. It helps, but does not an athlete make.

I look at Tiger as an athlete because, imho, he works harder to stay in shape and perfect his game moreso than anyone else on the tour. I do not consider Daley an athlete because he can hit the ball far. He is a drunken fat-ass.

Part and parcel to how our society functions, if you were to compile votes on a list of the 50 greatest athletes of all time, you may not find one boxer, decathlete, or triathalon competitor on the list.

In our world, greatness = popularity, and the names you more than likely would end up with are: Jordan, Tiger, Lebron, Jeter, Ruth, Aaron, Peyton, Montana, et al.

I have to agree with this, popularity does influience everything here. But when taking in to account context along with said members of the top 50, it would be hard to give Tiger a pass and keep out the boxers. Hopefully if a list were to ever emerge, it would be based on definition and not include popularity.

But to be clear, the question would be "the greatest athlete" not the greatest famous person that plays sports including golf.

 

[studioclint]

I think I read an article a few years ago that argued jockeys were the most athletic sportsmen in the world.

 

[nborton]

I have no problem with golf or bowling being sports. You have to physically move to play either. A 90 year old person isn't going to be able to compete on the same level in either. You could at 90 still play poker or chess which are considered sports sometimes too. That's how I see things anyway. If you can still do it at 90 on the same level it's not a sport, but a game.

Also, I'd have to go with a triathlete or something similar for best athlete. I think people greatly underestimate how insanely hard it is to own a world record.

 

[All The Hype]

Not that I think he's anywhere near the greatest athlete of all time, but I was surprised when I learned that Tiger Woods can bench press somewhere around 325 pounds.

 

[ChasHawk]

Not that I think he's anywhere near the greatest athlete of all time, but I was surprised when I learned that Tiger Woods can bench press somewhere around 325 pounds.

Not surprising to me

 

[rico08]

This question has been asked so many times (Who is the Greatest?) and with the same result.

If we can't agree on a way to define "athlete" let alone the difference between "good" and "great" the discussion goes nowhere.

 

[ChasHawk]

ESPN's 10 best all around athletes of all time

#1 surprised me

 

[mlbsalltimegreats]

ESPN's 10 best all around athletes of all time

#1 surprised me

I like the list in the link as to me is as accurate as your going to get. There can be arguments as to the order but as far as the players they picked is pretty spot on.

 

[bodiaz]

I have this argument all the time with my brother, who is a huge Tiger fan! Tiger is a great athlete playing a non athletic skill game. I do not even call golf a sport. Golf is not an athletic activity. I do not see a NFL senior tour! Golf is in the same category as bowling, darts, billiards, and chess. There is a great skill level needed, but not athletic at all. And don't give me the crap about "They walk 18 holes!" They do not even carry their own bag! Walking is not athletic!

 

[ChasHawk]

ESPN Top 100 N. American Athletes of the 20th Century

Baseball has the most at 23/100

Must be an older list. Includes 6 golfers, but not Tiger.

Also includes horses

 

[ChasHawk]

I have this argument all the time with my brother, who is a huge Tiger fan! Tiger is a great athlete playing a non athletic skill game. I do not even call golf a sport. Golf is not an athletic activity. I do not see a NFL senior tour! Golf is in the same category as bowling, darts, billiards, and chess. There is a great skill level needed, but not athletic at all. And don't give me the crap about "They walk 18 holes!" They do not even carry their own bag! Walking is not athletic!

Ever played 72 holes in 4 days?

Seniors use carts, btw

 

[UMich92]

it takes more athleticism to play a round of golf than to play left field, right field, dh or pitching, so if he is not an athlete then neither are a 1/3 of all baseballl players.

All except the bolded. Just because guys like Rick Reuschel, Rod Beck, etc. were overweight tubs of goo, don't underestimate the athleticism needed to be a top notch pitcher.

Alex

 

[bodiaz]

Never said he is not an athlete, said his activity is not a sport. I have played 36 holes in 1 day. Not that big of a strain. And I did not have a caddy either!

 

[ChasHawk]

Never said he is not an athlete, said his activity is not a sport. I have played 36 holes in 1 day. Not that big of a strain. And I did not have a caddy either!

I could retype it, but I'm not much of an athlete :lol: The bolded is why I consider it a sport.

I have no problem with golf or bowling being sports. You have to physically move to play either. A 90 year old person isn't going to be able to compete on the same level in either. You could at 90 still play poker or chess which are considered sports sometimes too. That's how I see things anyway. If you can still do it at 90 on the same level it's not a sport, but a game.

Also, I'd have to go with a triathlete or something similar for best athlete. I think people greatly underestimate how insanely hard it is to own a world record.

Tiger would whoop hell out of anyone on the Senior PGA tour, even though their "skills"
should be much more finely honed due to age/experience.