toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

[Nathon Detroit]

The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for February 18th, 2013 06:00 AM

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

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[gcthomas]

They are sportsmen, certainly. But athletes? This is a word definition problem. They are not athletes if the word means a track and field sportsman.

 

[LKmommy]

The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for February 18th, 2013 06:00 AM

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

Take the topic above and run with it! Slice it, dice it, give us your general thoughts about it. Everyday there will be a new TOL Topic of the Day.
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Yes, because all require some sort of skill, training, endurance, and then "pressure" to perform in a competition. A golfer swings and can choose to walk the course instead of ride a cart. A bowler has to lift the ball, perfect a hook, etc. And though I don't find racing a car to be a physical type sport, one does have to have knowledge of the car/capabilities/ratios's AND somewhat "fit" to be able to fit into the cars and the safety mechanisms in place. When drag racing if it is same car, same skill, same reaction and my opponent weighs 100lbs more than me...that can affect a pass time.

 

[Cricket]

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

Bowlers are...

 

[Lighthouse]

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

I'm not sure, but I know cricket players definitely aren't.







And neither are rugby or soccer players.

 

[Psalmist]

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?​

​

Athletes by definition: somebody with athletic ability, who has the necessary abilities to participate in physical exercise, especially in competitive situations such as games, races, and matches

By definition I think they are, and in actuality they show much athletic ability without having to run the bases, cross the goal lines, sink the ball through the hoop, or net with the puck.

All three require a physical agility, stamina, skill, and they are competitive; even playing golf or bowling individually is a self competition to help one improve.

Golfers get the most out door exercise, and to be good at what they takes concentration, and fit is part of that concentration.

Bowlers are confined to a long narrow area, they exert stress and strain motions that them to be flexible in motion, yes and concentration is a part of it.

Race care drivers have long not been considered athletes since they sit through the entire race. Still though sitting throughout the race takes strength to handle car, and an extreme amount of being alert. Today's race car drivers workout to maintain a physical strength and to stay mentally sharp.

One automobile race car driver that comes to mind about having strength and stamina, it is the 1953 Indianapolis 500 and Bill "Iron Man" Vukovich (the winner), there are and have been a lot good and talented drivers, but none equal to Bill Vukovich in determination, google the 1953 Indy 500, it was time when race cars didn't have a lot the improvements they have today, and those improvements make for better drivers.​

 

[Vaquero45]

They are sportsmen, certainly. But athletes? This is a word definition problem. They are not athletes if the word means a track and field sportsman.

I like this answer, "sportsmen" is a good term. As far as "athletes", I wouldn't call any of those three games "athletic" sports, so participation in them wouldn't make one an athlete, but being in good athletic shape should certainly help to some degree in all three. And I wont argue this strongly, fun question, but I don't care if someone disagrees.

 

[Quincy]

I think if you play either sport at a "professional" level then you can be considered an athlete. It takes some great physical skill and talent to hit a ball as far as Tiger Woods and it takes a team of talented professionals as well as a lot of endurance and mental strength for a racecar driver such as Jimmy Johnson to be able to win at a consistent rate like he does.

 

[Memento Mori]

I have a question for those who don't think Racing is a sport. How many g's to drivers have to withstand and how many times throughout a race?

 

[Quincy]

Not to mention how intense and exhausting the heat in the cars during the races are. I doubt many of us could withstand it.

 

[Town Heretic]

Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

Sure. Physically and mentally developed skill sets put to the task in a competitive setting. Check. As with anything, there are levels of skill and physicality required. And Phys Ed majors are college graduates, but no one is affording them the same level of respect they would other subjects. So there's a degree of difficulty/common access at the highest levels distinction.

 

[ebenz47037]

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

Well, my mom's late husband was a golfer who considered himself an athlete. And, my dad's been in the senior bowling league for several years (even been in the championships on TV) and considers himself an athlete.

 

[kmoney]

I like this answer, "sportsmen" is a good term. As far as "athletes", I wouldn't call any of those three games "athletic" sports, so participation in them wouldn't make one an athlete, but being in good athletic shape should certainly help to some degree in all three. And I wont argue this strongly, fun question, but I don't care if someone disagrees.

I like this answer. I wouldn't call them athletes but that isn't intended to demean what they do. All 3 require a large amount of skill and mental toughness. They just aren't all as physically demanding as other sports.

If I had to say one of them is athletic I'd say that the drivers are because of how much being in that car takes out of you.

 

[john w]

"Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?"

Negative. The standard for making the assessment? Any alleged "sport," in which you can "booze it up," or smoke, while doing it, is not a sport, and thus, those partaking in it, are not athletes.

QED.

This eliminates:
-Golfers
-Bowlers
-Race car drivers
-Poker players
-Pinochle players
-Jarts players
-Billiard players

I have graciously ended this thread, and now it's Miller time...

 

[Psalmist]

"I have graciously ended this thread, and now it's Miller time...

Miller time...

1936 Indianapolis 500
Winner: Lou (Louis) Meyer / Lawson Harris, riding mechanic.
Car: 1934 Miller Special, Stevens/Miller Chassis.
Engine: 4 cylinder Miller
Average speed:109.069 mph
Time: 4 hr. 35 min. 3.390 sec.

 

[Tambora]

toldailytopic: Are golfers, bowlers, and race car drivers, athletes?

No.

 

[john w]

Miller time...

1936 Indianapolis 500
Winner: Lou (Louis) Meyer / Lawson Harris, riding mechanic.
Car: 1934 Miller Special, Stevens/Miller Chassis.
Engine: 4 cylinder Miller
Average speed:109.069 mph
Time: 4 hr. 35 min. 3.390 sec.

I have officially eliminated Baseball as a sport, although, seeing that we are in a "politically correct world," today smoking in the dugout is no longer allowed.

 

[Lighthouse]

I'll tell you who the real athletes are: poker players!