Nothing beats game of golf as a live spectator sport

If you love golf but have never attended a professional tournament, you’re really missing out. There is nothing quite like watching the greatest players in the world in person as they amaze you with their brilliance — and also prove that they can chunk it in the water or miss a 4-footer just as well as you can.
And yet it seldom occurs to most people to attend a golf tournament. Even people who actually play golf — and who will happily obtain the home equity loan necessary to take their family out for an afternoon at Fenway — seldom think of golf as a great live spectator sport.
So, here’s a well-kept little secret: In many ways, golf is the best sport to watch in person — better than football, baseball or even beach volleyball. And here are the Top 10 reasons why:

1. All fans are created equal. With most sports, you buy a ticket for a particular seat, and you have to sit there and nowhere else. If you’re willing to pay a fortune, you can get a good seat, but otherwise you’re the hoi polloi and you’re forced to sit far away from the action. (And if you’re in right field at Fenway, you’re not even facing the action.) That’s not true for golf; at a tournament, everyone pays the same price and everyone has equal access, whether you arrive in a new Jaguar or a beat-up Corolla.

2. Up close and personal. You can see the world’s greatest players walk by an arm’s length away or watch them tee off 6 feet in front of you. Try getting that close at a football game! And you can actually see what they look like, because they don’t wear helmets, chest pads or face masks. In fact, if you follow around a top player who doesn’t happen to be in contention that day, it can feel like you’re part of a private foursome.
And unlike, say, basketball, you’ll see a tremendous amount in person that you don’t see on TV. One of the reasons golf seems boring on TV is that it’s virtually impossible for a TV camera to convey what a 300-yard drive looks like, how difficult an approach shot really is or the precision required around a tough green. Trust me; it’s much more dramatic in person.

3. The venue itself is interesting. Sure, some baseball fans enjoy classic locales such as Fenway or Wrigley Field, but how many people go to a Bruins game because they like the TD Banknorth Garden? By contrast, most golf tournaments are played at courses that are unique, historic and beautiful. Many are also highly exclusive — you can’t get in the rest of the year unless you’re a member. Going to a golf tournament is essentially being invited to a party at a fancy private club.

4. You can have it your way. Buy a seat at Gillette Stadium and that’s basically your only view of the game. With golf, however, you can go wherever you want. You can follow one player around, or you can stay in one place and watch all the golfers as they come through. You can follow the leaders and see the drama unfold. You can watch your favorites on the driving range. You can do one thing, then change your mind and do something else. You can experience the event however you want.

5. Don’t give me a break. Golf has no halftime, no time outs, no pitching changes and no seventh-inning stretch. Result: There’s no one moment when tens of thousands of people all descend at once to get a drink or go to the bathroom.

6. Value for your money. A round at a golf tournament usually starts early in the morning and ends in the early evening. If you stay all day, you’ll probably pay about $4 or $5 an hour — comparable to a movie. Now take the average Celtics ticket price, divide it by the length of the game and compare the hourly rate.

7. There’s no “manufactured excitement.” Some people say golf is dull, but golf is interesting enough in itself that it doesn’t need constant interventions to keep fans from getting bored. There are no razzle-dazzle player introductions, no half-time “entertainment,” no cheerleaders, no ridiculous contests during time-outs, no T-shirts being lobbed into the crowd, no booming announcer, no movies above the court, no piped-in music and none of the other distractions that insult spectators’ intelligence. Added bonus: You don’t have to look at ads everywhere, and no one butchers the national anthem.

8. Watching is good exercise. Go to a baseball game and the only exercise you’ll get is stumbling over the people next to you to get a beer. But go to a golf tournament and you can easily walk five miles through the woods. It’s not just fun; it’s also good for you.

9. Inspire your kids. What better way to get your kids interested in playing with you, and developing a healthy, lifelong hobby, than taking them to see Tiger Woods or Michelle Wie? Plus, you’ll be showing them role models who compete at the highest level but also shake hands, compliment each other’s shots and fix their ball marks — as opposed to competitors who take steroids, compile a rap sheet and get fined for unsportsmanlike conduct.

10. It’s easy. There’s generally enough room at a golf tournament for everyone who wants to attend, so you can just show up that day and buy a ticket. That means you don’t have to plan ahead; you can decide to go or change your mind at the last minute. You also don’t have to pay outrageous online “convenience” fees or negotiate with scalpers.
So take your family to a golf tournament this year and discover a well-kept secret for yourself!

Thomas F. Harrison is vice president of new business development at Lawyers Weekly and editor of www.Harrison Report.com.