The Great Debate of 2017

[BHoover]

As 2017 draws to a close, I feel that it’s time to discuss what, in my opinion, is one of the great issues facing the game specifically and society in general. The question is simply this—is “golf” (and derivations thereof) properly used as a noun or a verb?


Discuss...

[Ira Fishman]

I golf; therefore, I am.


Ira

[jeffwarne]

I golf; therefore, I am.


Ira

One plays golf.


he does not "golf" or go "golfing"


One bowls, One goes bowling.


Surely you can see the difference.....


Perhaps one "Topgolfs"

[Kalen Braley]

I've always though golf is just another four letter word like the F word....that can be used in multiple forms.


For example:


I play golf
I golf regulary
I golfed the F out of that course
Golfing is for the birds
I gotta get my golf on
To golf or not to golf


etc....

[Brian Finn]

Golf is not a verb.

[Kalen Braley]

Brian,


No disrespect, but i'll take Websters word over yours


https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/golf?src=search-dict-hed

[BHoover]

Golf is not a verb.

So, if you were invited to take a spin around Shinnecock, you would say, “I am playing golf at a solid track today” as opposed to “I am golfing at a solid track today”?

[jeffwarne]

Golf is not a verb.

 “I am golfing at a solid track today”?

See my bowling example....
Golf is not a verb, and Shinnecock is not a track.


I am playing at Shinnecock today.

[Tom Allen]

I'm not that into golfing, but I do tennis a lot.  As a serious tenniser, I tennis about 5 times per week.

I'm not sure there is a true "right" answer, but I prefer to not see it used as a verb.  Serious golfers tend to scoff at it being used as a verb, but on the other hand (as you can see above), Webster permits it.

The real question is:  two spaces after a sentence or one?  (But I don't want to hijack this thread.)

[BHoover]

I'm not that into golfing, but I do tennis a lot.  As a serious tenniser, I tennis about 5 times per week.

I'm not sure there is a true "right" answer, but I prefer to not see it used as a verb.  Serious golfers tend to scoff at it being used as a verb, but on the other hand (as you can see above), Webster permits it.

The real question is:  two spaces after a sentence or one?  (But I don't want to hijack this thread.)

I try do use only a single space. But, regrettably, old habits die hard. Don’t hate me.

[Kalen Braley]

Everything I've read says that its officially changed to one space for publications, books, websites, etc....and I know this is what they teach in school now, i've asked my kids.


But I don't think there is an official governing body on this one!  Perhaps the USGA can make a ruling?? 

[John Kavanaugh]

Golf is not a verb.

 “I am golfing at a solid track today”?

See my bowling example....
Golf is not a verb, and Shinnecock is not a track.


I am playing at Shinnecock today.

When exactly does someone ask where you are playing? Isn't the answer simply...Shinnecock. Please give an example where anyone would reply "I'm golfing at a solid track today." I have a feeling Hoovie got another phone call.

[Kyle Harris]

This is a style argument. I tend to find using activities that have a range of actions involved with them clunky as a verb.

Bowling. Running. Swimming.

These are discrete actions. Their definitions don't include the words a "A game."

Golf consists of various actions which compromise a sport and a game similar to Baseball and Football. Therefore, it's clunky to use Baseball and Football in that context. One plays those games. One plays golf.

Oddly, Bowling would technically be "Ten-pin Bowls, etc." I think we could agree that the sound of Playing Tenpins, et. al. is far more elegant.

[Tom_Doak]

Among the people who had plenty of chances to use "golf" as a verb, but never did, as far as I can recall:


Old Tom Morris, Bernard Darwin, Herbert Warren Wind, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods


So I've always refrained from it, too.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Among the people who had plenty of chances to use "golf" as a verb, but never did, as far as I can recall:

Old Tom Morris, Bernard Darwin, Herbert Warren Wind, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods

I've heard the latter two say it. (The former trio, well, they're a bit before my time…) The context was something like "I golfed my ball well today" in response to a prompt or a question. Jack was referring to someone else's play, and both instances were at The Memorial.

I tend not to use "golf" as a verb, but if someone else says "I golfed today" I don't really care. It's not a reason to look down upon someone else, or to be snooty. It's a verb in just about every dictionary I've seen, and some of the game's best writers have used it as a verb, too.

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/a-look-back-at-the-2006-british-open--when-tiger-woods-outsmarted-everyone-202532822.html - Shane Bacon

Not only do you have to have flawless blueprints, but you have to execute them if you really want to contend, and Woods was almost perfect with the way he golfed his ball that week.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/20080610sirak - Ron Sirak

And since Anderson won three Opens in a row right after the turn of the century (not this century, the last one), I'm thinking he golfed his ball pretty well, also.

Furthermore, its use as a verb is in other sports, too: when a batter connects with a low pitch, the play by play guy might say "he golfed that one into right-center for a double."

----------

Again, just personal taste, but I tend to say "played golf" instead of "golfed." But I don't care if someone else says they "golfed" that day or last week. Good for them!

[Dan Kelly]

Brian --


I used to be a golf-is-a-noun-only guy -- and still do not use any verb form of golf, myself. (Old habits die hard.)


But then, very belatedly, it occurred to me that I never hesitate to use the term "golfer" -- and that if a "golfer" doesn't "golf," I don't know what the hell he (or, of course, she) does.


Happy to be of service,


 


Dan

[PCCraig]

 

[Tom_Doak]

Among the people who had plenty of chances to use "golf" as a verb, but never did, as far as I can recall:

Old Tom Morris, Bernard Darwin, Herbert Warren Wind, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods

I've heard the latter two say it. (The former trio, well, they're a bit before my time…) The context was something like "I golfed my ball well today" in response to a prompt or a question. Jack was referring to someone else's play, and both instances were at The Memorial.

I knew I shouldn't have cited Jack or Tiger.  They were the weak links in my chain.  Tell me Ben Crenshaw ever said it that way, and I'll concede.


Also, did you really intend to compare Shane Bacon and Ron Sirak to Darwin and Wind?

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Also, did you really intend to compare Shane Bacon and Ron Sirak to Darwin and Wind?

NO, no… no comparison there. Apologies if that read as implied. I was merely citing professional golf writers using it as a verb to illustrate that it's not a definite "no, never" type thing.

Some of the folks on my forum have called the use of "golf" as a verb "low-brow" and other demeaning words. As I've said, I don't use it, but calling it "low-class" or anything similarly negative goes too far IMO.

[Matthew Essig]

I honestly don't mind if people use "golf" as a noun or a verb. If people are enjoying the game, that is better for all of us.


However...


I draw the line at "Hit the links" or using "links" for any course. Might be my biggest golf pet peeve.

[BHoover]

I honestly don't mind if people use "golf" as a noun or a verb. If people are enjoying the game, that is better for all of us.


However...


I draw the line at "Hit the links" or using "links" for any course. Might be my biggest golf pet peeve.

I use the term “track”, as it is much better than using “links” to describe a course.

[Garland Bayley]

I typed define golf to Google.

It returned noun AND verb definitions. QED

[Sean_A]

Among the people who had plenty of chances to use "golf" as a verb, but never did, as far as I can recall:


Old Tom Morris, Bernard Darwin, Herbert Warren Wind, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods


So I've always refrained from it, too.

For better or worse, language is dynamic, fluid and ever-changing.  Of course golf is a verb.  Whether folks choose to use it in that manner is a personal choice.  There is nothing to gain by taking a snob's stand on the issue. 

Now...a real issue is links.  When golf is the context...should we say "links course" or "links".  We say parkland course, downland course heathland course etc...is links different?  I am in the habit of dropping "course" when used with links just as I am in the habit of dropping "club" when used with house.  But I am very lazy when it comes to language...hence no snobbery where golf as a verb is concerned. 

Ciao

[Jeff Shelman]

I tend to fall into the golf is only a noun camp, but I’m not going to get offended if someone uses it as a noun.


It’s not that serious.

[BHoover]

The correct answer is that “golf” is not a verb.