Golf is Superior to Baseball | The Michigan Golf Journal

Guest Column by Bill Hobson

As a sure sign that Hollywood is completely out of ideas, the April box office charts were topped by “Godzilla vs Kong.” That debacle of a “blockbuster” captivated this viewer with the same intensity as listening to Ben Stein read the phone book or watching the 7th pitching change of a 12-0 baseball game.

Somehow, two formerly formidable institutions like movie production and Major League Baseball have managed to lose an entire generation of fans through a lack of creativity (movies) and common sense (MLB).

In light of this shifting leisure time landscape, I would like to nominate a new national pastime – golf – and offer up these 6 foundational reasons that golf is far superior to baseball.

6.No PGA Tour Commissioner has ever referred to a major championship trophy as a “piece of metal,” as did clueless MLBCommish Rob Manfred.

5.In baseball, players and managers can be ejected if they argue too forcefully over a call. In golf, players serve as the referee (Patrick Reed notwithstanding).

For all the ridicule golfers absorb for their style of dress, at least we don’t wear stirrups and pretend they serve a purpose.

Golf has Shot Tracer.

Baseball has multiple umpires huddling under giant headphones solely for the purpose of listening to someone else in New York tell them how to adjudicate a play that was crystal clear 4 minutes ago to everyone watching at home. If there was anyone watching at home.

Baseball rewards a .300 hitter with $12 million per year. That same player also receives daily meal money, free transportation (chartered flights), and stays in the best hotels.

Golf rewards a .300 hitter with a prime spot in the Thursday afternoon golf league, pushing a cart and trying to take home a trophy worth $31. There are no guaranteed contracts in golf. You perform with excellence or find a new career path. Either way, you cover your own costs for travel and living. Miss the cut? Too bad. Miss a check.