What is the most difficult sport to play?

[bsaza2358]

If you are naturally athletic, you will be able to pick this kind of thing up, so hockey is not all that difficult. All sports require ability, dedication, work, etc. to excel. I am a solid athlete, so I could go and play a sport and get by on my hustle and natural talent. Not so with golf. I had to work very hard and get professional help before I could even become mediocre.

[doingthisinsteadofwork]

I said Lacrosse mainly because of how much conditioning you need to do for it.Wrestling should be an option as well.

[bsaza2358]

I don't think we really set criteria for what makes a sport difficult. Perhaps we need to do that.

[ironman4579]

Originally Posted by bsaza2358

If you are naturally athletic, you will be able to pick this kind of thing up, so hockey is not all that difficult. All sports require ability, dedication, work, etc. to excel. I am a solid athlete, so I could go and play a sport and get by on my hustle and natural talent. Not so with golf. I had to work very hard and get professional help before I could even become mediocre.

But do you know how to skate? If you don't, then all the hustle and natural talent in the world won't matter, because you won't even be able to stand up, let alone actually move. With golf, as long as you can walk, you can play(hell, as long as you can stand you can play, as long as you have a cart). Not so for hockey. Now, could you leanr to skate, then get better, and get better quicker than you can at golf? Probably. But to just start playing a sport, it's much easier to just start playing golf than to start playing hockey. I reaaly don't see how this is even a question. If you can stand you can play golf. If you can't skate, you can't play hockey.

[bsaza2358]

Just because you can play the sport without much physical ability doesn't mean that it's easier to play. Playing and playing well are 2 different things. Golf is beyond physical skill. The precision needed there and muscle control is extraordinary.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by bsaza2358

Just because you can play the sport without much physical ability doesn't mean that it's easier to play. Playing and playing well are 2 different things. Golf is beyond physical skill. The precision needed there and muscle control is extraordinary.

A lot of sports require extreme muscle control and precision. Basketball is one. Baseball another. Playing QB in football. Etc.

[Smokey Joe]

hitting a baseball and hitting it with the sweet spot of the bat is the toughest thing to do in all sports. You have to hit a round object moving at high speeds with a cylinder. Not to mention several pitches you have to be looking for.

[Billingsley26]

Originally Posted by bsaza2358

Just because you can play the sport without much physical ability doesn't mean that it's easier to play. Playing and playing well are 2 different things. Golf is beyond physical skill. The precision needed there and muscle control is extraordinary.

Ya your right. But that is not what the question is asking or what Ironman is tlking about. He is saying...to take a person who is brand new to sports, and give him golf clubs and a pair of skates, which one will he succeed at immediately? It will obviously be Golf, becaue no person on this earth would skate well enough to play hockey the first time thye put a pair of skates on.

[ironman4579]

Originally Posted by bsaza2358

Just because you can play the sport without much physical ability doesn't mean that it's easier to play. Playing and playing well are 2 different things. Golf is beyond physical skill. The precision needed there and muscle control is extraordinary.

That's the point though. Are we talking about playing, or playing well? I'm simply talking about playing the sport, not playing it well. It's easier to play golf than hockey. It's easier to play hockey well than golf.

[ironman4579]

Originally Posted by Billingsley26

Ya your right. But that is not what the question is asking or what Ironman is tlking about. He is saying...to take a person who is brand new to sports, and give him golf clubs and a pair of skates, which one will he succeed at immediately? It will obviously be Golf, becaue no person on this earth would skate well enough to play hockey the first time thye put a pair of skates on.

Thank you, that's exactly what I'm saying. I'm not talking about being good at the sport. I'm talking about just playing the sport at all.

[Namy]

This really depends on the definition of "difficult"... For example, in terms of...

Most difficult to start: It has to be golf. This is not a sport that you can get by on athleticism like so many naturally gifted people can. It's largely a sport of skill, mechanics, discipline, and experience... so it takes a lot of time to get used to it.

Most difficult physically: It has to be either boxing (any kind) or rugby. Not only does it take a lot of physical endurance, both are big time collision sports. The reason I didn't put football is because rarely do people play both offense and defense in a game. Boxing and rugby tho are constantly physical until the match is over.

Most difficult to master: Call me crazy but it might be pitching in baseball. I'm not big on baseball, but with so many good hitters, it seems imperative for pitches to have a wide variety of great pitches at their arsenal... not to mention the mental ability to be perfect under pressure situations. A slight hesitation can lead to a HR.

Most difficult to be the best: In my opinion, it's tennis. This may be THE most competitive sport I've ever played. With all the racket speed nowadays, it's becoming physically very hard as well. At every higher level, ever opponent you face will be better, stronger, faster, have different styles, serves, spins, net/baseline play and skill sets that you must overcome within the match to win. It's not a sport you can gameplan for. You must get a feel for your opponent during the game, and beat them during that timespan.

[MaxV]

Originally Posted by Namy

This really depends on the definition of "difficult"... For example, in terms of...

Most difficult to start: It has to be golf. This is not a sport that you can get by on athleticism like so many naturally gifted people can. It's largely a sport of skill, mechanics, discipline, and experience... so it takes a lot of time to get used to it.

Most difficult physically: It has to be either boxing (any kind) or rugby. Not only does it take a lot of physical endurance, both are big time collision sports. The reason I didn't put football is because rarely do people play both offense and defense in a game. Boxing and rugby tho are constantly physical until the match is over.

Most difficult to master: Call me crazy but it might be pitching in baseball. I'm not big on baseball, but with so many good hitters, it seems imperative for pitches to have a wide variety of great pitches at their arsenal... not to mention the mental ability to be perfect under pressure situations. A slight hesitation can lead to a HR.

Most difficult to be the best: In my opinion, it's tennis. This may be THE most competitive sport I've ever played. With all the racket speed nowadays, it's becoming physically very hard as well. At every higher level, ever opponent you face will be better, stronger, faster, have different styles, serves, spins, net/baseline play and skill sets that you must overcome within the match to win. It's not a sport you can gameplan for. You must get a feel for your opponent during the game, and beat them during that timespan.

I play tennis, it's a great sport. It's very high-paced and exciting game to play. I don't think it's the most difficult to be the best though.

I would think that would be MMA.

[jayceheathman]

Originally Posted by cordscords

Mixed martial arts, followed by baseball.

I dont think MMA is hard, you just have to be willing to get your ass kicked from time to time. I took one martial arts class because my cousin teaches it and by the end of the day I could do some of the moves. Learning how to get out of submissions would take a lot of practice though.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by jayceheathman

I dont think MMA is hard, you just have to be willing to get your ass kicked from time to time. I took one martial arts class because my cousin teaches it and by the end of the day I could do some of the moves. Learning how to get out of submissions would take a lot of practice though.

Try doing the moves on a guy who is trying to kick your face in. In terms of conditioning, I don't think anything other than boxing touches MMA.

[Billingsley26]

Originally Posted by Namy

This really depends on the definition of "difficult"... For example, in terms of...

Most difficult to start: It has to be golf. This is not a sport that you can get by on athleticism like so many naturally gifted people can. It's largely a sport of skill, mechanics, discipline, and experience... so it takes a lot of time to get used to it.

Most difficult physically: It has to be either boxing (any kind) or rugby. Not only does it take a lot of physical endurance, both are big time collision sports. The reason I didn't put football is because rarely do people play both offense and defense in a game. Boxing and rugby tho are constantly physical until the match is over.

Most difficult to master: Call me crazy but it might be pitching in baseball. I'm not big on baseball, but with so many good hitters, it seems imperative for pitches to have a wide variety of great pitches at their arsenal... not to mention the mental ability to be perfect under pressure situations. A slight hesitation can lead to a HR.

Most difficult to be the best: In my opinion, it's tennis. This may be THE most competitive sport I've ever played. With all the racket speed nowadays, it's becoming physically very hard as well. At every higher level, ever opponent you face will be better, stronger, faster, have different styles, serves, spins, net/baseline play and skill sets that you must overcome within the match to win. It's not a sport you can gameplan for. You must get a feel for your opponent during the game, and beat them during that timespan.

Most difficult to start would not be Golf at all. Infact, that would probably be the easiest to start. Like said before, if you can walk and stand, you can start Golf. Hockey probably has to be the hardest to start, becaue it takes a long time for one to get used to skating, then adding in skating and controlling a puck, then skating, controlling the puck and shooting the puck...and so on.

[MaxV]

As far as learning it, MMA probably isn't the most difficult, but in order to be the best in it, you have to be EXTREMELY good.

Guys like Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture are BEASTS.

[scottyboy]

for different people, different sports are harder. I consider myself fairly athletic in terms of playing sports(not speed or jumping, but playing sports). I dont find it difficult to catch a football, or hit people in lacrosse, or drain a hook shot in b-ball. BUT, I cant handle a lax stick well at all(granted, it's a D-pole), not a good skater which makes hockey hard, and could never hit a baseball for my life, same with tennis.

Some people are better than others at certain things and sports making endless views on which sport is the most difficult.

Golf is extremly hard to master, but not hard to start up and play. To be good, it's soo hard, but to just play and not be absolutly terrible, not THAT hard. I rarely golf, and end up with around 100-110. Some things come naturally to different people.

[Green Bay Scat]

Originally Posted by MaxV

As far as learning it, MMA probably isn't the most difficult, but in order to be the best in it, you have to be EXTREMELY good.

Guys like Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture are BEASTS.

isnt that in every sport? but really no sport is really to hard to play, some is based on your genetics, you dont see Jake Long playing hockey and you dont see Federer playing football, you do what your best at.

[jayceheathman]

Originally Posted by Green Bay Scat

isnt that in every sport? but really no sport is really to hard to play, some is based on your genetics, you dont see Jake Long playing hockey and you dont see Federer playing football, you do what your best at.

Very true words. Baseball is really easy for me. I never considered it hard. Basketball on the other hand I have always been pretty bad at. I never had the attention span to be able to play golf. Its just too boring.

[619]

golf is certainly the hardest because as some have put it u just cant get by on pure athletic ability. from that list football personally is one of the easiest to play and no i havent been playing it my whole life either.

[HoopsDemon12]

Originally Posted by NYGibril28

GOLF is hard

I agree with this quote... i have played basically every other sport on that list for atleast a year.. and golf is the one i found hte hardest

[jayceheathman]

Originally Posted by 619

golf is certainly the hardest because as some have put it u just cant get by on pure athletic ability. from that list football personally is one of the easiest to play and no i havent been playing it my whole life either.

Then how do you explain Tiger Woods being so good? I'm sure the other guys practice just as much or if not more than he does.

[Billingsley26]

Originally Posted by 619

golf is certainly the hardest because as some have put it u just cant get by on pure athletic ability. from that list football personally is one of the easiest to play and no i havent been playing it my whole life either.

We aren't talking about that tho. We're saying...if you talk a brand new person to sports. And hand them a set of golf clubs or a pair of skates. Which one will they get the jist of first?

Obviously golf. Skating takes time and effort to even leanr that aspect....before even thinking about passing or shooting ir hitting others.

[roughrider30]

From my experience of both playing and coaching hockey i would definitely say hockey is the most difficult, for the same reasons everyone else has been saying. In most other sports walking or running or even standing ,in golf's case, is something that comes natural to us, because we have to know how to do that for daily life. This results in people being able to start off right away learning the skills of the game hitting a golf ball, baseball, etc.

Now in hockey's case to even think about learning about shooting a puck or anything for that matter they must learn not only how to skate on skates but to simply stand on their skates, which is extremely difficult and sometimes takes a year or more to completely get that part down in some cases It is almost like teaching someone to walk. All of this must come before they learn about much of the aspects of the game.

So, if the argument is about starting up a sport i would definitely say hockey, but if it was about excelling in that sport you could make a legitimate argument for most sports.

[Eaglez.Fan]

Originally Posted by bsaza2358

Hockey is tough, but people with great balance and athleticism can take care of business in a hockey rink. I think you have to work the most at getting good at golf.

Just because you have good balance doesn't mean you can skate. If Bruce Lee had the best balance in the world and he's never staked before he'd be horrible at it.