Monday, March 20, 2006

Drug Test PGA Pros? You've Got To Be Nuts!

With all the problems that other professional sports are having with drugs, particularly steroids, there's talk by some that professional golfers should be tested. Don't be ridiculous. If you know anything about steroids and about golf, I have to believe you'd agree with me.

To play golf at the highest level, you want flexibility and lots of it, not bulk. Imagine Jose Conseco or Jason Giambi trying to play golf. All that mass is going to make it near impossible. I remember when Barry Bonds was lean and wiry. I'm not saying he's taking steroids, but I know I'd take his old body any day for playing golf at the highest level.

And what about the steroid mentality of wanting to rip people's heads off. That probably serves you well in the NFL, but that's the last thing a golfer needs. Anyone who works at the game knows that controlling your emotions is at least half the battle. When pro golfers start bending their 3 irons around people's necks, that's the time to get out the drug test kits.

However, if pro golf continues to migrate toward 400 yard tee shots and wedges, then you might be tempting fate.

3 comments:

Erik J. Barzeski said...

There are more drugs than steroids...

Anonymous said...

Beta blockers could come in very handy as a pro golfer. They're illegal too.

John said...

You're right, there are lots of drugs out there besides steroids. How about things like caffeine, alcohol and antihistamines. I'm thinking that golf is a game that requires extremely fine tuning, more so than other sports. You play better the cleaner you are.

Having said that, if you're suffering from allergies, should you be allowed to use an antihistamine or should you have to play without. If you're back aches, can you take aspirin or how about a muscle relaxer. In these examples the golfer is already handicapped because they are hurting.

I've never taken steroids, but from what I've read they surely wouldn't help me golf. Beta blockers can calm you down, but how much do you want to be calmed down and how often. I can't believe that someone is consistently winning tournaments because they're on beta blockers.

Bottom line, it's not worth testing pro golfers for drugs when the likelihood of them helping is so very small and so unpredictable. I'd rather be in good shape, with no aches and pains and very flexible to have the best chance of scoring low.