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When I was in college many years ago, one of the professors asked us to name a nonproductive activity. I remember only one answer from that otherwise forgotten autumn day: leaf raking. But how about the pseudo-sport of golf?
I would define sport as an activity that requires the execution of timely, coordinated and repeated muscle movements while purposely traversing a distance. That is the performance of exertive kinetic activity over time.
Walking or riding to a spot or spots where one stands to swing or tap a club against a stationary ball hardly seems to qualify as a sport.
Playing pool is not a sport either. Nor is dart tossing or bocce.
Oddly enough, ballroom dancing is both a competitive sport and performance art.
It seems ridiculous to turn over so many acres to a nonproductive, marginally entertaining activity. One that occupies so much land, uses so much water, requires so many toxic substances which flow into the ocean, and which costs more than most people who live here can afford.
I also wonder about the development of the consciousness of those who obsess about this activity or who indulge in it frequently. Because of carts, one doesn't even get any exercise out of this activity.
How about a hefty tax surcharge placed on indulging this privileged, unnecessary and detrimental activity?
Raphael O'Suna
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