But there are sacrifices, particularly in the social arena. There are the Saturday rounds of men in plaid pants. Then there are the serious competitive types. Considering herself one of the latter, Axelrod objects to the way in which golf's athleticism and difficulty is downplayed. Recently, in a tournament in Palm Springs, it was 115 degrees.
Endurance is really important.
You have to be a person who can be alone and who is very disciplined. Unlike other sports, golf has two seasons, which makes it particularly demanding for a college athlete. Come September, Axelrod will be spending 20 to 25 hours a week traveling and working out. In addition, she says, golf is a solitary game. In any other team sport, you rely on others.