I am an avid tennis and badminton player, as well as an occasional jogger to the ocean and back, but I can attest that an afternoon of golf is no less exhausting, especially for someone whose handicap is as high as the par score. By the way, carts serve two useful purposes. Golf is not an easy game. Before I started playing in college, I snickered at these folks in khakis trying to hit a small white ball with a stick. Actually, golf turns out to be the most difficult game or sport I have ever played.
Golf is a game that requires total balance and tranquility of the mind.
Most beginners try too hard and end up not suceeding. Strength helps, but what really will cut down on the scores is patience, precision, and a good sense of Taoist and Buddhist philosophy. Along the same lines, a sport is not a sport only because it constantly involves strenuous exercise. If that were the only criterion, many generally accepted sports, besides those mentioned in Kwack's article, would be disqualified. Big and prosperous countries such as the United States have the best trained athletes because they have the best training equipment and programs, as well as athletes who have access to the most nutritious sustenance.