As Tiger Woods gets ready for the U.S. Open, one of golf's biggest stages, a new Nike advertisement featuring the world's top-ranked golfer has hit airwaves, seemingly aimed at putting to rest the old debate over whether golf is truly "a sport."
Detractors of golf point to players like John Daly, who can be considered overweight or "unathletic." Daly is also a known smoker; cigarette puffing men with bellies are generally not the image conjured up alongside the word athlete.
Woods, though, has dominated the spot for many years in large part to his rigid workout regimens and tip-top physical condition. Having battled through several knee surgeries, Woods likely would not be able to play at this level if it weren't for his high-level training.
In this bizarre television spot, iconic elements of other sports are superimposed onto shots of Woods on the course. Before teeing off, a gun is fired into the air much like a sprinting event. Later on Woods lines up a putt, but a raucous crowd is seen screaming and waving thunder sticks in front of him, mimicking a road environment for an NBA free throw shooter.
In another scene Woods misses a tough putt and falls to his knees. A boxing referee comes into the picture, starting a ten count. Toward the end, Woods launches a shot with a catcher and umpire behind him, before the commercial closes with Woods sinking a putt and a gallery roaring behind him.
While Tiger Woods' athleticism is rarely questioned, the use of imagery from other "sports" seems to highlight what is missing from golf. The goal of the ad is likely to insinuate that Woods would be able to overcome all the obstacles presented in other sports, and that golf is equally legitimate in comparison.
The closing line of the ad, though, reads "For the athlete in every golfer." This seems to draw a line of demarcation between "athletes" and "golfers." Regardless of what the intent of the commercial is, it's got people talking.
As usual, Tiger emerges victorious.
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