Drugs in golf!

[Khamelion]

Lance Armstrong was hardly ripped like a freaking steak (obscure Fighting Talk reference ahoy) though was he.

It all depends on your end goals as to what your drug of choice would be. Armstrong wanted performance enhancing drugs to increase endurance, athletes who require strength for their sport will no doubt take some sort or a variation of an anabolic to promote muscle growth, it wasn't that long ago snooker went through the same thing with players taking beta blockers to calm nerves.

Can't see many golfers wanting to look like Arnie as no matter how flexible you are, at that size movement would be restricted some what.

I dare say the abuse of drugs is out there and atletes from whatever sport will be taking them, lets just hope that when golf is thrown under the spot light it's because of one of the lesser known minor players, not one of the stars.

 

[Crawfy]

And I am living proof as I'm on them permanently after my Heart Op. ;(

But they do impact heart rate and are therefore on the banned list

 

[Iaing]

A bit of Speed wouldn't go amiss for lots of them.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I dare say the abuse of drugs is out there and atletes from whatever sport will be taking them, lets just hope that when golf is thrown under the spot light it's because of one of the lesser known minor players, not one of the stars.

I think it would be better if anyone is to be caught then it was one of the stars, so something will happen instead of a blind eye being taken if it's a nobody. Nobody will care if Paul Streeter gets caught, but they will if say Luke Donald does (legal caveat: Not that I am any way inferring that Luke is taking any kind of drugs whatsoever)

 

[Imurg]

Golf being the sport it is, there is a combination of power and finesse required. The majority of Sports need one or the other, seldom both so any drug used to combat one wouldn't be of use as it would affect the other.
The only drugs that would benefit a Golfer would be those that speed up the healing process after injury, or to prevent injury in the first place.
As has been said, with Golf in the Olympics now, it's a matter of time before there are routine checks for all manner of substances deemed illegal - and some names will get pulled.

 

[Khamelion]

I think it would be better if anyone is to be caught then it was one of the stars, so something will happen instead of a blind eye being taken if it's a nobody. Nobody will care if Paul Streeter gets caught, but they will if say Luke Donald does (legal caveat: Not that I am any way inferring that Luke is taking any kind of drugs whatsoever)

Very true, I see your point, but golf as a whole could do with lots of positive reporting, to try and bring the game to the fore, get more people playing and the membership rates for clubs increasing.

I would hope if any of the professional players were caught, the shockwaves it would send through them would be sufficient for them to get their respective houses in order. If it was one of the lesser players then yes it may get swept under the rug but the negative impact on the game globally would be relativley small, if however one of the stars in the top 25 gets caught then golf gets a hammering and the impact on the game globally is massive.

 

[Imurg]

if however one of the stars in the top 25 gets caught then golf gets a hammering and the impact on the game globally is massive.

Yeah - we'd all have to stop then.........

 

[Yerman]

Can they test for Irn Bru?

 

[Foxholer]

As an Olympic sport, they'll have to sort it out pretty soon.

I don't actually actually believe any 'performance enhancing' drugs have any nett effect in golf, though there could be benefits from 'recovery enhancement' ones like that supposedly in Deer Antler spray.

Testing for 'Recreational' drugs, certainly if they include Caddies, might cause chaos though - allegedly!

Actually just realised that they certainly do conduct tests on players at tournaments - but not Caddies.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

beta blockers arent going to help you bust the ball.

They might do - further they are aimed at reducing stress and tension thus enabling anxious individuals to concentrate on the task at hand...

 

[Hacker Khan]

Very true, I see your point, but golf as a whole could do with lots of positive reporting, to try and bring the game to the fore, get more people playing and the membership rates for clubs increasing.

True. But I am sure there will be lots of positive articles appearing this summer when the Open goes to Muirfield, what with the progressive attitudes to women that they have there and at the R&A. Actually, a drugs scandal might well work in taking the attention of all that.

 

[JustOne]

I couldn't care less about people taking drugs in any sport. I want to see a good performance and if that means someone pushing their body to the limit then that's entirely up to them, that is effectively the point of top level sport.

Given the choice I'd rather be wowed by steroid driven people running 8 seconds for the 100m than 9.5 seconds and eating spinach. To me it's a human achievement and just as important to see how the body can be taken to new limits. One day we might all take some new steroid... and live for 500yrs!

Can't think of any drug that would suddenly make me shoot 65's every time out... if it exists them please PM me the details

 

[scratch]

I couldn't care less about people taking drugs in any sport. I want to see a good performance and if that means someone pushing their body to the limit then that's entirely up to them, that is effectively the point of top level sport.

Given the choice I'd rather be wowed by steroid driven people running 8 seconds for the 100m than 9.5 seconds and eating spinach.

Can't think of any drug that would suddenly make me shoot 65's every time out... if it exists them please PM me the details

Nice windup

 

[deanobillquay]

I could do with some drugs to forget how bad I play at times

 

[nobetterbruv]

In Vijay's case specifically I think an example has to be made. Ignorance is no defence, but further than that, as it appears that they all received information advising them of the banned status of this 'supplement' then he can't even claim ignorance/naivety in my mind.

I agree though that this may very well be the tip of the iceberg, and whilst I hope it isnt, the inclusion of golf in the Olympics will increase the focus and may force the governing bodies' hands in more rigourous testing. The continual assertions by the powers that be that the game is clean won't wash in future, I really think they've got to grasp the nettle and put in proper blood testing for both sides of the 'performance' coin whether that be beta-blockers for the yippers and anxious guys or for human growth hormone which is allegedly in use.

 

[Tab373]

I don't see how drugs will help anyones golf. In endurance sports I get it as it builds muscle making you last longer and beat the field but golfers I suppose could hit the ball further but they still need to swing the club on the correct plane to get the correct results. Surely drugs can't make you swing it on plane all the time.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I couldn't care less about people taking drugs in any sport. I want to see a good performance and if that means someone pushing their body to the limit then that's entirely up to them, that is effectively the point of top level sport.

Given the choice I'd rather be wowed by steroid driven people running 8 seconds for the 100m than 9.5 seconds and eating spinach. To me it's a human achievement and just as important to see how the body can be taken to new limits. One day we might all take some new steroid... and live for 500yrs!

Can't think of any drug that would suddenly make me shoot 65's every time out... if it exists them please PM me the details

Ach well - someone has to defend the accused.

 

[Tommo21]

Gary Player actually said that he has been told by players that they use banned substances but wouldn't name them because he was told in confidence which to me makes him as bad as those taking it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/2317259/Drugs-in-golf-a-fact-says-Gary-Player.html

Why would it make him as bad.......surely the RnA USPGA whoever should act on it, right or wrong, and test to make sure it doesnt go on.

 

[leaney]

Of course golfers have taken drugs in the past and some will do even today. They are in every other sport and it would be extremely naive to suggest that golf was excluded from them.

Human Growth Hormones help injuries recover twice as fast. Right or wrong, that would tempt a lot of people.

There's always been talk of Tiger Woods taking steroids to get bigger and stronger. Some even suggest his knee problems were a side effect of his steroid use. Tiger got big quickly and knowing what he did to his wife, I wouldn't be surprised if it came out one day that he did in fact use steroids and other banned substances. His morals are somewhat questionable.

 

[USER1999]

Of course golfers have taken drugs in the past and some will do even today. They are in every other sport and it would be extremely naive to suggest that golf was excluded from them.

Human Growth Hormones help injuries recover twice as fast. Right or wrong, that would tempt a lot of people.

There's always been talk of Tiger Woods taking steroids to get bigger and stronger. Some even suggest his knee problems were a side effect of his steroid use. Tiger got big quickly and knowing what he did to his wife, I wouldn't be surprised if it came out one day that he did in fact use steroids and other banned substances. His morals are somewhat questionable.

Normally steroids reduce you bed room performance? I don't hear any complaints about tiger?