Is snooker harder than golf?

[MarkT]

Shaun Murphy tweeted this...

‘Snooker is the hardest single player sport in the world. Change my mind’

Not sure quite what he’s measuring this by (other than probably trying to amuse himself after getting knocked out) but where would you put golf in the chat?

 

[Neilds]

Is golf single player as you have a caddy? Personally I would say tennis as it is physical and you are on your own for 4 -5 hours some matches with no one to help. At least in snooker you have a break every few frames to try and sort things

 

[tugglesf239]

Snooker is undoubtedly a hugely skilful game

The margins of error are significant and the levels of concentration and technique needed at the top levels, is phenomenal.

However the ball travels a few yards at most, it is not affected by the weather and the table provides a perfect surface 100% of the time.

Golf is significantly more skilful in my opinion. Not to mention significantly more difficult.

 

[KenL]

I have played a lot of snooker in the past.
For me, it is easier to become "decent" at golf than it is to become decent at snooker.

Let's say decent at golf is single figures and decent at snooker is to make a 50 break.

Pool, is a lot easier than golf.

 

[Leftitshort]

I’m not even sure snooker is a sport. If we’re being serious surely a combat sport is harder
Golf is tricky, but more ways a being good imo

 

[Curls]

Shaun Murphy tweeted this...

‘Snooker is the hardest single player sport in the world. Change my mind’

Not sure quite what he’s measuring this by (other than probably trying to amuse himself after getting knocked out) but where would you put golf in the chat?

Switch on the Olympics - summer and winter - and see what hard individual sports look like. As just said above combat sports, tennis, even stuff like fencing is technically crazy difficult at the highest level and snooker, while no doubt difficult, is played by fat blokes in perfectly repeated conditions. It’s hard Shaun but have an actual look at yourself ?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Switch on the Olympics - summer and winter - and see what hard individual sports look like. As just said above combat sports, tennis, even stuff like fencing is technically crazy difficult at the highest level and snooker, while no doubt difficult, is played by fat blokes in perfectly repeated conditions. It’s hard Shaun but have an actual look at yourself ?

I think you are just looking at the physical side of a sport - what about the techincal side which for a lot of sports is far harder.

 

[Neilds]

I think you are just looking at the physical side of a sport - what about the techincal side which for a lot of sports is far harder.

Also, the mental Side of some sports where you are struggling and there are no caddies/coaches etc to help. This is why I mentioned tennis

 

[ScienceBoy]

Snooker probably isn’t the hardest, golf is way easier than snooker though.

 

[Curls]

I think you are just looking at the physical side of a sport - what about the techincal side which for a lot of sports is far harder.

Not at all, all of those sports are technically extremely difficult too - but come with the added pressure of maintaining concentration with severe physical demand on the body and or the movement of an opponent (or indeed the imperfections of weather and or ground conditions as per golf) to consider. Like I say snooker is undoubtedly technically difficult but the most difficult? I don’t think so. Players routinely put in 147s - a perfect frame. There no chance of perfect in other sports

 

[Papas1982]

I have played a lot of snooker in the past.
For me, it is easier to become "decent" at golf than it is to become decent at snooker.

Let's say decent at golf is single figures and decent at snooker is to make a 50 break.

Pool, is a lot easier than golf.

I’m not sure I’d compare single figures with a 50 break.

I reckon if you went to a local snooker club you’d find a higher percentage of regular players who have had a 50 break than single figure golfers in the clubhouse.

 

[Papas1982]

Not at all, all of those sports are technically extremely difficult too - but come with the added pressure of maintaining concentration with severe physical demand on the body and or the movement of an opponent (or indeed the imperfections of weather and or ground conditions as per golf) to consider. Like I say snooker is undoubtedly technically difficult but the most difficult? I don’t think so. Players routinely put in 147s - a perfect frame. There no chance of perfect in other sports

Roonie has 15 in his entire pro career. Hardly routine....

 

[Crow]

One isn't harder than the other, you become as good as your natural ability and the time you put in allows you to.

You then compare yourself to others in the sport, if it's a popular sport there will be some extremely good players at the top who have natural ability and have put in huge amounts of time to practice so they can reach the top.
If less popular then there won't be the same incentive to train harder to achieve a pinnacle as the competition is less.

 

[Sats]

female dog please, (can't use the swear word so) I've yet to see anyone shank a snooker ball, hook /slice or thin/top it. Snookers difficult but not like golf.

 

[Curls]

Roonie has 15 in his entire pro career. Hardly routine....

My point is that it’s possible, the conditions make it so, many sports have continuous change in conditions or opponents that make it impossible to get a perfect anything. Again I’m not challenging the fact that snooker is really difficult. And is the argument that it’s harder for the average person or at elite level the margins are so tiny as to make it the most difficult elite sport? Because I’m sure a 50 break and single figures are achievements but I think Shaun Murphy is talking about his level and if he is - id put the performances of top athletes in other sports above winning a snooker tournament

 

[Taz]

Completely different.
the more beer I drink the better at snooker I get.
The more beer I drink the worse I get at golf.
?

 

[Papas1982]

My point is that it’s possible, the conditions make it so, many sports have continuous change in conditions or opponents that make it impossible to get a perfect anything. Again I’m not challenging the fact that snooker is really difficult. And is the argument that it’s harder for the average person or at elite level the margins are so tiny as to make it the most difficult elite sport? Because I’m sure a 50 break and single figures are achievements but I think Shaun Murphy is talking about his level and if he is - id put the performances of top athletes in other sports above winning a snooker tournament

i agree with all the above. Just think the notion that having the perfect environment contributes to a 147 is false.
That being said, varying conditions don’t always make sport harder.

Athletes often get accredited records if wind helps too much.
Even on golf, the weather is used as a courses defence. How often are links courses torn apart by pros on calms days?

 

[ManinBlack]

Is golf single player as you have a caddy? Personally I would say tennis as it is physical and you are on your own for 4 -5 hours some matches with no one to help. At least in snooker you have a break every few frames to try and sort things

You have a break every frame if you're any good. ?

 

[Ethan]

Snooker has the same table set up, same balls, hardly any need to switch club/cue, balls don't end up lost or in water, no weather issues ... seems a lot more standardised and repeatable than golf.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

My point is that it’s possible, the conditions make it so, many sports have continuous change in conditions or opponents that make it impossible to get a perfect anything. Again I’m not challenging the fact that snooker is really difficult. And is the argument that it’s harder for the average person or at elite level the margins are so tiny as to make it the most difficult elite sport? Because I’m sure a 50 break and single figures are achievements but I think Shaun Murphy is talking about his level and if he is - id put the performances of top athletes in other sports above winning a snooker tournament

My view is that all sports are too different to compare.

However, what I would say about snooker is that it requires a very high standard of play at all times because the margins for error are so small.

Isolating games that are technical in nature, it’s hard to think of one that is as technically demanding as snooker because of the level of precision that is required at all times and the tiny margin for error.

But, going back to my original point, there are few sports that rely so heavily on technical skill. There is a sliding scale from there I would say, golf is technical and physical, and you keep going through to something like boxing, which although of course has significant technical elements, is primarily physical.

Impossible to compare sports at opposite ends of the spectrum. Snooker has a strong case for being the most technically demanding sport though I would say.