--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists…" description: "\"A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists watching 144 masochists.\" — Thomas Boswell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png" --- # A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists watching 144… ![“A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists watching 144 masochists.” quote by Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png) > “A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists watching 144 masochists.” [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spectators often derive pleasure from others' pain, highlighting voyeuristic tendencies. **In simple terms:** People enjoy watching others suffer. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy over schadenfreude. Themes spectatorship schadenfreude ethics Mood critical thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - sports events - reality TV - online trolling - competition Key Concepts human nature sports culture psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we find pain entertaining? - How can we promote compassionate viewing? A Different Perspective Some enjoy competition without cruelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Golf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/) [Golf tournaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf-tournaments/) [Tournaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournaments/) ## Related quotes > [When I was playing in a junior tournament one time, I missed a short putt and threw my putter into the trees. I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/when-i-was-playing-in-a-junior-tournament-one-time-i-missed-a-short/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I go back there and all my friends are there when I have my golf tournament. They treat me the same way they did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-farr/i-go-back-there-and-all-my-friends-are-there-when-i-have-my-golf/) [Jamie Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-farr/) > [“There is only one reason to do a charity golf tournament. To make money! But while golf tournaments can be exhausting, time-consuming and fraught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-king/there-is-only-one-reason-to-do-a-charity-golf-tournament-to-make/) [Tom King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-king/) > [There are three types of golf: golf, tournament golf and Major championship golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/there-are-three-types-of-golf-golf-tournament-golf-and-major/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Tiger, come on now, you've still got work to do. This round and golf tournament are not over. Hang in there and finish the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/tiger-come-on-now-you-ve-still-got-work-to-do-this-round-and-golf/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [ At a certain point in the \[golf\] tournament, it becomes a match play event and becomes a match play event against who is on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/at-a-certain-point-in-the-golf-tournament-it-becomes-a-match-play/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [The Masters is more like a vast Edwardian garden party than a golf tournament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-cooke/the-masters-is-more-like-a-vast-edwardian-garden-party-than-a-golf/) [Alistair Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-cooke/) > [I've really got no complaints about the way I played, just extremely frustrating with the putter and I'm sure there's a lot of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-norman/i-ve-really-got-no-complaints-about-the-way-i-played-just-extremely/) [Greg Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-norman/) > [In golf, you definitely have your ranking. But it's a bit different than tennis. Whenever there's a golf tournament, you feel like almost anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casper-ruud/in-golf-you-definitely-have-your-ranking-but-it-s-a-bit-different/) [Casper Ruud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casper-ruud/) > [I went to Moses Malone's golf tournament in Houston, and I've been hooked ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-smith/i-went-to-moses-malone-s-golf-tournament-in-houston-and-i-ve-been/) [J. R. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-smith/) > [I want to get good enough so I can play in Mia Hamm's golf tournament for her foundation and have an event of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-krieger/i-want-to-get-good-enough-so-i-can-play-in-mia-hamm-s-golf-tournament/) [Ali Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-krieger/) > [I don't know of any other organization that's raised more money than golf has, because if you are a baseball player, you're a football…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-trevino/i-don-t-know-of-any-other-organization-that-s-raised-more-money-than/) [Lee Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-trevino/) > [I know this golf tournament has my name on it but it's not about me. It's about the Louisiana Tech family. There is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bradshaw/i-know-this-golf-tournament-has-my-name-on-it-but-it-s-not-about-me/) [Terry Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bradshaw/) > [We raised almost 2 million dollars at the last golf tournament that can be used for minority scholarships and Junior Golf programs. The payoff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/we-raised-almost-2-million-dollars-at-the-last-golf-tournament-that/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [It was hard growing up because there was nothing close. I never went to a golf tournament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-woodland/it-was-hard-growing-up-because-there-was-nothing-close-i-never-went/) [Gary Woodland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-woodland/) ## More by Thomas Boswell > [An almost inexorable baseball law: A Red Sox ship with a single leak will always find a way to sink No team is worshipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/an-almost-inexorable-baseball-law-a-red-sox-ship-with-a-single-leak/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Football is played best full of adrenaline and anger. Moderation seldom finds a place. Almost every act of baseball is a blending of effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/football-is-played-best-full-of-adrenaline-and-anger-moderation/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Of the big four, the PGA is the most fair and the least fun. Basically, it's just the US Open set up by nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/of-the-big-four-the-pga-is-the-most-fair-and-the-least-fun-basically/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Some things cannont possibly happen, because they are both too improbable and too perfect. The U.S. hockey team cannot beat the Russians in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/some-things-cannont-possibly-happen-because-they-are-both-too/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [“What most people want to keep under wraps (from reporters) is trivial: petty jealousies, professional feuds, etc. By contrast, most of the things they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/what-most-people-want-to-keep-under-wraps-from-reporters-is-trivial/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Conversation is the blood of baseball. It flows through the game, an invigorating system of anecdotes. Ballplayers are tale tellers who have polished their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/conversation-is-the-blood-of-baseball-it-flows-through-the-game-an/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [“Familiarity, and a few dozen cheap flyballs off the Monster, breed contempt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/familiarity-and-a-few-dozen-cheap-flyballs-off-the-monster-breed/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [I think baseball is a great support to people who have emotional voids, gaps, emotional difficulties. That is to say: all of us. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/i-think-baseball-is-a-great-support-to-people-who-have-emotional/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Baseball is not necessarily an obsessive-compulsive disorder, like washing your hands 100 times a day, but it's beginning to seem that way. We're reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/baseball-is-not-necessarily-an-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-like/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Born to an age where horror has become commonplace, where tragedy has, by its monotonous repetition, become a parody of sorrow, we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/born-to-an-age-where-horror-has-become-commonplace-where-tragedy-has/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [In and of itself, sports may be trivial, but as a symbol of the American way of life, it has enormous weight. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/in-and-of-itself-sports-may-be-trivial-but-as-a-symbol-of-the/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Baseball is to our everyday experience what poetry often is to common speech — a slightly elevated and concentrated form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/baseball-is-to-our-everyday-experience-what-poetry-often-is-to-common/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Baseball has traditionally possessed a wonderful lack of seriousness. The game's best player, Babe Ruth, was a Rabelaisian fat man, and its most loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/baseball-has-traditionally-possessed-a-wonderful-lack-of-seriousness/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Quarterbacks have to ask the crowd to quiet down. Pitchers never do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/quarterbacks-have-to-ask-the-crowd-to-quiet-down-pitchers-never-do/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [Baseball is really two sports -- the summer game and the autumn game. One is the leisurely pastime of our national mythology. The other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/baseball-is-really-two-sports-the-summer-game-and-the-autumn-game-one/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) [Explore all 40 Thomas Boswell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) ## More Golf quotes > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I am a millionaire today and my wife deserves all of the credit. Before I met her I was a multi-millionaire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-rodriguez/i-am-a-millionaire-today-and-my-wife-deserves-all-of-the-credit/) [Chi Chi Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-rodriguez/) > [I think one reason people play golf is it allows them to obsess about something other than the daily crap. It takes your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-think-one-reason-people-play-golf-is-it-allows-them-to-obsess-about/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I don't think you play golf just to make money. I think you're just good at it, and that ends up being a profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cantlay/i-don-t-think-you-play-golf-just-to-make-money-i-think-you-re-just/) [Patrick Cantlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cantlay/) > [A good golfers métier is his or her golfing skill. A great golfers métier is his or her golfing skill, coupled with the mastery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/a-good-golfers-m-tier-is-his-or-her-golfing-skill-a-great-golfers-m/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [It's a great feeling to know that I've played the best golf throughout the season of any of the guys for the second time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/it-s-a-great-feeling-to-know-that-i-ve-played-the-best-golf/) [Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/) > [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/) > [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [“Someone’s coming.” Terry McCaleb looked at his wife and then followed her eyes down to the winding road below. He could see the golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/someone-s-coming-terry-mccaleb-looked-at-his-wife-and-then-followed/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I think people like players they can relate to. It seems as if people think they know me. 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You learn a lot about people playing golf: their integrity, how they play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-interesting-thing-is-that-everyone-in-golf-is-just-nice-you-learn/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Being in the fairway, I think the fairways are a little bit more overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-koepka/being-in-the-fairway-i-think-the-fairways-are-a-little-bit-more/) [Brooks Koepka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-koepka/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) [Browse all 3,917 Golf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists watching 144 masochists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Boswell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadists-watching-144-masochists/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Golf" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadists-watching-144-masochists/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/thomas-boswell-16231_golf_a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadist_2967347.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A major golf tournament is 40,000 sadists watching 144 masochists.” — Thomas Boswell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Boswell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A major golf tournament is 40,000...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadists-watching-144-masochists/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/a-major-golf-tournament-is-40-000-sadists-watching-144-masochists/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```