I used to think golf isn't a real sport.

    Golfers didn't seem athletic. They didn't seem like they could outrun Newt Gingrich, especially to McDonald's.

    I thought golf involved nothing more than guiding a ball into a hole. It seemed only a notch above croquet.

    (I don't want to offend all you croquet people. At least your game is a notch above pin the tail on the donkey.)

    But after consulting the Professional Golfers Association (PGA), I've changed my mind about golf.

    It has to be a real sport, because pro golfers -- unlike basketball, football and baseball players -- are required to do a lot of walking.

    Yes, walking. What most of us do when we can't find a good parking spot.

    I bring this up because of the recent court ruling that allows Casey Martin, a golfer who can't walk because of a circulatory disorder, to ride a cart on the PGA tour. (Silly me, I used to think carts are as essential to a golfer as plaid pants.)

    Martin had to sue the PGA, which insists that walking is an integral part of golf and Martin would have an unfair advantage over other golfers. The PGA plans to appeal the court ruling.

    Pro golfers are required to walk from the tee area to the green. They get so much exercise, they're often as tired as their caddies.

    In fact, the amount of walking in golf might even qualify it as an extreme sport. Especially since golfers risk slipping on the grass and getting a strain -- or even worse, a stain.

    Most of us, especially those who haven't played golf, didn't realize walking was such an important part of the sport. That's largely because the TV networks, in their ignorance, never show us much of the walking. The dummies keep focusing on the putting and driving.

    By showing the walking, they could really liven up their commentary: "There goes Woods, the tour's most amazing walker. Have you ever seen such a smooth stride? He's about to walk past Nicklaus on the fairway. Azinger is falling behind. He stopped to tie his laces, which could be a tactical error."

    When golfers walk, the networks often show us a commercial. And we miss all that great action.

    We're left wondering why the golfers are sweating and panting. And why they keep leaning on their clubs.

    Walking should not be taken lightly. It's an Olympic sport and has been practiced since the Garden of Eden, when Adam tried to walk out on Eve.

    Many of our ancestors walked for miles and miles. Then someone got tired of walking and invented the car. And now only poor folks walk.

    Most of us would rather drive than walk. But on the PGA tour, you have to walk to do any driving.

    What bothers me most about the PGA's stance is that it reflects the widespread disregard for the plight of disabled people. Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act, many employers and businesses -- you know who you are -- haven't made themselves accessible.

    Most people forget that they could easily become disabled. All it takes is one accident. If you can't walk, you can't do many things.

    Why make pro golf one of them?