A "panel of experts" over at espn.com, that's who. ESPN.com's Page 2 section ranked the toughest sports, one through 60, and golf doesn't fare too well.

In fact, golf comes in all the way down at No. 51, just ahead of cheerleading. But hey, at least we also beat out curling!

The panel rated each sport in various categories such as strength, endurance and so on, and concluded that boxing is the toughest, most-demanding sport of all. Golf fared particularly poorly in the categories of speed and agility. I supposed these so-called "experts" have never seen John Daly grabbing for another six-pack.

I believe Page 2 has vastly underrated the toughness of golf as a sport, and of golfers themselves. How tough are golfers? Consider these facts:

• Walking 36 holes in a day? One word: chafing.
• We get a lot of calluses on our hands.
• Using clubhouse showers always carries the risk of athlete's foot.
• Those rotisserie weiners rotating at the snack bar have been there since 1986.
• New golf shoes can take a few rounds to break in.
• Sure, a caddie will carry your golf bag for you, but some of them have real attitude problems.
• Sometimes, in complete disregard of accepted etiquette, a golfer will play out of turn. This can be very hurtful to the feelings of his playing partners.
• The condition of on-course restrooms at municipal golf courses can make a hockey goon scream like a little girl.
• Not all sunscreens are hypoallergenic.
• Golf tees? You could put an eye out with those things.

Yeah, let's see a boxer perform his sport in lime-green polyester pants with a 2-inch-wide white belt, and then talk about which sport is toughest.