Ohio State football players have become passionate about another sport

INDIANAPOLIS – The sports couldn't be more different in many ways.

One requires 11 players working as one. The other is purely solo.

One involves constant movement and collisions. The other involves little movement and no violence, except that inflected on the little white ball.

Football and golf might have little in common, but many Ohio State football players have taken to the sport as a welcomed diversion from their primary sport and a way to bond away from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

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“The majority of the guys on the team golf now, so now everyone has somebody to golf with,” cornerback Denzel Burke said.

What's the appeal?

“I think it's just the competitive nature of us trying to conquer a game that's so hard,” Burke said.

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So who's the best golfer on the team? Emeka Egbuka said he is, claiming a 6.6 handicap.

That doesn't surprise OSU coach Ryan Day. Emeka is a superb athlete, excelling at baseball as well.

“There's not much Emeka can't do,” said Day, who said he believes Egbuka might be sandbagging about his handicap.

Egbuka said quarterbacks Lincoln Kienholz and Will Howard are other top players, along with offensive lineman Toby Wilson.

As for Burke, Egbuka said, “Denzel is someone whose game's not all the way there yet, but he plays the most out of anybody. He's going to be really good soon.”

Day said he has golfed only once this summer, but he's happy that his players have taken a liking to the sport.

“Golf has really been great for them, and we have some great golf courses in Columbus,” he said.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football players have become passionate about another sport