Golf in the Olympics

[Leftyuk]

Amazing how Americans say the Ryder Cup is a non event until they win it. Watch a recording of Day 2 at Medinah , and Day 3 at Brookline, and then tell me none cares, especially Tiger.

Golf, like football, is not an Olympic sport. Amateurs only makes sense.

 

[Northerner]

Amazing how Americans say the Ryder Cup is a non event until they win it. Watch a recording of Day 2 at Medinah , and Day 3 at Brookline, and then tell me none cares, especially Tiger.

Golf, like football, is not an Olympic sport. Amateurs only makes sense.

I didn't say it was a non event, I said I don't believe these millionaires care one bit about it anymore. They care about all the stacks of money they are after. In today's world, pride in country are a distant second (or third of fourth) on their hierarchy of priorities. Tiger's appallingly horrible record (during the stretch that he was the best golfer in the world) kind of is exhibit A in that regard.

I think it's more of an indictment on civilization than on the game or the RC or the Olympics.



Just my opinion.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

I didn't say it was a non event, I said I don't believe these millionaires care one bit about it anymore. They care about all the stacks of money they are after.

Tiger's appallingly horrible record (during the stretch that he was the best golfer in the world) kind of is exhibit A in that regard.


Just my opinion.

Did you watch Tiger at the Presidents Cup? Maybe things have changed in recent years, and I may be blinded by my love of these events, but I wouldn’t say they don’t care about the Ryder Cup.

 

[Northerner]

Did you watch Tiger at the Presidents Cup? Maybe things have changed in recent years, and I may be blinded by my love of these events, but I wouldn’t say they don’t care about the Ryder Cup.

Yes I did. He didn't convince me.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

Yes I did. He didn't convince me.

I had a blast watching that team. Is the only way he can convince you by winning matches in years past when he was #1 in the world?


Back to the main topic, I love Olympic golf and I look forward to watching unknown (to me) amateurs or the best pros in the world compete for gold. I just don’t want to see it disappear from the games again as I think it’s a cool opportunity to showcase the game.

 

[Mark_UK]

No. The Olympics is overloaded with far too many sports. I would throw out many of them.

Id agree with this. The beauty of the olympics to me is watching sports I’d never normally consider watching involving athletes I’ve never heard of. The sports where people get up at 5 in the morning and dedicate 4 years of their life to that crack at the gold is what’s makes the olympics special.

 

[Northerner]

I had a blast watching that team. Is the only way he can convince you by winning matches in years past when he was #1 in the world?
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Back to the main topic, I love Olympic golf and I look forward to watching unknown (to me) amateurs or the best pros in the world compete for gold. I just don’t want to see it disappear from the games again as I think it’s a cool opportunity to showcase the game.

I'm absolutely a proponent of golf in the Olympics. I don't get why anyone who claims they are a golf fan would be in any way against it.


It's interesting to me that so many alleged golf fans don't want it in the Games. And apparently have no problem with the "sport" of speedwalking or BMX biking or skateboarding being added to the Games.



It's not like most any country on the planet doesn't have the infrastructure for golf. Golf IMO would be the most friendly to Olympic infrastructure as you don't have to build a bunch of stadiums for the sport.


Anyways, that's my view on it. I would have no real problem if it was am-only. Like I said they might actually cherish such an opportunity.

 

[Mark_UK]

It's interesting to me that so many alleged golf fans don't want it in the Games. And apparently have no problem with the "sport" of speedwalking or BMX biking or skateboarding being added to the Games.

Personally, the BMX events I’ve seen, where they are track racing have been some of the best Olympic events I’ve watched. It’s brilliant. Short, sharp and exciting. Each to their own though.

 

[Northerner]

Personally, the BMX events I’ve seen, where they are track racing have been some of the best Olympic events I’ve watched. It’s brilliant. Short, sharp and exciting. Each to their own though.

I've got no problem per se about bmx.

My pointvis, that golf is a sport that goes far back further than bmx.

That fact some people would be cool with speedwalspeedwalking, or bmx or whatever but not golf is a head scratcher to me.

 

[Mark_UK]

I've got no problem per se about bmx.

My pointvis, that golf is a sport that goes far back further than bmx.

That fact some people would be cool with speedwalspeedwalking, or bmx or whatever but not golf is a head scratcher to me.

My only issue with golf being in there is I don’t think it’s that important to the vast majority of the players. I like the idea of an event every 4 years where the olympics is pretty much the pinnacle of that sport. Golf, football and tennis. I don’t really think anyone gives a who is Olympic champion including the competitors. I only know Andy Murray was Olympic champion in tennis because he was a Brit that won when London hosted. Couldn’t tell you who won 4 years ago. Or the football. I know Rose got gold, I know Stenson got a medal (silver?) no idea who got the other medal. I seem to remember it was an American, Kuchar maybe? But I’m not on the Olympic committee, so what I think is, ultimately, pretty irrelevant LOL.

 

[Northerner]

My only issue with golf being in there is I don’t think it’s that important to the vast majority of the players. I like the idea of an event every 4 years where the olympics is pretty much the pinnacle of that sport. Golf, football and tennis. I don’t really think anyone gives a who is Olympic champion including the competitors. I only know Andy Murray was Olympic champion in tennis because he was a Brit that won when London hosted. Couldn’t tell you who won 4 years ago. Or the football. I know Rose got gold, I know Stenson got a medal (silver?) no idea who got the other medal. I seem to remember it was an American, Kuchar maybe? But I’m not on the Olympic committee, so what I think is, ultimately, pretty irrelevant LOL.

I actually think the tennis pros take it as an honor. And the best women golfers in the world? I am not sure, but I think most of them view winning Gold as perhaps the greatest achievement. Not sure about it but I do believe it's at the top to them since their "majors" are kind of suspect.


(For the record, speedwalking is literally the dumbest thing I have ever seen in the history of my life.)

 

[Mark_UK]

.........rather than say it shouldn’t be in the olympics, a better way to describe my stance is almost certainly I’ll watch other sports at the olympics rather than the golf (and that will include fast walking, archery, diving etc etc)

 

[Leftyuk]

So when Bradley and others were punching the air on day 2 at Medinah, and Phil was calling out Watson after Gleneagles, it was because they didn't care???????????????????????

 

[Hitsnmisses]

No no and no , golf has many other tournaments and majors and tours to expose its self for pros

Amateurs equally have their own events , the Olympics were based on the ancient games , the modern games from Baron decubertin , have introduced , games that bear no relevance to sports but more recreational activity. The separation of a game that’s been inasmuch as it native state as golf for centuries it’s not a pop up sport .

The game itself is currently in surge of new interest of the back of worldwide virus and its challenges .

so no from me

 

[DataDude]

I really like golf in the Olympics. That said the Olympics will never be an important golf event like it is for track and field, gymnastics, skiing, swimming, etc. It's always going to be just an exhibition for the sport of golf because golf already has major events unlike those other sports where the Olympics is the one shot to shine in front of a large audience. I guess my advice to fans would be enjoy what you get instead of trying to make it something it's not.

 

[USAF Retired]

I won't watch golf in the Olympics as it's just another tournament and doesn't have enough of the top players.

Can't wait to watch Simone Biles and many other of the Olympic sports!

 

[Northerner]

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Three times major champion Phil Mickelson said on Tuesday that getting golf into the Olympics would have an impact that would dwarf the game’s major championships.

“I think having golf an Olympic sport is exponentially more important to the game of golf than the majors,” Mickelson told reporters.

Mickelson yearns for Olympic golf, Immelman disagrees

Three times major champion Phil Mickelson said on Tuesday that getting golf into the Olympics would have an impact that would dwarf the game's major championships.

www.reuters.com

 

[BigMac]

I've got no problem per se about bmx.

My pointvis, that golf is a sport that goes far back further than bmx.

That fact some people would be cool with speedwalspeedwalking, or bmx or whatever but not golf is a head scratcher to me.

Breakdancing is an Olympic sport now.

 

[Northerner]

Breakdancing is an Olympic sport now.

That's just it. If they are going to fill with filler rubbish like speedwalking or skateboarding or breakdancing, I see no reason why a real sport that has a real history shouldn't put in.


Now if people think sports like basketball or tennis or golf or hockey don't even belong in the Games because they were never part of Olympic Games going back, that is a different discussion altogether.

 

[Hitsnmisses]

I have a question all th one golfers who are putting their hands up to play at the games ,,,, l image cdb products would be classified as enhancing ? Or prohibited under the rules of the games ,,, wonder how that would pan out,,,,,

 

[FairwayGreen]

I love golf being in the Olympics.

I don't mind the current format of 72 holes for Men and Women professionals. If a lot of the top male professionals seem to not want to do it, i wouldn't mind seeing it evolve to something like:
Womens Professional division - 72 holes
Womens Am - Can be a stroke play tourney, or set up like a US am (stroke play then Match play).
Mens Am - Can be a stroke play tourney, or set up like a US am
And just drop the mens professional division.

I can't think of a good way to create a competitive team event other than just 2-person formats but that will increase the rounds on top of the individual stroke play tournament.

I still think a mens pro division would work well even without a couple of the big names. We saw JRose and Fowler all in on the Olympics, so a lot of the pros do care about it.

 

[dAS0]

Synchronized golf?

 

[Scorp]

I voted yes for everything. Including team twice.

Golf in the olympics? Sure, I'm not opposed to that... for the record I also haven't watched the past couple of olympics due to lack of interest. I follow the medal counts though... at least as long as I get something for it... like a free donut or cheeseburger if the US wins the most medals in a day. (Remember when McDonald's was doing that? It's been several olympics since that though so maybe no one remembers...)

I also think olympic sports should be amateurs. No professionals. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Mark_UK]

I also think olympic sports should be amateurs. No professionals. But that's just my opinion.

So the likes of Sebastian Coe, Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps shouldn’t be able to compete? Most athletes are professionals, it’s just they don’t own the big bucks of the bigger sports. If a sport is in the olympics, I’ve always thought the olympics should be the pinnacle of that sport, which is maybe what you mean by no professionals.

 

[MrDC]

Nah, no interest, The Olympics should be strictly non-pro sports, no baseball, no football, none of it.