Just say no to Olympic golf

Maybe you're gripped by Olympic fever. Maybe Michael Phelps really is the Tiger Woods of swimming. (I don't think so). Maybe four-man kayak racing is the best sport in the world.

I've seen enough of the Olympics, though, to know that it doesn't need golf. Olympics officials have already ruined basketball, baseball and tennis as Olympic events by allowing professionals to compete. There is no compelling reason to add golf. For one thing, golf is already a global game with plenty of tours and tournaments worldwide. Second, the Olympics don't fit in the PGA Tour's schedule very well in August, which currently has the World Golf Championship event in Akron, the PGA Championship and the start of the FedEx Cup.

Men's golf already has four major championships. So does women's golf. The only reason Olympic golf is being considered again (after that failed try at the '96 Atlanta games, when it was shot down due to Augusta National's membership practices) is Tiger Woods. He's the most famous man on the planet, the most admired sportsman and, in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee, he would be money in the bank. This Olympic golf movement isn't about advancing the game or bringing it to the world. Golf already is global.

No, this Olympic movement is all about trying to cash in on Tiger's legend and charisma. Olympic golf with Tiger teeing it up would probably be a ratings (and money) bonanza. In my opinion, it's just another cash grab.

I'm not sure Tiger would even consent to play. He doesn't appreciate others cashing in on his likeness,  and he's not looking for more tournaments he's obliged to play in. The Olympics doesn't need golf. Golf doesn't need the Olympics. I don't know why we're even still talking about it.

Comments

[Greg Pinelli]

This no golf at the Olympics arrogance is pumped by the same people (van Sickle is at the forefront) who are endlessly trying to come up with a point system for the Fed Ex Cup that will make someone either..
1. Know what is possibly going on..or
2. Care
Have golf in the Olympics..combined scores over 4 rounds are for the gold etc..and do away with gymnastic ribbon twirling..which makes bird watching seem like an X-games sport.
The Fed ex cup and the PGA tour guy who has come up with that point system are pretentious. Let the individual Tour sites have their day without someone elses name in front. Maybe Tiger would then have time to fly over the Himalayas and pretend he's designing an important course for posterity.

[x]

Wake up Gary! Almost all sportsmen on Olympic games are professionals. There are just few disciplines which aren't practising on professional level.

"Second, the Olympics don't fit in the PGA Tour's schedule very well in August, which currently has the World Golf Championship event in Akron, the PGA Championship and the start of the FedEx Cup."

Entire world is not USA and USA is not entire world. Who cares about Fedex or WGC? Non-USA people care about majors only and there is just one major in August. Note OG are once in four years and this is/could be interesting for players.

"Olympics officials have already ruined basketball, baseball and tennis as Olympic events by allowing professionals to compete."

It is just your point of view. Olympic games are competition of and for best players (Do you know the meaning of Olympic word?). And almost best players in baseball, basketball and soccer are professionals. I don't want to watch "second" league but I want to watch best of the bests.

[JM]

Why is everyone so fixated on the professionals? Leave them out of it and get golf into the Olympics as an amateur event - country against country. You are right wrt tennis etc being ruined - professionals competing. Get the amateurs in there.

And Daniel, according to your post, discuss throwers and shotputters and weightlifters are also not athletes? Same type of thing as golf. You need to be in good physical condition to get the best out of your game. Thinking otherwise is just ignorance. Look at Daly, lots of talent but a fat slob - results predictable. Even Phile et al might carry some excess bodyweight, does not mean they are not in good physical condition.

[Daniel]

Wait a minute: Shouldn't Tiger Woods aspire to be the Michael Phelps of golf? I mean Phelps did win everything and even Tiger hasn't pulled off that ... yet.

[Gary]

The olympics are about athletes and let's face it golfers are not, yes Tiger included athletes. Tiger might be in great shape but I've never seen him or any golfer for that matter break into a sweat that was not directly related to the weather while competing. The olympics are about athletes and sport. As for Phelps being compared to Woods, get a grip, Phelps is more a sporting phenomenon than Tiger. Let's face it, Mickelson, Westwood, Montgomerie and Lumpy have all competed at the highest level in golf with a bit of a ponch in the belly so athletic is not the word that comes to mind when I think of golf nor is Olympics. Comparing Phelps to Woods is like comparing Lance Armstrong to the likes of a Kasparov. I

[Jafer Patterson]

I would love to see golf in the Olympics, as long as it was Amateur Golf. I agree with you that the Olympics has ruined all the sports that it allowed professionals to compete in, so the problem isn't the sport, it's the professionals!
And Tiger will be 37 by the time London rolls around, so he'd be down for 1 or 2 Olympics at best. We should have Olympic Golf, and it should be for amateur athletes, as should all Olympic events.

[Francisco Basilio Espinosa]

"golf is already a global game" no creo que esto sea así ni mucho menos, quiza usted debería salir un poco de su castillo. El golf tiene mucho más para dar. Parece que no quisieran que se popularice el juego, si trabajaron por esto habría 10 tiger woods más.

[lefty53]

I don't even like the Ryder or Presidents Cup events.

Golf at the highest level is not a team sport.

The appeal of golf is one person against the course and other competitors over four days. The person playing the best those four days is the winner.

And, Tiger wouldn't play and who could blame him.

[Hainer, The]

Can't think of a more effective way to water down all that is meaningful in tournament golf than to toss a "let's see what happens" kind of tournament at a world that already has plenty of events - held annually - with better fields, better coverage, and more history.

[Greg Pinelli]

Golf is played..and well..by more countries than play any other team sport.The sports the Olympics has "ruined" are all judging sports....Ice skating and gymnastics come to mind. Otherwise..you're blowing smoke! Virtually every Olympic Games host has quality world class venues in play. Perhaps you don't think Tiger Woods and Phil Mikelson or Jim Furyk would match up in a team competition well with any number of other countries..but golf could use the emotional pull of the Olympics...Do you really understand the game? Or is the whole "question" a low level attention getting device?

[andyh]

could you elaborate more on how the olympics has ruined basketball, baseball, and tennis? I find it more exciting than the regular seasons.

firstly, everyone knows the olympics is scheduled every 4 years, i am certain one of those pga logistics guys can think of a way to fit in the olympics.

If the olympics has badminton and table tennis, considered to be two "sports" then I don't think it's a ridiculous idea to consider golf.

but you're right, golf is already a global game and unless they change the game setup, I don't think golf should be in the olympics due to the "excitement" factor. There is no excitement unless its sunday on the back 9. Maybe they should do "longest drive", or "closest to the pin", or "fastest to walk a par-5 course" tournaments :p

andy

[Marty]

I agree. The only events that should be in the Olympics are ones that don't already have a good market. Soccer, baseball, tennis, golf, basketball etc. all have substantial leagues and tournments.

[david]

Golf should not lower itself to compete in the olympics.

[Paul Hollingsworth]

Here here!