Should Golf be an Olympic Sport?

Views: 916 | Email | Flag | Print |

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge has said consistently since the 2004 Games in Athens that the IOC is looking to do everything possible to open up the Olympic Games to young people, and the ability of a prospective Olympic sport to make a younger generation passionate about sport is believed to be a crucial factor for selection. Would golf do this?

With seven sports on the shortlist for inclusion in the 2016 Olympics Games, the International Golf Federation (IGF) set out its bid to the IOC last week with the youth-engagement work of the UK Golf Foundation a central topic of discussion.

OK the IGF is doing it's best to encourage youngsters play golf but despite Tiger Woods undoubted influence globally does today's younger generation think this is a great sport compared to others? Does today's streetwise savvy kid with all the instant gratification available through computer games, desire for instant celebrity and fast immediate sports like soccer, football and now 20/20 cricket have want to spend half a day on a golf course.

Notwithstanding that, is golf an olympic sport? It does not have a tradition as such but that does not matter if it's a matter of considering the future. Well anything goes nowadays so why not, given the acceptance of synchronised swimming, bmx cycling etc. Hmm.... Strictly Come Dancing will be next on the list. And why not - it's one of my favourites!
Views?

Keith
Keith Irving
iStadia

Tags: future of golf, golf center, golf centre, golf development, golf performance, golf, igf, international golf federation, olympic sport, olympics, tiger woods

Posted November 21, 2008 at 4:31 AM by keithirving | Permalink | Comments(4)

Comments

In my view golf should not be an Olympic sport.

While I'm at it, neither should soccer, nor tennis.

All of the other Olympic sports that I can think of, the Olympics is the pinaccle of the sport. For tennis and soccer it is not, and neither would it be for golf.

--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com

Posted by robrobson | November 22, 2008 at 1:05 AM

I kind of agree with that but if it was, would it attract youngsters to the Olympics? And what would be the format one individual from each country or anyone within the top 100 world rankings or perhaps teams of two or even make it purely amateur?. In almost any case notwithstanding purely amateur presence, the USA (Tiger Woods) would be an overwhelming favourite. Would professionals be interested if it meant missing out on a Major to compete for a gold medal and no money? Even then golf would be competing for media coverage against all the other Olympic events, would it not? Exposure to younsters would I am guessing be minimal. A completely different format might be attractive - lowest score over 18 holes so long as the round was completed in less than 2.5 hours and specific time limits on each hole otherwise immediate expulsion. No, I can't see that working either!

Keith
Keith Irving
iStadia

Posted by keithirving | November 24, 2008 at 1:57 AM

Nah, it's a complete anomaly in my opinion.

--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com

Posted by robrobson | November 27, 2008 at 12:25 PM

I have to agree, I'm not particularly keen on professional sports being in the Olympics. That said, what is a professional sport these days, and how do you determine which sports are suitable for the Olympics? Basketball has some of the highest wages in the world, and yet that's been accepted, though I would query its suitability as an Olympic sport. I like Rob's idea of it being the pinnacle of the sport, that's a pretty good judge I think.

Maybe golf could instead do what boxing has done, and have amateurs enter the Olympics, while the professionals carry on with their thing. I would suggest that maybe golf is a bit slow for some people, and maybe having a 9 hole par 3 format would be a better option. People also like the idea of a nail-biting finish or final, so incorporating some kind of play-off might be an option as well.

Here are a few more thoughts on this from the players themselves.

http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate/news04/olympic2.html

Gary Baker
The Centre for Sports Hypnosis

Posted by garybaker | November 28, 2008 at 4:29 AM