Val
Ryder Cup Winner
A big no from me too but if it has to be in I reckon they should rumble the format away from the nromal week to week and make it a strokeplay 1 round with the top 16 playing matchplay from then in to find the winner.
Should Golf be an Olympic Sport?
- Thread starter terrywoodhouse
- Start date
moogie
Tour Winner
NO NO NO
will be meaningless to most Top Golfers
So a Big Fat NO :angry:
will be meaningless to most Top Golfers
So a Big Fat NO :angry:
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
Many sports, for which we consider the Olympics to be the pinnacle, hold world championships and regional championships, leagues etc (athletics, boxing, badminton, swimming, track cycling, rowing etc) so why when other sports have majors, such as tennis & golf, do we not accept them having the Olympics as well?
mcbroon
Journeyman Pro
Agree with everyone who has said no, along with football, tennis and basketball.
If it's not the top of the sport, it shouldn't be in.
If it's not the top of the sport, it shouldn't be in.
FairwayDodger
Money List Winner
Usain, would you prefer to win the Olympic 100 metres or the world championship? (He got DQ'd in the worlds and his comment was "at least it wasn't the Olympics")
Tiger, win the Open or the Olympics?
It's not the fact that there is a world championship, it's the relative prestige of these in the sport vs the Olympics.
Andy Murray was recently quoted that he'd rather have Olympic gold than a grand slam title. Not sure I believe him though...
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Thats becasue he hasn't won one................yet
FairwayDodger
Money List Winner
Yeah, that crossed my mind too. Along with the thought that he maybe doesn't fancy his chances of winning one any time soon!
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
Why not:
Tiger, win the Open & the Olympics?
Why should it be mutually exclusive for Tiger but not Bolt?
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Does any athlete (what ever sport) really represent their country? Do they do it for the flag, or for the personal glory, and the financial reward it brings?
Does the Olympics really represent the best of the best?
What if the top 20 sprinters at mens 100m were all Jamaican?
An Olympic gold at golf won't mean that the best golfer won. It will be the best golfer who could (or bothered to) turn up. In the top 50 in the World rankings, many won't qualify, as there are too many from their nation. So it will be a sub standard field, with Bolivians, Columbians, Trinidadians, Madagascans, etc making up the numbers. Great. What a spectacle.
International sport is never going to be as good to watch as it could be if the best were chosen to perform.
I'm out.
Does the Olympics really represent the best of the best?
What if the top 20 sprinters at mens 100m were all Jamaican?
An Olympic gold at golf won't mean that the best golfer won. It will be the best golfer who could (or bothered to) turn up. In the top 50 in the World rankings, many won't qualify, as there are too many from their nation. So it will be a sub standard field, with Bolivians, Columbians, Trinidadians, Madagascans, etc making up the numbers. Great. What a spectacle.
International sport is never going to be as good to watch as it could be if the best were chosen to perform.
I'm out.
FairwayDodger
Money List Winner
That's not what I said at all. Or not what I meant at any rate.
If they had to choose Bolt would choose the Olympics, Tiger would choose the Open.
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
I certaily agree with that thinking - the top 5 in the American trials for the mens 100m were all sub 10 seconds - we don't have any (Gemili is our best at 10.05?) so why do we still get 2 in the competition?
As such they could just have two semi-finals made up of the Jamaicans, Yanks and T&Ts.
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
I'm sorry you didn't explicitly say that, I agree.
Both have major events to compete in - majors, world chamionships, Ryder Cup, Commonwealths, Presidents Cup, Diamond League.
Both are hugely well paid, professional athletes.
I just don't see why one is deemed to have the right but the other isn't.
One Planer
Global Moderator
If golf is to be in the Olympics then, for me, it should be elite amatuers only.
The pro's have the majors, as a pro said regading amatuers in the Olympics, "Let this be their major".
The pro's have the majors, as a pro said regading amatuers in the Olympics, "Let this be their major".
hackerjack99
Medal Winner
If it was only offered to amateurs then i think it should be in the olympics. Pro golfers have majors and world golf championships ahead of the Olympics in the season and it would not be a big enough tournament in the pro's minds to warrant an extra week in the middle of august where players are collecting rder cup points and playing the pga.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
There is no money in it for the Olympic association, or the host country if amateurs compete. It's all about bums on seats. Who's the biggest draw, Tiger, or some one only golf geeks have heard of?
One Planer
Global Moderator
I see your point Murph, but in all honestly, how many athletes does Joe Soap know any way... Aside from Usain Bolt :mmm:
I think it would be set up nicely for elite amateurs myself.
Monty_Brown
Tour Rookie
If it was crazy golf, I would be in favour.
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
Big YES from me...but I can't help but think the IOC have missed a trick by not making it an amateur event. I don't think the pros will be too enthused by it but I think it would have made a fantastic amateur event.
muttleee
Tour Rookie
And no spectators.
And no way for the sponsors to cash in on the winners etc.Nice idea but with the amount of money involved in the whole thing these days, there's no way it could be restriced to amateurs only.
