Still excited about the Olympics and golf?

[351DRIVER]

Just wondering

Is it going to have a big impact?

I do not think it will, IMO is much like the PGA MERCHANDISE show where everyone thinks everything is going to be massive, then 2 or 3 months down the line, they wonder why all those enthusiastic souls have not made big orders to the people desperate to buy their stuff.

The Olympics does IMO not a lot for golf at all, a mixed event would have been much better, using Foursomes and Fourballs with men and women in teams.

So is will the Olympics create more golfers?

Still interested in Fencing? (i watched as much as i could as a buddy of mine one a Gold)

 

[Hobbit]

I'm not sure it will have any impact at all. Following the previous Olympics, in which I thoroughly enjoyed the archery I looked into getting a bow and joining a club. The kit wasn't cheap but getting into a club was nigh on impossible. A 2 year waiting list etc... bit like golf used to be. And then there's the coaching you have to have, a bit like you have to have with golf on the continent.

Golf is expensive to start out and then there's the cost of getting into competitive golf, i.e. club membership etc.

 

[Imurg]

The format would need to change for it to jolt my interest.
Finding the time to watch 4 days of stroke play is, for me, reserved for The Masters and The Open. Even if it is only every 4 years, 4x12 hour days is too much.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The moment the next tournament started I forgot about Olympic golf. It was like a McDonalds, instant hit but then forgettable. A golf tournament comes along one after another so the Olympics simply is not going to stand out in its current form. Plenty have said it already, the format needs to change to make it stand out as otherwise it just another 4 round strokeplay tournament like all the others. For me, it has no place in the Olympics.

 

[Hosel Fade]

The format would need to change for it to jolt my interest.
Finding the time to watch 4 days of stroke play is, for me, reserved for The Masters and The Open. Even if it is only every 4 years, 4x12 hour days is too much.

This for me, make it a fourball matchplay event with somewhere between 16-32 countries depending on when the standard gets too rubbish in terms of their second player (arbitrarily lets say outside the top 500). Can seed the top however many and have the rest play a prelim round.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Not sure this would be the right place to get an honest answer, everyone on here is already into Golf, we got 1 kid join the Club who mentioned the Olympics after he joined, but had been thinking about it for a while.
I really enjoyed the Womens Hockey and The Brownlee brothers success in the Olympics, but have took no interest in either since the Olympics finished, if there is to be a knock on effect it may take years, and maybe in Countries less exposed to it than us.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Dont think there will be any affect seen at club from golf being in the Olympics -

Hockey is a perfect example of how a sport not normally seen is boosted because of the Olympics

All clubs local to me have seen upwards of 50 to 60 new or returning hockey players

There will be an extra league or two added into the South , East and Midlands area leagues on both men's and ladies side

I have no doubt it's something that will happen to a number of sports but not golf

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The moment the next tournament started I forgot about Olympic golf. It was like a McDonalds, instant hit but then forgettable. A golf tournament comes along one after another so the Olympics simply is not going to stand out in its current form. Plenty have said it already, the format needs to change to make it stand out as otherwise it just another 4 round strokeplay tournament like all the others. For me, it has no place in the Olympics.

I disagree with the final comment and feel that it has a place in a different format. Other than that, as you say, a quick hit and then back to the money go round of the PGA and European tours

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I feel the same about a number of sports, basketball, football, tennis immediately spring to mind. It's not just golf that shouldn't be there, imo.

 

[User62651]

Olympics is only an 'at the moment thing' for most of us, something to watch at the time in the close season for footy and rugby. Beforehand or once past no-one is interested until the 3 week circus rolls round 4 years later. That is evidenced by sports like rowing, track cycling, gymnastics, volleyball etc all having frequent world championships will little interest from general public.

The only Olympic points of interest before Rio was could Bolt win again and Zika.

Golf at the Olympics will do nothing for growing the game imo. It's already a big sport in Japan so no growth opportunity there, for Brazilians going to watch for the first time I doubt they 'got it' and the novelty would have worn off quick as its so slow as a spectator sport. Could be wrong and maybe the next Tiger will come from the Favelas!

Golf doesn't need to grow, there are courses everywhere and those who fancy it can partake easily enough. If we lose a few courses through reduction in numbers, no great loss. It's the only 'sport' for middle aged men anyway.