Olympic golf

[TheDailyDuffer]

This time 4 years from now we will be watching Olympic golf!!!!

 

I wonder what the format/events will be?

 

So excited

[Nej1140]

The format has alreaddy been released. Can't tell you what it is exactly, didn't really read it.


But I too is excited, Especially only a 4 hour difference. For you eastern people 1 hour

[Supra GTR]

It been an event since the late 1800s. It has not been a participating sport since the early 1900s.

[newbe97]

I think I heard it was gonna be singles 60 men 60 women. Don't quote me on that though. I would have thought they would have done a team format but who am I to say.

[lsf_21]

I was hoping for a team format of some sort.

But it is basically a golf tournament with Olympic medals on the line. 72 holes and if there is a tie 3 hole playoff. Field is 60 deep.

[TheDailyDuffer]

[quote name='lsf_21' timestamp='1343966164' post='5400048']
I was hoping for a team format of some sort.

But it is basically a golf tournament with Olympic medals on the line. 72 holes and if there is a tie 3 hole playoff. Field is 60 deep.
[/quote]

I agree, this is lame.

60 people compete over 4 days and 72 holes to share 3 medals, while swimmers and runners go home with half a dozen.

[ruascott]

Yeah i agree. They really should have done something different....not sure team play would have been feasible vehicles based upon country. What other country could come close to fielding as many players as the US?

[Chef Otto]

60 players in a 72 hole stroke play is pretty lame.

I would like to see something like the top 100 in world rankings exempt and a play in for another 50 spots. Then a 36 hole stroke play to set up a 64 man match play field.

Along the lines of the us am.

[PhilTickelson]

[quote name='ruascott' timestamp='1343967315' post='5400106']
Yeah i agree. They really should have done something different....not sure team play would have been feasible vehicles based upon country. What other country could come close to fielding as many players as the US?
[/quote]

I think quite a few countries could come up with a team of 4 golfers. That doesn't necessarily mean the teams will be even, but teams aren't even in a lot of olympic sports. Off the top of my head: USA, Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, South Africa, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, Germany, Spain, Argentina, could all field pretty decent teams. I mean most of those countries could get 4 players from the PGA and/or European tours. There are probably some obvious countries I'm missing as well. I'm not sure how teams of 4 would work, but maybe teams of 2 would be a possibility too.

Now if you are thinking of Ryder Cup style teams, then it could be more difficult to field a team of that size for some countries. But why couldn't they do a couple events:

1. Sun-Monday: Team Fourball competition(36 holes a day, 16 teams, single elimination bracket play).
2. Tues.-Wednesday: Alternate shot competition.(36 holes a day, 16 teams, 2 person teams, single elimination bracket play)
3. Thurs.-Sunday: Individual Stroke Play competition.

Or they could combine Fourball and alternate shot into one competition. This would allow for a greater number of athletes as some might not partake in all three competitions, and would give some team components as well as individual. Honestly, if there is only one medal and it's given for an individual competition, this just becomes another stop on the tournament trail. The olympics are such a cool competition and I think not including a team component will really take away from it, it will probably just seem like another golf tournament, which IMO it is not.

[Sawgrass]

I've been thinking about golf in 2016 while watching the Olypmics this year too, but I'm not sure I'd really enjoy watching it.

I currently watch most PGA Tour golf, even Thursday and Friday DVRed off the Golf Channel. And I watch some LPGA too.

But I'm sitting there watching the Olympics, and I'm fascinated watching things I don't ordinarily even think of. Women's gymnastics. Volley Ball. Rowing. Swimming. Whatever is up next is often interesting and entertaining. Do I really want more golf? The best men and women players in the world are already presented to me every week. I don't need the Olympics to add to that once every four years.

I'm not in any way displeased that golf is now going to be part of the Games. (And if I was good enough I'd love to participate.) I just don't think I want to see it on the telecasts when I could be watching so many other sports, even the odd-ball stuff.

Who knows, I'm sure I'll give it a try and see how I really feel.

[highhook]

What golf needs in the Olympics is to be eliminated. It is a ridiculous idea.No sport where Olympic gold is not the highest objective should not be included.This should go for basketball, my favourite sport, as well.Ask any pro what he would rather have a major championship or a gold medal? If you can find one who says the medal you are very lucky,or he is lying.

[596]

Look at Track and Field or swimming or gymnastics. There are a ton of gold medals in each one of those available. Track and field.....we have tons of distances, whos faster at 100m, how about 400m, how about 1500m, now lets put some fences in there you have to jump over. Oh, and some water, too, just to see who can run with wet shoes the fastest. In swimming (btw I enjoy the swimming to an extent) 200m IM, 400 IM, 200 team medley, 400 team medley, 100m, 200m 400m in all 4 strokes and male and female....I'm surprised they don't have mixed doubles in swimming......oh, ya, I forgot, that's tennis.

How about:

72 hole individual
long drive competition
putting competition (can't be any worse then watching 2 weeks of vaults in gymnastics)
18 hole team 2 man team, 4 man team how about mixed doubles?
match play
alternate shot is fun to watch
and my fav...........syncronized distance driving (we have syncronized diving and synchronized swimming after all)

Syncro Driving Competition. Can 2 guys hit a ball using exactly the same swing at exactly the same time, in synch, and exactly the same ball flight and distance with the minimum being 300 yards (or go home)?

Can you tell I'm really sick of watching gymnastics and what's that other one we see way too much of............oh, ya, swimming.

Michael Phelps is an awesome swimmer and a grand champion, but how many more chances does he get to get more medals then anyone else every 4 years?

A soccer player would have to win a medal every 4 years for more then 80 years just to come close. Phelps has been to 3 olympics (over 8 years, 2004, 08, 12)

[TheGeekGolfer]

They should do it like swimming... 50 yd chip shot, 100 yd KP, 200 yd, longest drive, etc. Off-topic, they make such a big deal about Phelps having the most medals... yeah, it's impressive, but it seems only swimmers can reach that.

[Sawgrass]

You guys are making it sound like Big Break Brazil.

[Colum]

Is loads of great golf events for the Pros year round including 4 majors, I don't see any attraction in having pros playing golf in the Olympics

[WildDog06]

[quote name='Colum' timestamp='1344024661' post='5403118']
Is loads of great golf events for the Pros year round including 4 majors, I don't see any attraction in having pros playing golf in the Olympics
[/quote]

I had kind of the same thought, should make it like a "World Am" or something, where the various Amateur Championships are the qualifiers.

[CoachBerger]

Here is my thought basing it off of swimming, diving, and many of the other sports in the Olympics.

Day 1 & 2 Quarterfinals - 60 Players for 30 spots (no ties with sudden death playoff)

Day 3 Semi-Final - 30 Players for 15 spots (no ties with sudden death playoff)

Day 4 Finals - 15 Players for Gold, Silver, Bronze (tie results in 3 hole playoff)

Start the scores fresh for each round - I think it would put a premium on playing great the Final Round and also force the Final Round groups to play in the exact same conditions.

[Bogeyman56]

I'm curious on how the tv coverage will be, probably based on what cable package you have. Hope they have a dedicate golf channel like they have with soccer and basketball with few interuptions. And not just on the nbc channel where they cut in/out on different events.

[cmullin007]

[quote name='highhook' timestamp='1344023987' post='5403038']
What golf needs in the Olympics is to be eliminated. It is a ridiculous idea.No sport where Olympic gold is not the highest objective should not be included.This should go for basketball, my favourite sport, as well.Ask any pro what he would rather have a major championship or a gold medal? If you can find one who says the medal you are very lucky,or he is lying.
[/quote]
I agree completely. There are 5, possibly 6 events that happen each and every year on tour that are held much higher than the Olympics could ever hope to be. I would bet that 75%, if not more, of the players on tour (who do not already have a major) would rather win a major or even a Ryder Cup or Players Championship over a medal at the Olympics. Now for those who have won a major or two already, I could see them wanting to add the title of Olympic Medalist to the resume. No offense to my country or the Olympics but if I had to make the choice (not that I will ever have the chance) to chose between Olympic gold and a green jacket. My reply would be, "42 L"