ZZZZZZZ: Olympic Golf Would Use 72-Hole Stroke Play Format

76 pages of questions?

IGF Submits Detailed Questionnaire to International Olympic Committee, Constituting Golf’s Formal Olympic Bid

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA (February 17, 2009) - The International Golf Federation announced today that a 76-page detailed questionnaire was submitted on Sunday to the International Olympic Committee Programme Commission, constituting the formal and technical bid to include golf in the 2016 Olympic Games.

The questionnaire sought specific information on various topics relevant to golf's bid, including how golf would be presented if it were part of the Olympic Games and information on golf's worldwide appeal and governance structure. The submission of the questionnaire was the next step in the process set forth by the IOC Programme Commission and followed a presentation in November to the Commission in Lausanne, Switzerland by Peter Dawson, chief executive of The R&A and joint secretary of the IGF, and PGA TOUR executive Ty Votaw, Executive Director of the IGF Olympic Golf Committee.

"We are pleased with the formal bid document, and now look forward to working with the Programme Commission on the preparation of the final report to the IOC Executive Board in advance of our presentation to the Board in June," Votaw said. "We worked diligently to solicit input from the world's leading players and golf organizations to address and finalize a number of key issues contained in the document, including the recommended format for competition."

Recognized as the representative body for golf by the IOC, the IGF is proposing 72-hole individual stroke play for both men and women. Leading players expressed that this is the fairest and best way to identify a champion, mirroring the format used in golf's major championships. In case of a tie for either first, second or third place, a three-hole playoff is recommended to determine the medal winner(s).

There's your buried lede of the week or maybe month.

Golf needs another 72-hole stroke play event like it needs another financial firm sponsoring a tour event.

Oh but it's fair! And it's just like the majors.

Example 90,702 demonstrating golf's lack of imagination rearing its ugly head yet again.

Comments

[PC]

So disappointing. I was hoping for a team match play like the NCAA....anything other than this.

[14STIX]

Why not set it up like the HSBC. Two man teams. Day 1: Alt Shot. Day 2: Best Ball. Day 3: Both balls count.

If it's going to have to be stroke play, it would at least be fun to see them set it up like a college tourney. Each country gets 5 players. Four scores count each day. You could have individuals compete on their own if their country can't field 5 quality players (just like the NCAA allows individuals to qualify for the championship even if their team does not).

[Seitz]

Agree with PC. I thought the end of the NCAAs last year was pretty dramatic. Having potentially three teams (countries) with multiple players on the course who can impact the score, there's always something interesting going on. Moreso even than the Ryder Cup, because of the stroke play nature of the event. It's a shame they decided to complete eschew any creativity.

And of course, you can still include an individual even simultaneously.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Why does anyone think golf in the Olympics is a good idea?

[OWGR Fan]

14STIX when you say The HSBC do you mean the professional team event thats now played in China (Omega Mission Hills World Cup) that used to be a WGC event? The World Cup is currently 2 days of foursomes and 2 days of fourballs.

[Vince Spence]

Set it up like they did in 1904 at the last Olympics that had golf. Allow 75 entrants - 72 Americans and 3 Canadians. That way, the United States was guaranteed to win.

Oops, the Canadian, George Lyon actually won. At least we garnered the silver and bronze.

I am sorry. I do not feel golf (or tennis) is a good Olympic sport.

[dbh]

Further to KLG's point (and all the blather thus far about increased exposure and growing the game being the reason for this initiative)
What sort of broadcast exposure are these fine Federation folks imagining they'll receive?
There isn't a hope they'll get 2 or 3 hours a day on the host network is there? It's not like the US side will be 'Team America'. Just an everyday, every man for himself stroke play tourney. Sparsely attended, on a (quite possibly) dodgy track located somewhere near the host city.
So I guess they'll be 'exposed' on a cable channel, running against live action broadcasts of all the real Olympic events. And ratings will tell us where peoples interest lay.

[Dick Mahoon]

Golf in the Olympics? I have to side with the 'Ghost' on this one......

Or they could set it up like the Fed Ex thingy:
The first 16 days of the games make everyone play 18 holes per day.
On the last day the top 125 guys start from scratch and play 18 holes of crazy golf in the middle of the Olympic stadium to decide the medals. The medals could be presented just before the closing ceremony starts.

This could be the new marathon.

DM

[greenfee]

As a previous comment points out the ratings will tell the story.
By that time, though, millions of $$ and many man hours expended.
Can't we keep the olympics for sports that genuinely need the exposure?