Could Rory's Dilemma Kill Olympic Golf?

I hadn't really thought of it this way, but when you combine the potential absence of a top three player (likely the case) with already lackluster interest (mundane format) and Alistair Tait is probably right that Rory McIlroy taking the "pass" option could kill golf in the Olympics.

Since the International Golf Federation and IOC can't turn back the clock on centuries of political and religious feuding, could they at least saddle us with a format worth watching?

Comments

[Seán O'Nuallain]

We can hope.

[Stanley Thompson]

That would be a good thing.

[OWGR Fan]

Killing golf in the Olympics might be Rorys greatest contribution to the game.

[Viz]

Does anyone really care about the Olympics anymore?????

[Rob]

In this pic, Rory better be careful, or he might end up killing himself - never mind killing Olympic golf:

https://twitter.com/CaroWozniacki/status/287114855943659521/photo/1

[Bobby D]

@Rob...Spider Man and Spider Lady?

[No Longer Used to be Former Stack & Tilt Convert]

The more I think about it, the "pass" option for Rory looks like the smoothest route to take.

If Olympic golf is killed the NBC will just have more time to devote to their top sport, women's beach volleyball.

[Brad]

Olympic golf has about the same allure as Olympic tennis. Nobody gives a rats arse

[BrianS]

@Brad - clearly you didn't watch the Olympic Tennis this year - it was hugely popular in London. Tennis in Sydney was also very popular. My guess is golf will fit that profile as well - Brazil will be somewhat tough, but put it in the US, Western Europe, Japan or Korea, and you will get very favorable audience response.

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

@ Brian ... hmm, methinks London Olympic tennis was more down to the Wimbledon/Murray factor than anything else.

[digsouth]

We can pray.

[BrianS]

@C&C - absolutely - but (Brazil aside) There is no reason that golf could have a similar situation - supposedly Madrid Spain is in the running for 2020 - no reason why Sergio or another Spanish hot shot kid couldn't create alot of buzz.

[Colin MacGillivray]

Rory has a dilemma coming from Northern Ireland. (This information is for those who don't follow religious wars.)
From the Guardian 5th January
"The rioting is connected to ongoing loyalist demonstrations against Belfast city council's decision last month to limit the number of days that the union flag should be flown on top of City Hall." (Union flag = Union Jack = the flag of the United Kingdom (Church of England) which Eire, Ireland proper (Roman Catholic) left nearly 100 years ago.
And the loony minority can't get over it.

[DTF]

Have there been any Hanse sightings in Rio yet?

Just may not be a course to play on....

[Tommy Naccarato]

DTF,
Yes.

I'm a little disappointed in some of you. You see, I want the sport to grow. South America is the next frontier. Sure, they have some courses, but what many don't understand is that they have some incredible places to build golf.

Check out some of the sand dunes not just in Brazil, but also in Argentina, Chile. Something needs to happen to make the sport grow, because in America, it is dying from over-inflation and costs.

[KLG]

The likelihood that golf will ever be more than a niche sport for the wealthy in South America is virtually nil. The sport is not dying in North America. The ridiculous "business of golf" is very ill though. Gozzer Ranch, with that precious Cracker Barrel knockoff as one of its main attractions, jumping from nowhere to 27th on the ShackLand partner's list is Exhibit D. Exhibit A is the Marketing Juggernaut. Exhibit B is the fecklessness of the USGA and R&A, which is magnified by "A". Exhibit C is the PGA all-the-time TOUR, which will lead to even more over-saturation and the exponentially decreasing marginal utility associated with that. But, hey, let them make hay while the sun shines. Everywhere but Hawaii.

I think a better reintroduction to the Olympics would be rope climbing, which was in the first modern Games IIRC (yes, I was there).

[Tommy Naccarato]

KLG,
I completely disagree.

When Golf came to America in the 1890's, all the way into the late 1920's guess who was pretty much the only class that was playing? (The wealthy who could afford to join clubs) They developed and built the clubs and the courses, as well as vacationing snowbirds who would take it South and West during the harsh winter months. This in turn grew places like Southern California and Florida. People who could afford to move South and West for the winter.

Pay-as-you-play golf became popular because people who caddied wanted to play also; it then bred golfers who wanted to play affordably; public courses started popping up at an astounding rate. thats how the sport grew. Ironically, this is the same way it grew in Scotland, England and other countries.

Also, if you don't think Golf is in trouble in the United States today, then very uncharacteristic for you, your not feeling the pulse, as well as sticking your foot in the water to see how inflation and maintenance costs are killing it.

[KLG]

Tommy, we agree on much more than you think. Next time I'm in the neighborhood we can discuss it after a round with the proprietor at Rustic Canyon, where the sport is doing just fine. Last I heard, anyway.

[Tommy Naccarato]

Sounds good to me!