Hanse: Rio Olympic Course "Right up against the deadline now"

It's not sounding like much fun down in Rio for Gil Hanse, awaiting the green light to build the 2016 Olympic course.

From an unbylined wire story covering Hanse's Thursday appearance on Morning Drive.

"It just seems like there's this bureaucracy that won't seem to let its tentacles go," said Hanse, who hopes to begin moving dirt on the property that will be home to the course around April 1. "I'm disappointed in that. I'm disappointed in myself because I thought, gosh, it's the Olympics, you can't get any bigger than that. They've got to be able to just move this through.

"Unfortunately I was dead wrong with that."

Comments

[Stord]

I think a lot of public enthusiasm for the course halted (along with its momentum) once Hanse was selected to build it.

Even if Gil could build a better course than others, the Olympics needed the star quality of a Nicklaus or Norman. Then people would've been interested.

[greg c]

Has nothing to do with the architect...it's all about politics. This does not look good.

[BrianS]

The real shame is how easy it would have been to put golf in for the 2012 London Games. Use Wentworth or some of the English Links courses in the SE, and they could have done it with 2 weeks advance notice. Now Brazil, a country with no golf history or experience is going to make a mess of it. A shame.

[greg c]

golf in the Olympics is a stupid idea, anyway

[John G]

_Professional_ golf in the Olympics is a stupid idea. Or professional anything in the Olympics...

[DTF]

Hate to say it but.... Aw heck, I won't say it.

[Amen Coroner]

Bring back wrestling then.

[OWGR Fan]

What happens in 2016 if this course isn't built? Just cancel the golf?

[Tiddly Winks]

Driving range long drive, chip & putt. Who needs an 18 hole score, this is what golf has become?!

Think Punt - Pass - Kick.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

EA Sports, of course.

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

It must be Trump's fault.

[Digger Dave *is* digsouth]

I hope everyhing gets approved and the course gets built--in about 2018.

[Mike T.]

Can't get any bigger than the Olympics? TRUMP!

Gil, be careful what you wish for.

[Aaron]

@Stord - you are clueless. it is a fight over land ownership. having Norman as architect would change a thing

olympics is having a rough time getting golf fans excited about golf in the olympics, how do they get general fans and players excited. maybe my opinion will change when the time comes, but i could care less whether this course gets built.

[Colin MacGillivray]

What happens in 2016 if this course isn't built? Just cancel the golf?
From a googled site: "Itanhangá is one of the best golf courses in Brazil. According to the American magazine Golf Digest it is ranked amongst the hundred best courses in the world outside the USA. It is also the only one with 27 holes in Rio de Janeiro State.
The course is well located in Barra da Tijuca, ......... Itanhangá is also famous for its Golf School, which is active in promoting junior golf."

[PJ]

If no golf and no wrestling, how about golfer wrestling for the Rio Olympics? No course needed, and an Olympic staple just got a lot more interesting...

[OWGR Fan]

@Colin.... just because a course is "ranked" highly on some list does not mean it is ready or capable to host a professional (Olympic) competition. Perhaps if the course is not done for 2016 Finchem could lobby to have it moved to the USA and call it a WGC event.

[Colin MacGillivray]

OWGR agreed.
More googling has uncovered
Part of the schedule for 2013 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica,:
Oct 14-20, Brazil Open, at Gavea Golf Club (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

http://www.gaveagolfclub.com.br/portal/o-clube/historia-do-clube/
If it's good enough for the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica it's a reasonable back up when the proposed debacle fails to proceed.

[The Pro from Dover]

Who would have ever guessed the IOC would get this deal screwed up? Just never thought about it. NOT! Feel bad for Hanse. But he has Trump as a back up. Who said it is not about the money?