More Greetings From Rio: Olympic Fever May Be Setting In!

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Had their been any present, the Olympic spirit lightbulb might have gone off for many golf fans today at the Rio venue after seeing splashes of team colors dotting the links-meets-sandbelt property.

With team entourages and some caddies in matching colors, the vistas at the course—accented by the bright 2016 color palette—let us know this could only be one event: the Olympic Games.

The only thing better? Teammates preparing for a competition that included an actual team component they were strategizing and bonding for. And…spectators.

We’ll table the team and format matter until after the Games (though Sergio has mentioned it this week notes Rex Hoggard. And we'll hope the sell-out for tickets Sunday means we’ll have a nice crowd for the medal round. Though with smaller crowds we will hear from the fans of certain countries. The course's well-preserved native areas will be handed off to the people of Rio in good shape. So there is that.

Also of note is the increasing excitement of players and caddies who are getting swept up in the Olympic spirit by attending other events and soaking up the thrill of being here. A visit to the massive and well-conceived Olympic Park means experiencing an epic concentration of energy from the many venues and party scene, which is highlighted by a pop-up disco and concert stage. I took in a captivating and loud Team Handball game featuring the home country, who fell after a valiant (and briefly bloody) comback effort.

Team USA’s Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar practiced together under the watchful eye of dignitaries like course designer Gil Hanse, the IGF’s Ty Votaw (who did more work than anyone alive to get golf here), PGA Tour COO Jay Monahan and Kuchar’s wife Sybi. Various rules officials from the USGA, PGA Tour, European Tour and R&A were also out walking for pre-tournament recon studies.

All three Americans were striking the ball beautifully and seemed to be genuinely thrilled to be here, as are their caddies. But it was Watson whose nifty punch, run and jab shots around the greens stood out almost as much as his unusually chipper mood. A happy Bubba is a dangerous Bubba. Issue a flood watch if they are playing the anthem for him Sunday evening.

A few things worth clicking on...

If you saw me on with Rich Lerner today, you know he set up this somewhat accidental but absolutely mesmerizing piece with Sandy Tatum on the 1936 Games. Ony viewable in the States.

Bob Harig of ESPN.com on how the design turned out in the eyes of the folks who picked Gil Hanse.

Alex Miceli of Golfweek on Team USA living the good life as Olympians, soaking up the atmosphere and appearing relaxed at their Tuesday press conference.

James Corrigan on Ireland's Seamus Power.

Doug Ferguson on Padraig Harrington seeing Olympic golf as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Emiliano Grillo had an emotional reunion with his clubs. We can all understand. G.C. Digital reports.

Rickie Fowler is surprised at the fuss over his haircut, reports Steve DiMeglio. He's also making sure to mae the stay-at-home golfers, notes Rex Hoggard.

Team USA united in their praise of the course design, writes Jay Coffin.

A nice slideshow of the practice round with images by Chris Condon and Stan Badz.

A few favorite shots from Tuesday’s practice round staring with the tee setup featuring an Omega clock and simple Rio 2016 signage.


The par-3 8th:


Masters champion Danny Willett meets the media and covers his ears.


The approach to the shortish par-9th, which bears a resemblance to the 13th at Fraserburgh.


Gil Hanse offering advice to team USA when asked, including Rickie Fowler and caddie Joe Skovron.

The divot replacement mix matches the shading of the Zeon Zoysia fairways:

The rings in front of the clubhouse:


View from the grandstand looking down on 18 green.


Three members of Team USA showing off their gear.

Video: Gil Hanse On Olympic Course Bunkering And Sands

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As I noted in this week's Golf World, uniformity will not be a word you'll hear this week at the Olympic Golf Course, one already little known to players and adding another local knowledge element: different sands.

Gil Hanse explains in this exclusive to GeoffShackelford.com why the sand shades and textures are different throughout the course, something unique to the site incorporated both for sustainability, cost savings and rewarding those skillful enough to do their homework. Let the howling begin!

We also discuss how the sandbelt style of bunkering came about.

Greetings From The Barra Media Village 1 Resort & Rooms

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You know, $2000 for nine days of lodging just doesn't go as far as it used to.

Somehow I made it to the swank Barra Media Village 1, taking almost as long from LAX to Sao Paolo as it took to get from Sao Paolo to this premier media residence.

Rio 2016 left out one small bit of info when I prepaid a year ago: a surprise roommate with another to come for our little two bedroom "villa".

The chain-smoking roommate #1 is a swell chap and all, but apparently has some Alaskan Malamute in his genes based on the shedding he's done the first four days while using my shower instead of his. (I didn't ask for an explanation, though it wasn't because of the hot water supplied in mine, that I can confirm!)

But at least he complained to housekeeping to get me my very own towel so I didn't have to use the only one in the villa and go to bed with his smoker essence!

True fact movie buffs, the kitchen design in this "villa" was inspired by Hannibal Lector's cell in Manhunter (you know, the Michael Mann masterpiece starring Bryan Cox). Movie history in Rio!

Well on that note, I'm going to squeeze in some sleep and finally see the Olympic Golf Course in completed form tomorrow. Thoughts and insights are to be shared on Morning Drive and Live From should my bus drivers choose the mission of delivering us to the place we hope to go!

#growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame #growingthegame

A Few Fun Final Olympic Golf Course Preview Stories & Visuals

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As we have arrived at week one of Olympic golf in Rio, a few final course and Games-related content pieces are worth a look.

John Clarke of the New York Times wrote last month about the Zeon Zoysia making its international debut this week. It started from a small amount transported on an airplane by David Doguet, owner of Bladerunner Farms and is a promising turfgrass going forward for certain regions of the world looking for faster, firmer and tougher turf.

Zeon Zoysia requires less water, fertilizer, nitrogen and pesticide than most other types of golf turf, Doguet said. Perhaps most important, he said, it can endure Rio’s poor soil and water quality and meets the strict environmental regulations that prohibit the use of chemical fertilizers and weed killers on the course, which is on a nature preserve.

The story also includes a couple of slideshows worth checking out.

Gil Hanse has posted a guest course review at GolfNow!

Golf Digest writers discuss their visit to Rio and impressions of the course. Esquire's David Granger is also in the mix, and the aerials are fun to watch as well:


They also provided this quick preview video of golf's (quick) Olympic history.

Best of all is this 360 degree tour of the property and course, which will, for those viewing this week, give a great sense of where the holes sit. Gil Hanse narrates.

And Quartz has put together these DigitalGlobe sequential aerial shots of multiple venues, including Olympic Park, beach volleyball and the golf course in all stages. Really fun stuff if you've been watching the Games.

Click on the link above to see the transformation in action, this is just the final overhead:

Groupings: Rounds 1 & 2 Men's Olympic Golf

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I don't see much deep hidden meaning in these groupings. I do like that there are some nice name groups and great opportunities for solid players from smaller countries.

 

Video: Hanse Discusses Rio Olympic Course Finishing Holes

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An exclusive to GeoffShackelford.com, architect Gil Hanse discussed with me about the finishing holes as we look at his renderings. Tomorrow he'll explain why you're going to see different colors of sand through the property and the look of the bunker style. (Thanks to Sean Gilroy for the crack editing work!)

As I have with all the previous flyovers, I encourage a look at Golf Digest's drone shots sponsored by Adobe. They really are a pleasure to watch, as narrated by Hanse.

The 16th hole flyover and Hanse's final rendering.

The 17th hole flyover and Hanse's final rendering.

The 18th hole flyover and Hanse's final rendering.

Sunday Morning: Morning Drive Airs David Feherty Interview With President Barack Obama

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If you watched the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Rio Games you know there was a short conversation with President Barack Obama about the Olympics.

David Feherty's full chat is set to air on Golf Channel's Morning Drive from 7:30 to 9 am ET.

No preview clip is available. Among the purported topics: golf entering the Olympics and Obama's game.

This latest "get" means Feherty has interviewed all of the living golfing presidents.

In other Obama news, Kathy Bergen and Katherine Skiba report that the decision to bring his Presidential Library to the South Shore could help expedite the hoped-for renovation of Jackson Park.

The long-shot vision to build an expansive 18-hole course worthy of a spot on the PGA Tour, which has been hovering on the radar, gained momentum last week with the announcement that Obama's library and museum would be built in historic Jackson Park, said Mark Rolfing, an NBC/Golf Channel analyst who is advising the Chicago Park District on the idea.

Video: Rio Olympic Golf Course 7th, 8th and 9th Holes

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The closing three holes of the front nine return to the upper shelf of the property where the sandy influence is stronger. The long par-4 7th plays493/407 yards into the wind with a strong false front green.

Gil Hanse narrates the flyover for Golf Digest. Here is his final rendering.

The par-3 eighth (172/154) certainly exudes ties to the Redan and given the terrain it was set on, the fit was not forced. The rendering and the flyover:

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The par-4 ninth hole brings a little blindness and weirdness to close out the front nine, playing 369 yards for the men and 324 yards for the women. The rendering.

Oops: Kuchar Is Now Aware Of The Actual Olympic Golf Format

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In the better late than never files, Matt Kuchar found out during his Travelers Championship media session that there is no team format in the 2016 Olympic golf.

Joel Beall at GolfDigest.com details the awkward exchange just three days out from the opening ceremony.

"There is no combined? No team event whatsoever?" Kuchar continued. "Just an individual. We did the same thing at World Cup: 72 hole stroke play. I played with Kevin Streelman. We never played together but we did represent the United States in a team format.

"That was my initial impression of what was happening with the Olympics, but I'm incorrect on that."

ESPN's Jason Sobel helped clarify the situation for Kuchar, remarking, "If Bubba wins you don't get a medal."

And it's at that point we came to the collective realization: Kuchar legitimately didn't know the Olympic tournament's configuration.

Video: Rio Olympic Golf Course 4th, 5th and 6th Holes

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Catching up now post-PGA on the Rio Olympic course, with the fourth, fifth and sixth hole flyovers by Golf Digest and narrated by Gil Hanse.

The par-3 4th hole 191 yards for the men and 155 yards for the women and looks like an ideal sandbelt one-shotter, only windier.


Gil's final rendering of the hole.

The par-5 fifth hole is 547 yards for the men and 493 for the women and plays gently uphill. It's hard to see, but this is a wonderful greensite that should be a great spectating portion of the course.

Gil's rendering of the fifth.

The par-3 sixth plays 196 yards for the men and 177 yards for the women. This hole features two tees, including a blind option over the dune. Strap in, this should be fun!

Gil's final rendering of the 6th includes both tee options.