Golf Swings Back into the Olympics
The big news in the sports world last week was that golf will once again be an Olympic sport in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Golf and rugby were both reinstated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), beating applications by several other sports including baseball, karate, squash and roller sports.
The top 15 names in the sport qualify automatically and many, including Tiger Woods, have promised to compete as the major professional tours will alter tournament schedules to accommodate the Olympics.
Golf was last played 105 years ago in the 1904 St Louis Olympic Games. The 2016 Olympics will involve a 72-hole stroke-play competition for men and women, with 60 players in each field.
It remains to be seen if the IOC will have a similar u-turn on some of the more unusual sports which have fallen out of favour like tug of war and croquet.
Golf has long been the businessman’s game of choice with many deals done on the fairways or in the club house. It is a sport that requires patience to master but it can also be fun for all ages and abilities to learn the basics without spending hours at the driving range.
Crazy golf is popular worldwide with all sorts of weird and wonderful designs to master your putting. Portable putting greens can be used indoors or outside at parties or events and are a fun way to challenge friends, family or colleagues. There are even a range of obstacles that make it harder to score a hole in one as your skills improve.
As well as putting, there are other strokes that can be practised off the course. Velcro Golf is an indoor chipping competition which can be played on the floor or propped upright. The aim of the challenge is to chip the ball onto a 2 metre wide target, avoiding the bunkers and water traps.
Learning the basic skills with fun golf games is a great way to build up the basics before hitting the fairway. And, the IOC’s decision means there is even more reason for talented amateurs to work towards mastering their game.
Being an avid golfer myself I of course think it’s great that golf is again included. However, it’s going to be the same professional golfers playing at the Olympics who already play against each other almost every weekend. In addition we already have a number of international events for the pros, i.e. the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup etc. I would have much preferred to see top talent golf amateurs from all over the world competing against each other. In the distant past the Olympic Games were only for amateurs, but nowadays it’s just another media events with the same professionals that get paid huge fees for their appearance alone.
can’t wait for the golf at the olympics