IF there is to be golf in the 2016 Olympics, how do you think the tournament structure would be?

Question

Personally, I'd go with a two-day stroke play, a la PGA tournaments and courses, in various courses across the city (I doubt that a single course would be able to hold that many players from around the world) and all players who make the top 32 or 64 or whatever number goes into match play. It would be the same format and seeding as NCAA hoops or the NBA and NHL playoffs. This would continue on until the the end of the Games. The medal winners would be determined the same way as any team sport in world competition: top two play for gold and silver, while the other two who lost in the semi-final would play for bronze.

Thoughts? Pros? Cons? You have an idea of your own?

Answer 1

I reckon Golf as an Olympic Sport would be awesome. A certain number from each country is a good idea. Matchplay format is also good.

P.S. To Bikernoj: go get a life. "Golf is not a sport" are you on drugs?

Have a good one...

Answer 2

A 32 player field.  A max on the number of people from the same country.  Decided simply based on Money List and Order of Merit.

Maybe even a team event similar to the Ryder Cup and President's Cup.

Answer 3

I am an avid golfer but hope  that the Olympic Committee never succumbs to allowing golf  as a venue in the Olympics. It is bad enough that they allow beebee guns in target shooting. This event would be worse than watching grass grow.

Answer 4

I Love Golf but honestly it does not belong or have anyplace in the Olympics, there are already to many sports that should not be in , C,mon Handball what the h**l is that !!!!!!!!!! and others as well.

Answer 5

Golf is not a sport, it's a GAME.  It is not athletic in the least, and anyone who gets tired after riding a cart and drinking beer for 4 hours is not an athlete.

I enjoy golf, but I play it to have fun and relax with friends, not to demonstrate my physical abilities. How's this for a variation: Olympic golf would only be fun to watch if each player was TIMED on each hole and had to carry their own gear.  Less clubs means fewer options to hit but less weight to carry, so it would be an interesting trade-off from a player perspective.

You get one minute per par (par 3 = 3 minutes and so on) before the next golfer could tee off on you, there would be bonus points for "boccie putts" where, if someone caught you, could interrupt your putt with theirs (at the cost of a stroke, of course).  It would be up to the players to wear any protective gear they feel necessary.

Heckling is encouraged, and if you are "played through" by a golfer behind you it adds 5 strokes to your score.  That might make watching it a little more interesting than watching paint dry!

What do you think?

Edit- Sorry, Mouse, golf is NOT a sport. Challenging, yes, but I can't see how walking 5 miles would exhaust anyone! It's fun to play, but anyone that believes it to be physically demanding is obviously WAY out of shape. Pathetically so, in fact!

Bicycling 120 miles over three 12,000' passes is demanding; summiting FOUR 14,000+ foot peaks in one day is exhausting.  I have an ACTIVE life, and the "stress" of golf just doesn't hold a candle to true athleticism.  Sorry to burst your bubble.

If it makes you all feel better, I don't consider bowling, billiards, Bingo, darts, curling or NASCAR to be sports either, for most of the same reasons.

Answer 6

Don't really know golf, but the Leafs would destroy everyone.  (sorry buddy i know that was a low blow, but i just couldn't resist)