Why is there no golf in the Olympics?

Question

The Olympics have tennis, badminton, soccer etc so why is golf not included?

Answer 1

because its not an international sport... yet. I imagine that it will some time in the future - making yet another bogus entry into the Olympics.

Answer 2

I agree with Wildflower. Where will the hosting country have the place to build a golf course near the city they're going to have the Olympics?

Answer 3

Probably because only a few countries would win all the medals

for the next dozen olympics.  It wouldn't be fair.

Answer 4

I heard that 'golf of 7' is one of options which will be evaluated to substitute softball which was removed from the Olympic Programme.

By 'golf of 7', I guess they meant 7 holes.

By the way, it's not difficult to guess why golf hasn't been in the Olympic Programme so far. Golf courses are very wide and expensive.

Answer 5

Actually, all of the places that have recently hosted the Summer Games have suitable golf courses.  For instance, Atlanta proposed Augusta National (home of the Masters) if golf had been added and there has been talk of an Olympic tournament at St. Andrews (the birthplace of the game) if it were added to the 2012 platform.  That has nothing to do with why golf isn't in the Olympic program.

Golf is not currently an Olympic medal sport because the IOC claims the course setup can be manipulated toward certain players through watering or mowing patterns. The IOC doesn't want the field the athletes are playing on to be biased.

Answer 6

I don't think international enough

Answer 7

Becausese golf isn't a sport, it is a hobby

Answer 8

they have had golf on a couple times in the early 1900's.

and a response to the others' reasons. they don't need to build the course. many would just use one of their best and prestigious courses already in place. you don't think china already has courses?

http://www.worldgolf.com/courses/chinagc...

the courses don't need to be right near the other olympic venues.

anyway not sure why its not in the program now. i think it is the same dilemma with softball and baseball. not enough nations play it so you would always have a few of the same playing each other and dominating