Olympics Golf: The Official Discussion Thread (merged)

[Rangeballz]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

[bscinstnct]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

 

No, because what it boils down to is who you beat. The field.

 

Which is why Rory, Jordan, Day, and DJ are so lame for wimping out.

 

And why they are now cursed by Zeus to be majorless and cast to the eternity of golf Hades.

[Rangeballz]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

 

No, because what it boils down to is who you beat. The field.

 

Which is why Rory, Jordan, Day, and DJ are so lame for wimping out.

 

And why they are now cursed by Zeus to be majorless and cast to the eternity of golf Hades.

 

I respect your opinion. I really do.

 

Would you care to wager a dozen e-Pro V1s that in the next five years one of those four players will not win a major? I thing at least one will.

[dlygrisse]

Would like to see 36 hole stroke play qualifier then take the top 32 for a match play event for the medals, with a 36 hole final match for the top 3.

 

 

They don't have time for that and that would be 7 rounds of golf, plus practice in a span of 6 days. These guys wouldn't have it.

 

Had a friend who played and won the state am, 8 rounds in four days plus practice. He was still feeling it 2 weeks later.

 

That's what I would like to see. Probably won't ever happen. They could have the qualifier a few weeks before and the top 32-64 get in.

[bscinstnct]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

 

No, because what it boils down to is who you beat. The field.

 

Which is why Rory, Jordan, Day, and DJ are so lame for wimping out.

 

And why they are now cursed by Zeus to be majorless and cast to the eternity of golf Hades.

 

I respect your opinion. I really do.

 

Would you care to wager a dozen e-Pro V1s that in the next five years one of those four players will not win a major? I thing at least one will.

 

Youd be a great bookie ; )

 

How bout, none wins one next year?

 

(^Negotiation)

[Rangeballz]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

 

No, because what it boils down to is who you beat. The field.

 

Which is why Rory, Jordan, Day, and DJ are so lame for wimping out.

 

And why they are now cursed by Zeus to be majorless and cast to the eternity of golf Hades.

 

I respect your opinion. I really do.

 

Would you care to wager a dozen e-Pro V1s that in the next five years one of those four players will not win a major? I thing at least one will.

 

Youd be a great bookie ; )

 

How bout, none wins one next year?

 

(^Negotiation)

 

 

I'm prepared to go from five years to two? Fair enough?

[bscinstnct]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

 

No, because what it boils down to is who you beat. The field.

 

Which is why Rory, Jordan, Day, and DJ are so lame for wimping out.

 

And why they are now cursed by Zeus to be majorless and cast to the eternity of golf Hades.

 

I respect your opinion. I really do.

 

Would you care to wager a dozen e-Pro V1s that in the next five years one of those four players will not win a major? I thing at least one will.

 

Youd be a great bookie ; )

 

How bout, none wins one next year?

 

(^Negotiation)

 

 

I'm prepared to go from five years to two? Fair enough?

 

Done on that point.

 

But if Rickie, Bubba, Top 5, or Kuch wins one before the Olympic wimp outs,

 

I win the balls.

 

Counter or done?

[Rangeballz]

Done on that point.

 

But if Rickie, Bubba, Top 5, or Kuch wins one before the Olympic wimp outs,

 

I win the balls.

 

Counter or done?

 

Bet accepted. And it doesn't have to be Pro V1s. Winner selects the dozen balls.......

[golfgirlrobin]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major.

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

 

They tried at one point to float that idea during the coverage but it didn't go far.

[Strike Force]

You just can't believe everything you see at the Olympics...

[jons1]

I actually think golf in the olympics is pretty interesting. It's maybe not as big of a deal for some of the countries with successful golf programs and players, but for the lesser known players from countries that don't traditionally produce top golfers, this is a huge deal. And who wouldn't want to win a gold medal? I think this is cool.

[2bGood]

Julieta Granada on the GC morning drive carrying the flag for Paraguay in the Olympics... I thought the Olympics was supposed to be the best athletes in their respective sport from around the world? Shes only made 8 of 20 cuts on the LPGA tour this year, where is the excitment in that? Its nothing against her but if she is the best Paraguay has to offer then they just dont qualify for the games this year... She makes a nice living on the LPGA and is deserving of her status there but this is the Olympics and supposed to be next level top tier type golf.

 

Sadly, the Olympics have never really been the best athletes in the world at each sport - that just a bull squat NBC tagline. Otherwise, not all countries could "participate". They force some of the better ones from each sport to stay home. Golf, sadly, is no different.

 

What is your thoughts about the Ryder cup? Should it just be the top 24 players in the world and divide them into two groups?

[Joebirds55]

I actually think golf in the olympics is pretty interesting. It's maybe not as big of a deal for some of the countries with successful golf programs and players, but for the lesser known players from countries that don't traditionally produce top golfers, this is a huge deal. And who wouldn't want to win a golf medal? I think this is cool.

 

Agreed. Too many glass half empty people around here! :)

[Brad Thor]

So the IGF, NBC, TGC, and everyone else connected with this has said the Olympic gold medal will be the most coveted prize in golf, on par with any major. :cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy:

 

Fine. So does this mean Fraser's 63 should be mentioned in the same light as Miller's 63 at Oakmont, and all the other 63s in the other "majors"?

[bscinstnct]

Done on that point.

 

But if Rickie, Bubba, Top 5, or Kuch wins one before the Olympic wimp outs,

 

I win the balls.

 

Counter or done?

 

Bet accepted. And it doesn't have to be Pro V1s. Winner selects the dozen balls.......

 

Ok, done.

 

 

[2putttom]

I actually think golf in the olympics is pretty interesting. It's maybe not as big of a deal for some of the countries with successful golf programs and players, but for the lesser known players from countries that don't traditionally produce top golfers, this is a huge deal. And who wouldn't want to win a golf medal? I think this is cool.

 

Agreed. Too many glass half empty people around here! :)

I'm with ya. I've enjoyed watching and glad to see how global golf has become.

[Santiago Golf]

The golf course is pretty cool

[Hankshank]

I've been ambivalent since I first heard the idea, that golf was going to be a part of the Olympic Games. I have followed tour golf closely since the hey days of Ballesteros and Craig Stadler, enjoying the traditions of golf, the golf stories by Wodehouse and so on.

And I am also a big fan of the olympics, hugely enjoying it, saw my first televised Olympics 1968 (on satellite! but I couldn't understand why they just ran one straight part of the track and then stopped...) also there enjoying the traditions, knowing quite a lot about the 1000 years of the old greec games, and the 1912 Central Scandinavian games, relishing the gold medals won by Central Scandinavians in all the games I have followed. The track-and-field events have Master's status for me.

 

But then, do golf really fit? I guess many of you have been asking the same, and now it's time see if golf does.

 

Mixed emotions here in this thread, and I also have mixed emotions. It IS kind of cool to see Stenson and Baggins playing in some sort of national colors (althougt the shirts should be yellow). You have some Central Scandinavian fans in the background, and I do appreciate that. And Stenson could be the gold medal winner in an Olympic Game. That's also pretty cool. So yeah, there are positives.

But I get kind of double minded when I see what mostly reminds me of any other tournament being played as olympic. I think there should have been some kind of team event first, a foursome or a best ball, like in RC. It makes the nation thing more obvious, players from the same nation cheering each other on, having the same jerseys. And the course is not bad, but rather un-spectacular, you should have something extra for the first golf game in the olympics in over a hundred years. The surroundings look rather sloppy, you do not really get that Cobacabana feeling I guess Hanse wanted to present, together with a top notch course design.

 

But I do enjoy it. As the week goes on, I hope this tournament will find it's place, and that the race for the gold medal on sunday will be something extra.

[carn9698]

Americans need a big day today. Woeful start. Cannot explain that really. They just made so many errors.

[nichho]

Americans need a big day today. Woeful start. Cannot explain that really. They just made so many errors.

 

I have a theory but I'll wait and see how they get on over the next couple of days before I introduce it to the world and make myself look even more stupid. It involves a comfort zone.

[Dave230]

Julieta Granada on the GC morning drive carrying the flag for Paraguay in the Olympics... I thought the Olympics was supposed to be the best athletes in their respective sport from around the world? Shes only made 8 of 20 cuts on the LPGA tour this year, where is the excitment in that? Its nothing against her but if she is the best Paraguay has to offer then they just dont qualify for the games this year... She makes a nice living on the LPGA and is deserving of her status there but this is the Olympics and supposed to be next level top tier type golf.

Check out Ethiopia's Robel Kiros Habite. His best time in the 100m freestyle has been bested by a number of American 10-11 year old kids this year alone. Yes, you have some of the best athletes in the world competing, but you also have everyone in the world competing.

 

Beach volleyball Eygpt never played an inertnational match and had zero world ranking points, but they did defeat beach volleyball powerhouses Nigeria and Rwanda. At least golf should be for non pros not a pro field weaker than the John Deere.

 

It's a lot stronger than the John Deere. Olympic Golf given 46 World Ranking Points as opposed to 24 for John Deere. It's the same as the Canadian Open or the Scottish and Irish Opens on the European Tour so sorta the ranking of standard PGA Tour event strength.

[gflo]

For those complaining about the format, number of players etc..

"In preparing for golf’s return to the Olympic Games after 112 years, it was felt that Rio 2016 would not be an appropriate place to experiment on format."

check this out:

http://www.igfgolf.o...c-games/format/

All the information is there.

[RoryGenius]

They don't play tennis under a different format at the Games so why would golf be any different? Strokeplay is the standard method of deciding the best player & if they used some tricked-up format it would give more ammo to those denigrating the concept.

[BarronDDS]

I watch all of the tours each week, whatever is airing. However, i find it difficult to get interested in this event. Cant explain what it is, maybe lack of spectators or something??? I hope the weekend gets exciting! Team format would help i believe.

[skyking]

It's probably all true about little Ricky...1,000 Frenchman can't be wrong as the expression goes, but I thought Ricky was one of Bubba's Bible Boys?? Maybe he just likes the temptation.

[stu_man]

Haven't read this thread so I don't know what has been said about the bunkers.. but I love them.. This is what bunkers were always meant to be. Hazards!.. different lies, different textures, different depths.. natural hazards.

[tgtaggie]

After that putt by Stentson, I have a feeling that he might be going home with the gold

[smeech8000]

I watch all of the tours each week, whatever is airing. However, i find it difficult to get interested in this event. Cant explain what it is, maybe lack of spectators or something??? I hope the weekend gets exciting! Team format would help i believe.

 

IMO, there are three elements that drive interest in a golf tournament (listed in order of importance):

 

1) Quality of participants

2) Quality of prize/magnitude of victory

3) Quality of golf course

 

Quality of participants - I list this as the most important factor because, back when Tiger was in his prime, ANY event he played in would have a higher Nielsen than even a major in which he did not play (though there weren't many of those). Okay, possibly an exaggeration, but the phenomenon is real. The average OWGR of the Olympic field is 134, the worst field in this year's majors (Open Championship) was a hair below 32... plus none of the top 4 players are in Rio, only 4 of the top 10.

 

Quality of prize/magnitude of victory - all of the majors are steeped in history (yes, even the PGA) which is what creates the prestige for winning one. The Olympics has none of this going for it, and the commentary from NBC and most media outlets attempting to manufacture it has become counterproductive.

 

Quality of golf course - Heck, I'd watch a state am qualifer held at Oakmont or ANGC if it was televised. Unfortunately, Hanse's layout is likewise devoid of any history and appears bland on television. I understand that wasn't necessarily the top priority in his design process, nor do all major-tournament tracks show well on TV, but it is nonetheless a factor here.

[gflo]

wowwww. need a video of that stensons par save! 108ft 7in.

[hdr_ric]

Julieta Granada on the GC morning drive carrying the flag for Paraguay in the Olympics... I thought the Olympics was supposed to be the best athletes in their respective sport from around the world? Shes only made 8 of 20 cuts on the LPGA tour this year, where is the excitment in that? Its nothing against her but if she is the best Paraguay has to offer then they just dont qualify for the games this year... She makes a nice living on the LPGA and is deserving of her status there but this is the Olympics and supposed to be next level top tier type golf.

 

Sadly, the Olympics have never really been the best athletes in the world at each sport - that just a bull squat NBC tagline. Otherwise, not all countries could "participate". They force some of the better ones from each sport to stay home. Golf, sadly, is no different.

 

What is your thoughts about the Ryder cup? Should it just be the top 24 players in the world and divide them into two groups?

 

If the promoters want to continually harangue us about how the Ryder Cup is the BEST GOLFERS (ATHLETES) in the world (like they do with the Olympics) then yes. The promoters shouldn't tell lies.

 

But I have never heard the Ryder Cup promoted like that. When Adam Scott or Greg Norman was number one in the world, the Ryder Cup was not promoted as having the number one golfer participating in it. At least I am pretty sure it wasn't promoted that way.