Hang On a Second, Where's Golf at the Olympics?

In these last two weeks of sporting excellence, we have constantly been amazed but what we have seen. In the process of watching Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and any number of other athletes, many questions have been asked—with almost all receiving comprehensive answers.

One question, however, has received no satisfactory response. Where’s golf?

For a moment at least, let's put aside any debate about what makes a sport a sport. For now, let's we just accept that golf is one. Why then, should it not be part of the Olympic programme?

It has made appearances in the past, in both 1900 and 1904. But not since the Canadian George Lyon took gold in St. Louis has the event been part of the Olympic schedule. It is, however, being considered for a place in the 2016 Games. Still, where has it been for the last 104 years?

There are many reasons why golf is only now making a genuine attempt to be included in the world’s grandest sporting event. For a start, only in the past year have the golfing power-brokers united under one banner—the International Golf Federation—to push for admittance.

More importantly, it is only in the last few years that drug testing has become a key part of US and European Tour life. Before such an infrastructure was put in place, the IOC would have been loathe to bring such an un-regulated sport into the fold. Now, however, they just might.

Unfortunately though, this doesn’t mean the IGF are home and dry, and that we can expect the world's top golfers to be adding Olympic medals to their CV's in 2016.

The appearance of mainstream professional sports (tennis, football and basketball to name just three) at the Olympics is already contentious—there is a widespread school of thought suggesting the Games should contain no sports for which Olympic gold would not be the biggest prize.

Obviously, this would rule golf out, as the honour of winning an Olympic medal would never outdo the prestige of winning a Major. But is this a reason to omit it altogether?

Of course not—and even if it was, it could always be made an amateur competition (as it was for Lyons in 1904). Even if it isn’t the crown jewel of golf, professionals would still flock to play—it's the Olympics, after all!

Rafa Nadal didn’t pass on Beijing because it was not a big event, and LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki (to name just three basketball stars) aren’t in China because they having nothing better to do. They all want to be there and win a medal—why wouldn’t Tiger?

The benefits too, would be massive. For a start, a high profile event that occurred outside the US (at the moment the golfing calendar is extremely US-oriented) every four years would be a breath of fresh air for both tours.

Perhaps more importantly, it wouldn’t even have to be a straightforward 72-hole strokeplay tournament, a la 90 percent of US and European tour events. There would be genuine scope for innovation, with the opportunity to bring back the classic combination of stroke play and match play that was a hallmark of early majors.

Such a setup would only be an attraction for international stars.

Perhaps even more excitingly, the potential for a team competition would be mouth-watering. Based on tennis' Davis Cup format, imagine Woods and Mickelson taking on Els and Goosen for gold, or Harrington facing Garcia in a match play shootout to secure a medal!

The tension would be as palpable as anything we have seen in the pool or on the track this year.

Excitingly, an Olympic event might also give men and women a chance to play alongside each other in a competitive event, something that has long been sought after by fans and sponsors alike. A mixed doubles format would surely be an intriguing proposition.

However, trying to predict how the event might look is jumping the gun slightly (if you excuse the pun) considering the sport hasn’t even been given the green light yet. The first step must be persuading the IOC that golf deserves its place at the Games.

If the aforementioned formats were implemented, then an Olympic golf event would have a unique feeling that would undoubtedly satisfy the IOC—the last the thing they want is a product indistinguishable from any other US Tour event.

If the Olympics are truly about gathering the greatest sportsmen and women from around the world, then including one of the world’s most popular participation sports is just common sense.

The fact that the world’s most recognisable superstar (that's you, Mr. Woods) might also be in attendance would only be a bonus, adding legitimacy to any Games.

Golf’s fate will be decided in October 2009, when the IOC also make a decision about the future of baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby, softball and squash. In that company, few would argue golf is any less deserving of Olympic status.

Hopefully the IOC make the right decision, and in 2016 we will finally see someone succeed George Lyon as golf’s Olympic champion.

After 112 years, it would be about time.