Four simple ways to make Olympics golf even better

From the moment Victor Perez struck the first tee shot at Le Golf National to get golf’s involvement in the Olympic Games underway, few of us haven’t stopped thinking about every angle of its being.

Should it be a mixed event? Should it be a team event? Should it be an event altogether? The sport has been existentially analysed for two weeks, deep into the women’s tournament too which is being played just outside of Paris.

The concept of a gold medal isn’t normal in our game which many players admitted before the first podium ceremony which brought the winner Scottie Scheffler to tears and delivered immense pride for runner-up Tommy Fleetwood and bronze holder Hideki Matsuyama.

The 72-hole strokeplay lovers of this world bit back, igniting another debate around the event’s format too.

Well. NCG want to add more fuel to the fire. We’ve thought hard and stared into space for a few minutes to decide one element of golf at the Olympics that we would change. Here is what we came up with:

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What would we change about the Olympic Golf events?

Max McVittie

“Out with the pros and in with the amateurs. 

“It would be great for the next generation of golfers to receive the accolades and notoriety of what the Olympics can give. Similar to how boxers have benefitted from competing at the Olympics as amateurs over the years. The London Olympics were a huge platform for Anthony Joshua, so why can’t future Games be the same for the best amateur golfers?

“Not just any amateur golfer should get an Olympic spot, but at the very least, there should be a change to the qualifying process. A qualifying tournament, similar to Open Qualifying, for countries who wish to be represented in golf, would create that extra buzz.

“The Olympics isn’t about massive names within sport, earning huge sums of money. It’s the stories of how they came to be at the Olympics which strengthen our admiration for those athletes. Golf should be the same. Yes it’s great seeing the best compete, but we need an escape from the constant money talk and division pro golf seems to endlessly breed.  

“Make it more special and give it that Olympic spirit. Amateur golfers would bring this in abundance.”

Matt Chivers

“I have to mention the coverage, but not in the sense that you might think. The BBC’s efforts to show the action have been frail, typical of the corporation’s approach to the sport in general. It doesn’t show the Masters or The Open anymore and turned down the chance to show PGA Tour coverage for free.

“The Discovery + coverage was good and constant, but it was still found wanting. Virtually every golf tournament has a mini-leaderboard in the bottom corner of our screens. There wasn’t at the Olympics for large portions and I found it rather frustrating when tracking the leaders and my favourite players.

“As trivial as it might sound, the colours on the leaderboard were silly too. I’ll accept green as a birdie, at least green means forwards, go etc. But red for a bogey? You are literally in the red if you’re under par at any golf tournament. I made a light-hearted post about this on X last week, but it is genuinely confusing and has me thinking I am colour-blind.

“We need the basics nailed. We must walk before we can run.”

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Tom Irwin

“Olympic Golf has gone from strength to strength, and this year the time zone, the coverage on Discovery +, the familiar and warm surroundings of Le Golf National, and the stellar field all added up to the best men’s event to date.

“This year was the first year all qualified athletes took up their spots, previously high-profile names such as Bryson, Rory and Jason Day had withdrawn for various reasons ranging from Covid to apathy.

“The ubiquitous take-up this year hopefully speaks to gathering momentum for Olympic Golf and it shows the strength of the field matters. That is why it is the qualifying criteria I would change to allow for more participants from the strongest golfing nations.

“The limited field lends itself to something like the Masters criteria, which uses a combination of factors such as world rankings, recent winners, current or recent major winners, past champions and discretion. Perhaps if the Olympics used something similar, it would become even more significant in the golfing calendar.”

Steve Carroll

“I’m still not buying the reasons why this has to be 72-hole strokeplay. I’m not convinced serving up the same fare seen every week on tour sets this competition sufficiently apart.

“And like it or not, the Olympics aren’t known for worrying about trying new things – medals for skateboarding anyone? And I think I’d get into it much more if there was a clear point of difference with everything else you see on the calendar.

“I’d start that by making the format mixed. I’ve been really taken with the swimming and athletic relay events that have brought male and female competitors together.

“It brings in different tactics and strategies. Which hole – even down to which shot – would suit players better?

“That would limit the field size, of course, but one of the enduring criticisms remaining for golf as an Olympic sport is that the depth of the field isn’t strong enough.

“Spice it up like this and I might even fork out for Discovery+ in 2028.”

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What changes would you make to the Olympic Golf events? Tell us on X!