The format for the 2020 Olympics will blow your mind
As I’m sure you already know golf will return to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo – that was decided a long time ago.
Well, the organisers have announced this week that they have decided on a format.
There had been talk of a match play format, or a team event, or maybe even mixing the men and the women. But they’ve come up with something even better.
Are you ready?
This will blow your mind – that’s why I put that clickbaity headline.
Drum roll please…
Seventy-two holes of stroke play!
Honestly? Who is the brains behind this? Do they not do market research? Do they not consult with the masses? Do they not care that they have this ability to exhilarate, to inspire, to influence?
They had this amazing opportunity to try something new and they fluffed their lines.
Anyway, you can watch players doing the same thing they do every week at Kasumigaseki Country Club in just over two years’ time.
Reed digs deep
It all got a bit salty at the Arnold Palmer Invitational when Patrick Reed found himself in a bit of trouble around some wooded area by a TV compound.
When denied a free drop by an official he declared: “I guess my name needs to be Jordan Spieth.”
Meow.
I love PReed, I’m one of his biggest fans – golf needs gobby types like him as much as it needs legends like Tiger Woods.
And just to make it more interesting, Reed and Spieth were drawn in the same group as each other for the WGC Match Play.
The pair will go head-to-head on Friday afternoon UK time – so after the recording of this video – but if I could give Spieth one piece of advice, it would be: “Don’t ask for any free drops.”
Two things that did happen before we came into film, though, were ridiculous shots – for very different reasons – from Sergio Garcia and Justin Thomas. Check these out…
Nothing to see here.
Just Sergio. Playing from the path. In just his socks. ? pic.twitter.com/CtxFyhrioS
— National Club Golfer (@NCGmagazine) March 22, 2018
Can someone tell us how Justin Thomas 1) managed to get that close and 2) got spin on the ball?!?pic.twitter.com/h3hWPb8LUT
— National Club Golfer (@NCGmagazine) March 22, 2018
Bale’s back yard is better than yours
And finally, you may remember just before Christmas when we were gushing over Gareth Bale’s back garden, with its replica of the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
The speculation then was that the Real Madrid star would add two more of golf’s famous par-3 holes – the Postage Stamp from Royal Troon and Augusta’s Golden Bell.
Well, the company that has designed Bale’s dream three-hole track have revealed it is now finished. In fact, it was done a couple of years ago but the garden needed to time to “mature”.
Check out my incredible Southwest Greens®️ 3 Hole Course, built for me by @SWGConstruction and @SWGreensUK, designed by @EDI__ADI . The expertise, eye for detail and passion they have is on a different level. Check them out! #ad pic.twitter.com/7ebLUCV3Od
— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) March 21, 2018
And Gareth, if you’re watching, our clubs are already in the car mate…
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And with The Masters just around the corner, be sure to check out our dedicated Masters website.
Alex Perry
Alex has been the editor of National Club Golfer since 2017. A Devonian who enjoys wittering on about his south west roots, Alex moved north to join NCG after more than a decade in London, the last five of which were with ESPN. Away from golf, Alex follows Torquay United and spends too much time playing his PlayStation or his guitar and not enough time practising his short game.
