Before I throw in the towel and yell “No Mas”, on the decision to bring golf to the Olympics, let me take one last shot at those bandwagon jumpers who love the idea and are ecstatic that Tiger was leading the pack as the ambassador for this cause.

Follow up:

As Scott Russell with CBC Sports says about golf in the Olympics, “that old Sesame Street tune sung by the Cookie Monster comes to mind. “One of these things is not like the other things. One of these things just doesn’t belong.” Cookie Monster might as well have been singing about golf vis-a-vis the Olympic Games. Although it’s a great game and a modern day obsession of those who can afford the time and money to play it, golf is not – repeat not – Olympic.

What in the world does Tiger Woods need a gold medal for anyway? Will Tiger Woods play? Will he be retired by then? If he does play, more people will watch; if he doesn’t, it’s not must-see TV. Would you rather have an Olympic gold medal, green jacket or Claret Jug? I’m going to go way out on a limb and suggest more players would say the majors.” However, who wouldn’t want to watch Tiger fist-pumping while he proudly carries the American flag at the Opening Ceremony?

More strongly unified than ever before, golf’s leading bodies campaigned to have the sport included in the 2016 program. The PGA Tour, European Tour, USGA, R&A, LPGA Tour, PGA of America and the boys that run the “tunamint” at Augusta National (all joined at the hip) convinced the IOC committee with the rally word growth. Growth is what golf needs to do and it needs to do it now. But does it really?

Since when is it the goal of the Olympics to help a sport grow? In fact, the summer games are clogged with sports that likely haven’t, and won’t be growing appreciably anytime soon, such as handball, the modern pentathalon and archery. But, the real question is why does the PGA Tour think it’s OK to use the Olympics to advance its goals, and what are its actual goals for this gambit?

If the sight of Angel Cabrera, Padraig Harrington and Vijay Singh winning majors hasn’t spread the gospel of golf to all corners of the world, the IOC shouldn’t pick up the proselytizing slack. In the women’s game, Se Ri Pak didn’t need an Olympic medal to revolutionize the game. After she won two majors in 1998, South Korea flooded the LPGA Tour with talent and, eventually, with TV rights money.

The most disingenuous part of Finchem’s plea is the time honored idea of the glory of competing for one’s country. Gee, isn’t that what happens in the Ryder, Presidents, Solheim, Walker and Curtis Cups along with a bunch of other cups I’ve never heard of? Are tour players really grousing among themselves about never having the chance to go mano a mano with the national team from the Republic of Forgetaboutustan.

Golf is still a great game and it has endured. Endurance is a far more significant goal than growth, especially in an individual sport. People will continue to take up and give up on golf because it is so divinely humiliating and unrelentingly difficult, but that’s OK. That’s the way our game works best.

When it comes to organizations like the PGA Tour all you have to remember is follow the money trail and now the trail leads to the Olympics. As Gwen Knapp (San Francisco Chronicle) writes, “if seven years from now, we see Kenyans and Iraqis inching toward the pro tours, and Saudi Arabian women turning up at the Olympics with even a hint of Annika Sorenstam in them, then the venture will be somewhat worthwhile.”

“We all knew this was coming” writes blogger Ryan Ballengee. “All of us who had been paying attention to the drive led by Ty Votaw to get golf into the 2016 Olympics. If golf was recommended for the Games – and then got in – it would bring out the game’s harshest critics in droves. And, now, it’s starting.”

Here is a collection of some other great bloggers’ comments as to why golf shouldn’t be part of the Olympics.

“Just what the world needed: Another professional golf tournament, with arrogant rich guys slinking out of their exclusive country clubs to go make some courageous putts in the valiant pursuit of a medal in their country’s name.”

“Are they serious? We tried to ignore this story for weeks, hoping that it would go away, common sense would prevail, and IOC members would realize that the last thing the Olympics need is another anal-retentive obsession on grand international display.” (What, to balance out the atmospheric suction created by already having some of the world’s tennis stars in one wing of the Olympic Village?) Brilliant!

A lot of thought was put into this one…”Golf does not belong in the Olympics.”

“This is only one more example of the IOC’s elitism and disregard for the spirit and integrity of the Games. Golf got tossed in 1904 and somehow thrived anyway. The game does not, as its backers claim, need to use the Olympics to enhance its international street cred.”

“Golf certainly has enough prestigious events, which is exactly why it doesn’t belong in the Games. Tiger Woods got on board the lobbying train but he had gone on the record before with a statement of the obvious: Every man on the PGA Tour would prefer a Claret Jug or green jacket to Olympic gold.”

“The Olympics already have tennis and basketball stars showing up to prove they care for their country, not because the Games are their ultimate dream. Kobe Bryant’s passion for the Beijing Olympics seemed thoroughly genuine, even inspiring, but he could have gone to Athens and Sydney and chose to stay home. He seemed very proud of his gold medal, but not half as exuberant as he did about winning the NBA Finals this summer.”

“Does the world really need to see the Tiger Woodses of the world marching in an opening ceremony? For people who never do anything besides chase a small ball across property otherwise perfectly suited for low-income housing, aren’t their egos sufficiently inflated already?”

“And can anyone on the IOC really say, with a straight face, that adding pro golfers to the Olympic mix is more in keeping with the spirit of the Olympic charter than truly amateur athletes who sweat, train and toil in women’s softball, which now has been relegated to the heap of tried-and-rejected Olympic sports?”

“Get real.” Another good one.

Perhaps, though, we should look at the bright side. Maybe the golfers of the world can make an example of themselves and compete in the manner in which they are accustomed — as individuals, without the bonds of nationality.

They can march into the stadium for opening ceremonies in stupid straw hats, ill-fitting polo shirts and Sans-a-Belt slacks in screaming loud plaid.

Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated writes, “Tiger Woods is the most famous man on the planet, the most admired sportsman and, in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee, he would be money in the bank. This Olympic golf movement isn’t about advancing the game or bringing it to the world. Golf already is global.

No, this Olympic movement is all about trying to cash in on Tiger’s legend and charisma. Olympic golf with Tiger teeing it up would probably be a ratings (and money) bonanza. In my opinion, it’s just another cash grab.”

I’m not sure Tiger would even consent to play. He doesn’t appreciate others cashing in on his likeness and he’s not looking for more tournaments he’s obliged to play in. The Olympics doesn’t need golf. Golf doesn’t need the Olympics. I don’t know why we’re even still talking about it.

When I wrote about this topic in the 2008 Fall issue of Pro Shop Magazine I mentioned that the IOC hadn’t filled up all the working hours once devoted to taking bribes…but this decision is perfect! Totally transparent and a boat load of cash…right in their lap!

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