Aug 05

Phil Mickelson gung-ho over golf in the Olympics

The cultural difference between American and foreign golfers is all too evident in the way Phil Mickelson, Trevor Immelman and Ian Poulter view the possibility of golf being added to the Olympic games.

Mickelson, being an American, thinks it would “grow” the game.

“Having golf as an Olympic sport is exponentially more important to the game of golf than the majors,” Mickelson said at a pre-PGA Championship press conference. “It would bring in 168 different countries and their Olympic foundation and all those revenues and that would go towards the growth of the game of golf.”

Immelman, as befits a Masters champion, is against it.

“If I was running the Olympics, I would go back to the way it was originally,” Immelman said at a following press conference. “Gymnastics, weight-lifting, swimming, track and field, marathons. That, to me, is what the Olympics is.

“The Olympics is not about tennis or golf or anything like that. In my opinion, those are like basketball. You’ve got three sports there that that are guys getting paid a lot of money to play and compete week in and week out playing those sports, and it’s just so professional.”

Poulter thinks it would just be a bother.

I agree with Immelman, but I don’t think either of us has much pull with the ruling bodies. When money comes in the front window, integrity goes out the back.

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9 comments

Comment from: Kiel Christianson [Visitor]

I think golf should be included in the Olympics. In fact, a gold in golf was the first gold medal ever won my an American
woman, at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Her name was Margaret Abbott, and she shot a 47 over 9 holes.

However, the competitors should ALL be amateurs, just as they should be in tennis, basketball, football/soccer, etc., etc., etc.

08/05/08 @ 21:37

Comment from: Ron Mon [Member]

Really, are we morons? Golf is not olympian in the least. There is one olympian in the bunch, his name is Tiger, and that is that. Do we really think that anyone would care to watch amateur golfers? Do they watch the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup, the World Amateur Team Championships? No way do they watch. Stupid idea, this golf in the Olympics.

08/05/08 @ 22:28

Comment from: Kiel Christianson [Member]

I'd watch it over synchronized swimming, or rhythmic gymnastics, or yachting, or...

08/05/08 @ 22:42

Comment from: Dave [Visitor]

No, this is a stupid idea. I can't even be bothered explaining why. As usual, Phil's talking crap.

08/06/08 @ 11:48

Comment from: Shanks [Member]

I'm with Ron Monster and Dave on this. Dumb idea. However, if they must in order to "grow the game", it should definitely be limited to amateurs. People who know nothing of golf wouldn't know Tiger Woods from balsa wood.

08/06/08 @ 12:24

Comment from: Kiel Christianson [Member]

I completely agree that golf is not necessary in the Olympics, but basing that opinion on the criterion that "no one would watch" is simply silly. Name me a triple-jumper. Can't? Well, maybe it should be out. Name me a judo competitor or weight-lifter. Can't? Well, scratch them, too. Cyclist? Marathoner? Nope and nope? Scratch them. Anyone ever watch the steeple-chase or septathalon? Nope? Out they go! We'd be left with an Olympics empty of all events OTHER THAN the ones with pro athletes competing: basketball, football/soccer, ice hockey (in winter), a few gymnastics and track and field events, maybe some swimming, and...TENNIS and GOLF. As such, the Olympics would be completely irrelevant.

08/06/08 @ 12:43

Comment from: Ron Mon [Member]

We can tolerate triple jump, judo, weight lifting, undoped cyclists, and other crazy-ass events once every four years (same with luge, biathlon, and bobsled.) Golf is available every week and a watered-down competition (amateurs only...go Erik Flores and Jude Eustaquio...whoooo!!!) would be irrelevant. In addition, with no golf-related tradition (remember when Jones and Hogan won gold medals and Snead made 10 on the 72nd to lose gold, silver and bronze?) Olympic golf would be without foundation. Too little, too late.

08/06/08 @ 22:28

Comment from: Booger [Visitor]

Ron Mon and I agree on something. Sorry Ron, I know this will trouble you, but don't let it get you down. Truth is truth.

08/11/08 @ 12:06

Comment from: Andy Brown [Visitor]

The big names in tennis are there at Beijing this time around just a couple of weeks before this year’s last tennis grand slam. If the best in the world in tennis who are paid a ridiculous amount of money for being “professionals”, I do not see any reason why the golfers cannot participate in the Olympics. To be honest I really don’t understand what Trevor Immelman is trying to convey when he says that athletes playing sports where they are paid an incorrigible amount of money, really should not bother about the Olympics. To be honest, golf needs the Olympics than the other way round and the golfers must be conscious of this fact.

Many players like Ernie Els do their bit for the game by traveling around the world from the U.S. to Europe to Asia and back home in South Africa. The game needs more such global golfers who would help the cause of globalizing the sport. If a platform like the Olympics is available and you get the chance to play for something more than the usual, then why not grasp such an opportunity. It will also go a long way in trying to she the elitist image the game of golf has managed to cultivate over the years.

08/11/08 @ 14:22

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