Why dont we see more russians in pro golf?

[Blitz28179]

I guess thier climate makes golf unplayable in their country but still.Is that why we dont see russians pro golfers?

I am guessing they wont have a golf team in the next olympics?

[iacas]

Until only recently they had 54 holes in a country that spans 8 time zones.

[SCfanatic35]

Originally Posted by Blitz28179

I guess thier climate makes golf unplayable in their country but still.Is that why we dont see russians pro golfers?

I am guessing they wont have a golf team in the next olympics?

I imagine it has a little something to do with the climate.  According to Wikipedia (not the world's greatest source), the average temperature in Moscow is only above 50 degrees for 5 months a year. The highest average is 69 degrees in July.

Probably most kids are spending their time in the cold weather sports.  Maybe the game of golf is more expensive to play over there, equipment, courses?  I believe that the home country gets to enter a team into every sport without having to qualify as the other countries do.  Maybe they will just find enough for the home crowd to root for before they get slaughtered. Or maybe having other golfers over there will grow the game.

[mchepp]

No youth programs at all. Very very few driving ranges, and more interest in soccer and hockey.

[Parker0065]

They like vodka better?

[grubby98]

Its the same reason why they have so many pro hockey players.  Its cold almost year round there.  Like the previous poster stated they barely get into the 60s a month or so a year.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35

I imagine it has a little something to do with the climate.  According to Wikipedia (not the world's greatest source), the average temperature in Moscow is only above 50 degrees for 5 months a year. The highest average is 69 degrees in July.

Probably most kids are spending their time in the cold weather sports.  Maybe the game of golf is more expensive to play over there, equipment, courses?  I believe that the home country gets to enter a team into every sport without having to qualify as the other countries do.  Maybe they will just find enough for the home crowd to root for before they get slaughtered. Or maybe having other golfers over there will grow the game.

Golf is going into the Winter Olympics? This I'm going to enjoy!

Seriously, Brazil has a few reasonable golfers on the Euro Tour, the half way leader at last weeks event was Brazilian - he chocked his big lead away though.

[Zwick]

Originally Posted by grubby98

Its the same reason why they have so many pro hockey players.  Its cold almost year round there.  Like the previous poster stated they barely get into the 60s a month or so a year.

I think it's funny that they also don't have any good skiers even though there's enough snow and mountains.

Another aspect (other than climate and no youth programs)  is probaly that they just don't have a history in the game and are only slowly catching up (similar to China and a lesser extent India). And of course a lot uf russians aren't very rich.

[Chilli Dipper]

Communists typically have a negative perception of a sport with such bourgeois connotations (disregarding whatever's going on with the Chinese these days). It shouldn't be surprising that golf isn't a thing in Russia.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Parker0065

They like vodka better?

Since when are the two mutually exclusive?

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by Chilli Dipper

Communists typically have a negative perception of a sport with such bourgeois connotations (disregarding whatever's going on with the Chinese these days). It shouldn't be surprising that golf isn't a thing in Russia.

But its getting on for 25 years since they gave up the Communism, hard line market driven economy.

Its my oilfield/platinum mine/etc. What you have papers? I have my own private army and a tame judge.

Lack of interest caused by lack of courses and lack of money are the two main issues I suspect.

There have been Challenger Tour events there - I think it was where Lloyd Saltman got his DQ for cheating.

[CowtownGrindrrr]

Climate is an unlikely explanation: reference golf in Scandinavia and Canuckastan, where I'm from.  Sure we love hockey, but our participation rate for golf is astronomical, despite our relatively short season in many parts of the country.  Having said that, most "cold climate" nations are far more diverse geographically than many realize.  In Canada, golf is played 365 on Vancouver Island and B.C.'s Lower Mainland.  I'm sure there are parts of Sweden like this too.  See climate for Sochi, Russia-ironically enough host of the 2014 Winter Games.  Could definitely golf there year round.  Why has North America (until the last decade or so) largely ignored football (or soccer, as we say) despite its massive popularity virtually everywhere else?  Culture I guess.  As others have posted, I think golf (unfairly) has been ideologically at odds with socialist thought (granted, it's hard to watch your boss playing a game all day when you're slaving for pennies to make him rich ) Russians, however, have certainly embraced the bourgeious game of tennis The 'free market' has been pretty hard on most Russians, but it is curious that the petro-oligarchs haven't taken more of a liking to golf.

[Mozgolf]

I think I would play tennis if i was in Russia- Kournikova, Sharipova etc

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by CowtownGrindrrr

(granted, it's hard to watch your boss playing a game all day when you're slaving for pennies to make him rich ) Russians, however, have certainly embraced the bourgeious game of tennis  The 'free market' has been pretty hard on most Russians, but it is curious that the petro-oligarchs haven't taken more of a liking to golf.

Communism has been hard on Russia, when they had super inflation. The problem is when you bloat the system with so much money it might take a generation to right itself.

Its probably just a culture thing, golf wasn't popular worldwide back when Russia was challenging the United States in everything due to being the two only super powers in the world. I'm sure if someone made golf popular in 30-40 years ago, world wide, like Tiger did, that Russia would spend money to create world class golfers to compete with US golfers. I have no doubt they would have loved to send there golfer's over here for the Ryder cup, its a perfect opportunity for them to show Supremecy.

[joekelly]

Although Russia is not currently 'communist' there is substantial cultural baggage hanging on from those past years. Those years of incredible agony and massive lies promulgated by the State to support their ideology.  Frankly, i was quite ignorant of life in Russia during that time until i read this book: "Child 44" by Tom Rob Smith. Read this informative and interesting novel and you too will be horrified at how creepy and oppressive life can be under a totalitarian state.

However, whether the life under Soviet communism has any bearing on golf in Russia today , i do not know.

[WWBDD]

In Soviet Union, par shoots you.

[Mr Mulyak]

I've been trying to hunt down (without success) an article I read recently that talked about Russian

golf and their participation in the Olympics in Rio 2016.

In the article it mentions that quite a few had gone to Florida to train.

So perhaps they are hoping to grow the game.

(Edit) Don't know why my copy and paste is wonky. sorry

At least for now, Bilalov retains a job related to the Olympics, as president of the Russian Golf Association. Golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 at the next Games, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. - See more at: http://zeenews.india.com/sports/others/firm-of-ex-olympic-boss-faces-probe_757143.html#sthash.JXQaWhHn.dpuf

[Fozcycle]

Originally Posted by Mr Mulyak

In the article it mentions that quite a few had gone to Florida to train.

So perhaps they are hoping to grow the game.

At least for now, Bilalov retains a job related to the Olympics, as president of the Russian Golf Association. Golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 at the next Games, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. - See more at: http://zeenews.india.com/sports/others/firm-of-ex-olympic-boss-faces-probe_757143.html#sthash.JXQaWhHn.dpuf

Terrific! That's just what we need .....a bunch of Russians invading Florida!......LOL