Should Only Amateurs Compete in Olympic Golf?

[Pretzel]

There are amateurs (most of us here) and amateurs whose sole mission in life is to be a pro.   If Olympic Golf gods limit the event to amateurs, for all intents and purposes, it will be an event dominated by pro wannabes.  I wouldn't want to watch that.   Olympic has turned pro long ago.  There aren't too many Olympic event whose participants are pure Amateurs (e.g, Curling, maybe).

I would like to see the amateurs who want to turn pro. It's no different than watching the U.S. Amateur, or the Walker Cup, in a different format on a more global stage. I personally would find it fun to watch, but I'm someone who will watch it regardless of who shows up to play.

[ghalfaire]

I voted no as I doubt that the definition of "amateur is consistent around the globe.   So, as was true years ago in Basketball, our amateurs would be competing against what would be professionals in this country.

[jamo]

I have no desire to watch amateur golfers play in the Olympics on TV. I would like to see professionals play in the Olympics on TV.

[dfreuter415]

I have no desire to watch amateur golfers play in the Olympics on TV. I would like to see professionals play in the Olympics on TV.

And TV sponsors would probably agree.

[DrvFrShow]

Considering they already allow professional hockey and basketball players, that train has already left the station. The Olympics are about making money for sponsors.

[billchao]

Watching the Olympics, in terms of the division between amateurs and professionals (as it varies between events), is disconcerting. Fencing? Amateur sportsmen. Boxing? Amateur sportsmen.

AFAIK, boxing and wrestling are the only two Summer Games sports that require competitors to hold amateur status. If an athlete's chosen sport isn't lucrative enough for them to earn a living from it, that's another issue entirely.

[David in FL]

AFAIK, boxing and wrestling are the only two Summer Games sports that require competitors to hold amateur status. If an athlete's chosen sport isn't lucrative enough for them to earn a living from it, that's another issue entirely.

No professional fencers. Ask me how I know..... :whistle:

[Oz Max]

I think Adam Scott's right, amateur golfers need more incentive, the Olympics would be a good one. We already see the pros all year long during the regular season. At least amateur would be super motivated, heck the Americans were already not motivated for the Ryder Cup, can you imagine for the Olympics??

[ditchparrot19]

I don't believe golf should be in the Olympics at all – nor should basketball, tennis, soccer, et al.

Leave the Olympics to the sports that the Olympics are the pinnacle of (such as track, swimming, gymnastics, skiing, skating, what have you).

[DocWu1948]

Living in a dorm for three weeks. Eating in cafeterias. No Gulfstream. Security everywhere. Why would a Touring Pro used to the good life of the PGA want to go to Brazil in 2016.

[Pretzel]

Living in a dorm for three weeks. Eating in cafeterias. No Gulfstream. Security everywhere. Why would a Touring Pro used to the good life of the PGA want to go to Brazil in 2016.

It's no secret that there is more than a little "action" going on in the Olympic village. The Vancouver Olympics stocked 100,000 condoms in preparation for the games. Joking aside, I personally would find it kind of cool to be on a more global stage than just PGA tournaments. Plus it could work out to be an interesting break in their routine. The "cafeteria" food isn't terrible, or else you would hear about atheletes bringing their own food with them all the time.

[Oz Max]

It's no secret that there is more than a little "action" going on in the Olympic village. The Vancouver Olympics stocked 100,000 condoms in preparation for the games.

We should expect to see TW then...

But seriously I question the motivation, unless there's a big prize money or Fedex points, I can't see many top pros being too enthusiastic.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScouseJohnny

Watching the Olympics, in terms of the division between amateurs and professionals (as it varies between events), is disconcerting.

Fencing? Amateur sportsmen. Boxing? Amateur sportsmen.

AFAIK, boxing and wrestling are the only two Summer Games sports that require competitors to hold amateur status.

I think there are more, especially, obscure sports without pro leagues.   Anyway, even the so called amateurs are really pros in many countries.  They train full time while being paid by government, and/or companies.

[flopster]

Amatuers should only compete on the Olympic stage for all events but that has been done away with unfortunately

[mortato]

I seem to remember that the "amateur" stipulation was to keep professional boatmen out of the rowing events so that the snobs could win. As for top pro's not being interested, that would surprise me. 1 gold medal available per 16 major events should help make it pretty special. Golf could bring sponsorship to the Olympics that would allow many less financially supported sports get funding for events. It would also get golf introduced to those (viewers) who might not be interested without the added excitement of an Olympic gold.

[billchao]

No professional fencers. Ask me how I know..... :whistle:

I'll take your word for it :-) [quote name="rkim291968" url="/t/78566/should-only-amateurs-compete-in-olympic-golf/30#post_1084097"]I think there are more, especially, obscure sports without pro leagues.   Anyway, even the so called amateurs are really pros in many countries.  They train full time while being paid by government, and/or companies.   [/quote]Well that's kind of what I was getting at. There are sports that don't have professional leagues, but the IOC does not require amateur status for. That would allow them to be sponsored, hold teaching positions in their sport, or get scholarships for their sport. Yes, IOC definition of an amateur precludes athletes on athletic scholarships from competing, so even in the U.S.A., "so called amateurs" are not really amateurs ;-).

[Oz Max]

I seem to remember that the "amateur" stipulation was to keep professional boatmen out of the rowing events so that the snobs could win.

As for top pro's not being interested, that would surprise me. 1 gold medal available per 16 major events should help make it pretty special.

Golf could bring sponsorship to the Olympics that would allow many less financially supported sports get funding for events. It would also get golf introduced to those (viewers) who might not be interested without the added excitement of an Olympic gold.

Olympic soccer has never taken off, it's the number 1 sport in the word, and still failed to gather much interest among the pro soccer players. I know FIFA has made sure the IOC doesn't compete with its World Cup, read "foul play" from A. Jenkins, staggering corruption in FIFA, but I digress!

[David in FL]

Well that's kind of what I was getting at. There are sports that don't have professional leagues, but the IOC does not require amateur status for. That would allow them to be sponsored, hold teaching positions in their sport, or get scholarships for their sport. Yes, IOC definition of an amateur precludes athletes on athletic scholarships from competing, so even in the U.S.A., "so called amateurs" are not really amateurs ;-).

Which simply comes back to the "it's too hard" argument. Too hard to set guidelines, too hard to monitor, and too hard to enforce.