Winning a major vs winning a gold medal

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, rkim291968 said:

Olympic has prestige and history, and it a national competition as far as "team" event goes.  Indeed, they are apples and oranges.  

For Spieth & Rory who are likely to make the Olympic team, the question will be asked.  Love to hear their response.  

The Olympics doesn't have a history in golf.

And of course Rory and Jordan will talk up the Olympics. How close it is to how they actually feel is still going to be speculation.

[WUTiger]

My view on the Olympics is very old school, but I would prefer to see top amateurs from around the world compete in the Olympic golf.

Twice this summer, I had a chance to play Glen Echo CC, site of the Olympic Golf Championship back in 1904 - the only time before 2016 golf was in the Olympics. Playing GE was an exhilarating treat both times, and I tried to imagine what it was like back in 1904. St. Louis also hosted the World's Fair that year.

In the 1904 final round, Toronto golfer George S. Lyon defeated America's Chandler Egan 3-and-2 to take golf medal. Egan was defending U.S. Amateur champion at the time.

The No. 16 tee box at GE has a plaque commemorating Lyon's win.

I think it would mean so much more to amateurs if they played the event. And, I think the fans would like it also. Would the Olympic committee dare consider making amateur status a "Condition of Competition" for Olympic golf? 

[rkim291968]

27 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

I think it would mean so much more to amateurs if they played the event. And, I think the fans would like it also. Would the Olympic committee dare consider making amateur status a "Condition of Competition" for Olympic golf? 

I don't think so and I hope not.  Supposedly, one of the main reasons that baseball was kicked out of the Olympics b/c US didn't send their best team/player.   It had small number of participating countries to begin with (compare to other sports) and the US "boycott" of sort did the sports in.   I don't know if Golf can stay in the Olympics long enough to take hold if top players in the world don't get up for it.  

[Golfingdad]

3 minutes ago, rkim291968 said:

I don't think so and I hope not.  Supposedly, one of the main reasons that baseball was kicked out of the Olympics b/c US didn't send their best team/player.   It had small number of participating countries to begin with (compare to other sports) and the US "boycott" of sort did the sports in.   I don't know if Golf can stay in the Olympics long enough to take hold if top players in the world don't get up for it.  

I thought it was just determined as not competitive enough worldwide?  Same reason (again, I thought) as softball getting the boot.  In baseball, it was Cuba, US, Japan and Korea and that's pretty much it.

Golf won't have that problem, because there are good, competitive professional (and amateur) golfers from many countries.

3 hours ago, rkim291968 said:

For Spieth & Rory who are likely to make the Olympic team, the question will be asked.  Love to hear their response.  

From this AP article:

Quote

Spieth likes to compare those majors with a potential victory at Rio.

"Winning a gold medal has got to be up there now in my mind with winning a major championship," he said. "I've been asked the question: a green jacket or a gold medal, or a Wanamaker [Trophy, for winning the PGA Championship] or an Open Championship or a gold medal?

"That's not fair. I think this year we're going to approach it as a fifth major, and we're going to prepare like it is, and I'm going to go down there and try and take care of business.

 

[JKolya]

Just as big for me. While the strength of field is not as strong, that is hardly my measure for quality in this case. The Olympics are the Olympics and that is huge . Even if golf in the Olympics is not established you will forever be a gold medalist.  If I was a pro golfer my list would be 1. Masters, 2. Gold medal, 3. Silver medal, 4. Other majors, 5. Bronze. 

 

Questions about specific of players capping off the career grand slam is a little different - we've added a component. I would speculate though that we may be surprised by some answers. Undoubtedly some will say it means more while others say less. I do think that some would change their answers after the games start. A player may say that a major means more, but after experiencing the buzz, the feel of representing your country (Ryder and President's Cup is not the same), experiencing the opening ceremonies, etc. In the end it's very individual and some will covet it more than a major while others less. My assumption is that where a player stands comes down to how much they watched the games (and the majors)  growing up.

[rkim291968]

1 hour ago, JKolya said:

 

Questions about specific of players capping off the career grand slam is a little different - we've added a component. I would speculate though that we may be surprised by some answers. Undoubtedly some will say it means more while others say less. I do think that some would change their answers after the games start. A player may say that a major means more, but after experiencing the buzz, the feel of representing your country (Ryder and President's Cup is not the same), experiencing the opening ceremonies, etc. In the end it's very individual and some will covet it more than a major while others less. My assumption is that where a player stands comes down to how much they watched the games (and the majors)  growing up.

... and which country they grew up in.   Makes a significant difference, IMO.

[JKolya]

1 hour ago, rkim291968 said:

... and which country they grew up in.   Makes a significant difference, IMO.

I agree. I have lived in several places from Russia to Central America and it's different. In Eastern Europe for most the Olympics is the pinnacle (besides the World Cup.) Going back to competitiveness though, the World Cup is  a perfect example. Club tournaments, especially the Champions League is far more competitive than the World Cup (as is the Euro), yet a WC win means more to most. It's a cultural thing where competitiveness/the field is less important than the event. That doesn't diminish anything either. Putting more value on the Olympics over a major does not diminish a player or his competitive nature.  It's a preference thing. It's a representing your country thing. For some, not all, an Olympic medal is simply more valuable. 

[mvmac]

Adam Scott not so gung-ho for the Olympics.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/14/us-golf-pga-scott-olympics-idUSKBN0NZ1RW20150514#fAuo3QbCFDEABdlw.97

Quote

Adam Scott considers Olympic golf to be an "exhibition" sport and is barely interested in competing at next year's Rio Summer Games, the former world number one told Reuters.

In fact, the 2013 Masters champion sounds like he would much prefer to lie on the couch and watch Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps add to their gold medal totals in Brazil even though golf will make its first appearance at the Olympics since 1904.

"I'm not definitely ruling it out but certainly I'm not planning my schedule around playing the Olympics,” Scott told Reuters at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.

“I’m planning my schedule around playing majors the best I can. If I can fit going to the Olympics into that, it might be a bit of fun, then lucky me if I qualify.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/golf/australian-open-2015-golf-australia-boss-stephen-pitt-not-lobbying-adam-scott-for-olympic-games-20151129-glanp4.html

Quote

Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt says he will not pressure former world No.1 Adam Scott to help spearhead Australia's Olympic Games squad after ambitiously targeting more than two representatives in the men's field for Rio.

On the same day that he announced the Australian Open would revert back to Royal Sydney in 2016, Pitt said he would give Scott as much time as he wanted to decide on his Rio availability.

The 2013 US Masters champion has been lukewarm on his attitude towards the landmark Olympic Games, especially considering the men's field will be forced to skip the Opening Ceremony before rushing from the US PGA to Brazil.

 

[zero]

World stage vs. golf stage. Isn't the Olympics viewership and global media coverage much larger than golf's? Could be a major career boost.

[iacas]

12 minutes ago, zero said:

World stage vs. golf stage. Isn't the Olympics viewership and global media coverage much larger than golf's? Could be a major career boost.

Only if the people who watch the Olympics care to watch the golf portion. I doubt Russia is going to care very much who wins the golf competition, as they likely won't be competing very much in it.