Tiger & Olympics

[Buckeyebowman]

4 hours ago, Gunther said:

The system isn't perfect but I'm ok with it because I don't necessarily want the top 60 in the world. That would encompass, what?  5 countries, 8?  I like that more countries are involved, more the better.  Sure, maybe they don't have a shot at winning but it's about the opportunity to compete.

How bout those Jamaican bobsledders?  No idea how they got in but it sure was a wonderful story.  Never know what might happen.

Yeah, what did happen? They were a joke!

Do you want the U.S. team to be a joke? Why not let me, a 13 handicap, on the team? Come on now!

And while we're at it, why not nominate Jack Nicklaus for the team!

Sheeesh! Nothing like a fanboy trying to get his guy into something that he is NOT qualified for!

 

[Pendragon]

1 hour ago, Natural Patrick said:

At least he is not #473

You're right...and he wouldn't be picked then, either. 

[boogielicious]

I think Olympic golf is going to be a dud much like Olympic cycling. Golf has it's premier events. Add to it the issues Brazil has had with the course and Zika virus, it will get less coverage than we golf fans are used to.

We'll get frustrated because they will break away from coverage to show up close and personal stories instead of the actual golf or break away to show the rhythmic gymnastic final. Olympic coverage has ADD. Golf fans want coverage to be like a major and it will not even come close.

[Scotsclaff]

Golf doesn't need the olympics but the olympics need golf.

[ScouseJohnny]

24 minutes ago, Scotsclaff said:

Golf doesn't need the olympics but the olympics need golf.

Not entirely fair.

I know I ought to let this go, and it is off-topic for this thread (so I won't mention it again). The Olympics could have provided a really good venue to watch an exciting, amateur competition.

I think Adam Scott's reaction to the model that the Olympics has chosen pretty much says it all; it seems he may now agree to play after all, based on comments he made earlier this year, but that doesn't negate the validity of his earlier criticisms, when he said: "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," and, "I would have liked Olympic officials to be a little more creative than a little, 72-hole, stroke-play event. I'm not really sure how just having another golf tournament is going to enhance the game or grow the game more than any other tournament anywhere just because it's the Olympics." Sources: http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/14158695/adam-scott-criticizes-olympic-format and http://www.golfdigest.com/story/adam-scott-speaks-out-against-olympic-golf

I can sit and watch TV most weekends and see Bubba, Rickie, et al tee it up.

The Olympics should have provided a venue for amateur golf. And if (as would be likely) an American golfer stood a chance of winning, I'm sure people would have tuned in to watch.

Anyway, back on topic: that didn't happen. And no, Tiger isn't going anywhere near the Olympics, unless it's as a spectator.

 

Edited April 4, 2016 by ScouseJohnny

[freshmanUTA]

7 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Yeah, what did happen? They were a joke!

Do you want the U.S. team to be a joke? Why not let me, a 13 handicap, on the team? Come on now!

And while we're at it, why not nominate Jack Nicklaus for the team!

Sheeesh! Nothing like a fanboy trying to get his guy into something that he is NOT qualified for!

 

Oh come on. Don't compare yourself to tiger woods, that's nothing like what he's saying here. Next time you win a major and go into a slump after injury, maybe we'll talk. 

Picking someone 472 on the world golf ranking is very different to a college player, let alone a 13 handicap. 

Qualified or not, we're not talking about actually putting him on the team, the Original Post was essentially asking if there was a way he could do it. And we discovered now there isn't a way, no need to belittle him.

[colin007]

I honestly don't think Tigs gives two shits about the Olympics. 

[Valleygolfer]

On 4/3/2016 at 9:19 AM, ChrisP said:

I think Tiger is already mathematically eliminated from even qualifiying for the Olympics lol. He's dropped that much in the OWGR.

I think he is mathematically eliminated from his club championship...

[boogielicious]

31 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

I think he is mathematically eliminated from his club championship...

But what if he owns the club? 

[Valleygolfer]

2 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

But what if he owns the club? 

At this point, he is better off taking the elimination. He would look terrible being beat by a local ringer...

[Buckeyebowman]

14 hours ago, freshmanUTA said:

Oh come on. Don't compare yourself to tiger woods, that's nothing like what he's saying here. Next time you win a major and go into a slump after injury, maybe we'll talk. 

Picking someone 472 on the world golf ranking is very different to a college player, let alone a 13 handicap. 

Qualified or not, we're not talking about actually putting him on the team, the Original Post was essentially asking if there was a way he could do it. And we discovered now there isn't a way, no need to belittle him.

Oh, good Lord! Where on earth did I do that? The point of my comment was that there are criteria to be met and, currently, Tiger does not meet them! And neither do I! And neither does Jack Nicklaus! And if that's a "comparison" it's only the mildest sort imaginable.

There were some other interesting posts above, one mentioning having it as an amateur competition. Tell me, who are really amateurs in the Olympics any more? Reminds me of poor, old, addled, Avery Brundage droning on about the "purity" of amateur athletics while Olympic athletes were raking in endorsement money with both hands! Sorry if I'm bursting anyone's bubbles here!

Once Brundage was gone, the IOC changed the rules because they wanted the best athletes competing. Anyone remember the "Dream Team" in '92? Even after the rules change, the American Olympic Committee cobbled together a lineup of college basketball stars. The IOC said, NOOOOOOOOO! Send us the NBA players! It was tough to get the NBA to go along with it, but it sure worked out for them in the end! The game went viral around the globe after that.

I think you have to have the pros playing, Ams would be a complete snoozefest, which it's liable to be anyway. Boogielicious had a good point. It might not be like kicking back and watching 3 straight hours of a tournament like we're used to. But, I don't know what the coverage is going to be. Is Golf Channel involved? They have a relationship with all the major networks, and they're tight with NBC who will be televising the Olympics. One might think the the Olympics would want as many platforms as possible streaming their coverage! But, who knows? I suppose it comes down to how much money they're making. 

I've advocated for golf being back in the Olympics for a long time. It's a world wide game, so why shouldn't it be? How it will be covered is another matter.

 

[ScouseJohnny]

Quote

There were some other interesting posts above, one mentioning having it as an amateur competition.

That was a response, really, to the assertion that "golf doesn't need the Olympics," which another poster made. I wholeheartedly disagree.

There seems to be a general feeling that golf is in something of a malaise. The logical assumption would be that seeing a well-known American superstar golfer winning a gold medal would captivate people, but, well, there are already four opportunities a year to watch top golfers compete for golf's greatest prizes, not to mention all the other PGA Tour events. So clearly that isn't enough. I think Adam Scott is right - just another 72 hole stroke play event featuring well known faces is boring.

If, in some weird twist of fortune and alternate reality, Tiger Woods won a gold medal at the Olympics, that would make a lot of men over the age of 30 who post at the Sand Trap ecstatically happy. I don't know whether it would be enough to get a 13 year old kid bugging his parents for lessons and a set of clubs in a box from Costco.

I watch golf. I may watch bits and bobs of the Olympics, and go and make a cup of tea when they cut to the shot putting for a bit. I'm not going to sit back and watch the Olympics with the same enthusiasm that I watch the Players.

The Olympics might have provided a venue to do something a bit different - like allow for a top amateur competition, but what we have is basically another Tour event.

Quote

Tell me, who are really amateurs in the Olympics any more?

I may be wrong, but as I recall, Olympic boxing doesn't yet look like big fight night from Vegas for the Heavyweight Championship of the World...

[Valleygolfer]

On 4/4/2016 at 7:03 AM, boogielicious said:

I think Olympic golf is going to be a dud much like Olympic cycling. Golf has it's premier events. Add to it the issues Brazil has had with the course and Zika virus, it will get less coverage than we golf fans are used to.

We'll get frustrated because they will break away from coverage to show up close and personal stories instead of the actual golf or break away to show the rhythmic gymnastic final. Olympic coverage has ADD. Golf fans want coverage to be like a major and it will not even come close.

I'm sure the Golf Channel will get the stuff that isn't shown on the other networks since NBC is covering the summer olympics.

[boogielicious]

5 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

I'm sure the Golf Channel will get the stuff that isn't shown on the other networks since NBC is covering the summer olympics.

You would hope, but I wouldn't count on it. 

[Valleygolfer]

12 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

You would hope, but I wouldn't count on it. 

I don't why not unless the Olympics want more money to allow that. I think we will get quite a bit of the coverage.

[boogielicious]

25 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

I don't why not unless the Olympics want more money to allow that. I think we will get quite a bit of the coverage.

This is the Olympics, second only to FIFA in greed and corruption. 

[newtogolf]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

You would hope, but I wouldn't count on it. 

I had read they were going to be on NBC Live Extra like they did for the winter Olympics

[TreyWingbat]

He's getting a new citizenship, and will be playing for Uzbekistan this upcoming summer in Rio.