Olympics 2016

[Sandy Smith]

Is there a course in Rio that is worthy to host a major golf event ?

[Mark_F]

Is there a course in Rio that is worthy to host a major golf event ?

Who cares about golf in 2016?

The beach volleyball will be sensational.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Both Gavea GC and Itanhanga are in Rio and were either built or renovated by Stanley Thompson.  They both have web sites - I hope your Portugese is good:

http://www.gaveagolf.com.br/
http://www.itanhanga.com.br/

[JLahrman]

One of my several reasons of opposition to golf in the Olympics is that it puts additional requirements on countries that may just not have any facilities capable of hosting a world class event.  Angel Cabrera was apparently interviewed about it and he thinks they may have to build one.  I don't know anything about the courses Wayne mentioned; perhaps Angel doesn't either.  Or maybe those courses just aren't suitable?

I suppose they could build one if necessary, but that seems like a rapid time frame to select a site, find an architect, design the course, build the course, and have the course actually grow in enough to host an event featuring the world's best.  And afterwards, will Rio/Brazil have any use for the course?  I'm not counting on the Olympics to create a golf boom in Brazil, although maybe there will be enough people interested in playing there.

[John Moore II]

So, why exactly does the golf course have to be some out of this world good site?? Why can't it just be played on an average, 'every man's' golf course? Is that such a crime?

JL-Seriously, how many big cities that even consider hosting the Olympics don't have a golf course that could host the event? Now I'm not talking some masterpiece or whatever, just some quality courses around. I'd really say none. Any city large enough to host an Olympic Games has facility enough to host the golf event.  Well, unless the pick Baghdad to host the games  But I can't see that happening soon.

[cary lichtenstein]

They got tons of time to do this

[Bill Gayne]

They got tons of time to do this

Yes, Faldo is designing a course in Rio.

[Wayne_Kozun]

They got tons of time to do this

I don't know - they have less than seven years.  How much time is that to find land, get all of the zoning and environmental assessments, design the course, build the course and have it grow in to be in decent shape to hold a siginificant tournament.  I would think that you would want the course to be open at least two years before the Olympics - that means that you have five years to do the first few steps.

[JLahrman]

John, I'd love to see it played on an everyman's course.  But these pros who are so supportive of this are going to be in for a bit of a surprise when they travel halfway around the world to play in something resembling your local muni.  I'm just having trouble seeing the concept stick.

Agree with Wayne, I don't think they have tons of time to do this at all.

[Randy Thompson]

Neither course is thart good both below average in my opinion. Rio is a top ten world destination and both clubs are private so there would be a market afterwards. The problem is little avavilability of land and high land cost in the area. Fifteen years ago I use to scratch my head on Rio and Cancun. Two major world destination full of hotels and tourist and no good courses. Cancun has responded but Rio no, surprized to hear Faldo has something going on there. Can that be confirmed??? Are they under construction?? How far from Rio?? To host an olympic event does it really need to be all in one area...the last olympics in China were all events concentrated to one city??? World cup in football and then the olympics...Wow!!!