Olympics course decision delayed until March

[Howard Riefs]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/rio-2016-organizers-delay-until-march-announcement-of-olympic-golf-course-designer/2012/02/03/gIQA6raymQ_story.html

[Emile Bonfiglio]

slow play is killing the game on all levels.....

[Anthony Gray]

  They are waiting on Bill Coore to stop walking around the place.

[Peter Pallotta]

They mention delaying the decision (or is it announcement) until the International Olympic Committee visits Rio in March.  Does that mean that the IOC wants to bask in the announcement or play a role in/make the decision?

[Kalen Braley]

They mention delaying the decision (or is it announcement) until the International Olympic Committee visits Rio in March.  Does that mean that the IOC wants to bask in the announcement or play a role in/make the decision?

That means throw the baby out with the bath water....

...its all politics now!!!

With Jack and Annika being the two best of all time to play this game respectively...I'm not seeing how they lose now!

[Howard Riefs]

Brad Klein via Twitter...

"Surprise announcement by Rio 2016 delaying course architect selection for a month opens up whole process to aggressive politicking."

"This will be first of many missed deadlines in opening the Rio 2016 golf course; imagine complexities of contract, eco-review, construction."

https://twitter.com/#!/BKleinGolfweek


Certainly, Norman and Nicklaus started their politicking post-haste.

[Tom Dunne]

Maybe if they dither long enough we could be treated to an Opening Ceremony spectacle of 15,000 Brazilians building a golf course in an evening. Show the world some emerging 21st century superpower moxie!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Brad probably nailed it. I am not sure politics was ever out, but clearly no one had the votes yet.

[Michael Blake]

I don't think I can tolerate another month of posts & threads speculating on who and why the potential 'winner' may be.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Tom,

Maybe they need to consult with Kiawah Island and the Greenbriar, both of who were laying sod right up until the gates opened, at least from memory.

[Ben Sims]

I am optimistic that one of the proposals was earth-shattering and blew away any predispositions towards the "big" names.  Hopefully that is what caused the committe to take pause and rethink some stuff.

I am cautiously optimistic towards the ability of people to resist politic[k]ing and not sell out.  Cautiously optimistic.

[George Pazin]

Brad Klein via Twitter...

"Surprise announcement by Rio 2016 delaying course architect selection for a month opens up whole process to aggressive politicking."

"This will be first of many missed deadlines in opening the Rio 2016 golf course; imagine complexities of contract, eco-review, construction."

How could Bill Coore possibly want to miss out on this?

[JR Potts]

Brad Klein via Twitter...

"Surprise announcement by Rio 2016 delaying course architect selection for a month opens up whole process to aggressive politicking."

"This will be first of many missed deadlines in opening the Rio 2016 golf course; imagine complexities of contract, eco-review, construction."

How could Bill Coore possibly want to miss out on this?

Now that's funny.  Maybe I was wrong...just maybe.

[George Pazin]

 

Glad you saw the humor.

Have a great weekend, everyone. Go Eli, Go Giants!

[Michael George]

Ben:

I appreciate your optimisim, but do you think the group of decision makers can really decifer between the bids?  How confident are you that they could identify the best routing and design even if they wanted to?
 

[Brad Klein]

This will be the first of many delays:

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/feb/03/delay-signals-tough-call-build-legacy/

[Chris Johnston]

I have a hunch the delay is intentional, and it will now be announced around The Masters.  The Commiittee could pick any of the candidates and get a fine course.  The Buzz created around the Masters would be epic.

Remember, this is very much a promotional event and there is no better way to launch it than around the first Major of the season.  Man, the possibilities...

If correct, who does it bode well for?  Probably not Greg Norman.

I also have hunches that I can reach many Par 5's in two.  Most of those prove incorrect.

[George Pazin]

I wonder who Tom has potentially slated to run the Rio office...at this point, my wife might actually pay him to send me. No worries about safety or ransom, I am fully insured.

[Colin Macqueen]

Anthony,
The imagery evoked of Coore "gone walkabout" in Rio and returning too late is very funny.
Thank you,
Colin

[Ben Sims]

Ben:

I appreciate your optimisim, but do you think the group of decision makers can really decifer between the bids?  How confident are you that they could identify the best routing and design even if they wanted to?
 

Michael,

I also appreciate my optimism.  It may make for let downs at times, but I still think the Arsenal will make the top four this season and I also think Tom Doak will win this proposal.  

Secondly, how can you be so disrepectful of a sitting R&A chief and presdent of the IGF?  You honestly think he can't decipher between bids?  Never forget that the IGF also shares offices with the USGA in New Jersey. These folks that you are so easily put off by may just have savvy golf minds.  

There's a silver lining to this thing being drawn out.  It will be time for the argument that there isn't one way of doing golf courses to ring out.   Building a golf course with only a tournament in mind will be the death knell of this thing.  

[Michael George]

Ben:

You ended up where my poorly worded post was intended.  I know that Dawson has qualifications (don't know about the rest of the group).  Question is whether they just choose the course for PGA players for the Olympics or just build a great course that people can enjoy for years.

My bet is that they choose the course that will present the "fairest test of golf to the Olympic participants" - which IMHO is wrong.

[Ben Sims]

Michael,

The Olympic Course needs differentiation.  If the selection committee only goes with what will make the players happy and/or make the score a certain number above or below par, then TPC Rio is what they'll get.  It will in no way differentiate Olympic golf as a worthy and exciting addition to the games.   

[Garland Bayley]

...
My bet is that they choose the course that will present the "fairest test of golf to the Olympic participants" - which IMHO is wrong.

And why can't that be the greatest design presented?

[Kalen Braley]

I would disagree with that last statement.

If Tiger, Phil, Rory, Ernie, Donald, Sergio, Scott, etc are all thundering down the back 9 playing great golf on the last day....they could be playing in the freaking parking lot and it would be compelling golf, Olympics-wide or not.

[Michael George]

Ben:

I agree that the Olympic Course should not be TPC Rio.  However, I have no faith in this process and will be "shocked and awed" if Doak or Hanse are chosen.  PR on this project is probably more important than the final product.  Having Jack Nicklaus involved from the opening of the course to having him at the Olympic Games means too much for a group of Brazilians to pass up.  He has to still be the front runner - even if he has to partner up with another group to get over the unanimous vote.

However, I still think it would be great if Pete Dye got the job and everyone that owes their start in the business assisted him.  Dye overseeing Coore, Doak, Hanse, Urbina and even Nicklaus (I am sure there are even others) would be really cool.   Dye would still have ultimate decision making on the project.  I know it is not realistic and is overly naive about personality issues, but the purist in me says that it would be a great tribute to him from the many that owe him.