Do Jason, Jordan, Adam et al regret not playing the Olympics?

[jeffwarne]

Rose looked more emotional as the Gold Medalist than as U.S. Open champion. The pros who couldn't be bothered to turn out are great banner-carriers for all the reasons most of the world thinks golf and golfers are lame. Their prerogative, of course, to be lame.

Rose surely looked emotional, but Stenson won the bigger trophy this year.

It's a close call but I'm not sure that is correct.

They both won what was most important to them at their particular stage of their career.
Stenson got the first major monkey off his back, Rose already had one.

[Terry Lavin]

Rose looked more emotional as the Gold Medalist than as U.S. Open champion. The pros who couldn't be bothered to turn out are great banner-carriers for all the reasons most of the world thinks golf and golfers are lame. Their prerogative, of course, to be lame.

Rose surely looked emotional, but Stenson won the bigger trophy this year.

It's a close call but I'm not sure that is correct.

Jeff:

It's all opinion. Nothing is "correct."  All chatter.

[John Kavanaugh]

Congrats to my new brothers from Great Britain who won Gold in both Golf and Tennis. Now that is an epic achievement.

[RJ_Daley]

I don't know if any of those 'regret' it.  I know I as a fan I carry a bit of a grudge.  I think we fans were deprived from seeing the best of the best.  And, I think that each has their own heart about it in retrospect.  A few of those around the world, not just those mentioned, more than likely are simply mercenary about their golf and it is an ATM machine work-a-day job, while others may feel national pride sentiments and pangs of regret. 

As far as the risk calculations, Zika, crime, whatever... every other athlete there runs the same risk.  Life is a risk, but maybe these pro athletes from all the glory sports just aren't hungry enough for the thrill of the competition and the absence of another big payday is a manner of risk factor for some of them.  Thus, I am still nostalgic for real amateur athletes in the Olys.

[Tom_Doak]

I don't know if any of those 'regret' it.  I know I as a fan I carry a bit of a grudge.  I think we fans were deprived from seeing the best of the best.

RJ:  I don't know if the players regret it or not.  But I bet more of them would have gone if the focus had been on what a cool experience it was to hang out with all the other athletes living their dreams, instead of trying to guilt them into representing their country, or the game of golf.

[William_G]

I don't know if any of those 'regret' it.  I know I as a fan I carry a bit of a grudge.  I think we fans were deprived from seeing the best of the best.

RJ:  I don't know if the players regret it or not.  But I bet more of them would have gone if the focus had been on what a cool experience it was to hang out with all the other athletes living their dreams, instead of trying to guilt them into representing their country, or the game of golf.

both of you are so pussy PC, of course they regret it, if they didn't then they have no soul...no sales pitch was needed and Spieth is already in for 2020 as per his Twitter

[John Kavanaugh]

I don't think Spieth will qualify in 2020. Golf is as fragile as an Escalade's window. Life gets tougher when everybody you meet stops loving you. Usually happens at around 3 months for most of us.

[BCowan]

I don't think Spieth will qualify in 2020. Golf is as fragile as an Escalade's window. Life gets tougher when everybody you meet stops loving you. Usually happens at around 3 months for most of us.

  , that was good

[jeffwarne]

I don't think Spieth will qualify in 2020. Golf is as fragile as an Escalade's window. Life gets tougher when everybody you meet stops loving you. Usually happens at around 3 months for most of us.

would be ironic

[RJ_Daley]

Well, I'm pretty sure there are many types of personalities at the highest levels of golf in all the relevant golf countries and some of them wouldn't quality to have a soul in your definition, WM.  But, it is all conjecture on all of our parts, isn't it? 

I'm glad the way it turned out.  I actually have to watch the full final day broadcast since I was on the road during live broadcast.  But from the point I watched (last hole) and the medal ceremony, the right guys and attitudes seem to have prevailed.  We'll just never know since Rory, Jason, Jordan, Adam didn't participate.  Maybe Twitter nor Jordan will be a thing in 2020   

[John Kavanaugh]

Listen around your club, I've never seen the tide turn against a player quite so fast. I don't think Spieth can play the heel.Heels don't hit it short and straight.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Thus, I am still nostalgic for real amateur athletes in the Olys.

When were those again?  When the lower classes were excluded from Baron de Coubertin's ideal of what the Olympics should be as they were forced to earn a living?  Or when the Soviet block insisted their athletes were Ams?

Most of the "Amateurs" competing at a high level in golf today aren't really Ams anyhow, they are pre-professionals as they spend pretty much all of their time working on golf and get a free university education because of their golf skills.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Good for Rose, he really wanted it.
 
Nice enthusiastic lady from the BBC was doing post round interviews.

To Danny Willet  "Will you stick around and cheer Justin on?" Caught on the hop he looked at her like she was mad "Plane t'catch!"
 
To Fowler. "Will you cheer Kooch up the 18th?"  Pause, smile "Oh I wouldn't want to take anything away, I'll just stay in the background."
 
"They" just don't get it.

[Mike Sweeney]

Nice summary:


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/sports/olympics/justin-rose-outduels-henrik-stenson-for-golf-gold-medal.html?ref=sports


Despite not winning a medal, Watson, a two-time Masters champion, said: “This is the greatest sporting event I’ve ever been a part of. I get to go to the Masters for the rest of my life, but it’s just golf.”

[Niall C]

Rose looked more emotional as the Gold Medalist than as U.S. Open champion. The pros who couldn't be bothered to turn out are great banner-carriers for all the reasons most of the world thinks golf and golfers are lame. Their prerogative, of course, to be lame.

Rose surely looked emotional, but Stenson won the bigger trophy this year.

In size, yes. In meaning and magnitude, no.

Nonsense

[John Sabino]

Jeff - We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure the media will ask them. I would be surprised if they did not have regret after seeing the way it unfolded. I thought the course was great, the crowds enthusiastic, the spirit of the players was great and obviously the quality of golf was as well. The ones that opted out each had to make their own decisions based on the information they had at the time, which is their right. But I think maybe they underestimated how you can get swept up in the emotions of the event - as the players commented, staying in the Olympic village, watching other events and feeling part of something bigger.


It is easy to criticize the Olympics like many people have done. Much harder to build and create something something. If you think about what Gil and Amy were able to do and how the organizers were able to run the tournament smoothly they all deserve huge credit. Remember when tennis started in the Olympics it wasn't that big a deal, look at what it has evolved into. All the top players get really fired up about it. The Masters had to give away tickets in the early years and the Ryder Cup wasn't as valued as it is today for many years. I think the future is bright for golf in the Olympics.


Can't wait for Tokyo and beyond.


John

[Tim Gallant]

Rose looked more emotional as the Gold Medalist than as U.S. Open champion. The pros who couldn't be bothered to turn out are great banner-carriers for all the reasons most of the world thinks golf and golfers are lame. Their prerogative, of course, to be lame.

Rose surely looked emotional, but Stenson won the bigger trophy this year.

In size, yes. In meaning and magnitude, no.

Nonsense

Take the claret jug outside golfing circles around the world and you would get a lot of blank stares.


Take an olympic gold medal, from any sport , around the world, and you will be greeted with big smiles and bigger congratulations.

[BHoover]

The debate of which majors are bigger/more significant than others, or whether the majors are bigger/more significant than the Olympics strikes me as rather pointless. But if you lot want to engage in such banter, go for it.

[Sean_A]

Because golf is a global sport perhaps one day we will see Olympic medals listed on resumes they way they do in hockey.  Of course winning the Stanley Cup will always be the pinnacle of the sport just as the majors are in golf, but I can see O medals carrying influence for things like Hall of Fame.  Its becoming more of a big deal when players can say they won Stanley, Os and Worlds...the triple.  One isn't a part of all three successes by accident or as a bit part.  I think its possible they will say the same sort of thing golf in the future.  . 


Ciao

[John Kavanaugh]

The definition of a Major has changed at least once in my lifetime. Why not change it again? Can't wait till next week when we discuss the value of Gold against the Vagisil Vegemite Classic which I think was recently made the Ladies 5th Major.

[Thomas Dai]

Has golf been short changed in terms of 2016 medals?


In some 'sports' you get medals for a certain distance and then another for a bit more distance and then another for combinations and teams as well. Golf got one set of medals in 2016.


So what will 2020 bring?


Best three individuals after 18-holes, after 36-holes, after 54-holes, after-72 holes? Best three pairs over 18/36/54/72? Best three teams of 4 or 8 or whatever over 18/36/54/72? Long drive? Best putting? Best bunker play? Quite a few variations possible.


Atb

[RJ_Daley]

David, I don't think there is enough time in the Oly two week time frame to do all that.   I could see perhaps a 36 hole national team(s) of best ball, scramble, etc.   But that brings the likelihood of several teams tied, and lengthy tie breakers.  If you do more than what we have now in individual gold, silver, bronze, both ladies and men, it seems to me the Oly committee would either have to have more than one designated Oly course at the designated city, or more days extended than the planned 2 weeks of events.  Just a thought...

[George Pazin]

Nice summary:


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/sports/olympics/justin-rose-outduels-henrik-stenson-for-golf-gold-medal.html?ref=sports


Despite not winning a medal, Watson, a two-time Masters champion, said: “This is the greatest sporting event I’ve ever been a part of. I get to go to the Masters for the rest of my life, but it’s just golf.”

Would you really expect him to say otherwise? Especially since he went and played?


I'd guess they'll regret it, like they regret pulling the wrong club on a basic Tour event they just missed out winning on. Life goes on, for these guys and everyone else.


I kinda regret watching Thursday and Friday morning... but not yesterday. More than anything, it just didn't feel remotely like the Olympics to me, and I've been a hardcore Olympics fan my entire life. The golf part just felt like every other non-major golf weekend.


In the end, everyone will attach his own value to it, just like everything else in life. I doubt I'll remember who won without sitting down and really thinking about it, but then again, I could say the same thing about the 2004 versus the 2007 Masters winners.


And most wouldn't remember any of that, but would think I'm crazy for not knowing what Kim Kardashian or Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift tweeted last week...


To each his own. Golf in the Olympics gets a big shoulder shrug from me. I prefer the sports that only really shine once every 4 years.

[John Kavanaugh]

George,

Thanks for surprising me.

[Jud_T]

Golf in the Olympics gets a big shoulder shrug from me. I prefer the sports that only really shine once every 4 years.

Like Synchronized Swimming?