Olympic Golf Only Works as an Amateur Event

Many of the VIPs, dignitaries, athletes and heads of state have already arrived in Beijing in advance of the Summer Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, the likes of Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk mingle amongst the best professional golfers in the world at Oakland Hills Country Club in suburban Michigan in preparation for the upcoming 90^th PGA Championship. That's where they should be, not in Beijing. 

The Olympic Games last included golf in 1904; that same year an American gymnast won six medals with a left leg made of wood, basketball was featured as a demonstration sport and the apparent winner of the marathon had actually dropped out after nine miles and only trotted to the finish line to retrieve his clothing.

It will take at least another eight years for golf to make it into the Games. Earlier this month at Royal Birkdale, the International Golf Federation (IGF), recognized as the representative body for golf by the International Olympic Committee, announced the creation of an Olympic Golf Committee to drive its effort for the sport's inclusion in the 2016 Summer Games.

Next October, the International Committee will vote in order to decide if any sports will be added to the Olympic program.

Questions abound and I don't have enough time to address everything from logistics concerns about scheduling, format or how players would be invited to participate.

I do know who should participate and who shouldn't.

First, would winning an Olympic gold medal in any way shape or form hold a candle, or torch for the purposes of this article, to winning a Major Championship? I say not a chance. Phil Mickelson sounds like he is of a different opinion, but when you analyze his statement closer, he feels the same way I'm sure.

"I think that having golf as an Olympic sport is exponentially more important to the game of golf than the majors," Mickelson said during a news conference at this week's PGA Championship.

He would later go onto say that bringing in revenue from the Olympic foundation and using it to grow the game in 168 countries is the real aim of Olympic golf. And why is that? Well to produce more customers for golf manufacturers and create more business for golf architects.

So in essence, creating more business for the golf industry is the primary objective of including golf in the Olympics. I have nothing wrong with introducing more countries to the game of golf and making it a more lucrative industry but don't misconstrue that for the world's top players actually being interested in competing.

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony are all part of Team USA and all four are among the game's biggest starts. But let's not forget that golf is an individual sport and a player's salary is based on winning, unless appearance fees are factored in. The top NBA players have earned their salaries during the regular season and a few weeks in Beijing won't change the amount of money they make. For golfers, a week or two off means a week or two without a pay check.

So why not make it an amateur event? Wouldn't that heighten exposure to the game without the possibility of a bunch of professionals no-showing the event?

The Olympics is supposed to be, or was supposed to be, about amateur athletic competition. Amateur golf is still cherished and preserved with events like the Western Amateur, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Public Links, Walker Cup and North and South Amateur. Opening the Olympic tournament to amateurs only gives golf its exposure without having to rely on or tamper with professional golf.

Jim Furyk has the right idea.

"The issue I see with golf as an Olympic sport is, who is going to play," asked Furyk at the PGA Championship. "If it was for our amateur golfers, I think it would be great. For our professional golfers, I'm hesitant. But I still would like to see golf in the Olympics.

"I want to watch the sports where that [moment] is the absolute pinnacle of their career and they had to wait four years for this moment and they go out and they perform, they break a world record, win a gold medal and they were able to perform on that spot. I think that's a great athletic achievement. That's what I want to watch."

Me too.

I'm biased because I went to North Carolina, but I think Tyler Hansbrough is the greatest player in UNC's history because he stuck around for his senior season and maintained his amateur status as long as he could, all for the love of the game and his desire to win.

The story of Trip Kuehne is one of the most compelling in the history of golf. He had his heart broken by Tiger in the U.S. Amateur, almost gave up the game but scrapped back to win the U.S. Public Links, enabling him to end his career, as an amateur, at The Masters.

And of course there is Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer who ever lived. Isn't there something special about Jones that Tiger will never have? Jones never turned pro but still managed to capture a version of the grand slam. Just the mention of his name strikes a different chord.

Amateur golf is still sacred, and that should be the quality the Olympic Golf Committee pitches to the International Olympic Committee next October as to why golf should be included in the Games.

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