Golf at the Olympic Games
In August 2009, the IOC voted on which two sports to add to the program in 2016, with golf being selected along with Rugby. There was both a men's and women's competition in 2016 in Rio. The previous time golf was played at the Olympics was over 100 years before, in 1904. See more about the first Olympic Golf tournaments.
Rio 2016
The competition for the 2016 games was an individual-based competition. The 60 qualified golfers (men and women) played 72 holes of stroke-play. A three-hole playoff was to be used to for any ties for medals. The Top 15 golfers automatically qualified for an Olympic berth. Outside of the Top 15, players were selected based on world ranking but only if no more than two golfers from a single country are already in the field.
golf swingOlympic Golf Trivia
- In 1900, there was a men's and women's individual golf event, but only a men's event in 1904.
- In 1904, Canadian George Lyon took home the gold medal and walked on his hands all the way to the podium at the awards ceremony.
- The only Olympic event in which mother and daughter competed together was the golf tournament of 1900. The event was won by US golfer Margaret Abbott. Her mother Mary, a novelist, also competed in the event, finishing joint seventh.
- In 1904, men only competed, in the men's individual and the men's team event. There were several other golf events as part of the program, including a putting event, although only the two men's events were classified as Olympic.
- In 1936 Berlin, a exhibition golf tournament was contested at Baden-Baden, Germany (see more)
- The first hole-in-one during an Olympic golf tournament was achieved by England's Justin Rose, on the 189-yard, par-3 fourth hole at Rio's Olympic Course.
Related Pages
- Poll: Should Golf be included in the Olympic Games?
- Read more about the results of early golf at the Olympics in the Discontinued Olympic Sports section.
- Golf Olympic Demonstration Sport (1936)
- List of Olympic Sports