Should Golf be in the Olympics?

"The game's administrators and top professional players are uniting behind Olympic golf. The prospect of winning a gold medal will enhance golf's competitive landscape and at the same time, Olympic golf will really help to grow the game. Golf is commercially strong and will bring a huge fan base to the Olympic Games. It is the biggest sport not currently represented at the games and has irresistible Olympic credentials." - Peter Dawson, the Chief Executive of R&A

Two golf events (men's individual and team tournaments) were celebrated in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France where Margaret Ives Abbot from Chicago won the nine hole golf tournament and became the first ever female Olympic Champion. Plans for the inclusion of golf, along with rugby, baseball, softball, karate, roller sports and squash in the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in whichever of the four finalist - Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro,and Tokyo will win in the bidding that was officially launched last May 16, 2007, is now a source of contention.

"Golf is one of the global games out there, one of the top five in the world...so why not include it?" The Great White shark, Greg Norman quoted.

There are 28 sports in the Olympics but there was no golf. It has been a century since golf was included in the Olympics so the golf's leading bodies are attempting to win golf and eventually have the sport lined up and included in the 2016 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee will officially announce the two sports out of seven in October 2009.

But what is the point of including it in the Olympics?? Golf has already reached its international popularity already. What for?

"...in countries where golf isn't so developed, it could grow the game tremendously," says David B. Fay, executive director of the USGA and joint secretary of the International Golf Federation, the body that deals directly with the IOC.

As the Representatives of the International Federation presented the case, several key points were laid out - "world wide participation and diversity, golf's economic and charitable impact, and its commitment to the youth of the world." The continued growth of these three areas in golf has been significantly, to such a degree, influencing the germaneness and attraction of the Olympic Games.

The seven sports will have a second presentation to the IOC Executive Board in June with the final result in October.