Driving a wedge through the future of golf

The future of golf as an Olympic sport has been put in doubt after the world’s top four all pulled out in fear of the Zika virus. This year will be the first time since 1904 that golf has featured at the games and what was once thought to be an exciting and competitive sport will now leave golf fans disappointed.

It’s understandable that golfers feel this way, but with a golden chance to diversify the sport, is it really excusable?

On Tuesday, world number four Rory McIlroy threw another spanner in the works by announcing that he wouldn’t even be watching the sport at the Olympics. McIlroy told the BBC that he’d prefer to watch the track and field events, describing them as “the stuff that matters”: insinuating, therefore, that golf doesn’t – at least not at the Olympics. Former world no. 1 Adam Scott was similarly disparaging in 2015, describing it as “nothing I’ve ever aspired to do and I don’t think I ever will”. Given that golf has its own calendar and the Olympics aren’t part of any of the tours it’s understandable that golfers feel this way, especially as The Open takes place this week and the PGA Championship later this month. But with the PGA Championship moved specifically to enable participation in Rio, not to mention the Olympics providing a golden chance to diversify the sport, is it really excusable?

Golfers should arguably have a duty to compete in the world’s biggest multi-sport event, if not for the competition but for promoting and enhancing the sport on an international platform. This is especially topical considering that golf is becoming increasingly difficult to watch on mainstream TV since the BBC lost the rights to show The Open to Sky. Accessibility to golf has never been lower than during the past few decades and golfers should have a duty to encourage fresh talent and to revive passion for the sport.

It is rather suspicious that golfers are pulling out of the Olympics when other sportsmen and women have dismissed the potential threat.

Critics such as former squash world champion Laura Massaro have described the situation as “frustrating”. It is rather suspicious that golfers are pulling out of the Olympics when other sportsmen and women have dismissed the potential threat, suggesting that it is simply an excuse to skip the Olympics and focus on the majors. Athletes from the world of tennis, for example, which is set out in a similar way to golf, are competing in the Olympics and world number one Novak Djokovic even described it as his top priority for 2016.

The attitude of golfers must change and excuses must not be made: participation in the Olympics is a chance to represent your country on an international stage and inspire millions. It should be expected that, unless injured, the best should compete – or risk denting the reputation of golf.