Golf in the Olympics?

greentee · 10-09-2009, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by wiefan

OR...you could just go with the flow and become an "Optimist" and enjoy the heck out of the event and the POSITIVE exposure that the LPGA is going to get out of it...this is the side of the fence that I am on...life is too darn short and global conditions are too full of Negative activity....so from my point of view, I will support whatever positives that come about...folks, aren't some of you just sick and tired of hearing "Doom and Gloom" all about you...for the LPGA, this is a WIN WIN Proposition...this organization needs every little bit of positive publicity that it can get their hands on...this Olympics Stuff is a POSITIVE step in that direction

anyway folks...this is just my 2 cents...I know that some of you naysayers will say I am supporting this event because Wiesy was one of the players that Lobbyed for it...WRONG...I was in favor of this event from way way back

anyway...have a good day folks...this is just my opinion about this event....see ya...have a good day

You are absolutely right. Unfortunately the pessimist type thinkers are often very slow to change their views, for they see the dark side first and then work their way up.

If their minds are already closed and the world just 'is', and never changes for them, thinking outside the box becomes a real tough thing to handle.

Pessimists may be slower to come around to seeing a good side of something, but they can change, (time often does that for them), but don't hold your breath. The Olympics is a very good thing for golf, but from those who see the negative first, they will gladly toss every negativity at you before they toss in a favorable positive view.

As you can clearly see by most of the posters before yours.... only Blue wages a battle for both the light and dark sides. The dark side seems a favorite haunt and home, for most pessimists. Until they see the light in their illumination... if ever.

Yet I find it hard to believe that anyone could/would want to kill such a world idea for golf, before it has even had a chance to began.... man that kind of thinking will bring progress to a halt in sort order.

As for Rio having no good courses.... what do you think happens when ever a city/country is announced to hold an Olympic event, (Winter or Summer), and they do not have the facilities.... THEY BUILD IT.

On a final note.... (as I just know I am going to get hate mail from all the above I well take one more 'good' shot).... a good positive view for me was the short small speech from Michelle Wie, saying essentially 'I have a dream now', is about as American as you can get, and she is including the world. That was the best speech I heard at the presentation, next to Ty's, (you all remember him eh, the dude most of you could not wait to have kicked out when he at the top in the LPGA). Go ahead tare the good things all apart now.... that what most of you do at your best anyways.

Gimme a light eh, I think its time I started to take up smoking again.

wiefan · 10-10-2009, 06:29 AM

Hi ya whistling Straight....GOOD to hear you are an Optimist....I see you are using Female Tennis to compare with Women's golf...in my opinion, Women Tennis are already miles ahead as far as TV Viewers and interest is concerned...this is why their Purses and TV Coverages are very comparable to the Men's Tennis...Women's golf is a "Niche" sport and doesn't have the already following that Women Tennis possess...thus you cannot compare the Two when it comes to "which sport NEEDS the publicity"...the LPGA Needs whatever they can lay their hands on...Women's tennis is already doing fine...thus any coverage and viewership that the LPGA gets out of the Olympics is a major PLUS and a NEEDED PLUS

as far as your criticism about "Major Networks" goes...you said "MSNBC and whatever else cable outlet doesn't constitute a "Major" telecast outlet guaranteed an interested audience any more than the Golf Channel, in my opinion."....Anyway...in my opinion MSNBC is NOT the same as Golf Channel...first off...NOTHING IN TV Viewership is ever Guaranteed...2nd is your comparing Golf Channel to MSNBC...Golf Channel reaches only a Portion of TV Viewers...in some places, people have to purchase Cable to get Golf Channel....also some People with cable still have to pay extra to get the Golf Channel...with MSNBC...you get a TV and turn it on, you get MSNBC....the Golf Channel is NOT THE EQUAL OF MSNBC because of it's accessibility on a WIDE scale...you spoke of not constituting a guaranteed audience...NO ONE can GUARANTEE any Guarantee figures...but if Women's golf was NOT in the Olympics you can GUARANTEE that NO ONE would be the guarantee figure...as it is, Women's golf is going to be in the Olympics and thus ANY viewership is a PLUS for the LPGA...or perhaps you disagree with what I am saying...hmmm

let me take another of your comments...you said " we are kidding ourselves that the ladies will get half as much exposure as the men"....perhaps you could be correct in this analysis considering that the Men do have a Bigger Fan base...but here is what I am talking about..."Half of anything is better than NOT getting anything at all"...and getting women's golf into the olympics gives the LPGA Publicity that they would never have gotten if Golf was not in the Olympics....think of this like a Carolyn Bivens afterthought...you are probably one of those that said "taking a cut in Pay to keep the tournaments for another year" is good...in this instance the thought process is "ANYTHING, even if it is Less, is better than Nothing at all"....same same for the Publicity that the LPGA will be getting since Women's golf is going to be in the Olympics..."Anything is better than Nothing at all"...or perhaps I am off base here....I don't think so..."Anything" is something the LPGA desperately needs...PGA golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis...for these sports, their TV contracts and viewers are SOLID....the LPGA TV and Viewership is not solid like this...thus the LPGA and anyone who says they are fans of the LPGA should be welcoming this Olympic invitation as a WIN WIN for the Organization...

but like Greentee has said and I happen to agree with him...their are too many people that are of a "Pessimistic Nature"...they want a SUPER DOOPER HUMUNGOUS WIN WIN for the LPGA and want only the "BEST OF THE BEST" otherwise it is a TERRIBLE Event and Not worth even watching and NOT willing to settle for whatever gains the LPGA will recieve from this Olympics

right now people are second guessing the selection process of Players and already finding faults...second guessing the golf course as not "Major-type" contest...2nd guessing that Players will "reverse their THIS IS GOOD FOR GOLF and I will play attitude" as the date gets closer....heck! there is already 2nd guess negative talking here about this event will screw up the Professional Season calendar...soon they will be second guessing that "Terrible players" will be entered thus tainting the "Best of the Best ONLY should be playing" scenerio...well folks, nothing in life is absolutely Perfect...you just do the best that you can and the fairest way of inclusion....then you go out and enjoy whatever happens...if you go into this "Olympics inclusion of golf" from a Negative view and keep on searching for Negatives and expounding them into your brain, ridiculing every 2nd guess theory, harping on the "WHY IT WILL BE A FAILURE FOR SURE" attitude...then for sure, you will not enjoy this event and/or see any WIN WIN for the LPGA...what can I say, it is your lifestyle and attitude ....and this is a discussion Board for posting opinions...just a perfect Place and setting for you to try to persuade others to join your attitude of things...I am posting my opinions from the opposite point of view...sort of like the "half glass of water"....pessimists view it as "Half Empty" I view it as "HALF FULL"...both mean the same in content, but the direction of attitude goes in different directions

anyway...this concludes my typing lesson of the day...if I had to keep score, I think Greentee, Blue and myself are still in the Minority, BUT, the "silent Majority" have not spoken yet...perhaps they will remain silent...I dunno...all I know is that I am Happy with Women's Golf being in the olympics and I think this is a win win for the LPGA no matter what negative stuff I will be reading on this thread

have a good day folks....you say you are an Optimist, Whistling Straight....good for you...see ya!!

wiefan · 10-10-2009, 06:41 AM

Hi ya Whistling Straight....you said "In the long run, it won't hurt the sport and we are also talking about an event 7 years from now. By that time, the Golf Channel will hopefully have established itself as the place for watching the LPGA and hopefully the fan base will have grown substantially and maybe even have afforded itself the opportunity for even more Olympic exposure. That is the optimitic side."

now this is being Optimistic...good for you....have a good day...see ya!!

Whistling Straight · 10-10-2009, 09:05 AM

I completely agree with your comments WF. I'm a little surprised to hear the Golf Channel is still a premium channel on some cable outlets as I don't recall that being bantered about after the contract announcement with the LPGA.

10-10-2009, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Whistling Straight

SJX, I'm not defending the idea of golf in the Olympics but it hasn't caused any trouble, that I've heard of, on the pro tennis circuits. As a matter of fact, all I've heard of from the pro tennis players has been how proud they were to have won a medal.

Yep - the Olympics is something that means a huge amount to the pro tennis players nowadays. I think in golf - it will be on an equivalent of wanting to get into the Solheim Cup team. It won't be anything like the Lexus Cup, Presidents Cup, World Cup. Even if the timing was difficult - who would pass that chance up of being in the Olympics?

The thing with the Olympics which really divides opinion is this: You have sports like tennis where the four slams (i.e. majors) etc are the most important. They are the pinnacle. Olympics is rated after that in most players' minds. So you get people like me who say how can you have events in the Olympics when they have something else - the slams in tennis - which means more. Track & Field, swimming etc the Olympics is the pinnacle - way above everything else - by which you are remembered the most. And it only comes every 4 years. Then you get most other people in these sports arguing differently who are passionate about these events being in the Olympics.

But I'm certain golf players will be like the tennis players and will passionately want to just participate in the Olympics and winning a medal would mean even more and they would see as huge. I'm a bit split now on this. I don't particularly think these sports should be in the Olympics - but it would deprive players who would dream about it of that pleasure if these events like tennis, golf were not in the Olympics and I guess what they would like should count more than the opinions of those like me who don't particularly want it.

heddwyn · 10-11-2009, 04:48 AM

WF, undying optimism as usual!

While I can see the publicity being good, do you really think people who are not already familiar with golf will tune in? Golf will be featured, you get little option as to what the TV channel lets you see, but four rounds taking around 5 hours each? How much of each round and player will the TV public see? I don't see golf being a high priority in Togoland or Bangladesh, I see it being much like sailing in the Olympics good to watch at the time, but not something we aspire to. Golf will remain an activity for the more affluent, whether the medal winners are thrilled or not.

Not all the county flags of the UK listed ... mmm.

10-09-2009, 10:47 PM	#31
greentee Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,484 Images: 4	Originally Posted by wiefan OR...you could just go with the flow and become an "Optimist" and enjoy the heck out of the event and the POSITIVE exposure that the LPGA is going to get out of it...this is the side of the fence that I am on...life is too darn short and global conditions are too full of Negative activity....so from my point of view, I will support whatever positives that come about...folks, aren't some of you just sick and tired of hearing "Doom and Gloom" all about you...for the LPGA, this is a WIN WIN Proposition...this organization needs every little bit of positive publicity that it can get their hands on...this Olympics Stuff is a POSITIVE step in that direction anyway folks...this is just my 2 cents...I know that some of you naysayers will say I am supporting this event because Wiesy was one of the players that Lobbyed for it...WRONG...I was in favor of this event from way way back anyway...have a good day folks...this is just my opinion about this event....see ya...have a good day You are absolutely right. Unfortunately the pessimist type thinkers are often very slow to change their views, for they see the dark side first and then work their way up. If their minds are already closed and the world just 'is', and never changes for them, thinking outside the box becomes a real tough thing to handle. Pessimists may be slower to come around to seeing a good side of something, but they can change, (time often does that for them), but don't hold your breath. The Olympics is a very good thing for golf, but from those who see the negative first, they will gladly toss every negativity at you before they toss in a favorable positive view. As you can clearly see by most of the posters before yours.... only Blue wages a battle for both the light and dark sides. The dark side seems a favorite haunt and home, for most pessimists. Until they see the light in their illumination... if ever. Yet I find it hard to believe that anyone could/would want to kill such a world idea for golf, before it has even had a chance to began.... man that kind of thinking will bring progress to a halt in sort order. As for Rio having no good courses.... what do you think happens when ever a city/country is announced to hold an Olympic event, (Winter or Summer), and they do not have the facilities.... THEY BUILD IT. On a final note.... (as I just know I am going to get hate mail from all the above I well take one more 'good' shot).... a good positive view for me was the short small speech from Michelle Wie, saying essentially 'I have a dream now', is about as American as you can get, and she is including the world. That was the best speech I heard at the presentation, next to Ty's, (you all remember him eh, the dude most of you could not wait to have kicked out when he at the top in the LPGA). Go ahead tare the good things all apart now.... that what most of you do at your best anyways. Gimme a light eh, I think its time I started to take up smoking again. __________________ ... I am not a tree, I am a tee... hit me, ah... wait a minute... Last edited by greentee; 10-09-2009 at 10:52 PM.

10-10-2009, 01:24 PM	#35
waldorf Guest Posts: n/a	Originally Posted by Whistling Straight SJX, I'm not defending the idea of golf in the Olympics but it hasn't caused any trouble, that I've heard of, on the pro tennis circuits. As a matter of fact, all I've heard of from the pro tennis players has been how proud they were to have won a medal. Yep - the Olympics is something that means a huge amount to the pro tennis players nowadays. I think in golf - it will be on an equivalent of wanting to get into the Solheim Cup team. It won't be anything like the Lexus Cup, Presidents Cup, World Cup. Even if the timing was difficult - who would pass that chance up of being in the Olympics? The thing with the Olympics which really divides opinion is this: You have sports like tennis where the four slams (i.e. majors) etc are the most important. They are the pinnacle. Olympics is rated after that in most players' minds. So you get people like me who say how can you have events in the Olympics when they have something else - the slams in tennis - which means more. Track & Field, swimming etc the Olympics is the pinnacle - way above everything else - by which you are remembered the most. And it only comes every 4 years. Then you get most other people in these sports arguing differently who are passionate about these events being in the Olympics. But I'm certain golf players will be like the tennis players and will passionately want to just participate in the Olympics and winning a medal would mean even more and they would see as huge. I'm a bit split now on this. I don't particularly think these sports should be in the Olympics - but it would deprive players who would dream about it of that pleasure if these events like tennis, golf were not in the Olympics and I guess what they would like should count more than the opinions of those like me who don't particularly want it. Last edited by waldorf; 10-10-2009 at 01:33 PM.

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10-10-2009, 06:29 AM	#32
wiefan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,135	Hi ya whistling Straight....GOOD to hear you are an Optimist....I see you are using Female Tennis to compare with Women's golf...in my opinion, Women Tennis are already miles ahead as far as TV Viewers and interest is concerned...this is why their Purses and TV Coverages are very comparable to the Men's Tennis...Women's golf is a "Niche" sport and doesn't have the already following that Women Tennis possess...thus you cannot compare the Two when it comes to "which sport NEEDS the publicity"...the LPGA Needs whatever they can lay their hands on...Women's tennis is already doing fine...thus any coverage and viewership that the LPGA gets out of the Olympics is a major PLUS and a NEEDED PLUS as far as your criticism about "Major Networks" goes...you said "MSNBC and whatever else cable outlet doesn't constitute a "Major" telecast outlet guaranteed an interested audience any more than the Golf Channel, in my opinion."....Anyway...in my opinion MSNBC is NOT the same as Golf Channel...first off...NOTHING IN TV Viewership is ever Guaranteed...2nd is your comparing Golf Channel to MSNBC...Golf Channel reaches only a Portion of TV Viewers...in some places, people have to purchase Cable to get Golf Channel....also some People with cable still have to pay extra to get the Golf Channel...with MSNBC...you get a TV and turn it on, you get MSNBC....the Golf Channel is NOT THE EQUAL OF MSNBC because of it's accessibility on a WIDE scale...you spoke of not constituting a guaranteed audience...NO ONE can GUARANTEE any Guarantee figures...but if Women's golf was NOT in the Olympics you can GUARANTEE that NO ONE would be the guarantee figure...as it is, Women's golf is going to be in the Olympics and thus ANY viewership is a PLUS for the LPGA...or perhaps you disagree with what I am saying...hmmm let me take another of your comments...you said " we are kidding ourselves that the ladies will get half as much exposure as the men"....perhaps you could be correct in this analysis considering that the Men do have a Bigger Fan base...but here is what I am talking about..."Half of anything is better than NOT getting anything at all"...and getting women's golf into the olympics gives the LPGA Publicity that they would never have gotten if Golf was not in the Olympics....think of this like a Carolyn Bivens afterthought...you are probably one of those that said "taking a cut in Pay to keep the tournaments for another year" is good...in this instance the thought process is "ANYTHING, even if it is Less, is better than Nothing at all"....same same for the Publicity that the LPGA will be getting since Women's golf is going to be in the Olympics..."Anything is better than Nothing at all"...or perhaps I am off base here....I don't think so..."Anything" is something the LPGA desperately needs...PGA golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis...for these sports, their TV contracts and viewers are SOLID....the LPGA TV and Viewership is not solid like this...thus the LPGA and anyone who says they are fans of the LPGA should be welcoming this Olympic invitation as a WIN WIN for the Organization... but like Greentee has said and I happen to agree with him...their are too many people that are of a "Pessimistic Nature"...they want a SUPER DOOPER HUMUNGOUS WIN WIN for the LPGA and want only the "BEST OF THE BEST" otherwise it is a TERRIBLE Event and Not worth even watching and NOT willing to settle for whatever gains the LPGA will recieve from this Olympics right now people are second guessing the selection process of Players and already finding faults...second guessing the golf course as not "Major-type" contest...2nd guessing that Players will "reverse their THIS IS GOOD FOR GOLF and I will play attitude" as the date gets closer....heck! there is already 2nd guess negative talking here about this event will screw up the Professional Season calendar...soon they will be second guessing that "Terrible players" will be entered thus tainting the "Best of the Best ONLY should be playing" scenerio...well folks, nothing in life is absolutely Perfect...you just do the best that you can and the fairest way of inclusion....then you go out and enjoy whatever happens...if you go into this "Olympics inclusion of golf" from a Negative view and keep on searching for Negatives and expounding them into your brain, ridiculing every 2nd guess theory, harping on the "WHY IT WILL BE A FAILURE FOR SURE" attitude...then for sure, you will not enjoy this event and/or see any WIN WIN for the LPGA...what can I say, it is your lifestyle and attitude ....and this is a discussion Board for posting opinions...just a perfect Place and setting for you to try to persuade others to join your attitude of things...I am posting my opinions from the opposite point of view...sort of like the "half glass of water"....pessimists view it as "Half Empty" I view it as "HALF FULL"...both mean the same in content, but the direction of attitude goes in different directions anyway...this concludes my typing lesson of the day...if I had to keep score, I think Greentee, Blue and myself are still in the Minority, BUT, the "silent Majority" have not spoken yet...perhaps they will remain silent...I dunno...all I know is that I am Happy with Women's Golf being in the olympics and I think this is a win win for the LPGA no matter what negative stuff I will be reading on this thread have a good day folks....you say you are an Optimist, Whistling Straight....good for you...see ya!!

10-10-2009, 06:41 AM	#33
wiefan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,135	Hi ya Whistling Straight....you said "In the long run, it won't hurt the sport and we are also talking about an event 7 years from now. By that time, the Golf Channel will hopefully have established itself as the place for watching the LPGA and hopefully the fan base will have grown substantially and maybe even have afforded itself the opportunity for even more Olympic exposure. That is the optimitic side." now this is being Optimistic...good for you....have a good day...see ya!!

10-10-2009, 09:05 AM	#34
Whistling Straight Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 450	I completely agree with your comments WF. I'm a little surprised to hear the Golf Channel is still a premium channel on some cable outlets as I don't recall that being bantered about after the contract announcement with the LPGA.

10-11-2009, 04:48 AM	#36
heddwyn Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,380	WF, undying optimism as usual! While I can see the publicity being good, do you really think people who are not already familiar with golf will tune in? Golf will be featured, you get little option as to what the TV channel lets you see, but four rounds taking around 5 hours each? How much of each round and player will the TV public see? I don't see golf being a high priority in Togoland or Bangladesh, I see it being much like sailing in the Olympics good to watch at the time, but not something we aspire to. Golf will remain an activity for the more affluent, whether the medal winners are thrilled or not. Not all the county flags of the UK listed ... mmm.