Trevor Ng
Golf has been an Olympic sport since 1900, with the most recent golf tournament taking place at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The sport was not featured in the Olympics between 1908 and 2016, when it was reinstated. The rules of golf at the Olympics are the same as the standard rules of the game, with each player aiming to play the ball as it lies and complete each hole in as few shots as possible.
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What You'll Learn
Golf's Olympic history
Golf has had a sporadic history as an Olympic sport. It is believed that golf was first practised in the Netherlands, under the name "colf" or "kolven", before arriving in Britain in the 15th century. The game's first rules were established in the Scottish city of St. Andrews in 1754.
Golf first appeared in the Summer Olympics in 1900 in Paris, with 22 golfers competing. It returned for the 1904 Games in St. Louis, with 77 golfers taking part. This tournament also featured the first (and only) team golf competition at the Olympics, with teams from various regional golf associations across the United States competing. However, rather than golfers teaming up by nation, the winning team, the Western Golf Association, featured players from various US regions. The 1904 Games also saw Canada's George Lyon win gold in the men's individual tournament.
After 1904, golf disappeared from the Olympic programme for over a century. Two tournaments were planned for the 1920 Antwerp Games, but they were cancelled due to a lack of entries. A similar tournament was scheduled for 1908 but was also cancelled just two days before it was due to begin.
In 2009, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to reinstate golf for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. This marked the beginning of a new era for Olympic golf, with the sport also featuring at the Tokyo 2020 Games (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and scheduled to be included in Paris 2024. Since its reintroduction, Olympic golf competitions have consisted of men's and women's individual stroke play. In 2025, it was announced that a mixed team event would be added to golf for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
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Olympic gold in golf
Golf has only recently returned to the Olympics, having been excluded for over a century. It first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in 1900 and was also contested in 1904, with 22 golfers competing in 1900 and 77 in 1904. A tournament was scheduled for 1908 but was cancelled just two days before it was due to start. In 1920, two tournaments were planned, but both were cancelled due to a lack of entries.
Golf's return to the Olympics has been a long time coming, and it was finally reinstated for the 2016 Summer Olympics at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Copenhagen in October 2009. The International Golf Federation is the governing body for golf at the Olympic Games.
Qualification for the Olympics is based primarily on the Official World Golf Ranking for men and the Women's World Golf Rankings. The top 15 of each gender automatically qualify, with a limit of four per country, and the remaining spots go to the highest-ranked players from countries that have not yet qualified two players.
The 2020 Olympic golf champions were Xander Schauffele for the men and Nelly Korda for the women, both representing the USA. The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will see the introduction of a new mixed team event, consisting of 16 pairs drawn from those who have qualified for the individual tournaments. The men's and women's individual tournaments will also take place, with a maximum of four players per nation for each.
The addition of golf to the Olympic programme has been met with some criticism, with some arguing that it is only included to boost TV viewer numbers and please sponsors. However, others recognise the prestige of an Olympic gold medal, and the opportunity for golfers to represent their country on the world's biggest sporting stage.
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Golf's Olympic relevance
Golf has featured in the Olympic Games intermittently since the 1900 Summer Olympics, where 22 golfers competed. It was also contested at the 1904 Olympics, featuring 77 golfers. The sport was excluded from the Games for over 100 years, until its reinstatement for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made this decision in 2009, and the International Golf Federation (IGF) is now the governing body for golf at the Olympics.
Since its reinstatement, Olympic golf competitions have consisted of men's and women's individual stroke play. The 2020 Olympic gold medallists in golf were Xander Schauffele for the men and Nelly Korda for the women. The 2024 Olympic Games will again feature men's and women's individual competitions, with a maximum of four players per nation competing in each.
The relevance of golf at the Olympics has been questioned, with some arguing that it is only included to increase TV viewer numbers and please sponsors. Others have noted that it is still a very new Olympic sport, and so it is too early to tell whether it will hold any real weight. However, some golfers have expressed interest in competing at the Olympics, and an Olympic gold medal is still seen by many as a prestigious achievement.
Looking to the future, a mixed team event will be added to golf for the 2028 Summer Olympics. This will consist of 16 pairs drawn from those who have qualified for the individual tournaments, and will include alternate shot and four-ball rounds.
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Golf's Olympic future
Golf has had a sporadic history in the Olympics, featuring in the 1900 and 1904 Games, with a brief return in 1920, before being excluded for over a century. It was reinstated for the 2016 Olympics and has featured in every Summer Olympics since. The sport's Olympic future seems secure for now, with its inclusion confirmed for the upcoming Paris 2024 Games.
The sport's Olympic status has been a topic of debate, with some arguing that it should not be an Olympic event, while others advocate for its inclusion. Those in favour of golf's Olympic inclusion highlight the prestige of an Olympic medal and the opportunity for golfers to represent their country on a global stage.
There have been calls for the governing bodies, the International Golf Federation (IGF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to consider format changes, such as introducing a match play tournament or a team tournament. In April 2025, it was announced that a new mixed team event would be introduced for the 2028 Summer Olympics, indicating a willingness by the governing bodies to evolve the sport's Olympic format.
The Olympic golf competitions have consisted of men's and women's individual stroke play, with a maximum of four players per nation for each tournament. Qualification is primarily based on the Official World Golf Ranking for men and the Women's World Golf Rankings, with the top 15 of each gender automatically qualifying, subject to the country limit.
The Paris 2024 Olympic golf tournaments will be held at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, France, from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The venue, owned and managed by the French Golf Federation, has previously hosted the Ryder Cup and is recognised as one of Europe's top golf courses.
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Olympic golf venues
Golf will be played at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with the tournaments taking place at Le Golf National in Guyancourt. The venue, designed in 1991, includes two 18-hole courses and a 7-hole beginner's course, with the Albatros Course being the main competitive course for the Olympics. Albatros, a par 72, 7,331-yard course, is considered one of the most challenging courses at Le Golf National, which is one of Europe's most prestigious golfing sites. It was also the venue for the French Open and the Ryder Cup in 2018.
Le Golf National has a capacity of 32,720 spectators, with 2,720 seated and 30,000 standing. Tickets to watch the golf tournaments are priced between 24 and 150 Euros ($26 to $163 USD) at face value.
The Olympic golf tournaments will feature a total of 120 players, with 60 players each for the men's and women's events. The qualification pathway and format for the Paris Olympics remain the same as the previous two editions, with players qualifying based on the official IGF world ranking list. The top 15 world-ranked golfers are selected by name, respecting the four-player limit per NOC.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, golf is played at the Olympics. It was first featured in the 1900 Summer Olympics and was also contested at the 1904 Summer Olympics. The sport was then reinstated for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The essential rule of golf is that for each stroke, the player must play the ball as it lies and navigate the course as they find it. Each round consists of 18 holes, with most professional tournaments comprising four rounds. Each hole has a par score, which is the number of shots a high-quality golfer should take to complete it.
Some notable gold medal winners in Olympic golf include Scottie Scheffler of the United States, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, and Nelly Korda of the United States.
