Harper Lin
Golf was first introduced to the Olympic Games in 1900 in Paris, France, and featured 22 golfers. It was also contested at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri, where 77 golfers competed. After a 112-year hiatus, the sport returned to the Olympic programme for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to reinstate the sport in 2009, and it has since featured in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year golf was first introduced to the Olympics | 1900 |
| Location of the first Olympic golf tournament | Paris, France |
| Number of golfers who competed in 1900 | 22 |
| Year golf was reintroduced to the Olympics | 2016 |
| Location of the 2016 Olympic golf tournament | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Number of golfers who competed in 1904 | 77 |
| Men's gold medalist in 2016 | Justin Rose (Great Britain) |
| Women's gold medalist in 2016 | Inbee Park (South Korea) |
| Men's gold medalist in 2020 | Xander Schauffele (USA) |
| Women's gold medalist in 2020 | Nelly Korda (USA) |
| Men's gold medalist in 2024 | Scottie Scheffler (USA) |
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What You'll Learn
Golf's Olympic debut in 1900
Golf made its Olympic debut in 1900 in Paris, France. The Organising Committee for the 1900 Games included golf in the list of sports to be featured on 27 May 1899, over a year before the Games began. Twenty-two golfers competed in the 1900 Olympics. The men's tournament was won by American Charles Sands, who beat Great Britain's Walter Rutherford by one stroke. In the women's tournament, Margaret Abbott became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. However, she died in 1955, unaware that the competition she had won was part of the Olympics.
Golf was also played at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, USA. The 1904 tournament featured 77 golfers. However, a dispute amongst representatives of England and Scotland over the format led to British golfers boycotting, leaving 1904 gold medallist George Lyon of Canada as the only remaining entrant. Lyon had only been practising golf for eight years when he won the second-ever men's individual Olympic golf tournament. He previously competed in baseball, tennis and cricket, and swung his golf club in a manner more akin to that of a cricket athlete than a golfer.
After 1904, golf was dropped from the Olympic programme. It was scheduled to return at the 1908 and 1920 Games, but both events were cancelled due to a lack of entries. It would take more than a century for golf to make its comeback at the Olympics in Rio 2016.
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1904 Olympics: Men's and team events
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the III Olympiad, were held in St. Louis, Missouri, from July 1 to November 23, 1904. This was the first time the Olympic Games were held outside of Europe. The games featured 651 athletes, with 69-74 of them coming from outside North America.
The 1904 Olympics featured 25 athletic events, introducing multi-event competitions, the all-around, and triathlon. Boxing, freestyle wrestling, decathlon, and a dumbbell event also made their debuts. The marathon was widely regarded as one of the most bizarre events, with the winner, Thomas Hicks, disqualified for covering a large part of the 40 kilometres in a car.
Golf was also part of the 1904 Olympics and was played at the Glen Echo Country Club, the first golf course constructed west of the Mississippi River. The 1904 tournament featured 77 golfers, with Canadian George Lyon winning the men's individual tournament. The 1904 Games also featured the first (and only) Olympic team golf competition, with teams of 10 from various regional golf associations around the United States competing.
The 1904 Olympics were notable for being the first to award gold, silver, and bronze medals for first, second, and third place. However, due to the Russo-Japanese War and travel difficulties, few top-class athletes from outside the United States and Canada participated.
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Golf dropped after 1904
Golf was first introduced to the Olympic Games in 1900 in Paris, France. The competition consisted of a 36-hole stroke-play event for men and a 9-hole event for women. Four years later, in 1904, the women's event was replaced by a team event, and golf was dropped from the Olympic program after the 1904 St. Louis Games.
The 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis saw the introduction of a men's team golf competition, with teams of 10 players from various regional golf associations across the United States. The gold medal was won by the Western Golf Association, which included H. Chandler Egan as its top player. The 1904 Games also witnessed the first and only appearance of a match-play format in Olympic golf, with Canada's George Lyon defeating Egan in the final to claim the individual gold medal.
The absence of golf from the Olympics after 1904 can be attributed to several factors. One reason could be the lack of participation and interest from golfers and their representatives. For example, a dispute between representatives of England and Scotland over the format led to British golfers boycotting the sport in 1904, leaving only a handful of entrants. This lack of participation may have contributed to the decision to discontinue golf as an Olympic sport.
Additionally, the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis were plagued by organisational issues and controversies. The golf tournament was criticised for its format, with the replacement of the women's event with a team event causing dissatisfaction among female golfers and their supporters. Moreover, the 1904 Games were marred by allegations of rule-breaking and favouritism toward the home nation, further diminishing the reputation of the golf tournament.
Another factor contributing to the drop of golf after 1904 could be the emergence and popularity of other sports. As the Olympic Games evolved, new sports were introduced, and the focus shifted toward sports that had a broader international appeal and participation. Sports such as athletics, swimming, and gymnastics gained prominence, and the Olympic program had to make room for these sports by removing others, including golf.
It is also worth noting that the early 20th century was a period of transition and instability in the world, with World War I and its aftermath significantly impacting the Olympic movement. The Olympics had to adapt to the changing global landscape, and certain sports, like golf, may have been deemed less essential or relevant during this tumultuous time.
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Golf's return to Olympics in 2016
Golf made a comeback to the Olympic Games in 2016, after more than a century of absence. The sport was last played at the Olympics in 1904, and its return in 2016 was marked by two thrilling championships in the men's and women's individual events. The new Olympic golf course, built at the Reserva de Marapendi in the Barra da Tijuca zone, played host to 60 men and 60 women competitors in two separate tournaments. Qualification was based on world rankings as of 11 July 2016, with the top 15 players from each gender qualifying, and a limit of four golfers per country.
The men's event saw Justin Rose of Great Britain clinch the gold, with Henrik Stenson of Sweden taking silver. Rose's historic hole-in-one during the opening round set the tone for his eventual victory, as he finished the tournament with a score of 16-under par. Stenson, meanwhile, hit his first putt past the hole and missed from eight feet for par, resulting in a score of 15-under par. The bronze medal went to American Matt Kuchar, who posted a final-round of 63.
The women's event was equally exciting, with Inbee Park of the Republic of Korea showcasing her prowess as one of the greatest female players of her generation. She captured the gold with a stunning performance, finishing with a score of 16-under par, five shots ahead of her competitors. Trailing Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn by one stroke after the opening round, Park shot a second successive 66 to take a commanding lead. The USA's Lexi Thompson led the women's field in driving distance, averaging 248.3 meters (271.5 yards) off the tee.
The return of golf to the Olympics in 2016 was a highly anticipated event, and the competitions did not disappoint. The sport's inclusion in the Games was well-received, with many praising the captivating action on the course and the positive impact it had on the sport's profile in Brazil. The Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro was designed with sustainability in mind, selecting salt-tolerant grasses due to the quality of water as an irrigation source. The course has since become a public facility, enhancing golf's accessibility and development in the country.
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Future of golf in Olympics
Golf was first introduced to the Olympic Games in 1900 in Paris, France. It was also contested at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, but then took a 112-year hiatus before returning to the Olympic program for Rio 2016. The sport continued to feature in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The future of golf in the Olympics looks promising, with the sport set to be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics. In April 2025, it was announced that a new mixed team event would be added to golf for the 2028 Games. This will be contested by 16 pairs drawn from those who have qualified for the Olympic tournaments and will consist of alternate shot and four-ball rounds.
The inclusion of golf in the 2028 Olympics indicates that the sport is valued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Golf Federation (IGF) as an important part of the Games. This decision is likely based on the success and popularity of golf in the previous Olympics.
The qualification pathway and format for the 2028 Olympics golf tournaments are yet to be announced, but they will likely follow a similar structure to the 2024 Olympics. For the 2024 Games, 60 players qualified for each gender-based event over a four-day-long, 72-hole individual stroke play tournament. The top 15 world-ranked golf players were selected by name, respecting the four-player limit per NOC. The remaining spots were awarded to players ranked sixteenth onwards, with a maximum of two per NOC.
The venue for the 2028 golf tournaments is also yet to be confirmed. However, it is likely that the organisers will choose a well-known and prestigious golf course, similar to the Albatros Course at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, France, which hosted the 2024 Olympic golf tournaments.
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Frequently asked questions
Golf was first introduced at the Olympics in 1900 at the Games in Paris, France.
Yes, the 1900 Olympic golf tournament was the first Olympic Games to include women. Margaret Ives Abbott won the women's event.
No, the 1908 Olympic golfing games were cancelled due to a lack of entries.
Golf returned to the Olympics in 2016, 112 years after it was last included.
Justin Rose won the gold medal for Great Britain in the men's tournament, and Inbee Park won the gold medal for South Korea in the women's tournament.
