Golf Yourself Patriotic

In our most recent episode of the GYH podcast (Golf Buddies Aloud - Volume 3), I invited my friend and regular GYH contributor,  Ben Seabrook, to offer his take on the inclusion of Golf in the Olympics. 

My reasoning for this was simply to continue a discussion thread which had been instigated by my colleague and GYH podcast producer, Brogan Molloy, a day or two prior to this. When asked to give my own view on Golf at the Olympics, I figured that it could serve as an interesting discussion point and topical theme, to include in our episode. Beyond that, I didn’t give it more than a cursory thought and nor did I consider it a topic worthy of too much attention. 

However, no sooner had we gone “on air” and recorded our musings on the subject, I began to notice a number of Golf’s household names uttering a series of rousing sound bites and quotes across social media, about their forthcoming participation at the Olympics. It was apparent that this meant so much more than just another tour event…

“National pride is to countries what self respect is to individuals: a necessary condition for self improvement.” Richard Rorty

When you consider the bubble that Golf regularly lives in and indeed the often less than flattering stereotypes that it carries with it, Olympic participation offers a unique opportunity to showcase the game to an audience who may not otherwise have considered it as a sport of any interest. 

As for the tournament format, however, there is an argument to say that this perhaps represents something of a missed opportunity. Whilst the 72 hole stroke play format will likely appease the Golfing traditionalists, Olympic Golf could have presented an opportunity to introduce a more modern and condensed format (eg Golf Sixes), or perhaps even Mixed Gender competition (which, rumour has it, is being mooted for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles). Match Play may have been another compelling option, offering both a traditional element, as well as injecting a healthy dose of jeopardy and excitement for athletes and spectators alike. 

However, of particular intrigue, is what it appears to mean to the athletes themselves, to participate in Golf at the Olympics. Amidst all the furore and noise that dominates Mens Professional Golf these days, it has previously been suggested by sections of the Golf media that some Golfers are non-plussed about representing their country on the international stage. Moreover, it has been rumoured that some Golfers expect to be remunerated to play at these events, to even consider it worth their time (see Patrick Cantlay, Ryder Cup 2024). 

Yet, both during and immediately following the conclusion of the Mens event, we can observe various sound bites from some of Golf’s biggest names, who are at pains to emphasise that money is not a motivator, when the opportunity to play for and represent their country is at stake. What is more, they are lauding the Olympic Golf event in Paris as one of the most emotive and meaningful tournaments they’ve ever been part of.

“True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else” Clarence Darrow 

Whilst it is tempting to get whipped up a into sentimental frenzy and believe that all Golfers must feel the same way about their countries, perhaps we should spare a thought for Joost Luiten, Darius Van Driel and Demi Weber of The Netherlands, who were precluded from participating at The Olympics by their own country.

Despite already qualifying and meeting the international criteria to represent their country at the Olympics, Luiten, Van Driel and Weber were nonetheless prevented from competing, with the Netherlands Olympic Committee concluding that their chances of claiming at least a top 8 finish were too slim to justify sending them to Paris to compete.

Understandably incensed by such a decision, Joost Luiten has not only been a vocal critic of the Netherlands Olympic Committee, but he took the matter into his own hands by bringing the case before a court. Though the court ruled in his favour and demanded that the Netherlands Olympic Committee reinstate him, it was a case of too little, too late, as the deadline for submissions to the Internatjonal Olympic Committee (IOC) had already passed.

In such circumstances, one must wonder how these Dutch Golfers are now feeling, in relation to national pride…

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle” Francois De Cubertin 

At GYH, we are loudly and proudly built on the belief that Golf is Good for You. As such, it feels only right that we endeavour to apply a lens of Health and Wellbeing, when we talk about the significance of Golf at the Olympics. 

Research suggests that, in certain scenarios and contexts, national pride can in fact be good for one’s wellbeing. In a report published for Psychological Science in 2011, Matthew Wright, a political scientist at American University, and Tim Reeskens, a sociologist from Catholic University in Belgium found that more national pride correlated with greater personal wellbeing.

With this in mind, then, it is perhaps no wonder that Golf Pros are speaking in such gushing terms about Olympic participation and the pride they feel at representing, or better still, winning on behalf of their country. 

It presents them with a unique and rare opportunity to play for a cause greater than themselves and with greater stakes than the average, humdrum tournament on their respective tour. For all the controversy and division which nationalism is capable of generating, in the context of the Olympics, it seems to carry a much more romantic and hopeful energy to it. 

When the Golfing action concludes on 10 August, following the completion of the Women’s Event, it will be interesting to see what sound bites we’ll be hearing from the athletes, as to their reflections and key takeaways from their Olympic experience. Moreover, attention should be paid to what impact, if any, Olympic Golf has had on growing the game. 

Of course, when all is said and done, what matters most is that the Golfing Olympians take this opportunity to Embrace the Rough and Cherish the Fairway. After all, it’s an opportunity which only presents itself once every four years. Or in some cases, like the plight of Joost Luiten, it may never present itself at all.