Golf Clubs � History and the Olympics

Golf was once on the Olympic program, with the games' strong history and popularity, isn't it time we saw the golf clubs swinging again?

It's a heated debate in the sporting world � should golf be a game in the Olympics? As baseball and softball were dropped from the program for 2012, many hoped that they could start training with their golf clubs and make sporting history in the Olympics.

The history of Golf and the Olympics

Golf was in fact on the Olympic program twice at the turn of the twentieth century � with an event for ladies and one for gentlemen. The fact that golf has a long history, is one of the most popular sports and is played in over a 100 nations is, some feel, a strong basis to see golf clubs swinging in the Olympic Games. In fact many golf clubs that have organised their own tournaments throughout the centuries of history of the game have made entreaties for golf to return to the Olympic program.

Other games that were once part of the Olympics include:

•  Tug-of-war - Featured throughout the early 1900s.

•  Rugby football � an earlier form of football, developed in Great Britain in the mid-19 th century. Rugby union football was held at the 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 Olympics.

•  Polo � Played in the plains of Asia , this oldest of mountain sports was on the program until 1936.

2012 Olympics Reject Golf

However, despite the efforts of golf clubs and enthusiasts to get the game back into Olympic history, the 2012 Olympics will not include golf on the program.

Golf was one of five sports hoping to get back on the program for 2012 � the others were karate, roller sports, rugby and squash.

The hopes for seeing golf clubs swinging at the 2012 Olympics were raised after softball and baseball were dropped. No other sports have been removed from the program in the history of the Olympics since polo was scrapped in 1936 - many golf clubs hoped this was their chance. However, none of the five hopeful sports received the two-third majority support needed for inclusion in the program.

Future Olympics?

Many critics believe that golf is in all likelihood the most popular game in history that isn't on the Olympic program � millions of people across the globe own a set of golf clubs or watch the game avidly on TV.

Some Olympic sports that have been added since 1992:

• Badminton
• Judo
• Beach volleyball
• Trampoline

Perhaps there's still hope for golf.

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