THESE ARE THE OLYMPIC GAMES AFTER ALL....

Sorry I had not written, but like many of you, I added some "Olympic Games" watching during my off time. I love the Olympics. Like the FIFA Soccer World Cup, every four years is just about right, even if I am not a fan of all of the sports contested in the games. I would not mind watching some of these sports on a yearly basis, but that is far from torturing myself with "men's synchronized diving"? Come on!!

"Thumbs up" to NBC Sports, they did a good job in scheduling men's synchronized diving and badminton at times that I was never forced to watch... and thank God for DVRS. If you don't have one of these babies, I hope your schedule was about the same as mine!

Having said this, the reason I am writing about the Olympics is because of the game of golf... of course and because golf was mentioned more than once during those three weeks. For your info, golf was already played in the Olympics exactly twice (1900 and 1904), but it must not have been very fun to watch... Bobby Jones, the ultimate and most famous amateur golfer of all time, was born in between these two Olympiads, and since in those days all Olympic sports were strictly for amateurs, he would have won hands down.

Anyway, contrary to those who think a 22 year member of the PGA of America would support golf in the Olympics, I am here to say this: "GOLF, AS YOU KNOW IT, DOES NOT BELONG IN THE OLYMPICS", but with a few changes, maybe, just maybe, could draw my attention. We see 72 hole tournaments every week and in every major, we have the World Championships and the FedEx Cup... not to mention the Ryder & President's Cups, so there is plenty of good golf to be watched... thus, Olympic golf should be totally different. Here is my list of some of my suggestions in case people want to make the great game of golf, an Olympic sport:

CARRY YOUR OWN BAG: All golfers must carry their own bag during the qualifying tournaments and during the Olympics. Every golfer must carry at least 7 clubs and no club longer than 43 1/2".

HOW TO QUALIFY: Every country can send up to 4 golfers. Two would come from the World Rankings List (the top two ranked golfers of each country that are ranked among the top 150 in the world, automatically qualify), the other two, if the country chooses to send all four representatives (or in case of a country without golfers ranked in the top 150), come from a qualifying tournament in each country. If any of the two ranked players decline, the spot is open, but for qualifying golfers only (not from the World Rankings). Let those who want to represent their country have a shot at it and allow them to try to qualify. In addition, players scoring more than 3 strokes per round over the course rating of the qualifying course, stay home, sort of like the famous PAT (Player Ability Test) that the PGA of America gives it's members. Let's face it, if you can't hack it, no free ride to London!

THE COMPETITION: All participants will play a 72 holes qualifying tournament, in two days (36 holes a day), starting the day after the Opening Ceremony. Top 32 (two more than the "Tour Championship) qualify for "Match/Stroke Play Combo" Finals (you play a round against another golfer, one of you will be eliminated, but the format will be stroke play, not match play), which will be played at 36 holes a day (no wimps allowed). To win a medal (there is a match for third place also), you play 14 rounds of 18 holes (7 days at 36 holes each day), and though 4th place also plays the same number of holes, fourth place gets nothing.

THE EQUIPMENT: As I said before, you must carry at least 7 clubs and there is no limit as to the number of clubs carried, we suggest 7 and a good sturdy bag with foldable legs (after a while of carrying it, you are going to be so tired, you don't want to bend more than necessary to pick up your bag and clubs. No yardage books, nor artificial devices to measure distances. You can carry as many gloves and tees as you want, but cannot start any 18 holes with more than 6 balls in your bag.... but we will allow you to carry different types and brands of balls (all major championships have the "one ball rule" which means that a player must start and complete a round with the same brand and type of ball, during the round, no substitution of brands or types)... you lose all your balls, it's like not having bullets to compete in shooting and you are out. THE GAME: In the qualifying, players play in groups of three (for you who think know "golf lingo", these are called "three ball matches", and not "threesomes"). The finals though, as I said, are stroke play with a "match play" twist, and then, a "speed twist" as well: you do not play with your opponent, you start 15 minutes apart (so you don't get in each other's way), and players are rewarded for speedy play: you must average 12 minutes per hole or less, which will be known as "Time Par" (it comes to a reasonable 3 hrs & 36 minutes). But, once in the top 32, you will be rewarded 1 stroke per every full 6 minutes you knock off "Time Par"; and, penalized 2 strokes for every 6 minutes past "Time Par". No slow pokes allowed!!

THE SPECTATORS: it will have to be a "stadium" course, where spectators can watch action on two or three holes from most angles, and, they are not required to be quiet. If you can find a course where you can see most of the course from a high fixed area, better yet. Now, you think golf is about concentration? Didn't you see some 16 year old girls perform twists and flips, backward and forward on a 4" wide board while others were competing around in other exercises with music and noise. One false move and forget about not winning the gold medal, you could end up in the hospital... or worse! It puts a different perspective on watching everyone silent while Tiger addresses a 4 foot put, doesn't it.

THE COURSE: The course must test everyone's skill, patience and endurance. Course will be set up to a standard of 7,300 yards (which on today's standards, is a bit short, but wait, I'm not done yet). Fairways will be narrow, at least 10% narrower than U.S. Open, but, don't worry, your ball will not usually roll into the rough because, unlike the U.S. Open, this will be like playing golf in a shallow swamp... or almost, here is the suggested course setup:

Tees: At least six tee marker positions will be on slopes and the teeing ground will be kept to at at least 1" tall (bring your long tees!) and will be watered heavily so that your footing is difficult.

Fairways: will also be watered heavily so that there is absolutely no roll (free drop from plugged lies, but, no cleaning the ball until on the green); the height of the fairways will be a minimum of 1 1/4" and shall not exceed 2".

Roughs: the primary rough will be 4" and, if you are farther out of line, the rough -or mud and snake nests- should be so thick and high that losing your whole bag is at least 50% possible... (sorry, no bag, you are out of the tournament as well!). It will not be possible to advance the ball much out of the primary rough and almost assured of an "unplayable" (my old friend Rick Capenter used to call it "unnecessary lie') or "unfindable" beyond that. Unplayable and unfindable carry the same options, go back in the line of flight until you find a decent spot that you can hit from.

Finally, the Greens: no green over 4,500 sq. feet, and will be kept dry, bone dry, "losing the green is possible" dry (it's OK, chances are that the same course would not hold the Olympics ever again and a plan would be in place to recover the greens in a reasonable period); this way, players have the most difficult time trying to hold greens with "flier" shots out of the long, wet grass in the fairways. Putting of course, would be difficult, especially if the almost dead green develops cracks and bare spots, but again, you must realize that this is not your usual weekend casual round with your friends, you are there to show the world the athlete that you are!

In the end, remember that this will be golf at a different level, you need a champion who can hit the ball straight and reasonably long, chip and putt to and on difficult greens, but also a person whose endurance and patience is tested to the limit. These are the Olympic Games, they are only held every four years, and the test must meet the challenge..., we must make a test that will make the gold medal winner think that in the next Olympiad, that he has a chance for a medal in the "Decathlon"!