Golf once again Olympic Game after 105 years?


By: August 25, 2009


In last couple of weeks many rumors appeared in the press both online and offline about the possibility to include golf in the Olympic Games. With G-d help it will be an Olympic game in 2016 if the International Golf Federation International Golf Federation and other lobby organization will succeed. By reading both websites, International Golf Federation and International Olympic Committee, it turns out that golf was an Olympic game twice in the 20th century. For the first time in 1900 (Paris, France) and 1904 (St. Louis, USA). Due to the World's Fairs both games could not receive the desired attention.

As we know Denmark is the host of the next summer Olympic Games. Denmark can proud of his 76 golf courses.

When I first heard about becoming again an Olympic Game, I started to ponder on the benefits of such recognition. Do we really have to become an Olympic Game? Will golf be treated differently afterward?

In many countries, as specially in Central Eastern Europe expecting from such recognition to boost golf life in their country. In good case people's attitude toward golf will be favourable. However media companies will not run to cover in Europe golf tournaments until they cannot be sure that it will generate significant number of viewers. Since it is hard to sell ad spaces and GRPs if you cannot prove that the program has notable number of viewers. Since all day want is high rating. This can result that people will still think about golf as an elite sport due to lack of information and experience with golf.

I do not think that it is end of the world if golf does not become an Olympic Game. It is more important how national golf associations, golf equipment manufacturers and golf clubs are communicating golf as a game. Furthermore how they treat people in the golf course. Because there is no stronger influence then a peer group member's voice. When people start to hear positive news from their friends about green tee and golf equipment prices they will start to think differently about golf.

Not surprisingly Fortune 500 companies are dedicating more from their marketing budget on social media and initiate dialogue with their customers via social networking sites as Facebook.com. According to a new study released by Aberdeen Group (published today by eMarketer), 63 percent of companies plan to increase their social media marketing budgets in 2009, despite the current weakness in the economy. eMarketer estimates that in this year the worlwide spending on social media will reach $2.4 billion.