What year was golf first played in the Olympics?

Golf at the Olympics

• Only four countries participated in golf at the 1900 Olympics; Great Britain, France, Greece, and the United States.
• While the men’s competition was played over 36 holes the women’s event was only contested over 9 holes.
• In 1900 the Olympics was not as strong an event as it is now and many of the golfers participating did not realize they were competing in the Olympics. They thought it was ‘just’ a golf tournament.
• Both the men’s and the women’s competitions were won by participants from the U.S.
• The International Golf Federation has a good article with more information.
• An entertaining article by Bill Mallon has further information about the history of golf in the Olympics.

After a long absence, golf returned to the Olympic program for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and has been included since.

Format

• Men's and Women's Competitions: There are separate events for men and women.
• Stroke Play: Both competitions use a 72-hole stroke play format over four days, with the player with the lowest total score winning the gold medal.

Participation

• Field Size: Each competition typically features 60 players.
• Qualification: Players qualify based on their world rankings, with a maximum of four players per country if they are all ranked within the top 15, and a maximum of two players per country otherwise.

Notable Moments

• 2016 Rio Games:
  • Men's Gold: Justin Rose (Great Britain)
  • Women's Gold: Inbee Park (South Korea)
• 2020 Tokyo Games (held in 2021 due to the pandemic):
  • Men's Gold: Xander Schauffele (USA)
  • Women's Gold: Nelly Korda (USA)