Did you know? We almost had Olympic golf at Augusta National!
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Golf was missing from the Olympics from 1904 to 2016, but it almost came back much sooner, at the world’s most famous golf course.
Golf was absent from the Olympics for 112 years – between the 1904 Games and the 2016 Olympics – but its return almost happened far sooner and at a very special venue.
With the 1996 Olympic Games being staged in Atlanta, it was up to the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) to propose new sports.
The head of ACOG was none other than Billy Payne, the future Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club. He petitioned the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to bring golf back and came up with a grand plan to host an Olympic golf competition at Augusta, home of the Masters.
Then Augusta Chairman Jackson ‘Jack’ Stephens and IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch were both on board. There was just one problem. Both the Atlanta City Council and Anita DeFrantz, a notable black member of the IOC, opposed the idea due to Augusta’s discriminatory membership policies.
Without their support, Payne couldn’t move forward with his plan. He ended up admitting defeat and withdrawing his proposal.
Golf would have to wait a further 20 years before its return to the Olympics, which came at Rio 2016 on a purpose-built course that didn’t quite compare to Augusta National.
About the author
Michael Catling – Features Editor
Michael Catling is Today’s Golfer‘s Features Editor and an award-winning journalist who specializes in golf’s Majors and Tours, including DP World, PGA, LPGA, and LIV.
Michael joined Today’s Golfer in 2016 and has traveled the world to attend the game’s biggest events and secure exclusive interviews with dozens of Major champions, including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player, Greg Norman, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, and Justin Thomas.
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We almost had Olympic golf at Augusta National
