History of golf at the Olympics: Full timeline and milestones explored

Golf is one of the oldest sports in history, but it has only been included in the Olympics four times. In 2024, it will make its fifth appearance in these prestigious games.

Golf made its debut in the Olympics in 1900. That year, men's and women's events were held in Paris at the Compiègne Golf Club. Tournaments were scheduled for the 1908 London and the 1920 Antwerp, but both events were canceled.

Golf returned to the Olympics after a long hiatus in 2016. The 2024 Games will mark the third consecutive edition of the sport in the Olympics.

Here is a detailed analysis of the history of golf in the Olympics:

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#1900: Paris

Golf made its Olympic debut in 1900 in Paris, with men's and women's individual events held at Compiègne Country Club.

Event: Men's Individual

• Golf Course: Compeigne Country Club
• Date: October 2, 1900
• Competitors: 12
• Countries: 4
• Format: 36-hole stroke format

Winners:

• -Gold: Charles Sands (USA)
• - Silver: Walter Rutherford (GBR)
• - Bronze: David Robertson (GBR)

Event: Women Individual

• Venue: Compiegne Golf Club
• Date: October 3, 1900
• Competitors: 10
• Countries: 2
• Format: 9-hole stroke format

Winners:

• - Gold: Margaret Abbott (USA)
• - Silver: Pauline Whittier (USA)
• - Bronze: Daria Pratt (USA)

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#1904: St Louis

The sport returned to the Olympics in 1904 in St. Louis, USA. That year, only men's events were held in both individual and team formats. Seventy-five golfers from two countries participated in the individual event.

Initially intended to include six teams, the team event ended up with only two teams on the final day. A third team was formed at the last minute from a group of individual players, allowing the team event to proceed.

Men's individual event

• Venue: Glen Echo Country Golf
• Dates: September 19-24, 1904
• Competitors: 75
• Countries: 2
• Format: It had a mixed format, with 36-hole qualifying rounds followed by the top 32 players competing in 5-round match play events, with each round lasting 36 holes.

Winners:

• - Gold: George Lyon (CAN)
• - Silver: Chandler Egan (USA)
• - Bronze: Burt McKinnie (USA) and Francis Newton (USA)

Team event

• Venue: Glen Echo Golf Club
• Date: September 17, 1904
• Competitors: 30
• Country: 1 (USA)

Winners:

Gold: United States (USA)

• Robert Hunter
• Chandler Egan
• Kenneth Edwards
• Clement Smoot
• Walter Egan
• Daniel Sawyer
• Edward Cummins
• Mason Phelps
• Nathaniel Moore
• Warren Wood

Silver: United States (USA)

• Albert Lambert
• Stuart Stickney
• Burt McKinnie
• William Stickney
• Ralph McKittrick
• Frederick Semple
• Francis Newton
• Henry Potter
• John Cady
• John Maxwell

Bronze: United States (USA)

• Douglass Cadwallader
• Allan Lard
• Jesse Carleton
• Simeon Price
• Harold Weber
• John Rahm
• Arthur Hussey
• Orus Jones
• Harold Fraser
• George Oliver

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1908: London

A men's individual event was scheduled for the London Olympics in 1908. However, representatives from England and Scotland were unhappy with the format, leading to a dispute.

The British boycotted the event, which ultimately resulted in its cancellation. A gold medal was offered to 1904 Olympic gold medalist George Lyon, but he declined it.

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1920: Antwerp

The event was canceled due to a lack of entries.

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#2016: Rio

After a long absence, golf returned to the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, with both men's and women's individual events included. Both competitions followed a 72-hole stroke play format.

Men's individual event

• Venue: Olympic Gold Club
• Dates: August 11-14, 2016
• Competitors: 60
• Countries: 34
• Format: 72-stroke play

Winners:

• - Gold: Justin Rose (GBR)
• - Silver: Henrik Stenson (SWE)
• - Bronze: Matt Kuchar (USA)

Women's Individual event

• Venue: Olympic Gold Club
• Dates: August 17-20, 2016
• Competitors: 60
• Countries: 34
• Format: 72-hole stroke play

Winners:

• - Gold: Inbee Park (South Korea)
• - Silver: Lydia Ko (New Zealand)
• - Bronze: Shanshan Feng (China)

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#2020: Tokyo

The 2020 edition of the Olympics, postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19, took place in Tokyo. That year also featured only men's and women's individual events.

Men's individual event

• Venue: Kasumigaseki Country Club
• Dates: 29 July-1 August 2021
• Competitors: 60
• Countries: 35
• Format: 72 hope stroke play

Winners:

• - Gold: Xander Schauffele (USA)
• - Silver: Rory Sabbatini (SVK)
• - Bronze: CT Pan (TPE)

Women's Individual event

• Venue: Kasumigaseki Country Club
• Dates: 4-7 August 2021
• Competitors: 60
• Countries: 35
• Format: 72-hole stroke play

Winners:

• - Gold: Nelly Korda (USA)
• - Silver: Mone Inami (Japan)
• - Bronze: Lydia Ko (New Zealand)

The next golf event will be held at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, scheduled to take place at Riviera Country Club.