• Menu
  • Menu

Olympics Decision Coming Wednesday

On Wednesday the Olympics are expected to do what they always do, greedily chase the last dollar on the table and create a massively expensive venue that will go to waste once the games end.

Expectation runs high that R&A Head Peter Dawson has pressured the decision makers to choose the “team” of Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam to build the Rio Olympics golf course. One irreverent wag opined that the choice of Jack would be a vote for high fade, aerial assault, under-designed course. Annika, a nice lady but a complete neophyte when it comes to golf architecture, is along to shake hands, kiss babies and provide the all important legitimacy in the form of major championship wins. After all, that’s a critical component of golf course architecture…when you’re building a tourist draw.

If they have even just half a brain, they’ll choose an architect, not an athlete moonlighting post-career. But it’s the Olympics and the decision is in the hands of Brazilians, people who do not have golf as part of their cultural footprint. They are most likely to fall victim to a grisly shuck or become star-struck.

Between the delays and “too many cooks spoiling the broth,” I’m betting that losing might be the best thing to happen to the runners-up.

Meanwhile, word on the street is that Dorado Beach is so impressed with Robert Trent Jones, Jr.’s work in restoring their East Course and in designing Chambers Bay, they have given him carte blanche to completely re-design the West Course as he sees fit. Further word is that it follows concepts used at Chambers Bay – firm and fast playing surface, great oceanside holes, ribbon tees, and strategic architecture, not penal. They say it will far outstrip his father’s fabled East Course and become the new flagship of the resort.

If that’s what Jones gave Rio, they’d be insane not to take it. Talking and working closely with Jones these last few months has made me a believer that he’s in a renaissance himself, 70 going on 30. Hanse and Doak deserve great credit as well for carrying the minimalist and “fast and firm” banner as well. Those three are leading the state of the art of the craft of golf architecture, with a strong nod to the influence of Macdonald, Raynor, and Banks. But right now only Jones has the length of career and the depth to be the most well-rounded choice – a name people know and a brand that’s top of the list in every category.

Rio will get what it deserves. If they choose an architect, they’ll get a great course that – if they keep the price down – that will grow the game. And if they choose a player, the course will sit there in lonely eminence and everyone will wonder, “Remember that one time golf kissed up to the O-lame-pics? What were they thinking?”