Pitch and ... hope: Officials to make case for golf in 2016 Olympics
This particular Swiss trip isn't about sampling chocolate, eyeing pricy timepieces, going snow skiing or creating secretive bank accounts.
It's about something far more precious: future gold.
Taking the next step toward securing a berth in the Olympic Games for golf, two senior officials representing both the professional and amateur ranks will make an important pitch Friday at IOC headquarters in Lausanne.
We do mean pitch. Of the seven sports trying to crack the Olympic lineup, the golf presentation will be second on the card behind baseball. Getting an early spot on the draw sheet can't hurt.
"They're not falling asleep after lunch," cracked PGA Tour communications chief Ty Votaw.
The chief executive of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, Peter Dawson, will join Votaw in the presentation, which will consist of two parts. The pair first will make a 30-minute presentation, with whatever props and video pyrotechnics they can muster, then answer questions for the next 20 minutes. The audience will include the 17 members of the IOC program commission.
The IOC presentation marks the second step in a year-long lobbying process for the International Golf Federation, a consortium of golf bodies leading the charge for the sport's inclusion in the games. Votaw and Dawson attended the Summer Games in Beijing a few weeks ago to press the flesh with several of the IOC's whopping 115 global members.
The questions they fielded were remarkably similar.
"Clearly the feedback we received in Beijing was mainly about whether the top players would support it and whether the industry speaks with one voice," Votaw said before leaving the States. "We feel this (presentation) speaks volumes to that point."
The IOC made it clear that it wants the game's best to play in the Olympics if the bid is granted, which is why the participation of the PGA Tour, European Tour and LPGA was paramount. Previously, the R&A and U.S. Golf Association, which largely represent the amateur ranks, had voiced support for golf in the Olympics.
Golf's competition for the two available medal spots is wildly varied. Baseball and softball, both former Olympic sports that have since been excluded, join squash, karate, roller sports and rugby sevens in seeking berths in the 2016 lineup, the earliest they could crack the program as medal sports. All seven are set to make presentations Friday.
In some ways, it's like an audition. Can Votaw and Dawson sing or tap dance? Insert Paula Abdul joke here.
"Video, Power Point, some historical artifacts to draw upon, data, and whatever charisma Peter and I can bring to the mix," Votaw said of their joint game plan.
