The state of the Tokyo Summer Olympics is still uncertain. (Source: Getty)
Financial concerns are mounting as the Tokyo Olympic Games -postponed due to the pandemic- is now among the most over budget Olympic Games of all time. But what does this mean for golf?
Yet another consequence of the ongoing pandemic is the ever dwindling prospect of a business-as-usual (whatever that means) Tokyo Summer Olympics. The games were postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic and official sources estimated this has set the country’s Olympic preparations back $7.2B at the time of writing.
One year on: is it really still worth it?
Then prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced in late March 2020, after many countries had entered a full or partial lockdown, that the Games will be postponed until 2021. Since then, the estimated budget has reached an alarmingly unexpected high, with initial estimates of the total cost of the delay ranging from only $2B to $6B.
According to Safebettingsites, the postponement of the games has become a source of tension between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese government, with both sides disagreed on who will foot the bill for the delay.
In recent years, the financial burden of hosting the Summer Olympics has cast an inescapable shadow on the event’s marketability to the countries who compete to host them. On top of this, with the pandemic affecting more people around the world than ever before, many in Japan are starting to ask whether the Tokyo Olympics should take place at all.
Should the games still go ahead in 2021?
If you were to ask someone from Japan, their answer may very well be no.
The pandemic continues to fan the flames of uncertainty in many aspects of our daily lives. In Japan, like in many countries, the daily death toll reached an all time high at the end of December.
With this uncertainty in mind, it may not be surprising that according to Safebetttingsites, a survey of 1000+ Japanese participants, conducted in August, found that 70% of respondents believed that the event should be postponed further, or in some cases (33.7%) outright cancelled.
What does this mean for golf?
2020 would have been only the second chance in recent history to see golf played at the Olympics. The most recent Summer Olympics in Brazil saw 120 players from 41 nations, including Justin Rose (GB) and Henrik Stenson (Sweden), play at the Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro. Before 2016, the last Olympic tee-off was in 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sadly, we missed out on the chance to relive the excitement of the 2016 games in 2020. However, the good news for golf fans is that even in the event of an outright cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics, the pandemic has so far not had such a noticeable impact on much of the global professional calendar for 2021, with the PGA Tour starting again on Friday (08/01).
While the near future of the Olympics doesn’t look good for spectators or organisers, golf fans are lucky enough to still have plenty to look forward to in the upcoming year.
Christmas is coming. As a passionate golfer, we see a bunch of gifts coming, for which we still have to thank somehow: the small pen golf bag for the desk (which will never make it there), the ugly lamp made from an old 7 iron (hidden somewhere in a dark corner) and if you are really lucky, you’ll get at least a dozen balls of a brand that you’d actually play. And even if it’s the new driver you wanted so badly for months, we still have to wait all winter for the golfing season to come. And golf travels aren’t a smart idea either in these pandemic times. We have a few nice last-minute ideas with which you can make the winter a beautiful one by yourselves (because those giving presents will hardly read here) and transform your home discreetly and tastefully into a stylish understatement clubhouse. Whether all of this will arrive before Christmas is an open question, but winter is (unfortunately) still long – that’s why you should make yourself nice at home.
The Golfer’s Journal
In my honest opinion this is the world’s best golf magazine. You won’t find any product tests of the 30 best drivers of 2021, home stories with a DJ and tips for better putting here. Instead, there are stories about interesting places and people you’ve most likely never heard of (a 97-year-old pro, slum golfer in Mumbai or a man who for almost 20 years has built a full 18-hole course with his son every day after work on his property etc.), Trivia, entertaining and really readable articles in short and long form, rich and well illustrated with great photographs in a good layout and with very little advertising. I devour every issue from cover to cover. Single issue for $ 20 or subscription from $ 60 via golfersjournal.com
Evan Schiller – Photo Prints
Evan Schiller not only seems to have traveled to pretty much all the relevant courses on earth, he also took impressive photos of them. Almost every photo by him creates the desire to be there immediately. You can order each of your photos as art prints in various sizes on photo paper or metal from $ 95 in his shop – as seen here the 15 in Tralee. Of course, everyone should have our Golf Post calendar, but there is nothing against ordering Evan Schiller’s one as there is also a calendar with his best pics on evanschillerphotography.com
Evalu18 – Old Course Fine Art Print
A good selection of photos by various photographers, but also many graphic art prints, colored course maps and views of individual world-famous tracks are available at Evalu18. Playing the course is certainly more desirable for most, but hanging the Old Course on Hahnemühle museum paper over the couch or behind the desk, as in this example, also has something and is after all for less than the price of one To get green fees. Various designs and sizes from € 83.95 (including shipping) on shop.evalu18.com
Good Boy Originals – Match Play Poster
This idea is almost more charming for wall hanging: the Match Play poster from Good Boy Originals. The signature match boxes of the Top 10 (Golf Digest) courses, i.e. Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Sand Hills and others, combined on a fine art print on approx. A3 size, so it looks good in a 40 x 50 cm frame. Fits great in the smoking area. But actually on every wall. In addition to many other beautiful motifs available for $ 100 via goodboyoriginals.com
Hazard Golf – Mullet Poster
A bit for the funnier ones: John “Long John” a.k.a. “Wild Thing” Daly, the chain-smoking, game-addict and beer-drinking white trash version of the pro golfer who, despite all his trashy appearnce, somehow amiable mullet wearer, here abstracted to the essentials, on a poster of approx x 30 cm. Something for the true fans. Available for $ 25 on hazardgolf.co
Sweetens Cove – Stash Box
Sweetens Cove, the pearl of the Appalachians. After a unique renovation, this run-down and almost bankrupt goat track became a must-play destination for many within a few years, a course that made it into the bucket list of the very big ones with only nine (!) holes (ranked 21st place in the Best Courses You Can Play in the US, Golfweek). Now the very sympathetic owners also have a small line of really nice shirts, caps, prints and other accessories in their shop. And since we have already presented a lot of art for the wall, we go for the wooden stash box. It comes with an engraving and 100 logo tees. We’ll use the tees out in the fields upcoming season and then we use it for the love letters, keys, smoke wear, souvenirs, the scorecard collection, whatever. Pretty. For $ 120 from sweetenscovegolfclub.com
Caddie Magazine – Lofted „Remarkable & Farflung Adventures for the Modern Golfer“
Unfortunately I couldn’t grab a copy of this 1.5kg hardcover tome from Caddie Magazine called “Lofted”. But since the Australian Caddie Magazine is my personal No. 2 of the best golf magazines and the best articles from the first eight issues are collected here and displayed on more than 260 pages, it should be worth every penny. The photos in the magazine, which is more specialized in travel destinations, have always been unique and make you wanna crawl into the mag. € 24.99 on amazon
Tight Lies – Kingsbarns Golf Links Poster
Back to the walls: Tight Lies has a great collection of beautiful and graphically fine crafted course maps as prints. Reduced to the essence, in minimalist colors, these maps of the great courses of the world are real eye-catchers. Carnoustie, Machrihanish, Bandon Dunes or, as here, Kingsbarns Golf Links as A3 posters for £ 25 (unframed) available from tightlies.club
Course Maps – Tobacco Road Poster
Similarly reduced, but different, based more on classic monochrome course maps, there is a large selection of well-known course classics with a greater focus on the states. Kiawah, TPC Sawgrass, Oakmont, Erin Hills, Royal Dornoch or here Mike Strantz’masterpiece in North Carolina, Tobacco Road. All with course information and selectable basic colors. Without frame for $ 45, with frame for $ 94 via course-maps.com
Lie + Loft – Quiet Pennant
Also cool: not only on the wall, but you can also hang it on your bag or cart if that one flight partner really annoys – the Quiet Please pennant. Of course, it fits just as well on the desk if you really have to concentrate in a shared office space. Or on the coffee table during the next tournament broadcast. Understatement for golf fanatics, available for $ 24.99 at lieandloft.com
