Golf is officially recognized as firstly featuring in the Summer Olympic Games programme in 1900 and was also contested at the 1904 Summer Olympics. A golf tournament was to have been held in 1908, but it was cancelled less than two days before it was scheduled to start. Two golf tournaments were also to have been held in 1920, but were cancelled due to a lack of entries.
| Golf at the Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
| IOC Code | GLF |
| Governing body | IGF |
| Events | 2 (men: 1; women: 1) |
| Summer Olympics | |
| |
At the IOC session in Copenhagen in October 2009, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to reinstate the sport for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The International Golf Federation is the governing body for golf at the Olympic Games. Qualification is based primarily upon the Official World Golf Ranking (men) and Women's World Golf Rankings, with the top 15 of each gender automatically qualifying (with a limit of four per country), and then the highest ranked players from countries that had not yet already qualified two players.
Medal table
Sources:
Total
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 6 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| 2 | Great Britain | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| South Korea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 6 | Japan | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Germany | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Slovakia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Sweden | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 | China | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (11 entries) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 31 | |
Men
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 2 | Great Britain | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Slovakia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sweden | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 6 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Japan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (7 entries) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | |
Women
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | South Korea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Germany | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Japan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 6 | China | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Totals (6 entries) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | |
Events
- Men's individual
- Women's individual
- Men's individual
- Men's team
- 1908
A men's individual tournament was planned for the 1908 London Games, but a dispute amongst representatives of England and Scotland over the format led to British golfers boycotting, leaving 1904 gold medallist George Lyon of Canada as the only remaining entrant. He was entitled to claim the gold medal but declined.
- 1920
Two golf tournaments were planned at the 1920 Antwerp Games, but were cancelled due to a lack of entries.
- 2016
- Men's individual
- Women's individual
- Men's individual
- Women's individual
- 2024
- Men's individual
- Women's individual
- 2028
- Men's individual
- Women's individual
- Mixed team
Since its reintroduction, Olympic golf competitions have consisted of men's and women's individual stroke play. There had been calls for the IGF and the IOC to consider adding a match play tournament, a team tournament, and/or to open up the Olympic tournament to more golfers, possibly by using a different qualifying system than the World Golf Ranking. In April 2025, it was announced that a new mixed team event will be added to golf for the 2028 Summer Olympics; it will be contested between 16 pairs drawn from those who have qualified for the Olympic tournaments, and consist of alternate shot and four-ball rounds.
Courses
| Year | Host city | Course(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | Paris | Compiègne Golf Club |
| 1904 | St. Louis | Glen Echo Country Club, Normandy, Missouri |
| 1908 | London | Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent |
| Prince's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent | ||
| Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Deal, Kent | ||
| 1920 | Antwerp | Cappelen's Golf Club, Antwerp |
| 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | Olympic Golf Course, Barra da Tijuca |
| 2020 | Tokyo | Kasumigaseki Country Club, Kawagoe |
| 2024 | Paris | Le Golf National, Guyancourt |
| 2028 | Los Angeles | Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California |
| 2032 | Brisbane | Royal Queensland Golf Club, Eagle Farm, Queensland |
Medal summary
Men's individual
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | Charles Sands United States | Walter Rutherford Great Britain | David Robertson Great Britain |
| 1904 St. Louis | George Lyon Canada | Chandler Egan United States | Burt McKinnie United States Francis Newton United States |
| 1908 | cancelled | ||
| 1912 | not included in the Olympic program | ||
| 1920 | cancelled | ||
| 1924–2012 | not included in the Olympic program | ||
| 2016 Rio | Justin Rose Great Britain | Henrik Stenson Sweden | Matt Kuchar United States |
| 2020 Tokyo | Xander Schauffele United States | Rory Sabbatini Slovakia | Pan Cheng-tsung Chinese Taipei |
| 2024 Paris | Scottie Scheffler United States | Tommy Fleetwood Great Britain | Hideki Matsuyama Japan |
- A dispute amongst representatives of England and Scotland over the format led to British golfers boycotting, leaving 1904 gold medallist George Lyon of Canada as the only remaining entrant. Olympic organisers offered to award Lyon the gold medal by default, but Lyon refused it.
- Cancelled due to lack of entries.
Women's individual
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | Margaret Abbott United States | Pauline Whittier United States | Daria Pratt United States |
| 1904–2012 | not included in the Olympic program | ||
| 2016 Rio | Inbee Park South Korea | Lydia Ko New Zealand | Shanshan Feng China |
| 2020 Tokyo | Nelly Korda United States | Mone Inami Japan | Lydia Ko New Zealand |
| 2024 Paris | Lydia Ko New Zealand | Esther Henseleit Germany | Lin Xiyu China |
Men's team
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 St. Louis | United States
| United States
| United States
|
Participating nations
22 golfers competed in 1900. The 1904 tournament featured 77 golfers. Albert Lambert was the only golfer who competed both times; a total of 98 different golfers competed throughout the brief history of Olympic golf before it was brought back in 2016.[citation needed]
| Nation | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australia | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austria | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bangladesh | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Belgium | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brazil | 3 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canada | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chile | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| China | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese Taipei | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colombia | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Czech Republic | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Denmark | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ecuador | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Finland | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| France | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Germany | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Great Britain | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Greece | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hong Kong | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| India | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ireland | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Israel | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italy | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malaysia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morocco | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Zealand | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norway | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paraguay | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Philippines | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Poland | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portugal | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Puerto Rico | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Singapore | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Slovakia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Slovenia | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Korea | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spain | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sweden | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Switzerland | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thailand | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States | 8 | 74 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Venezuela | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nations | 4 | 2 | 41 | 42 | 38 | 49 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Athletes | 22 | 77 | 120 | 120 | 120 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | |
See also
- List of Olympic venues in golf
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