Le Golf National is ready for the 2024 Olympics: Organizers explain how differently the former Ryder Cup venue will play (2024)

The landscape of golf has changed since the 2018 Ryder Cup. The host venue for Europe’s rout of the Americans, Le Golf National, returns to the spotlight again as the host of the 2024 Olympics for the men’s and women’s competitions—and the course will play differently than the last time most American golf fans saw it.

None of the four Americans representing the U.S. at this Olympics, the third edition since the 112-year hiatus from the Olympic Games, were on that Ryder Cup team—but they will face a different type of setup than what the world saw in 2018 at Le Golf National, outside of Paris.

RELATED: Keegan Bradley makes first big Ryder Cup decision, names this major champion his first vice captain

The setup for that 2018 Ryder Cup was one of the biggest storylines in the European rout—Phil Mickelson calling the 15- to 20-yard wide fairways and thick rough off the short grass “almost unplayable.” We spoke with Le Golf National superintendent Lucas Pierre, who explained that the first cut of rough (2.5 inches) and second cut (3.5 inches) that was eliminated back in 2018 at European captain Thomas Bjorn’s choosing has been re-implemented for these games.

Over four-inch rough posed quite the challenge for the Americans in 2018 after Davis Love III had set up Hazeltine National to include almost no rough for the 2016 Ryder Cup.

David Cannon

Pierre reassures American fears by confirming that the Olympic course will return to its original rough levels that Bjorn had eliminated, utilizing three gradual cuts of rough instead of maintaining a single level. Though the width of the fairways haven't changed, the effective landing areas will be more forgiving with the first cut back.

“For the Ryder Cup, the course was very narrow with the natural rough much closer to the fairway,” Pierre told Golf Digest. “It will be opened a bit more for the Olympics.”

RELATED: How course setup became the 2018 Ryder Cup team's biggest weapon

Pierre and International Golf Federation executive director Antony Scanlon explained that there will be minimal changes to the course’s length except for moving the women's tees closer on holes 9 and 16 to better differentiate landing areas for men and women. Pierre emphasizes the importance of landing areas to ensure both tournaments have equal landing conditions.

“Because they don't play from the same tees the landing area will hopefully differ,” Pierre said. “There are some holes the players will have the same landing area, but people must understand we only have 60 men then 60 women, a field of 120 people. When we have the French Open sometimes, we have a field of 160 guys at once, so trust me, 160 guys, make more of a mess than 60 men. So, managing the course for both men and women is feasible.”

Le Golf National is ready for the 2024 Olympics: Organizers explain how differently the former Ryder Cup venue will play (2)

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Le Golf National: Albatros
Guyancourt, France
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The championship 18 at the multi-course Le Golf National may well be an albatross around the necks of 2018 American Ryder Cup teammates, given their lopsided loss to the Europeans. But they couldn’t blame the Albatros Course, a Florida-style design of the late Robert von Hagge, who delighted in sculpting courses with massive humps and bumps that cast shadows at high noon and carving out water hazards at every turn. What the European team had going for it was familiarity with the design, as it has hosted the European Tour’s French Open for decades. In advance of the Ryder Cup, French officials insisted that sole design credit should be given to French landscape architect Hubert Chesneau (who was a consultant on the project), but that was soon debunked, as von Hagge’s style is clearly evident. Le Golf National will host the 2024 Olympics for both the men's and women's competitions.

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From 2014-2018 the course underwent a significant top-dressing program (application of sand to improve soil structure and drainage). After hosting the Ryder Cup in 2018, there was a decision to reduce the amount of sand and aeration on the course. This reduction led to an increase in organic matter content in the top inch of the soil. The increase in organic matter caused issues, particularly creating greens that were too soft for tournament play.

Starting in fall 2023 and continuing into spring 2024, efforts were made to reduce the organic matter content back to a low level for Olympic play. Pierre explained this involved extensive work to remove organic matter from the top inch of the soil such as more frequent aeration.

“We used to conduct aerations twice a year. However, the International Golf Federation and Le Golf National asked me to reduce maintenance costs by removing one of our annual aerations," he said. "As a result, from 2018 to 2022, we started to lose firmness on the greens. Last year, they requested that we return to our original aeration frequency. Now, we are back to a good moisture level and organic matter balance on the top inch."

Fans can expect an Olympic-quality product at Le Golf National over the next few weeks. (The men's competition is Aug. 1-4, the women's competition is Aug. 7-10.) Depsite some changes, five members of the victorious European Ryder Cup team will compete at the French venue. While the setup may differ, the vibes will undoubtedly still be strong for that group and those who have played the course in past DP World Tour events.

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Le Golf National is ready for the 2024 Olympics: Organizers explain how differently the former Ryder Cup venue will play (2024)

FAQs

Le Golf National is ready for the 2024 Olympics: Organizers explain how differently the former Ryder Cup venue will play? ›

Le Golf National will play 7,174 yards, par 71 for the men's competition and 6,374 yards, par 72 for the women's competition. The sole difference in par comes at the watery 18th hole, which shifts from a long par 4 to a short, strategic par 5, and will provide plenty of drama in front a grandstand seating 1,700.

What is the format for the 2024 Olympics golf? ›

What was the format of the golf competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics? The Olympic golf competition is similar to events on the PGA and LPGA Tours. The competition is an individual stroke play tournament consisting of 72 holes played over four days.

Who are the golfers in the Olympics in 2024? ›

U.S. Golfers Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa To Tee Off in Paris. Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Xander Schauffele and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will lead the U.S. Men's Olympic Golf Team competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

How do the golf Olympics work? ›

The Olympic Golf Competition consists of 72 holes (no cut) of individual stroke play for both men and women, with four rounds scheduled over four consecutive days. Scores are cumulative from round to round, and the player with the lowest overall score wins.

Where is the Olympic golf being played? ›

Olympic Golf: Paris 2024.

What sports are proposed for the 2024 Olympics? ›

Skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and breaking were four non-traditional sports that captivated audiences at the Paris Games. Breaking, also known as break dancing, made its Olympic debut. Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing all first appeared at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

What is the Olympic edition 2024? ›

On 13 September at the IOC Session in Lima, it was confirmed that Paris and Los Angeles will host the Olympic Games 2024 and 2028 respectively, following the International Olympic Committee's historic decision to award both Games simultaneously.

Who did Rory McIlroy represent at the Olympics? ›

McIlroy was born in Holywood, Northern Ireland, but chose to represent Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and made the same decision here at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. McIlroy finished in 16th place in Tokyo, with Xander Schauffele taking home the gold medal.

Can Liv golfers play in the Olympics? ›

More than 10 percent of the field at the 2024 Olympic men's golf competition was comprised of LIV Golf players. The 2024 Olympics have reached the halfway point, and on Sunday marked the conclusion of the men's golf competition.

Where is the 2024 PGA being played? ›

2024 PGA Championship - Valhalla Golf Club.

Has Tiger Woods played in the Olympics? ›

Why hasn't Tiger Woods played at the Olympics? Well, unlike many other sportspeople who have won Olympic medals, Woods hasn't had that many opportunities. This is because golf has been largely ignored by the Olympics - with the sport only returning in Rio 2016 after a 112-year absence.

When did golf come back to the Olympics? ›

Prior to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, golf had featured on the Olympic programme on just two occasions: in 1900 and 1904. The sport made its Olympic comeback in Brazil and was contested again at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.

Where will golf be played in Paris in 2024? ›

The golf tournaments at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris ran from 1 to 10 August at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, featuring a total of 120 players (60 per gender) across two medal events.

Is golf still an Olympic sport? ›

Rose brought the gold medal he won in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, when golf returned to the Olympics after 112 years.

Where is the 2024 US Open golf? ›

On September 9, 2020, the USGA announced Pinehurst Resort as the first Anchor Site of the U.S. Open. The championship will return to Pinehurst in 2024, 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047.

Where will Olympic golf be played in 2028? ›

LOS ANGELES 2028

Golf competitions will be held in the exclusive Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades: it's been the home of the Los Angeles Open since 1973.

What is the format for the golf tournament? ›

The majority of professional and competitive golf tournaments often fall under the stroke play format, which involves counting the total number of strokes taken on each hole and totalling them up at the end of the round. The winner would be the player who completed the round (or rounds) in the lowest number of strokes.

What is the format of the Olympic tournament? ›

An Olympic format division is a draw system consisting of 4 separate Single elimination bracket. All competitors start in the main bracket, called the gold draw. Depending on the round a player loses in, they drop into a consolation bracket to continue competing for a final division standing.

What is medal play format in golf? ›

Medal Play or Stroke Play

This is the simplest form of scoring a round of golf. You simply keep track of the total number of shots you have taken (including any penalty strokes) on each hole. At the end of the round you add up the total gross score and subtract your handicap to give your total net score.

How many rounds does golf have in Olympics? ›

The golf format at the Olympic Games is stroke play, which consists of counting the number of strokes a golfer takes to complete an 18-hole course played four times over four days. The player with the lowest number of strokes at the end of the four rounds wins the tournament.

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