This is the second time Olympic golf has been played in France. The first time was extremely weird: https://t.co/QsmKN9WuRP
— Shane Ryan (@ShaneRyanHere) August 1, 2024
With Olympic golf returning to France for the second time in 2024 at the Paris Games, looking back at the curious and frequently disregarded narrative of its initial tournament held in 1900 has merit. The past of Olympic golf remains strange; however, the peculiar epoch during the Paris competition holds a notably bizarre position.
A Curious Beginning: The Overlooked Olympic Golf Tournament of 1900!
In 1900, the Paris Games were intertwined with the Exposition Universelle, also known as the World’s Fair. I need clarification, as the World’s Fair overshadowed the Olympic events. Many athletes, including golfers, didn’t even realize they were competing in the Olympics.
In 1900, golf was featured in the Olympics at Compiegne Club, situated north of Paris. However, unlike current-day events characterized by proper marketing and organization, this tournament had little promotion and lacked a solid connection to Olympic ideals. To further dilute these differences between an average competition and Olympic sportsmanship, winners were presented with porcelain bowls instead of medals to recognize their achievements during the event.
The competition consisted of four events: male, female, handicap, and putting. However, only the men’s and women’s categories were acknowledged as official by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Charles Sands from America won a one-day 36-hole event against twelve other players in the men’s category. It is worth mentioning that Sands was primarily a court tennis player but had taken up golf just five years before his triumph.
From Porcelain Bowls to Gold Medals: The Evolution of Olympic Golf in France!
The women’s tournament saw ten competitors, including Chicago’s Margaret Abbott, who won the event with a score of 47. Abbott, who was in Paris to study art, later became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual event. Interestingly, Abbott never knew she had won an Olympic gold, and her son only learned of her achievement years after her death.
The 1900 Olympic golf event was marked by confusion and poor organization, as well as by the unique characters who participated. Albert Lambert, an American businessman who won the unofficial handicapped event, later played a crucial role in bringing Olympic golf to St. Louis for the 1904 Games.
As golfers compete for gold at Le Golf National in 2024, they follow in the footsteps of those who unknowingly made history in 1900. While the modern tournament is much more structured and recognized, the quirky and chaotic spirit of France’s first Olympic golf event remains a fascinating part of Olympic history.
