Take That Rio: Rome Already Has Olympic Course
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Art by Tom Naccarato (click image to enlarge)Granted, Rome just needs the 2020 Olympic Games awarded and golf needs to survive beyond the 2016 Games* for this to be a story, but the Italian National Olympic Committee has already selected Olgiata Club fresh off a redo by Mr. Strategy himself.
Redesigned by the famous US course architect Tom Fazio and his family business,
Just like the Corleone's! Go on...
a total of 15 holes have been altered at the Club, with complete re-turfing of every fairway and green to allow the course to be presented in the best possible condition ahead of the IOC vote.
"If the Olympics comes to Rome then Olgiata will be the venue for golf," Club President Andrea Pischiatta said during last week's Rome Open.
"It has been a long process for us, but as soon as we knew Rome was bidding to host the Games in 2020, we made that (the 2020 Olympics) our target.
"We believe Rome has a good chance of winning the bid, because 80 per cent of the venues required to stage the Olympic Games are already in place - including the golf course here at Olgiata.
"We have changed 15 holes here and everything will be completed by next year. Tom Fazio has been here to oversee the redesign, and we have also had many of his family members working on the course. They are an Italian family, originally from Sicily, and we have a very good relationship with them."
*Golf is in the 2020 Games no matter how boring everyone finds 72-holes of stroke play in 2016
