"Hopefully, [Rio’s] choice for the course will have a legacy component which will enable the course to have the opportunity to develop not only the grassroots but also the elite level."

Now that Rio has selected a site for the Olympic golf course, Around The Rings interviews the head of golf's IGF, Antony Scanlon about the state of golf's effort for 2016. Lots of safe answers, starting with this question about the choice of Rio as an unfortunate moment for golf.

AS: You know what? I think it’s a great choice to be honest with you because it’s a great opportunity to grow the game. Currently in Rio, there are two 18-hole courses that are both private and a small 9-hole course which is public and has been very well used in a social program in terms of developing kids’ golf and encouraging kids to turn up to school.

Hopefully, [Rio’s] choice for the course will have a legacy component which will enable the course to have the opportunity to develop not only the grassroots but also the elite level.

And...

ATR: What other challenges, organizationally and otherwise, must golf overcome to transition into an Olympic mainstay?

AS: [We must] provide an event which not only excites the players but also brings new people to the game. Especially in Brazil, you’ll have people that have never gone to golf before seeing it live, so it’s creating an experience for all those that will see the game for the first time at the Olympics since 1904 and providing the excitement and the enthusiasm that we want so people see that golf really does belong in the Olympic program and cements our position in the Olympic program.

Match play is often considered exciting, is it not?