RIO DE JANEIRO -- The game of golf has long suffered with issues of participation and growth. The time it takes to play, the cost, the difficulty ... all are factors in the stagnant or declining numbers.
Numerous initiatives have been put in place to help change the narrative, some of which might or might not succeed. How golf's participation in the Olympic Games is supposed to change anything has always been viewed with a skeptical eye.
Rory McIlroy made headlines last month at The Open when he said he "didn't get into golf to try and grow the game'' as he was explaining why he was at peace with his decision to skip the Olympics.