Golf

Golf is one of the oldest codified sports still played today. Its rules and competition formats, established in the second half of the 18th century, have seen only minimal changes over time. The sport’s evolution included the introduction of women’s tournaments towards the end of the 19th century, marking a significant step toward broader participation. The first golf course was constructed in England in 1864, helping to establish the infrastructure for the sport’s growing popularity.

Golf made its Olympic debut at the Games in Paris 1900 and returned again in 1904. However, it would then disappear from the Olympic programme for more than a century before being reintroduced at Rio 2016. Since then, it has secured its place as a core Olympic sport.

At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, qualification was based on the world golf rankings. The top 15 ranked players automatically qualified for both the men’s and women’s events, regardless of nationality. Beyond the top 15, additional players were selected based on ranking, with a limit of two players per country unless that nation already had two or more players within the top 15. Each tournament was limited to a field of 60 players.

In Qatar, golf has enjoyed a steady rise in popularity, notably with the annual Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament, held at Doha Golf Club since 1998. As one of just three European Tour events staged in the GCC, it continues to attract some of the sport’s leading international talent, reinforcing Qatar’s position as a hub for elite-level golf in the region.