Golf returns to the Olympics

It is a safe bet that no one alive today has ever seen an Olympic golf competition. The sport was only contested twice at the Olympic Games, in 1900 and 1904. The International Olympic Committee has voted to include it in the Rio 2016 edition and OMEGA, with its long involvement both in golf and Olympic timekeeping, has created a unique TV spot to welcome the sport back to the Olympic Games.

The making of OMEGA’s Olympic golf commercial

Golf will return to the Olympic Games in 2016 for the first time since 1904. OMEGA has created a television commercial to welcome it back to the world’s most prestigious sporting platform for the first time in well over a century.

The spot, which features Spanish golf star Sergio Garcia, was recorded at different locations around the world.

Was Sergio nervous about being filmed for the commercial? “No, it’s easier than tournament play. When you’re filmed for a commercial and don’t make the drive you wanted, you can do it again without penalty. It was strange to have so many cameras so close but it wasn’t so different from a tournament event.”

As Sergio Garcia teed off, he was surrounded by a gallery of fans who were, in fact, members of the local golf club. It was no problem to record their expressions of awe – Garcia has one of golf’s most unique and powerful swings and as players, the fans were genuinely impressed. One young golfer said, “They asked us to react naturally and enthusiastically and it was really easy – every drive he hit was amazing.”

OMEGA has long been active in its support of golf as an international sport. The brand is also the Official Timekeeper for the Olympic Games and in Rio, the brand will be assuming that role for the 27th time since 1932. OMEGA president Stephen Urquhart said, “All of us look forward to introducing our friends from the international golfing community to our Olympic partners in 2016. Although it has taken a long time for golf to return to the Olympic Games, it will have been worth the wait.”