Greg Norman’s influence on the game has stretched far and wide, but as golf looks ahead to the next decade, it is unclear what role he will play.
His journey through LIV Golf has played a big part in shaping how people see him, both from his days on the course and now off it.
How people feel about Norman’s approach is still up for debate. There are plenty who have strong opinions on how he has handled himself and the impact he has had.
Looking ahead to what golf might become, Norman has once again been open with his thoughts on where things are headed.
Greg Norman weighs in on golf’s future
Norman has never been one to hold back his opinions, especially when it comes to where the sport is heading.
He played a pivotal role in attracting players to LIV Golf and helping the league grow, backed by substantial Saudi funding.
But looking ahead, Norman believes there are several factors that will shape the game’s direction. He pointed to the growing influence of the Olympics and other emerging trends as areas worth watching.
“I think if we keep it on the path it is today, not 10 or 15 years ago, but today and look at the opportunity with the Olympics and golf being in the Olympics. We have to be very, very observant of the history of the Olympics in golf. Where it was in the past or not. I love it in the Olympics. One of my biggest regrets was not being able to represent my country.
“So now the responsibility is that we have a seven year runway. We have this energy coming with LIV, we have this energy with golf coming from covid, we have this energy with what’s happening with the Australian Open.
“All of these things are a confluence of a spike in it. So when you look to 2032, our job is to make sure that whatever golf course and whatever structure it is, it outshines any other one. Brisbane is the smallest city to ever host the Olympic Games. So when you think about Brisbane, 2.1 million people. The third Olympics in the country, very few can say that, especially of the population of Australia.
“So coming off 2028 at the Riviera Golf Club, one of the best iconic golf courses in the world, our responsibility – and we are talking just golf – is to make sure that whatever LA 2028 golf wise, we have got to beat that.
“Then you look into the future and from 32 to 36 it is probably going to be India. India now is on this growth path, so now you see where Asia and the opportunity for golf is. Here is our moment in time. It started a while ago with covid, coming out of covid to where we are today, and you see our runway.
“Here we are in 2025, you have another 11 or 12 years until 2036, just Olympics alone. Okay guys, sit back and just understand the tremendous opportunity we have for golf in this whole region. It’s a fun journey! It’s a huge opportunity.”
Where golf might be in 10 years
Looking ahead, it is always tough to know how things will play out, but Norman does have a point about the opportunities lining up in golf.
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LIV Golf and Asian Tour are all filled with talent. Then you have got newer formats like TGL coming in and YouTube golf drawing bigger crowds – it is a busy time for the sport.
In a decade, the landscape will likely be different. Rory McIlroy may no longer be at his peak. Whether Scottie Scheffler can sustain his level remains to be seen, and there is always room for new faces to make an impact.
And as Norman points out, the Olympics bring another dimension. Modern players have plenty of paths to success these days.
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