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GREENSBORO -- Brandt Snedeker, like millions of other Americans, is now a huge Michael Phelps fan. Tim Clark has a friend, Roland Schoeman, swimming for South Africa in the 50-meter freestyle. Jerry Kelly stayed up until early Wednesday morning watching the U.S. women's gymnastics team on TV.

"That balance beam kills me!" he groaned.

Clearly, the golfers here for the Wyndham are into the Olympics. But should golfers be in the Olympics?

The heads of the sport's major governing bodies think they should, and made their intentions known at a news conference last month just before the start of the British Open. The International Golf Federation, with PGA executive Ty Votaw running its Olympic committee, will bid to have golf become an Olympic sport in 2016. Golf will compete against baseball, softball, squash, rugby 7s, roller sports and karate for one of two available slots.

"The time is right for the world of golf to come together for the common good of the sport," Votaw said, "to reinstate golf as an Olympic sport and to the Olympic program."

That sounds great, Snedeker said, but &ellipses;

"I don't know how you're going to possibly do it in the middle of the most important part of our season," he said. "I don't know how you do that, ever."

Not a problem, Clark said. Any scheduling conflicts with the pro tour could be resolved by keeping the pros out of the Olympics.

"If golf is going to be in the Olympics, it should be amateurs playing," said the former N.C. State standout.

That's already out of the question, says Peter Dawson, head of the R&A, golf's world rules and development body.

"It's been made very clear to us on several occasions by the IOC that if golf is to be in the Olympics, it has to be for the top players in the world," he said at the July news conference. "Golf will not get into the Olympics, if it's to be for amateurs."

So the amateur/professional question has been decided. But there are other issues to be resolved before the IOC makes it decision in October 2009.

What kind of format would the competition use? Match-play? A 72-hole tournament for individuals? How many players would take part? Would there be qualifying?

"I think you'd have to go tournament, like with high school or college teams," said Bubba Watson. "You'd have five guys, but don't throw out your high score. Let everybody's score count."

"I think you'd probably have two people (per country)," Kelly said. "Either go with match-play or lowest score."

Still, there are other complicating factors. How would the Olympics fit in with the competition for Ryder Cup team spots, or the FedEx Cup?

"I'm excited about the way we have it set up now," Snedeker said. "I couldn't imagine throwing a new wrench into it."

Others, though, thought a little disruption every four years would be worthwhile.

"I don't know how they'd do it," Kelly said. "I just think they ought to do it."

Contact Jim Young at 373-7016 or jim.young @news-record.com