South African legend Gary Player believes golf chiefs blundered by opting for a stroke-play format for the sport's return to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Player, the nine-time ­major winner and captain of the South Africa team, described the decision as a "grave mistake," arguing that a match-play format would have been better suited for audiences.

"All sports in the Olympics are fast, you don't want medal rounds that are slow, you want match play or foursomes, something you can play in under four hours," said Player. "It is essential."

Golf is back in the Games after a 112-year absence but its status is not guaranteed beyond the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Player, who won 165 tournaments during his professional career, is dismayed by the slew of top male golfers including Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day who have opted to skip the games, citing the mosquito-borne Zika virus as a concern.

"They don't want to promote golf, they don't realize how lucky they are, they don't realize what the Olympic Games mean to the sport," Player said.

"I would have given anything to play. I would have rowed over to play."

South Africa's hopes of striking golf gold in Rio have also suffered from withdrawals, with Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel both pulling out over Zika.

Louis Oosthuizen pulled out over "family and scheduling" issues.

Player is unimpressed by players citing Zika as a reason not to play. "You have more chance of getting killed in a ­motorcar accident or by a gun than by Zika," he said.