The Golf Channel---tournament "coverage"

PEZGolf

Here is a critical comment that was posted on The Golf Channel Discussion Board (I agree with it):

"I have been sitting down watching The Golf Channel's coverage of the Sony Open for 25 minutes now and I have yet to see a single shot of live golf coverage. All day they give us updates of the news and such going on in the golf world, why do they need to spend the first hour of their coverage with mindless updates; isn't that what Golf Central is for? If they cover it before the golf, what will people have to look forward to on Golf Central? Just get to the golf already!"

Nick Faldo and Kelly Tilghman like to talk and talk and talk. Where is the action? Do you agree with these comments?

*ganjagolfer*

agree, no problem with them talking but couldn't golf shots be show while they talk?

*uttexas*

The only time the broadcast was any good was when 'Zinger came on and sat next to Faldo for about 30 minutes. Faldo was visibly uncomfortable, and I loved it. 'Zinger gave more insight into the players swings and shot making than Ken and Barbi did the entire rest of the show. Nobilo is awesome and should be on more. Faldo and Tillman are useless, although Kelly is good to look at, but I think she purposefully deepens her voice, which is very Lisa Kolberesque.

The Golf Channel should show way more shots, there is way too much fluff. I want to watch golf, not some Obama Hawaii high school tribute, etc.

*uttexas*

[QUOTE=uttexas;247646] Lisa Kolberesque.

I mean Suzy Kolberesque

PEZGolf

Quote:

Originally Posted by uttexas

The only time the broadcast was any good was when 'Zinger came on and sat next to Faldo for about 30 minutes. Faldo was visibly uncomfortable, and I loved it. 'Zinger gave more insight into the players swings and shot making than Ken and Barbi did the entire rest of the show. Nobilo is awesome and should be on more. Faldo and Tillman are useless, although Kelly is good to look at, but I think she purposefully deepens her voice, which is very Lisa Kolberesque.

The Golf Channel should show way more shots, there is way too much fluff. I want to watch golf, not some Obama Hawaii high school tribute, etc.

I agree with all of your comments, especially those about 'Zinger. He is knowledgeable and candid, and does not try to make cute or humorous comments. Sometimes, Nick Faldo makes a comment that only he finds funny.

RC

If someone is sitting around watching the golf channel, it is likely they are golfers and quite interested in the shots the pros play. I would much prefer to see full shots, chips, and pitches; and far fewer 30 foot lag putts, 2 foot tap ins, and people doing color commentary. I enjoy swing analysis of good shots and bad shots. Seeing a ball flying in an otherwise blue sky background is not that absorbing. I would like to see the layout of the hole, the shot from perspectives that tell me something about how the player played the hole. For some reason, they show the swing, then a blue screen and ball, it lands, and stops somewhere. It would be great to follow that shot from the player's view, then replay the landing on or near the green.

PEZGolf

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC

If someone is sitting around watching the golf channel, it is likely they are golfers and quite interested in the shots the pros play. I would much prefer to see full shots, chips, and pitches; and far fewer 30 foot lag putts, 2 foot tap ins, and people doing color commentary. I enjoy swing analysis of good shots and bad shots. Seeing a ball flying in an otherwise blue sky background is not that absorbing. I would like to see the layout of the hole, the shot from perspectives that tell me something about how the player played the hole. For some reason, they show the swing, then a blue screen and ball, it lands, and stops somewhere. It would be great to follow that shot from the player's view, then replay the landing on or near the green.

I agree with you. One commentator whom I like to listen to is Dottie Pepper. She is a former Champion golfer, is knowledgeable, and can be very candid in her comments. She is definitely "down to business" when she works. When my son and I went to the practice rounds of the Women's Open at the Newport Country Club two years ago, we watched Dottie drive a cart around and check out the holes. She also stopped and talked to various players about how they were playing a particular hole, and the difficulty of playing in that wind, coming straight off the ocean. She is not one of those commentators who stays in the booth, and does not get out where the action is.

When she is on TV, she likes to give insights about the hole, the psyche of the golfer, and if a shot is not struck well, she calls it as she sees it.

*flanagan*

Quote:

Originally Posted by PEZGolf

Here is a critical comment that was posted on The Golf Channel Discussion Board (I agree with it):

"I have been sitting down watching The Golf Channel's coverage of the Sony Open for 25 minutes now and I have yet to see a single shot of live golf coverage. All day they give us updates of the news and such going on in the golf world, why do they need to spend the first hour of their coverage with mindless updates; isn't that what Golf Central is for? If they cover it before the golf, what will people have to look forward to on Golf Central? Just get to the golf already!"

Nick Faldo and Kelly Tilghman like to talk and talk and talk. Where is the action? Do you agree with these comments?

Without jumping into the fray about the merits of the Golf Channel and the announcers, I am pretty sure the person that posted that on their discussion board must have turned on the coverage and didn't realize he was watching the 30 minute "preview" that is immediately before the coverage, yet live and at the tournament as it is happening, hence the 25 minutes of nonaction.

*flanagan*

In the latest SI, it is reported that GC has been working on making itself better in a number of ways, including bringing in new behind the scenes talent to, in part, evaluate the on the air talent over the course of the year, with any eye to whether changes will be made in 2010.