The Golf Channel, first impressions?

Personally this whole golf channel thing has got me a bit disappointed.. In Canada you now have to buy a digital terminal box to watch the golf channel, which changed from channel 40 to 144.

I saw some shotty camera work (then again it is windy), aswell as announcing (bring back Zinger) poor sound quality and the picture just isnt anywhere near hd quality. Id rather be watching USA/CBS but I guess it'll just take some getting used to. Im just worried this kind of coverage will turn some viewers off, and come next year we wont have any golf to watch.

first impressions?

I agree with you clubswinger. Still it is the first tournament, I'm sure it will get better. I wasn't impressed with Nick Faldo at all. But the bottom line is, I was watching golf, which makes me think this winter thing wont last forever after all!!!!

I agree Faldo gave a poor performance, perhaps day two will be better,he seemed lost for words. Kelly tried to keep conversation going. the wind was out of the camera peoples hands and they did a pretty good job, the layout of the course is not great for the camera people to get and keep steady stances in the winds.

There are plenty of announcers on other networks that are pretty bad, too. Golf Channel doesn't have a monopoly on them.

I was not overly impressed. Wind is a factor of the game that you would think they would have down by now, and the cameramen could barely keep the ball in the picture...

I was under the impression (wrong impression) that the first 2 rounds were on TGC and then they switched to ABC for Saturday and Sunday... sadly I am mistaken.

Too Bad. But hey, I am right there with Britboy, who is probably under as much snow up in ID as I am down here in UT - Winter needs to end. I can't ski this year, so I am being selfish and just want the snow to go away.
Besides, my wife is getting sick of me practicing my swing in the living room.

ever bump in to Weirsy on the slopes?

I thought the same thing, because their slogan is every tournament "starts" here. Fortunately, there are a few events that will carry over to NBC on the weekend. And im pretty sure they cover every major start to finish aswell(thank god)

I was dissapointed as well. The major networks definitley do a better job. The conversation just feels ... awkward, and forced.

But golf on tv is better than no golf.

I wanted so badly to love this marriage between TGC and the PGA because it fits like a glove. It would be great to actually have some golf on TGC besides infomercials.

I was all excited when the Thursday broadcast started. I thought they did a great job on the opening, I was thinking, this will be cool. I loved the song, "Feels so good, it just feels so right" just what I was thinking, it feels so right to have the PGA on TGC.

Then after the song.....I thought it started sucking instantly!
It's like watching a foreign country doing golf. Faldo stinks.
Kelly does a good job. she called shots and pointed out what was happening to the shots before I even noticed it. I like her on TGC and she knows golf but I just don't like women calling mens pro golf. It just sounds more professional to hear a male voice. (except Faldo)
Please TGC bring back Peter Kessler! He could be the Jim Nantz of TGC.
I would rather have Frank Nobilo than Faldo, or maybe Faldo would do better with Nobilo.
Faldo just sounds like a high school kid trying to get in Kelly's pants.

I've got the event on while I've been on-line... I agree with everyone else that Faldo isn't doing that great a job; he seemed more comfortable, added more insights while on ABC (I think that's where he was)... maybe he needs more settling in... hopefully he will, seems like he's trying to hard (I mean he just said "go have a cup of tea america"...yep, he knows the audience :(

What's bothering me more, is that the telecast comes across a bit "jumpy"...they seem to go back and forth and over there, then there, then back here, then something about a player, then back to the action... doesn't seem as smooth as what we've been used to on NBC or when CBS does the Masters. Although I did like the shot of the on-course commentator looking for Choi's ball in the deep grass.

Hogan Fan was looking forward to this supposed "marriage made in heaven" and I think inside I was too.. maybe our expectations are a bit high, and these folk just need to get a few events under there belt...and I hope that happens, it'll be a long year of watching thur/fri play if they don't get it together.

I agree it's not great, but this is the first one, so we should give them a break. With all this criticism (and well deserved) it can only get better! I look at it as getting a chance to watch golf on a Thursday & Friday, instead of waiting for Saturday. CBS & NBC, between them, are still doing everything from the Buick Invitational to the Tour Championship, except for Mayakoba, U.S. Bank, & the Reno-Tahoe. The Golf channel is going full HD in February, so everything is supposed to be in HD after that. Read my post in the The Grill Room, under Got HDTV...

I think that's a great idea! Nobilo is a solid analyst. Faldo is best when he is playing off somebody. That's why he worked so well with Zinger. But there is no way GC can build a broadcast around him, although he can play a valuable role.

I think it is a better start than most people are saying. I think Rolfing, Fultz and Dottie Pepper are credible. They just need a little more meat and potatoes. Nobilo and Mark Lye could easily provide that.

LOL!!! That's exactly what it sounds like!

Quite simply, everyone here is too darn picky.

I've had no problems with The Golf Channel's coverage so far, and the new presentation (stat layout, leaderboard style, etc.) is very slick looking. It doesn't hurt we actually get to see a lot more golf either. I like it.

[QUOTE][and the new presentation (stat layout, leaderboard style, etc.) is very slick looking. It doesn't hurt we actually get to see a lot more golf /QUOTE]

You're right, the presentation is very good. I like the screens shots with the wind direction and showing the break of the green, all very nice. Yesterday they had an overhead shot of the players teeing off - very cool.
I've been a little hard on them so far but after watching two more days I think I like everything except for Faldo. I still think he sucks and is bringing down the team.

I agree with Larry about Faldon needing to play off of someone. He was so darn good when paired with Zinger. Actually to put it better, the Zinger/Faldo team just plain worked. Not sure if Faldo will work that well with someone else (or maybe I just like Zinger). But time will tell and at the very least I am sure it will get better.

Nobilo is good, no complaints there. And I really liked Rocco being down there with the players (after watching a rerun of a Playing Lessons with Rocco I like him more and more - very personable and entertaining).

So while the camera work was weak, and somethings are a bit gimmacky (the blue putting line, the computer statistical analysis of the percentage chance to win) I am still happy to see golf on The Golf Channel. TGC does so much to promote the game and provide insights they really deserve it.

But I truly miss Mike Tirico. Far and away the best golf announcer.

Yes, taking my first post in to consideration, the 1st day was a little bit rocky, 1st tee jitters maybe? 2nd day was a bit better.. saturday and sunday were alot better than the 1st 2 days. Its a work and progress.

That said, i could not agree more with the post above about Nick Faldo, I've never liked him, his approach to announcing is not knowledgable, he seems to be more concerned with making terribly annoying and unfunny jokes then adding incite to the viewer. Your Sean Connery impression is almost as bad as your announcing buddy. Get Azinger, Andy North, Mike Turrico, Johnny Miller, Jim Nelford .. someone with some professionalism, please.

It is bound to improve. I, for one, am glad to see the longer start to finish coverage and not worry about the end of a tournament being cut off for other programming.

I hope the Sony doesn't become the Michelle Wie show.

I must say that I wasn't too impressed with the coverage either. I my opinion Jim Nantz is probably the best golf announcer. I wasn't very fond of Faldo. Hopefully in time, the two will them will get better together. The Golf Channel on thur. and friday and abc and nbc on weekends would be great for me.

I was busy at work but I found some time on Sunday afternoon...

The broadcast is ok (better than what I expected) but I personally am not

ready to have a lady (Kelly) for so many hours explaining the shots.

Faldo was ok, but less brilliant than the usual...

I don't know, I sound soo picky.... I guess the other channels have "spoiled"

me....