New Seasons of The Haney Project and Feherty Discussion Thread

[mvmac]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to listen in on a media conference call with Hank Haney and David Feherty in previewing the new seasons of The Haney Project (Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. ET) and Feherty (Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. ET) on Golf Channel.  I personally couldn't care less about the Haney program, instruction is too general and the audience doesn't learn anything imo.  More geared towards entertainment than putting out good information.  I do enjoy watching Feherty interview golfers and celebrities.

Haney was politically correct and about what you get when you see him on TV.  Feherty is really good "on his feet" and always comes up with an interesting take on a subject.  I think he's only been sober for a few years and has a very colorful history.  He only touched upon that and feels like that's why people tend to open up to him.  Because he's a real guy with his own problems who is genuinely interested in his subjects.

The most interesting part to me was Feherty talking about making the golf ball bigger.  He talked about how he grew up playing the "British" ball that is 1.62 inches in diameter ball, current ball is 1.680 inches.  Feherty talked about going to a 1.71 or 1.72 which in his opinion would make the ball easier to get up in the air, create more spin and control how far the ball is going.  This was answering a question that had to do with regulating the golf ball but also touched on making the game easier for more players.

If you guys want more info on any of the topics discussed just let me know and I'll do my best to give more detail

Topics discussed:

- Haney on the new season of The Haney Project and his four celebrity students (Adam Levine, Sugar Ray Leonard, Angie Everhart and Mario Batali).

- Feherty on Monday’s premiere episode of Feherty and his interview with Sergio Garcia.

- Feherty on new elements being introduced for season two.

- Feherty’s wish list for interview subjects for the new season of Feherty.

- Feherty and Haney’s input and involvement in the production process of their respective series.

- Feherty on how his interview subjects tend to open up to him.

- Feherty on the secret of telling a good golf story.

- Feherty and Haney on the state of Tiger Woods’ golf game.

- Feherty and Haney on Woods and if he has to learn to win again given his Sunday performances.

- Haney on his new book and what readers can expect.

- Feherty and Haney’s ideas on how to grow the game of golf.

[Stretch]

Mario Batali? Porca miseria!

[k-troop]

There are Feherty lovers and Feherty haters on here, but I personally love his show and commentary.  I met him in Ramadi a few years ago, and he was absolutely hilarious in person.  I actually turned down his autograph (I had two Ryder Cup hats that I was going to give away as gifts, and I wanted to get Watson and Lehman to sign them) and he went off on this hilarious diatribe:  "What the hell am I, chopped liver?  If this punk wasn't carrying a loaded rifle, I'd give him an autograph that he wouldn't forget."  He was totally kidding, and it was totally hilarious.  (And I did have him sign another hat that I had with me.)

His interview with Watson last week was fantastic, BTW.  When they started talking about how Tom reached out to him, Feherty was crying.  That's real stuff.

[Dad-2-3]

Originally Posted by k-troop

His interview with Watson last week was fantastic, BTW.  When they started talking about how Tom reached out to him, Feherty was crying.  That's real stuff.

I agree, good stuff!!

[Goodfella]

I just started watching the Feherty show and liked the few episodes i saw, Ill keep watching it. He seems very down to earth and honest with the people he is interviewing.

[Tomboys]

Originally Posted by mvmac

The most interesting part to me was Feherty talking about making the golf ball bigger.  He talked about how he grew up playing the "British" ball that is 1.62 inches in diameter ball, current ball is 1.680 inches.  Feherty talked about going to a 1.71 or 1.72 which in his opinion would make the ball easier to get up in the air, create more spin and control how far the ball is going.  This was answering a question that had to do with regulating the golf ball but also touched on making the game easier for more players.

I believe it was tried before (sorta):

Oversize Balls

Oct. 18, 2004 By Erik J. Barzeski Comments (0)

What ever happened to the Top-Flite Magna? The oversized ball (1.74" instead of 1.68", if my memory is correct) was supposed to "roll smoother" on the greens and slice and hook less. Distance suffered a tad, I recall, simply due to the fact that the ball had to push more air out of the way. There were a few other oversize balls available as well, but the Magna was the leader out of the gates.

Nowadays, you can find the Magna for $10/dozen or less .

I remember my bud playing these.  Didn't seem to help him much.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Tomboys

I remember my bud playing these.  Didn't seem to help him much.

I think the point is that they'd limit distance a little. Because really the "getting the ball airborne" thing is "barely."

[deronsizemore]

I'm at a conference for a couple days and since nothing else was on TV I watched three episodes of the newest Haney Project with Sugar Ray Leonard, Adam Lavine and the other two (can't remember their name).

Does anyone else really not like this show? Has Haney actually ever helped anyone improve on this show? I know he didn't help Barkley or Ray Romano and I never watched the Rush episodes so I don't know if he helped Rush or not.

What gets me is that one of the arguments you always hear from people who are totally against S&T; is that it's a method or it teaches the exact same things to everyone and you shouldn't do that because different people need to be taught different things. Has Haney ever gave anyone any other information besides:

• Allow the face to open on the backswing and close through impact
• Use your hands to release the club
• Take the club way outside so that you can loop it inside on the downswing and swing inside-out

It seems that these are the only things I ever hear Haney prescribe as fixes yet a lot of people out there hang on his every word because he's the #1 teacher in a golf magazine.

[walk18]

I saw Feherty interview Bill Russell last night. At first I wasn't sure how good it would be, but when I saw it it was fantastic. Bill Russell is an extremely interesting, well spoken and wise man. Feherty was in awe the whole time. Highly recommend that episode.

[Gresh24]

Fehrety does pretty good interviews.  You will always get the goofy comments, a few weird questions, and him getting smacked in the pills somehow, but all-in-all, he does a good interview.  Russell was a great example.  Although Russell is just so good and polarizing.

[boogielicious]

I dvr'd the Russell show and will watch tonight.  I really like the show.  He is funny, genuine and makes the guest look good.  He is great during tournaments too.

I've tried to watch the Haney shows, but I agree with Mike.  The shows don't teach you anything and he is not interesting enough a person to bother with.  The Trump shows were better at showcasing celebrities.

[GJBenn85]

I'm not all that impressed with Haney, at least on his show.  As said above, he consistently "instructs" the same things to each person.  One thing I always wonder about is if guys like Haney are so good, why are they not on the PGA Tour winning more tournaments and majors than anyone else?  Surely they could make a lot more money between tournament winnings and endorsements.  Or are they simply good instructors and not good enough golfers?

As for Feherty, I am a big fan.  He is so genuine that it is hard to dislike him even if you are not a fan of some of his staged humor.

[x129]

Teaching golf and playing golf are not really related. You have golfers that don't know anything about the swing but make millions and guys that struggle to break 80 but know everything about it. Hank is in the position that he has gotten popular enough that it has become the in thing to criticism him. Happens to everyone. What I would really like to know is how many hours Hank (or one of his instructors) spend with the students.

Originally Posted by GJBenn85

I'm not all that impressed with Haney, at least on his show.  As said above, he consistently "instructs" the same things to each person.  One thing I always wonder about is if guys like Haney are so good, why are they not on the PGA Tour winning more tournaments and majors than anyone else?  Surely they could make a lot more money between tournament winnings and endorsements.  Or are they simply good instructors and not good enough golfers?

As for Feherty, I am a big fan.  He is so genuine that it is hard to dislike him even if you are not a fan of some of his staged humor.

[iPutt]

Feherty and Russel turned out much better than I expected. It was extremely interesting and I can't wait to see the Butch Harmon episode next week. As famous as Harmon is, it seems as if he's not as much of a public figure as someone like Haney or Leadbetter is and I'm really interested to see what he's like on the show.

Haney's show, on the other hand, could be the worst season he's done so far. I'm tired of watching him teach these people with absolutely atrocious swings the same thing over and over. Sugar Ray a 16 handicap? I guess I'll be a pro in a year or two then...

[TourSpoon]

Feherty hit a home run with the Russell interview. That shows that Feherty has ability to go beyond golf talk and into the humanity of true sportsmen.

[GJBenn85]

Originally Posted by iPutt

Feherty and Russel turned out much better than I expected. It was extremely interesting and I can't wait to see the Butch Harmon episode next week. As famous as Harmon is, it seems as if he's not as much of a public figure as someone like Haney or Leadbetter is and I'm really interested to see what he's like on the show.

Haney's show, on the other hand, could be the worst season he's done so far. I'm tired of watching him teach these people with absolutely atrocious swings the same thing over and over. Sugar Ray a 16 handicap? I guess I'll be a pro in a year or two then...

Yeah, I am amused when these guys on Haney's show throw out their so-called handicaps.  There is no way the handicaps are as low as most of them claim.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by GJBenn85

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPutt

Feherty and Russel turned out much better than I expected. It was extremely interesting and I can't wait to see the Butch Harmon episode next week. As famous as Harmon is, it seems as if he's not as much of a public figure as someone like Haney or Leadbetter is and I'm really interested to see what he's like on the show.

Haney's show, on the other hand, could be the worst season he's done so far. I'm tired of watching him teach these people with absolutely atrocious swings the same thing over and over. Sugar Ray a 16 handicap? I guess I'll be a pro in a year or two then...

Yeah, I am amused when these guys on Haney's show throw out their so-called handicaps.  There is no way the handicaps are as low as most of them claim.

I thought the same thing about the Pebble Beach pro am. Sandbaggers and vanity cappers. Then I saw George Lopez with a lob wedge. Okay, yeah I can see him getting up and down a lot.

[Goodfella]

Originally Posted by GJBenn85

Yeah, I am amused when these guys on Haney's show throw out their so-called handicaps.  There is no way the handicaps are as low as most of them claim.

I thought the same thing. One of them has a 13 or 16 handicap and I thought to myself theres no way after watching them hit a few. Im a 16, by no means good but better than what they were doing. As far as David Faherty, thats one of my new favorite shows, he does a great job with every interview.