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]

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.

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]

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]

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

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.

[PEZGolf]

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.

Good idea. I think that Brandel Chamblee, Frank Nobilo, and Dottie Pepper can stay. The others can "pursue other opportunities", including Nick and Kelly.

[VardonFlyer]

I love Faldo! what i don't love about the golf channel is all the infomercials... "I switched and won the Open" haha

[uttexas]

Absolutely, its not just the on air personalities, its the people that hire them.

Example number one: That robot fake deep voice dude from Big Break Mesquite (the one with the all good to excellent male golfers). Who in their right mind put this guy on camera?

Example number two: Letting Vince Cellini walk away for six months. He is obviously their best talent. Why let him leave in the first place? Pay him what he's worth you cheap bstrds.

Years ago, they let Peter Kessler go for asking tough questions to Arnie. OK, he hit some really personal issues with the driver and Arnie's wife, but he was clearly their best talent.

Next, Hiring Nick Faldo. He had already pssd off plenty of other tour players, the media, and Adams (a great company). He is not the guy to be the star of the GC

the GC has done some things right. For Inventors Only and the all female Big Breaks are great. The Euro tourneys are awesome. Shell's WWOG. Showing college tournaments.

I love the GC, but they have this el cheapo attitude permeating from upper management that effects their overall presentation.

My 2cents
Spend some $$ and get a good commentator for tourneys
Someone like John Jacobs, Tony Jacklin, Ian Woosman, Gary Player
Someone with fire in the belly but also a charming personality (not Faldo)

Kelly is good looking and might do better with someone that isn't such a doucher.

[PiKapp23]

I would like to see more shots and actual play than what The Golf Channel currently does, but I think they do a decent job from a production standpoint. I think they can afford to get a little more technical with some of the info and technology used due to the viewing audiece being more golf knowledgable than when golf is on networks. The on-air personalities are what I have a problem with. Faldo is not good with Kelly Tilghman. They just have no chemistry, but I don't think it's necessarily either of them individually that is problem. I really liked Faldo when he was with Azinger on ABC. They had chemistry and kept each other sharp. I like Rich Lerner and what he is currently doing. I would like to see Vince Cellini step in to play the part of Jim Nantz on these broadcasts. I think he has the personality for it. I could see Kelly more as an on-course personality. She knows the game and is liked by players. I like Frank Nobilo and Brandel Chamblee and think they are under-utilized. I'm glad to see Frank doing some coverage (he's always been good on Champion's Tour coverage). I really think they need a personality along the lines of David Feherty on the course, providing a little humor and a different perspective.

[PEZGolf]

I love the GC, but they have this el cheapo attitude permeating from upper management that effects their overall presentation.

You are right. You cannot run a first class operation without first class people in front of the camera. Peter Kessler did great interviews on "Golf Talk Live". No one has come close to him since.

[bruce]

I'm trying to watch the last round of the bob hope and the coverage is horrendous.Mostly talking and very little shot coverage,at times i'm saying how did he end up there or oh,it never showed his par three shot.He is putting for bogey,how did that happen.

[JerseyThursday]

For the love of the game show the freaking tournament! I swear they show more commercials and more “Golf Central Updates” than the event at hand. Then they clutter it up with graphics (BTW, the Mutual of Omaha “putting-line” is always wrong along with being annoying).
And lastly, I think promoting the Bob Hope exhibit at the Golf Hall of Fame every 15 minutes doesn’t make it look any less boring.

[PEZGolf]

I'm trying to watch the last round of the bob hope and the coverage is horrendous.Mostly talking and very little shot coverage,at times i'm saying how did he end up there or oh,it never showed his par three shot.He is putting for bogey,how did that happen.

You are right about not showing enough of the shots on the course. It is as if they are paying their broadcasters a large amount of money and want to make sure they get plenty of air time.

[flanagan]

It was not as bad in Hawaii. I figured because it was the final round we'd see some golf, it was commercial city when the leader was idle, and the focus was pretty much only on Perez and the other guy, after Stricker fell apart, except for a few shots of Weir and the occasional person finishing on 18. I was very disappointed, just as bad on Saturday.