The 2011 British Open

[Yukari]

If the intent was not to be mean, cruel, or derogatory, go with the punches...  roll with it.  Life is too short to get all bent out of shape over trivial things.

[RichF]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Seems like a fair point to make.

The only thing I really find intriguing about Open Championships is the weather.  I can't really explain it, but the impact the weather has on the players isn't exactly what I'm talking about.   It's like the weather is it's own character during the Open.  It seems to make things boring because there typically aren't many late charges when weather is brutal, but I still pretty much tune in expecting to see shots of empty greens with wind-flapped flagsticks and people looking around as if to wonder when mother nature is going to press the "pause" button.

Brandon

Actually, yeah - I agree - Saturday morning, I liked watching each 2-ball go out and try and get somewhere with the weather going off like it did...that's one thing I DO like about The Open.

Day 1 at Royal Birkdale in '08 was almost identical (I was there - it was horrible, yet I enjoyed it) and Carnoustie '07 - very similar weather days....

[Kieran123]

I just read this years British Open had the worst ratings ever

Tied with last years.

[sean_miller]

Perhaps the magic of watching sloppily played golf in foul weather at 3 AM local time is lost on some people - losers.

My own personal opinion is that if it wasn't for waiting for the eventual Mickelson / Johnson trainwreck and waiting to see which Polo Ralph Lauren player would finish higher (Tom Watson and DL III if he's still affiliated with the brand) I'd have turned away. St Georges is a generally featureless course that could have been played over 4-holes with different camera angles for all I know. It's not like they showed any other players than the top dozen or so. Which brings me to the main reason the coverage was awful. ABC. They're terrible at golf and football. Always have been. At least we don't have to hear Peter Alliss (sp) mumbling and insulting people off camera every week. He had his day, but now he's a doddering old fool.

Quote:

I just read this years British Open had the worst ratings ever

Tied with last years.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Perhaps the magic of watching sloppily played golf in foul weather at 3 AM local time is lost on some people - losers.

My own personal opinion is that if it wasn't for waiting for the eventual Mickelson / Johnson trainwreck and waiting to see which Polo Ralph Lauren player would finish higher (Tom Watson and DL III if he's still affiliated with the brand) I'd have turned away. St Georges is a generally featureless course that could have been played over 4-holes with different camera angles for all I know. It's not like they showed any other players than the top dozen or so. Which brings me to the main reason the coverage was awful. ABC. They're terrible at golf and football. Always have been. At least we don't have to hear Peter Alliss (sp) mumbling and insulting people off camera every week. He had his day, but now he's a doddering old fool.

Quote:

True that it starts at 3am, but it didn't finish until the afternoon. I guess it depends on where you are in North America, but I saw a lot of the final day and I turned the T.V on at 9am.

The bolded part is especially true. Add the grey scale that the weather brings, and it truly does look almost like the same hole every time.

[turtleback]

Anyone who has trouble understanding how the unrest and violence could have lasted as long as it did need only read this thread.

[B of H]

IMO the best tournament to watch, love it.

[Stretch]

I like watching the demigods struggle occasionally. Good for the soul.

The BBC commentating was solid but not as entertaining as the old days when they were pissed all the time. Henry Longhurst used to start with champagne for breakfast, then gin and soda until lunch, brandy and ginger ale in the booth and scotch in the evening.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Stretch

I like watching the demigods struggle occasionally. Good for the soul.

The BBC commentating was solid but not as entertaining as the old days when they were pissed all the time. Henry Longhurst used to start with champagne for breakfast, then gin and soda until lunch, brandy and ginger ale in the booth and scotch in the evening.

He made it to the evening?

[Chris G]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Perhaps the magic of watching sloppily played golf in foul weather at 3 AM local time is lost on some people - losers.

My own personal opinion is that if it wasn't for waiting for the eventual Mickelson / Johnson trainwreck and waiting to see which Polo Ralph Lauren player would finish higher (Tom Watson and DL III if he's still affiliated with the brand) I'd have turned away. St Georges is a generally featureless course that could have been played over 4-holes with different camera angles for all I know. It's not like they showed any other players than the top dozen or so. Which brings me to the main reason the coverage was awful. ABC. They're terrible at golf and football. Always have been. At least we don't have to hear Peter Alliss (sp) mumbling and insulting people off camera every week. He had his day, but now he's a doddering old fool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I just read this years British Open had the worst ratings ever

Tied with last years.

It may of had the worst ratings and tied with last years but maybe that was where you are from, also it may have been boring to watch and could of been played over 4 holes with different camera angles. At times I have to agree it was boring but hey thats links golf. it has never been the greatest part of golf to watch it is completly a different way to play its harder in many ways and it is always severly effected by weather. I do prefer a Major event to be close like it was, and I do think it keeps the scoring incredibaly tight. I have to agree on the Peter Alliss comment he is such fool now I shudder when I hear his voice.

It was a shame to watch so many big names miss the cut and would of been better to watch if they had made it.

I never enjoy watching it unless its at St Andrews but I cant get my way every year :)

[Acropo]

I thought Darren did great - it was wonderful to see him come back, hold on and then stretch his lead.

All the 'it was boring too much of a lead' guys - are you not the same people who were drooling in admiration when tiger spreadeagled the field? If you can't find any excitement in a challenger eagling a hole to get level with the leader, and that challenge being responded to with an even more difficult eagle, and in filthy conditions, then maybe you are watching teh wrong sport. What did you expect? A real shoot-out, with Colt 45s and big hats? This was a fascinating, interesting Open, with some edge-of-the-seat moments, ultimately won by one of the genuinely nice guys.

ChrisG - go and write out 50 times 'It is have, not of' - (would have, should have, may have, could have - not should of, etc. We wouldn't want these Yanks to think we are uneducated, would we?)

Deasy, PaddyHarrington, etc - could you keep these exchanges where they belong, to bottle-throwing and petrol-bomb chucking parties on the Falls Road and Shankhill? Sheesh.

[deasy55]

I really don't think this line is acceptable at all.

Plus, why single us out when it was others who started the mud slinging?

Plus, why bring up something that was being discussed a few days ago a few pages back in this thread?

3 strikes, you're out.

Originally Posted by Acropo

Deasy, PaddyHarrington, etc - could you keep these exchanges where they belong, to bottle-throwing and petrol-bomb chucking parties on the Falls Road and Shankhill? Sheesh.

[carpediem4300]

I agree that the line was un-acceptable, but it just goes to show how a few bad apples really do tarnish the image of a nation.

Im surprised its been allowed to go on for so long, if I were irish/NI or whatever i would of been fed up by now being portrayed as the type of country that starts mini civil wars, spits on kids for being a different religion as they walk to school and generally hiding behind a "religion" as an excuse to be a thug

but thats just me,

[iacas]

Heading out to teach all day... Please stick to the topic fellas.

[deasy55]

[shades9323]

Shown on cable and on in the morning is not a good recipe for ratings!

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I just read this years British Open had the worst ratings ever

Tied with last years.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Acropo

This was a fascinating, interesting Open, with some edge-of-the-seat moments.

Could have fooled me.

[BallStriker]

To each their own, but I can't understand how anyone can say this wasn't a fantastic championship.

Well played Darren Clarke!!!