How do I show people that golf on TV is Compelling?

[leapbean]

I am graduate student and for a class project I am going make a little 5 minute dvd that is aimed at people that don't watch golf on TV. The goal of the project is to compel non-watchers to watch.

Do you guys have any suggestions of what I should include?

So far, I want to show how technically, mentally, and physically involved a golf swing is. Maybe show those commercials where a person is hitting over a trap and the announcer says something to the extent "think of yourself sitting on a pony, and the golf club as a hose" and then it actually shows those things. (if anyone knows where to get this commercial that would be awesome)

Anyway, then I would put something in there about the rivalries, great shots (Tiger in Phoenix hole in one, the chip in), the choke jobs (phil, the u.s. open when retief and cink (i think) missed putts on 18). And then maybe go to a black screen and get the viewer to do some imagery on thousands of people watching, putting for birdie...making it and then hearing a loud birdie roar.

Anything else? i think this is quite the challenging endeavor but could be pretty cool. If you can't think of anything specifically for the video can you just answer the following questions:

Why do you watch golf on tv? What do you watch for? (skill, shots, excitement...)

Okay, I know I am new to the site, but any help would be much abliged.

-Eric

[Q.Q.Quillume]

I hate to say this, but I'm an avid golfer and golf fan and I DO NOT find golf on TV to be compelling except the majors and (sometimes) events like the Ryder Cup, the President's Cup and the Solheim Cup. Although I don't have any statistics to back me up, it's my opinion that between the commercials, promos, features like "shot of the day", "the driving report", interuptions to bring us up to date on other tournaments + the NBA and other non-golf sports, interminable slow motion shots of some golfer's swing on a particular shot and an analyst pontificating on why it was a bad/good shot, interviews with CEOs & 3rd tier golfers, shots of players lining up putts and looking at the putt from about six different angles, head shots of the talking heads talking, and first one thing and then another, there really isn't a lot of actual GOLF being shown. OK, I'm off my soapbox. Good luck.

[Shindig]

I have to admit, I find golf fun to watch for one of the main reasons that it's fun to play -- it's a social event with my friends (and sometimes mom).

I watched Sunday of the Buick with my mom a while back, and she and I greatly enjoyed watching Tiger and Howell back nine. She had never heard of Howell before. We had a nice setup, with large comfy chairs and dad's HD LCD TV. Similarly, we watched Sunday of the FBR together, although she saw me keep checking ESPN's best ball, even when I knew the most up-to-date score for Jeff Quinney was on screen...

[Fisherdude]

Unless you can get the networks to show more golf and less putting, you haven't got a prayer.

"And here's so & so. He's got 32 feet for a birdie.....oooooohhhhhhh. Nobody sees that little break at the end."

I love to play, and I really get involved with some events, but frequently I put it on and end up just using it as background noise while I do something else.

Surprisingly, my wife, who doesn't play at all, actually gets involved with me. Especially something like the Ryder Cup. She was an avid softball player, and likes to watch baseball and football, so she's really more involved in the competition, etc., then she is interested in the "golf".

Maybe that's a point. I'm already a "watcher", but I watch for different swings and different strategies. Maybe if you played up the tension in the competition, although it's obviously difficult to show a player's guts churning while he's choking.

[schlyer]

Show Tiger chasing down and pointing his putt into the hole in the playoff against Bob May at the PGA a few years back.

[flashman70]

Include some pics from Natalie Gulbis' calendar.

I think golf can sometimes be analogous to baseball. Neither will never be as exciting as constant action sports like football (used to be) or basketball, but both are compelling because of their potential for for sustained drama. In baseball it's the battle between pitcher and batter when the game is on the line. In golf it's battles down the stretch when two or more golfers are doing their best to win. Of course not every tournament has drama like this past weekend's tournament. The kid Wilson was amazing in how he refused to lose.

I think it's hard to explain to folks that don't play how golf takes a toll on your spirit and can grind you down emotionally. As a player, you have an idea of what the pro must be going through with a 3' putt to win - especially if it's his first. Non-players will have a hard time "getting it".

Golf can be inspiring, like watching Corey Pavin hit a perfect 4 wood to win the open or Watson chip in at Pebble or a thousand other great shots. It can also be painful, like watching Norman collapse at Augusta or Jean Vandeveldt in the Open championship.

Good luck on your project.

[Dent]

include some really intense music to spice up the movie.

[allin]

I wish I had seen this sooner. I would try to draw watchers in to the drama of competiton between talented and skilled players. Movies like The Piano, Longest yard etc. are really based on this element. We choose heroes and then we root for them. We may play for the challenge of improving are skills and scores but I believe these are the reasons peopley watch. This is why March Madness, Super Bowl, Ryder Cup are so compelling. I know it is probably to late to help.

[mkoreiwo]

This is an ambitious project! I watch golf because I discoved a "sport" that has succeeded in baffling me at how deceptively difficult it is to play well. So when I watch, I am trying to absorb a bit of knowledge on how to swing well... I also am appreciative of the skill level the pros have. A non-golfer just does not know what is involved in hitting a good shot... One degree of difference in the face can send a ball way off course...

I wish you luck... 5 minutes is a tough sell, and I don't think it can be done for non-golfers...

[pickapocket]

The classic holed out wedge that lands 25 feet below the hole and then rips back into the cup. I remember Greg Norman doing this on the 14th at St Andrews in the 1989 Open, 2nd round I think. Always a spectacular shot even if we all know it mainly down to luck.

[Lead Tape]

I am graduate student and for a class project I am going make a little 5 minute dvd that is aimed at people that don't watch golf on TV. The goal of the project is to compel non-watchers to watch.

Wow...I think if you have a non-watcher of golf, a non-watcher of football, a non-watcher of basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer, boxing, bowling, pool, or any sport, you can't do anything to COMPEL them to watch if they haven't already done so. They have no interest. Is it too late to change your project?? I think you would be better off going with something along the lines of American Idol or Dancing With The Stars. Oooops, I forgot...everyone is already compelled to watch those programs.