Three is a crowd....

[ronzo60]

Dan Hicks is enough to drive any viewer batty, with his redundant, repetitive stories about the players'. Viewers of the Senior Open were treated to Gary Koch (I made an 8 on #13) and Peter Jacobsen bantering back and forth about what they would do in a situation. For the love of the game, when will the Producers at NBC ever get a clue on "How to" conduct a broadcast?

Yes, I know there is a thread about the worst announcers on air, but this goes beyond the fluff and to the point of golf coverage. Less has always been more when it comes to a "has been or a never was" blathering about a player and their particular shot selection, i.e

It is unfortunate that Gene Sauers couldn't close the deal yesterday, but reminding the viewers every 20-30 minutes about his struggles must have made his support group feel as if they were reliving the ordeal over and over......

Noting that a person has made great strides in conquering a personal situation is a credit, but belaboring the issue is an embarrasment. The Producers of NBC and GC golf should get a grip and learn to hit the dump button on Dan Hicks'. The announcing is amateuristic at best, with the "Hey Rog, what's he got?", "Gee Gary, I don't know why he would do that?"

Yes, the MUTE button is an option, albeit an easy way out. I think the on-course announcers have wore out their Welcome with the audience. Simple graphics from Shot Link and a little arrow showing wind direction can easily fulfill the viewers need. Mumbling off to the side about the lie adds nothing to the skill of performing the shot.

As golf tries to attract new people to the game, the "up close and personal" tactic is tired. Like most things, if CBS, GC and NBC would just dummy down the coverage, I think the causal and knowledgable golfer would get the jest. It's not rocket science.

Ok, I"m done now.

[ChrisP]

Where was Johnny Miller?

[Gunther]

Dan Hicks is enough to drive any viewer batty, with his redundant, repetitive stories about the players'. Viewers of the Senior Open were treated to Gary Koch (I made an 8 on #13) and Peter Jacobsen bantering back and forth about what they would do in a situation. For the love of the game, when will the Producers at NBC ever get a clue on "How to" conduct a broadcast? Yes, I know there is a thread about the worst announcers on air, but this goes beyond the fluff and to the point of golf coverage. Less has always been more when it comes to a "has been or a never was" blathering about a player and their particular shot selection, i.e It is unfortunate that Gene Sauers couldn't close the deal yesterday, but reminding the viewers every 20-30 minutes about his struggles must have made his support group feel as if they were reliving the ordeal over and over...... Noting that a person has made great strides in conquering a personal situation is a credit, but belaboring the issue is an embarrasment. The Producers of NBC and GC golf should get a grip and learn to hit the dump button on Dan Hicks'. The announcing is amateuristic at best, with the "Hey Rog, what's he got?", "Gee Gary, I don't know why he would do that?" Yes, the MUTE button is an option, albeit an easy way out. I think the on-course announcers have wore out their Welcome with the audience. Simple graphics from Shot Link and a little arrow showing wind direction can easily fulfill the viewers need. Mumbling off to the side about the lie adds nothing to the skill of performing the shot. As golf tries to attract new people to the game, the "up close and personal" tactic is tired. Like most things, if CBS, GC and NBC would just dummy down the coverage, I think the causal and knowledgable golfer would get the jest. It's not rocket science. Ok, I"m done now.

Your first mistake was watching a senior event. What's the point? I haven't even watched 1 minute of one in maybe 10 years.

[dkolo]

Your first mistake was watching a senior event. What's the point? I haven't even watched 1 minute of one in maybe 10 years.

On the flip side, Frank Nobilo was being thoroughly wonderful on the Scottish Open broadcast. Made waking up early all week worth it. Now Scott Van Pelt and Mike Tirico for the British, and it'll be a marvelous two weeks of golf broadcasting.

[Crim]

Your first mistake was watching a senior event. What's the point? I haven't even watched 1 minute of one in maybe 10 years.

It was the last senior major of the year and some of those ol' dudes are fun to watch.

On Topic: I agree. The European commentators do it right. The camera shots are awesome too. There was some great fly overs of golf shots at the Scottish Open.

[3putter]

Dan Hicks is enough to drive any viewer batty, with his redundant, repetitive stories about the players'. Viewers of the Senior Open were treated to Gary Koch (I made an 8 on #13) and Peter Jacobsen bantering back and forth about what they would do in a situation. For the love of the game, when will the Producers at NBC ever get a clue on "How to" conduct a broadcast?

Yes, I know there is a thread about the worst announcers on air, but this goes beyond the fluff and to the point of golf coverage. Less has always been more when it comes to a "has been or a never was" blathering about a player and their particular shot selection, i.e

It is unfortunate that Gene Sauers couldn't close the deal yesterday, but reminding the viewers every 20-30 minutes about his struggles must have made his support group feel as if they were reliving the ordeal over and over......

Noting that a person has made great strides in conquering a personal situation is a credit, but belaboring the issue is an embarrasment. The Producers of NBC and GC golf should get a grip and learn to hit the dump button on Dan Hicks'. The announcing is amateuristic at best, with the "Hey Rog, what's he got?", "Gee Gary, I don't know why he would do that?"

Yes, the MUTE button is an option, albeit an easy way out. I think the on-course announcers have wore out their Welcome with the audience. Simple graphics from Shot Link and a little arrow showing wind direction can easily fulfill the viewers need. Mumbling off to the side about the lie adds nothing to the skill of performing the shot.

As golf tries to attract new people to the game, the "up close and personal" tactic is tired. Like most things, if CBS, GC and NBC would just dummy down the coverage, I think the causal and knowledgable golfer would get the jest. It's not rocket science.

Ok, I"m done now.

Hello there, I feel your frustration. Allow me to introduce you to the Euro tour coverage, it is way better imho. No forced humor, plenty of excellent accent and voice tone. No reporter/"Analyst" inserting themselves into the story. Players hit and move, announcers know when to shut the hell up, and no sob stories. No hyping of the new golf messiah. Just good ol fashion golf.

Frank Nobilo and Dougie Donnely were awesome this weekend.

[boogielicious]

Hello there, I feel your frustration. Allow me to introduce you to the Euro tour coverage, it is way better imho. No forced humor, plenty of excellent accent and voice tone. No reporter/"Analyst" inserting themselves into the story. Players hit and move, announcers know when to shut the hell up, and no sob stories. No hyping of the new golf messiah. Just good ol fashion golf.

Frank Nobilo and Dougie Donnely were awesome this weekend.

I find the Euro tour announcers somnambulistic.  It is like watching a nature show about birds.  The video is great though.  The US announcers are too much the other way.  I would prefer something in between.

[ronzo60]

Great posts, Gentlemen! I have always enjoyed Euro Golf coverage. I recall when GC first started and Euro coverage was hilarious, because they would give the viewer barely enough time to see a shot before they moved on to another one. No time for fluff!

Interestingly enough, the casual viewer in the USA would be suprised to learn that on the weekend there is at least 30 guys still on the course when the tv lights come up. Sure, we like to see the Top 10 or so that week, but wasting time on personal stories and videos unrelated to the reason the golf is being shown in the first place is ridiculous. It's no wonder why the GC and others market the same 2-3 players each week and then scramble for "filler" when they don't make the cut or play poorly.

Golf is golf. Some would argue that it was Senior golf, but if you are a golfer at heart, watching Oak Tree was as interesting as watching the LPGA play from 6300 yds at Pinehurst.

For me the most disturbing aspect of the broadcasting is the person(s) who have never played competitively, judging a players' shot selction or performance. We can all see that the putt didn't break right, or the 8 iron came up short....But to challenge the players' aptitude. Not everyone has earned the right to be Johnny Miller, and even he has his moments where he should chill, considering the putting problems he endured. No one is immune from golfs' perils, not even a Tour guide from Hawaii like Mark Rolfing.

To the issue of Euro coverage like a "nature show", well, if you think about it, it is outside and the players provide the action for us to "watch". It isn't drag racing or MotoGP, two of my Favs. Prognosticastion by some clown sitting in a tv tower for 7 hours doesn't make the outcome anymore compelling. That is what the crowd is for.

I enjoyed the Scottish Open as well. Nobs' goes better with Euro golf. Now on to The Open Championship! If only Mike Tirrico can supress those hand spiders!!

Go Adam Scott!