Golf instruction and reality tv: what would your show be?

Over in the Hank Haney: Phelps thread, people were complaining about the rather dull nature of that show (and its personalities -- of late), and newtogolf posted this:

I really liked the idea, and it got me thinking: if you could create a golf instruction / reality tv show, what would it be like?

I'd like to keep this initial post short, so I'll post my tv show set-up below.

For me, I'd really like to see (and participate in!) a show like the one newtogolf describes.  I'd just like to see it expanded --- something like this:

Four golf pros.

Thirty-two golfers covering a range of handicaps (say, 8 low-cappers (3-6ish), 8 mid-cappers (12-18ish), 8 high-cappers (24-on-up), and 8 newbies).

A three part show in which four pros pick teams, train them, and hold a competition at the end to decide who the best pro is, and who the most improved golfers are (flighted).

Part I - the team selection

In the first part of the show, the four pros would run the golfers through:

--a set of skills challenges

--a mini-tournament

--a set of interviews

--a 'homework assignment' -- give the golfers something to work on for a week and then see how they did with their time off.

As a conclusion to this section, each pro would get to pick a team of four golfers (one from each of the handicap groups). (The pro would have to explain each pick as well!)  These teams would compete against each other in the final phase of the show.  At this point, half the golfers would go home.

Part II - the training

Part II would simply follow each team (pro and four golfers).  This might be the bulk of the show, and in it, pros would have to give advice relevant to each team member -- relevant to good, fairly good, average, and bad golfers.

There should be some interesting contrasts in teaching philosophy, personality, techniques, advice, etc, and it would be interesting to hear critiques from both the students *and* the members (pros and students) of the other teams.

This actually has potential to be interesting and informative in terms of giving golf advice to viewers.

Part III - the competition

--run everyone through a basic set of skills challenges -- keep it simple: just a few different shots with some different clubs.  It should be really similar to (identical to!) the skills challenges used to evaluate the players (thus, allowing us to gauge improvement). Give bragging rights/prizes to the students in each handicap group who show the most improvement (and to the pros who trained them).

--have a flighted competition with bragging rights (and prizes?) going to the best golfers and the pro (or pros) whose students perform best in each flight.

As a wild-card, bring back the 18 golfers who were cut in the beginning for the final flighted competition.

...I'd totally watch that!

I like your expanded idea.  It would be interesting to see how the different swing methods would translate to performance in the new golfers and high handlicaps.

It's funny I came across this thread because my wife and I were just talking about this a few weeks ago after watching Big Break.

Our concept was pretty simple.  People write in about how bad their buddy's golf game is (including video of how ugly their swing is).  Producers then select four contestants for the show (picture something like an Extreme Swing Makeover).

Pros are then paired up with each of the amateurs and have a couple of months of weekly lessons to improve their game.  The show caps off with a finale in which all four compete against each other over 9 holes (the pros serve as their caddies) and the winner gets a complete set of fitted clubs.

Lots of options on how to score the improvement, either in percentage of improvement in handicap, subjective judging by the fans, etc.

- Dave

I really like the idea of regular people being used for improvement.  Celebs can afford the lessons and have the time to put in, make it a real test.

oh and on the previous season of the Haney Project it was obvious from the start that Adam Levine would be the most improved.  Beginners make the biggest leaps forward and he was the youngest and most athletics.

Love the avatar you got there!  Go vols :)

Thanks. I will be in Atlanta to watch thr Vols Steamroll thr fagpack

Nice.  I'll be going to the TN/Florida game but not making the trip to ATL.   Have fun!

Ill be there as well

We Vols fans sure can hijack a thread can't we?  :-)

GO VOLS!!!!!

I was there at the Fiesta Bowl in January 1999 when we beat Florida State for the first ever BCS Championship.  My tickets were in the middle of a Seminoles fan section and I was proudly giving THEM the ol' tomahawk at the end of the game.  That felt so good.

Now if we can just figure out how to win in the post-Fulmer era.

- Dave

I have a novel idea here. This is going to take the golfing industry by storm. Stick with me as this is a bit complicated and hasn't been done for many, many years.

How about we have a show where professional golfers compete for money and we show the actual leaders of the match? Is that not a great idea!

I think the Skins game format should change and they should put up their own money

Me too!  I love this idea.