55 replies to this topic

[JWells]

Played a nice little 9 hole par three course after work with a buddy today and we were talking about how they never play Long Drive completions on the golf channel, really I don't see them on TV at all. I have seen one in my life and it would be cool to watch every once in awhile.  I feel like more and more the Golf Channel is being crammed with filler TV, morning drive, etc.  it needs more Golf

Edited by JWells, 17 May 2012 - 08:34 PM.

[BrianMcG]

I used to like watching the really old Shells and other golf tournaments. The ones they had from the 50s and 60s. They showed them a lot when the GC was new.

"Sam Snead really got all of that one on this monstrously long par 4 of over 420 yds. He's only going to have 175 yards left, he'll probably be hitting his 4 wood. ". Lol.

[JWells]

BrianMcG, on 17 May 2012 - 08:53 PM, said:

I used to like watching the really old Shells and other golf tournaments. The ones they had from the 50s and 60s. They showed them a lot when the GC was new.

"Sam Snead really got all of that one on this monstrously long par 4 of over 420 yds. He's only going to have 175 yards left, he'll probably be hitting his 4 wood. ". Lol.

See now that sounds awesome. Way better than golf channel academy

[MelloYello]

I dislike the instructional shows because they don't appeal to someone who wants to understand mechanics or the swing. They instead dwell on cheesy devices and an endless series of drills even to the point that Michael Breed gives you his 'Power of 3' admittedly in hopes that 1 of the 3 might do something for you.

Golf is in a growth stage right now. It's coming out into the light of mainstream popularity and for that reason the SportsCenter Effect is happening where the channel produces a one-hour show that seems to run on repeat for the rest of the day with virtually the same highlights, same storylines, same topics, same opinions and same discussion.

Again, "debate" is not a word we in a smart society should belittle such that we even think for a second that's what happens. I'm shocked that Brandel Chamblee is even allowed to criticize Tiger Woods but then I remember that Tiger probably endorses it under the banner of 'any press is good press,' especially when you're missing cuts!

I would much rather watch old videos than constant converage which I don't need to see over and over. I would much rather watch LPGA events, NationWide events, EuroTour events or Junior events when they can be re-aired. For me, that's a nice healthy reminder that golf is a world-wide community of players and not just a bunch of millionaires being pampered and a few mindless 'analysts' who seem not to have anything better to do than spend their lives covering it. The truth is, individuals who find the game and stick with it find that sense of community and a sense of connection. It doesn't come through TaylorMade's over-the-top ad campaign or the portrayal of the game as society's moral backbone thanks to endless stroking on how much 'good' the game does.

Then again, I'm a golfer myself so I don't need to be sold the hype and popularity of the games current media image. I understand they are hungry for growth, hungry for money and want to promote something separate from what we see when we go to our local country clubs and pro-shops where one meets the individuals who've spent their lives playing the game and helping others--often with wildly fluctuating financial support.

I for one actually find real golf to be refreshingly open and honest. The people that work around where I play are usually some of the most well-intentioned, respectful, polite, well-manored and righteous people you'll meet. I live in SC where there's a strong commitment to one's spiritual beliefs and I think that actually plays a big role in it. I have to say that while I don't count myself amongst the world's openly religious inhabitants, I appreciate the attitudes of players like Ben Crane, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson (the openly Christian crowd) and other younger players like Hunter Mahan and Rickie Fowler who seem to carry a refreshing maturity. I think it's great that golf does carry values that can't be run into the ground by the over-bearing 'First Tee' commercials that preach honesty and integrity as though those words will mean anything to the listener when they're being run 1000x a day and clearly done as much to bleach whatever moral image the Golf Channel might present as they are to promote a charity organization.

What irritates me is that more and more channels on TV seem to be going the way of such pure garbage. I'm forced to upgrade to get back what I used to get. The world seems to be headed in the direction of Tom Petty's 'Last DJ' lyric: 'they want to see how much you'll pay for what you used to get for free.' Television--the idiot box that it is--is starting to really be almost too expensive for what I get at my house. History Channel, Nat Geo, Discovery...so much has gone downhill and the golf channel is following suit.

All the more reason to do something else with my time so that's the upside I suppose.

Btw, long drives stuff does air on ESPN2 and some of the other ESPN Networks. I find it kind of boring and it doesn't last all that long.

/rant.

Edited by MelloYello, 17 May 2012 - 09:51 PM.

[eric_b]

I'm definately with the OP here.....i'd love to see more actual golf on golf channel...

I've been encourage lately with GC airing pro-ams (lpga sybase recently and pga arnold palmer invitational a few months ago)....and shows like down the stretch, which may be a bit stylized for some, but at least it's about pro golf.....long drive competitions would be cool to add.....maybe they'd suck....but at least it's golf.  

Don't get me wrong....i don't mind a bit of the talking shows.....but i find it can be a bit much when the so called "media" starts using the first person more than half the time.....they're supposed to convey information....not talk about themselves.

[Lefty94]

THe best thing I ever saw on GC was about 10-12 years ago. Every Tuesday night over the summer they ran a series that was Bobby Jones giving instructional tips. I can't remember the name, but it was awsome. Black and white from like the 30's or whenever and it was Bobby giving lessons, talking about different shots, how and why he hits different shots, talking about the mashie, niblick, spoon. It was great. Have not seen this since, and would love for them to replay it!!!!

[Smitty78]

Need more of the guy on the left. I love those short instructional films he did after his playing days were done.

Da**...lefty beat me to it.  I think they were called....wait for it...wait for it..Bobby Jones: How I play golf.

The Tiger haters now have something else to hang on him as his book is titled exactly the same.

Edited by Smitty78, 18 May 2012 - 10:37 AM.

[dalehead]

+1 on the Bobby Jones series.

Also Shell's WWOG was great.

How about some of the other old golf shows. TGC had the old Big 3 series with Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player a few years ago. How about some of the old golf shows from the 60's and 70's like CBS Golf Classic. Are those tapes still around?

I agree it makes you realize how much the game has changed when the commentators talk about a big drive being 250 yards and the club of choice from 150 being a 5 iron.

Some of these old shows may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me they would be miles ahead of the Grey Goose, Top 10, etc., etc.

Also the replay of past majors like the 1999 US Open have been good. Lets have more of those, and lets even go farther back a few years.

[bosoxfan]

Any that means that they don't show the Big Break episodes 407 times would be great.  I would love to see a new Shell World of Golf, I enjoy the old ones but new ones, even if they didn't feature the biggest names would be awesome.

For a while they showed a lot more old highlight shows of the tournament coming up that week and I always liked that, now it is just occassional.

I agree the instructional shows are way overdone and of little interest, SHOW MORE GOLF!

KH

[bmorejared]

I actually used to like the infomercials.

They could start an interview series where they go to a pro's house and show you a more personal side of these guys, but most touring pros aren't very exciting, so that may not work. I know Feherty occasionally interviews tour pros, but his main focus is celebrities. I actually liked the homeless golfer show. A show that gave us some real in depth looks at courses across the country that wasn't just an advertisement for GolfNow would be great. They used to have an equipment show called "What's in the Bag" that was pretty good.    

[Lefty94]

Also replay of those duel in the desert night golf things from the early 2000's. Tiger/Annika and Duval/Webb. I might be alone, but I thought that those were cool too.

[bosoxfan]

Just about anything Match Play holds my attention, Ryder Cups, US Ams, etc.  All good entertaining drama even when you know who wins!
K

[HackerVance]

I would also like more replays of the Shell wide world of golf.  I enjoyed the 1999 U.S. Open the other day.  The more golf the better.  The instructional shows are OK.  I don't watch them too much because I already have too much to think about when I swing.

[BarronDDS]

Just please dont show the Shells episode with Nicklaus and Johnny Miller!   Miller putted so bad, it was very painful to watch!  I actually felt really bad for him!

[tembolo1284]

show shells, more bob jones, and old majors...especially the ones hogan, nicklaus, watson, and tiger won.  All good stuff.

[MelloYello]

I totally agree with the 'media covering the media' thing someone mentioned and that it's all talk and relatively little actual golf aside from replays of that days PGA Tour event.

Not sure if it was a Shell's WWoG thing because I'm not sure if that was recent enough but there's a match between Mickelson and Sergio (then with a Titleist DCI logo on his cap!) I remember seeing on TGC. That match was great. Phil making par from the desert mostly.

Also, what is that series of videos on YouTube that have Tiger Woods and Butch Harmon discussing Tiger's swing changes that led to his 'best years.' It is hosted by a guy who's now on the Golf Channel. Can you imagine how immensely popular that'd be if it was Sean Foley and Tiger Woods today talking about what changes they've made and why?!?!

I'd love to see more of Tiger's major wins. There are 14 of them yet the only ones that get shown are the 'famous' ones like the 2008 US Open. I don't even recall seeing actual re-airs of the 1997 or 2005 victories as popular as they are. I'd love to watch more of Tiger's PGA and Open Championship wins that never get shown. If they want to talk about him so much why don't them play some of the 72 PGA Tournaments he's won?

There is a seemingly endless list of classic players and classic venues which could be shown regularly just to entertain as opposed to re-airing all the commentary nonsense.

[dlygrisse]

tembolo1284, on 18 May 2012 - 01:39 PM, said:

show shells, more bob jones, and old majors...especially the ones hogan, nicklaus, watson, and tiger won.  All good stuff.

[eric_b]

Is everyone really THAT keen on watching 10, 20, 30 or more year old shows?  I mean, sure, I like shell's wonderful world of golf too.....and the replays of classic wins are great.....but wouldn't some programming about the modern game and all the great stuff that's going on now be great?

[Jag80]

Don't know how practical this would be but how about a little 9 hole duel the Monday before a tournament at that week's tourney site.  Guys would already be there.  Practice day so it wouldn't have to be that serious.  I think it would be cool seeing Pros clowning around for 9 holes.

[ParOrBetter]

I use to love the wwog watched them all the time.

[Hifade]

While I agree with what most of you are saying and it would be great, you have to understand the way production and profitability works in television. The Golf Channel does not own the rights to broadcast most of that stuff. Remember, first and foremost, it's a business that has to be profitable, or it goes away. They do not, and have not produced, that programming themselves (Shells Wonderful World of Golf, Bobby Jones instructional, etc.). What does that mean? In order to air it, they have to buy the rights to it. If the producers who own the rights are selling that content at a premium and GC can't fill the allocated Ad time within the show to meet the cost of purchasing the show and the profits margins dictated by management, they simply won't do it. If that's the case, guess what? It's not happening. That's the reason we see so many reruns of their original production content (Golf Fix, School of Golf, Golf Academy, Big Break, etc.); they own it. The reason the infomercials were so profitable for them (and they ran so many) is because the independent small companies trying to launch and sell new products paid for their own infomercial productions and then paid a premium for airing it on GC. What's the costs to GC.....next to nothing. They don't want to own that content, yet they can air it (commercial free), even though it's actually a 30 minute commercial itself, and then profit from the placement of it by charging a ramping premium for it.

Trust me, I know. I produced infomercials (mine and others at a cost of up to $500,000 per production) and then paid a premium of up to $30,000 for EVERY half hour showing, depending on the airing time slots of when it was aired. As GC's time became in more demand with competing direct response product owners, the prices got driven up. Supply and demand and profitability is the name of that game.

Edited by Hifade, 19 May 2012 - 06:27 AM.

[flip flappy]

I am not into the instructional shows. Don't care for the instruction in magazines either. I like human interest stuff. It would be cool if they could have a show where they traveled around to golf courses and could talk and play with a local legend/character of the game.

[DigDugDig]

MORE CLASSIC GOLF

Watching the 1999 U.S. Open the other night was awesome, for example.

[bmorejared]

Here's something I don't understand: with a tournament like the Player's or the US Open that NBC has full rights to, you have guys out there playing in the morning, but I have to watch some faux radio show on the Golf Channel with some pretty girl giving me scoring updates. Why can't the Golf Channel just start their coverage? On Thursday and Friday by the time they start their coverage many of the big names are in the clubhouse having a beer.

[MizunoJunky]

Is it just me or do they no longervshow Nationwide Tour events? I liked watching those too.

[Hacker#5252]

I'd like a show with kids and families gathered around a picnic, with family games, such as the pinata ("pin-yata"...), but, instead of a donkey the kids would hit, it would be Tiger Woods' face. They could have special guests such as Miz Nordegren, Stevie Williams, most people here, etc.

That way, perhaps threads that have nothing to do with Tiger, would remain Tigerless.

[jmccaff]

JWells, on 17 May 2012 - 08:33 PM, said:

Played a nice little 9 hole par three course after work with a buddy today and we were talking about how they never play Long Drive completions on the golf channel, really I don't see them on TV at all. I have seen one in my life and it would be cool to watch every once in awhile.  I feel like more and more the Golf Channel is being crammed with filler TV, morning drive, etc.  it needs more Golf

15 years ago or so there was a show on the golf channel, I don't remember it's name, but it followed three nationwide tour players around trying to earn their PGA Tour card.  If I remember correctly they gave video cameras to that the players and used them as a daily update on progress and a great behind the scenes look at the life of a tour player.   They followed Chris DiMarco, Michael Clark III and Daren Stilles.   I liked the show so much I still remember who they followed!!   Anyway I enjoy the behind the scenes look at tour players and wish there was more programming in that regard

Edited by jmccaff, 19 May 2012 - 06:09 PM.

[Sean2]

ParOrBetter, on 19 May 2012 - 05:23 AM, said:

I use to love the wwog watched them all the time.

+1. Great programming. The instructional shows really don't help all that much.

[CP_Circa62]

Re-air:
-Academy Live with PK

New shows:
-new season of the Haney school of golf
-a where r they now of past big breakers

[Cwing]

BrianMcG, on 17 May 2012 - 08:53 PM, said:

I used to like watching the really old Shells and other golf tournaments. The ones they had from the 50s and 60s. They showed them a lot when the GC was new.

"Sam Snead really got all of that one on this monstrously long par 4 of over 420 yds. He's only going to have 175 yards left, he'll probably be hitting his 4 wood. ". Lol.

Sorry. I am 46 and can't get past the poor picture by today's standard. I can't believe this would be popular with more than a small segment of the golf ch viewing audience.