Michelle Wie to Join Masters Broadcast team

[Dpavs]

There are plenty of active golfers over 70 so I am not sure where the 7 years thought comes from.

In any case though, I don't think there is a limit on new entries to the 63+ demographic unless we've actually adopted the Logan's Run concepts, in which case all I can say is that I'm really much younger than I look!

 

[Hawkeye77]

Going to be hard to break it to my dad he was really dead as a golfer 12 years ago.

[3whacker]

The Masters is all about the course and the tournament itself, the less the announcers say the better off the viewing audience . Gary never understood that. MW has no previous on course experience in commentating, let her get some on the PGA Tour and see how she handles real time action and the respect of the players

[Rangeballz]

Wait, since when is being an old white guy something to be ashamed of?

[Pepe8714]

Hopefully CBS springs for some speech therapy to work on her lisp before the event

I have a feeling this will end up like the early Shaq on TNT/TBS at the beginning.

[CCTxGolf]

If CBS is going down the young female ex tour pro route they should have gone with someone hotter.

[BIG STU]

That is what a mute button is for. I have been playing and watching golf long enough and my eyes work good enough to tell what is going on without the stuffed shirts attempting to tell me

[Holy Moses]

That doesn’t always turn out well. Ask Fox and Holly Sanders. Be young, attractive, well-known, know some golf, and grow into the role. It’s working nicely for Amanda Balionis and maybe it might also for Michelle Wie.

[jonsnow]

Apparently it's always been a badge of shame. We just didn't realize our sins until social media came along to enlighten us...

[Ferguson]

Michelle will have her microphone, headset and battery backpack covered in KT tape.

[QuigleyDU]

Ha, thats funny right there.....

[Soloman1]

Laymen’s view? Please. I know the golf business pretty well. Under 30’s account for about 5% of golfers. You’d be wasting your money. And that is how business works>

 

Here are the participation numbers in golf by age:

 

<30 = 5%

30-39 = 12%

40-49 = 22%

50-59 = 24%

60-69 = 18%

70+ = 19%

Age 50 and over are 61% of all golfers, contribute 53% of all golf spending and 50% of all rounds played.

[Darth Putter]

CBS is also adding Davis Love III. Did they have to promise Dru Love a cameraman job to seal the deal?

[PowderedToastMan]

Literally no one has said that or insinuated that. Man, you are a sensitive bunch! I say it’s great to have some diversity and not just a bunch of white old announcers (let’s be honest, that’s pretty much how it’s been for a long time. Argue all you want but it’s true), and you take it to mean being older and white is something to be ashamed of? At what point did I say I want no more Johnny Miller’s or Jim Nantz’s? I didn’t.

Let me make this crystal clear- no one needs to be ashamed of who they are. I’m excited to hear some different voices from the world of golf who maybe have a different perspective and approach commentating in a different way. Dottie Pepper has been amazing at her job and honestly it’s crazy to me that her performance hasn’t led to more females replacing retiring on-course commentators.

I say this as sarcastically as possible-I’m sorry I threatened some of you guys by mentioning I think it’s great that commentating is trying out something different. I’m also sorry that I pointed out that golf has been dominated by a very specific segment of the population since it’s inception

 

[Krt22]

No need to apologize PTM, you pointed out an obvious trend and it tickled the pickle of the folks who associate with that demographic. I belong to a few men's clubs and they are literally dying a slow death because they are 95% of that demographic and are now scrambling to recruit new age-golfers just so they can formally exist, meet course minimums, etc. The same can be said about numerous private clubs nation wide. The reality is the culture and demographic of golf as a whole needs to change if the sport wants to continue to be relevant. This is absolutely a step in the right direction. Some folks would literally rather the sport die along with them and their nostalgia than see it change and grow.

[PowderedToastMan]

Thank you!

[Sean2]

Never paid that much attention to the announcers.

[aenemated]

Seriously. I'm one of the OG nerds that helped make this whole internet thing - and what they've done with technology over the last couple years has seriously blown me away. And I'll be the first to admit I'm incredibly hard to please when it comes to that sort of thing.

[Hawkeye77]

I’m not seeing Wie in some non-specific role at CBS as some signal moment in the history of golf or any reason to think folks need to line up one way or another as if this is shaking any old school foundations.

Another talking head - let’s see what she is actually tasked with doing.

BTW, Masters site is awesome and it’s shot by shot stuff last year was amazing.

[BMC]

remember when sports broadcasters got their start in the minor leagues. You know, the Tidewater Tides, Carolina Mudcats, and Durham Bulls.

Wie, an unproven talent will work the effing Masters? Maybe she'll pull a Jason Witten and go back to playing. (Or, possibly, she might be very good)

[tacklingdummy]

I like Michelle Wie, but it is an interesting choice because I never pictured her as a broadcaster. I hope she does well and kills it as a broadcaster. I think the media was way too harsh on her when she was just starting pro golf. All that negative publicity bombarding her definitely had a negative effect her career to the point where she never tapped into her real potential.

[bscinstnct]

She could go and tape Nantz mouth shut.

 

Sir Nick be like,

 

Ahhh, well done, Ms. Wie ; )

[lowheel]

How desperate are they? she is dead behind the eyes, will add nothing to the broadcast.

[lowheel]

with her multiple uses of like per interview you would think that "degree" isnt what you say it is...

[hoganben]

Think we know how she got into Stanford. Wouldn't it make sense to have the women cover the LPGA and all the men cover the PGA tour? Jonny Miller's time playing on the LPGA tour is not what made him an expert commentator on PGA tour events. Hey, why don't we get Jack Nicklaus as a LPGA commentator? He could tell us what it is like hitting a one iron while in a skort!

[mizuno player]

Valley girl is awesome, like totally. . As is Almost famous. I'm sure.

[bladehunter]

That piece of paper won’t speak for her. Ridiculous is insinuating that a degree in anything qualifies one to do anything. Doctors go to school for eons , and still have to work residency under close supervision for a long while before being qualified .

 

In open minded to her doing well as I’ve always liked her. But like others have said. She’d have to polish up a bit . I don’t think anyone wants to hear the masters called in a “ like whatever “ tone of voice.

[bladehunter]

lol. Beat me to it.

[jgonz69]

yup. Certain portions of this country show disdain for education, so I can see where people give it no weight

also doctors still make errors even with “eons” of education, so that comparison doesn’t mean anything.

[bladehunter]

Come on. I may partially agree with your premise. But you certainly Called out 1 demographic and laid all blame at their feet. Can’t roll backwards and ask “ who said that “ now

 

No harm meant here Just have to voice my displeasure at being blamed for the death of golf . Ugh I just need to shut up

come on man. You’re way better than that.