Has the Golf Channel and PGA Tour radio become unwatchable/unlistenable? (NO POLITICS)

[CP_Circa62]

Several years ago, I happily paid $5/mo to get the Golf Channel and primarily subscribed to Sirius/XM for PGA Tour radio.

 

Having said that, the programming has gotten so bad, I hardly spend anytime on either channel.

 

I figured I would give the new Morning Drive called Golf Today a try and other than the interview with Jack, it was vapid fluff.

 

It’s so disappointing because both channels used to be really enjoyable.

 

What’s everyone else’s opinion?

Edited January 4, 2021 by CP_Circa62

[Hawkeye77]

No.

[Soloman1]

Uh, isn't almost everything on TV, radio, newspapers, the Internet and most of what I write vapid fluff?

[caniac6]

I enjoy the golf talk on XM. It should get better once golf starts back.

[8overpar]

Listening to a tournament on XM is awful. I’d rather them pipe in the tv coverage. 

[CP_Circa62]

No Laying Up podcast with Lisa Cornwell doesn’t help the golf channel’s image.

[Moonlightgrm]

No

[jdl]

Waiting to see what the "new" GC is like. Too soon to tell yet.

[golf ironman]

The new GC, while nascent, does not seem to be a turn in the right direction.  Golf Today seems a sad reminder of even the best days of Morning Drive.  It's impossible to tell who is located where, Jimmy Roberts seems the wrong guy to be a host and with Anna and Damon, it's kind of a stale imitation of what MD was.  And MD didn't finish strong in recent years.  Robert was mostly a high point, but Paige annoyed many.  This has Jaime there, Bacon and Damon seem flat, and Brandel, Trip?  Are we merging Golf Central and Morning Today.  The "programing" on the new GC seems to be relatively unimportant, and we will get lots of tournament round coverage and re-runs.  The old GC seemed a happy place.  The new sets and tone seem to have an unmistakeable corporate tone.  Probably watch some because where else are you going to go for Golf on TV.  I'll stick to Golf Sub Par and No Laying Up probs.

[ivygynonc]

XM is awful.  mainly for the 'ooohhhh, ahhhaaahhh, yeooohchehelee' on every freaking putt no matter 1 foot or a 30 footer.  

 

so painful.  just talk about it and don't over play the shot.  

 

I can't listen to it any longer

 

[Holy Moses]

Jimmy doesn't seem to be a good fit. He just doesn't have the golf knowledge expected of someone in his position. He's an interviewer and a reporter, not a studio host. I liken Jimmy to Davis Love III. We all knew Davis was a nice guy and a great golfer, but he wasn't cut out for TV. After his first tournament we knew that he wouldn't be on TV long. But you can't give up on Golf Today Thursday through Sunday just yet. I really like Shane Bacon and we haven't heard him and Damon doing their own shows. My issue with Morning Drive is that it just can't be on right before Golf Central or the pregame. It's just too much of the same thing in a row.  

 

I think the new SiriusXM lineup is going to be better than before. If you think the station is trash, it's because it's on 24 hours a day and golf talk is just not that interesting for that long. Heck, Morning Drive struggles to find good subject matter and they are on only 2 hours a day. I think McCord's new show is going to be entertaining. I miss hearing McCord. 

 

Give the new shows some time. 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Holy Moses

[freeze16172002]

It's golf so 99% of the personalities have to be boring 

[jvincent]

A couple of days in and I'd much rather have @RDD on the show over Jaime Diaz or Jimmy Roberts.

[Greg_B]

It strikes me that Jimmy Roberts has essentially taken over the Gary Williams role. I don't get NBCSN so I don't know the answer to this, but did Roberts have any role at NBC beyond his appearances on some of their golf tournament coverage? I was wondering if they are just trying to get some more work out of him, for want of a better term.

[woodriff]

If there is a new GC they’re going to need content. Covid challenges aside, wall to wall Feherty is just No. 

I woke up early after covering the Georgia run off and GC just didn’t have anything.  I don’t get it. 
Content is king. Even in the digital world we live in YouTubers are beating GC. Sad really.

 

[Holy Moses]

1 hour ago, Greg_B said:

It strikes me that Jimmy Roberts has essentially taken over the Gary Williams role. I don't get NBCSN so I don't know the answer to this, but did Roberts have any role at NBC beyond his appearances on some of their golf tournament coverage? I was wondering if they are just trying to get some more work out of him, for want of a better term.

They were already paying Jimmy with his work at NBC, so they probably gave him a bump and cut 3-4 other Morning Drive members to save money

[Holy Moses]

1 hour ago, woodriff said:

If there is a new GC they’re going to need content. Covid challenges aside, wall to wall Feherty is just No. 

I woke up early after covering the Georgia run off and GC just didn’t have anything.  I don’t get it. 
Content is king. Even in the digital world we live in YouTubers are beating GC. Sad really.

 

Really good golf content costs money. Reruns dont. I don’t know if the ratings move much between good and bad content. 

[Greg_B]

Maybe the suits at NBC will discover the Golf Channel library and run some of those vintage shows like Golf Talk Live, etc from the early days. I suspect there is nobody in management now who would know Peter Kessler if they fell over him.

[Holy Moses]

3 minutes ago, Greg_B said:

Maybe the suits at NBC will discover the Golf Channel library and run some of those vintage shows like Golf Talk Live, etc from the early days. I suspect there is nobody in management now who would know Peter Kessler if they fell over him.

No chance. You’d get more interest in a Hammer commercial. I just saw Golf Channel still running those over the weekend. 

[Greg_B]

27 minutes ago, Holy Moses said:

No chance. You’d get more interest in a Hammer commercial. I just saw Golf Channel still running those over the weekend. 

 

It's got to be better than the first round of the 2018 Sentry ToC.

[Arn]

I thought they’d done really good staying out of current political trends, but the first few broadcasts from the new set have been super disappointing. I like golf, not social/political crap.

[3whacker]

the GC had a great run when IMG/Palmer ran things....now NBC/Universal and their news/sports division are going to cover it like they do every other sport....we lose, have not listened to my Sirius XM radio yet but Im not holding out much hope...but as someone mentioned earlier, I too was/am getting tired of the Maureen McGill and other heavy accented people on the broadcasts, heck Im even tired of IBF and his enunciation of the English language...I liked Peter Aliss (god rest his soul) because it was a refreshing change..same with Cara Banks...

[Christosterone]

I miss Jim McLeans XM show...

 

he was awesome and very knowledgable...

also loved his golf academy show where he spent a half hour on what we could learn from the greats like jack, trevino, and Miller...

here’s a good one

starts at 4:43 for those interested...loved this show

 

 

[StrokesGainedBreakfastBall]

I'm sure YouTube has taken a huge bite out of Golf Channel viewing time and viewer attention.  

[gvogel]

Golf has passed me by.  The Golf Channel fawns over Bryson - If I wanted to watch a long drive contest, I would tune in for that.  Golf Channel fawns over Tiger - he hardly plays anymore and he's only relevant once or twice a year?  I get it, he was the GOAT for 10 years, but he's not anymore.

 

I'll watch Thursday and Friday coverage if Rory, DJ, or Justin Thomas is playing.  Other than that, not so much.

 

I watched 2/3 of Tommy's Honour last night, so there's that.

[gvogel]

If the Tour played a tournament with hickories, or with 1955 equipment (preferably hickories), I would be all over that.  I think that it would be highly entertaining.  Without the plus fours.

[Christosterone]

2 minutes ago, gvogel said:

If the Tour played a tournament with hickories, or with 1955 equipment (preferably hickories), I would be all over that.  I think that it would be highly entertaining.  Without the plus fours.

zurich had one with justin rose and luke donald and maybe fowler about 10 years ago...

 

love it when they do these sorts of things...

 

 

[Holy Moses]

45 minutes ago, gvogel said:

Golf has passed me by.  The Golf Channel fawns over Bryson - If I wanted to watch a long drive contest, I would tune in for that.  Golf Channel fawns over Tiger - he hardly plays anymore and he's only relevant once or twice a year?  I get it, he was the GOAT for 10 years, but he's not anymore.

 

I'll watch Thursday and Friday coverage if Rory, DJ, or Justin Thomas is playing.  Other than that, not so much.

 

I watched 2/3 of Tommy's Honour last night, so there's that.

Tiger is relevant as long as he brings ratings and sells clubs Tiger still brings ratings and sells clubs. Tiger is still relevant. 

[phizzy30]

I turn on Golf Central and it helps me fall asleep at night.  That's how boring it is.  I usually watch the tournament coverage and the Wednesday charity events when I have the time.  Everything else seems to be so bland.  Wish they would get rid of Jaime Diaz.  He's got the personality of a door knob. 

Edited January 7, 2021 by phizzy30

[m d g]

What the heck is wrong with you?

 

I could watch 'Tommy's Honour' every day : )