New Netflix docu-series on PGA Tour

[Dutch1008]

1 hour ago, TLUBulldogGolf said:

I like the show but my main complaint is the flow/timeline they present. I understand they want episodes focused on certain players so it's tough but you don't get any sort of sense as to how the season flows, who is on the rise, etc. It just feels a little disjointed when you know the order these events happened in. 

Agree with this. DTS does a really good job of telling a season long arc alongside individual episode arcs. I think it's a bit easier for them as they are only covering 10 teams and 20 drivers. FS is locking up certain players and there is no guaranty that those players will really matter in the story of the season. For example, they had Rickie signed up but really didn't cover him. He provided some random comments but there was nothing about his struggles. 

 

If I were the producer, I'd structure the show as follows...

Ep 1 - Season preview, character intro, how the PGAT works (Cuts, the importance of majors, designated events, Fed Ex Cup)

Ep 2 - The Masters, Ep 4 - The PGA, Ep 6 - US Open, Ep 8 - The Open, Ep 10 - Tour Championship

Ep 3/5/7/9 - Human interest stuff / player profiles / lifestyle porn / general themes (being a rookie, trying to keep your card, staying on top, work/life balance, etc)  

 

I think there was a ton of good stuff in every episode but there wasn't a larger framework to hang those stories on. 

[Trap Junior]

I'm surprised to read so many positive comments.  Its the worst thing I've ever watched on Netflix, up there with Alien Abductions.

 

If this series is supposed to make people think golf is cool and exciting you will soon find it has the opposite effect.  It made the game look ridiculously dull and boring even to golf fans like me.  Each episode became blander than the last.  Got so bored I couldnt even finish 2 episodes. 

 

The Koepka episode was bar the best of a bad lot.  A least there was some swearing and insight into him. 

 

Justin Thomas and Spieth was a total bore.  They are not exactly full of charisma and are dull personalities.

 

McIlroy doesn;t feature much at all nor does Tiger Woods, who are about the only names non golf fans will know who they are.

 

Matt Fitzpatrick won't be winning personality of the year anytime soon either.  He's not exactly a fascinating character.

 

Overall a really dull series that made golf look boring played by spoilt little brats flying around in private jets for playing a posh sport.

 

 

[geauxt]

6 minutes ago, Trap Junior said:

I'm surprised to read so many positive comments.  Its the worst thing I've ever watched on Netflix, up there with Alien Abductions.

 

If this series is supposed to make people think golf is cool and exciting you will soon find it has the opposite effect.  It made the game look ridiculously dull and boring even to golf fans like me.  Each episode became blander than the last.  Got so bored I couldnt even finish 2 episodes. 

 

The Koepka episode was bar the best of a bad lot.  A least there was some swearing and insight into him. 

 

Justin Thomas and Spieth was a total bore.  They are not exactly full of charisma and are dull personalities.

 

McIlroy doesn;t feature much at all nor does Tiger Woods, who are about the only names non golf fans will know who they are.

 

Matt Fitzpatrick won't be winning personality of the year anytime soon either.  He's not exactly a fascinating character.

 

Overall a really dull series that made golf look boring played by spoilt little brats flying around in private jets for playing a posh sport.

 

 

You came up with all of that without finishing even 2 episodes? 
 

It’s interesting how different opinions can be.

[jonsnow]

14 minutes ago, Trap Junior said:

I'm surprised to read so many positive comments.  Its the worst thing I've ever watched on Netflix, up there with Alien Abductions.

 

If this series is supposed to make people think golf is cool and exciting you will soon find it has the opposite effect.  It made the game look ridiculously dull and boring even to golf fans like me.  Each episode became blander than the last.  Got so bored I couldnt even finish 2 episodes. 

 

The Koepka episode was bar the best of a bad lot.  A least there was some swearing and insight into him. 

 

Justin Thomas and Spieth was a total bore.  They are not exactly full of charisma and are dull personalities.

 

McIlroy doesn;t feature much at all nor does Tiger Woods, who are about the only names non golf fans will know who they are.

 

Matt Fitzpatrick won't be winning personality of the year anytime soon either.  He's not exactly a fascinating character.

 

Overall a really dull series that made golf look boring played by spoilt little brats flying around in private jets for playing a posh sport.

 

 

You didn't like Alien Abductions? 😲

[GolfinDave]

I watched the whole series but didn't find it very compelling. I didn't really like the focus on individuals for every episode and found the timeline choppy. The show made it seem like all these guys did was play, workout, hop on the PJ and go to the next spot. It would have been nice to have some hard knocks style themes, or golfers coming back from injury, going through swing changes, etc. Hopefully a bit better for season 2.  

[Interpol]

26 minutes ago, geauxt said:

You came up with all of that without finishing even 2 episodes? 
 

It’s interesting how different opinions can be.

 

LOL.  Like the movie reviewer who's able to write a full review of a movie despite falling asleep in the first 15 minutes of it.

[jonsnow]

12 minutes ago, GolfinDave said:

I watched the whole series but didn't find it very compelling. I didn't really like the focus on individuals for every episode and found the timeline choppy. The show made it seem like all these guys did was play, workout, hop on the PJ and go to the next spot. It would have been nice to have some hard knocks style themes, or golfers coming back from injury, going through swing changes, etc. Hopefully a bit better for season 2.  

Check out "The Grind" on Youtube. I watched the first 2 episodes last night, think there are 8 total. Episodes appear to be 20-30 minutes long, guys & gals you've probably never heard of chasing their dreams. I think it's produced by The Firepit Collective, Allen Shipnuck & Matt Ginella are involved. 

[MajorOh4]

It had some good stuff going for it. And in my groups of talking about the show, the reactions are all across the board and seem to fit the flow of what people are saying here. 

My biggest take-aways : The producers really thought the idea of a cut was hard to grasp for unfamiliar views, i think it was mentioned and explained in every episode haha

Became a bigger fan of Fitzpatrick, and Koepka is/was in a dark place and then the 'buyers remorse' rumors started flying... 

[Ex Blade User]

1 hour ago, Trap Junior said:

I'm surprised to read so many positive comments.  Its the worst thing I've ever watched on Netflix, up there with Alien Abductions.

 

If this series is supposed to make people think golf is cool and exciting you will soon find it has the opposite effect.  It made the game look ridiculously dull and boring even to golf fans like me.  Each episode became blander than the last.  Got so bored I couldnt even finish 2 episodes. 

 

The Koepka episode was bar the best of a bad lot.  A least there was some swearing and insight into him. 

 

Justin Thomas and Spieth was a total bore.  They are not exactly full of charisma and are dull personalities.

 

McIlroy doesn;t feature much at all nor does Tiger Woods, who are about the only names non golf fans will know who they are.

 

Matt Fitzpatrick won't be winning personality of the year anytime soon either.  He's not exactly a fascinating character.

 

Overall a really dull series that made golf look boring played by spoilt little brats flying around in private jets for playing a posh sport.

 

 

You couldn’t finish 2 episodes and you’re commenting how bad the whole series was? 

[Trap Junior]

4 minutes ago, Ex Blade User said:

You couldn’t finish 2 episodes and you’re commenting how bad the whole series was? 

I watched all the episodes but didnt finish 2 of them.  Is that hard to understand? 

[tgws]

Mcilroy isn't even known outside golf.

 

None of these guys are except Woods, not mickelson either

[TheMoneyShot]

I liked it and hope they do another season.  

[Ex Blade User]

1 hour ago, Trap Junior said:

I watched all the episodes but didnt finish 2 of them.  Is that hard to understand? 

Not when it’s properly explained unlike previously 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Ex Blade User

[Gareth]

I know of 3 non golfers but avid Netflix fans who look at golf totally differently now. Job done x whatever percentage you care to use as a metric here.

 

In the wider audience (who really cares about the sound of any golf shot?!) it’s going to do for golf what Drive To Survive did for F1 on the global stage. Which can only be a good thing in my book.

 

Just one episode to go but count me as a huge Joel Dhamen fan from here. And Tony Finau is just a thoroughly decent human being who deserves every single piece of fairy dust that comes his way and his talent deserves.

Edited February 21, 2023 by Gareth

[Klubster]

1 hour ago, Trap Junior said:

I watched all the episodes but didnt finish 2 of them.  Is that hard to understand? 

That clarifies it as opposed to "Got so bored I couldnt even finish 2 episodes. "

[Dutch1008]

1 hour ago, tgws said:

Mcilroy isn't even known outside golf.

 

None of these guys are except Woods, not mickelson either

What does this even mean? Michael Jordan isn't known outside of basketball. Cristiano Ronaldo isn't known outside futbol. Lewis Hamilton isn't known outside F1. Nobody became a fan of Michael Jordan because of his golf course architecture. Nobody recognizes Lewis Hamilton simply as a social justice authority. These dudes are known for their sport.   

 

What exactly are you trying to get at? Because your statement basically reads, "The Beatles aren't even known outside music". 

[tiderider]

fwiw, i've a friend who is a movie nerd, and when i say 'nerd', he is more of a nerd about movies than any of you are about golf ... he watches at least 400 movies a year, with some series thrown in ... he'll watch anything ... stuff from 20 years ago he hasn't seen (he's 25 years younger than me), indy, cheap horror, the most esoteric, boring crap (The Green Knight, anyone?), anything by nicholas cage (not really a fault), etc ... used to review em for a paper and a website, and still writes reviews for letterbox ... he decided to watch the first episode of this and has watched 5 shows already (doesn't know a thing about the golf world) and says it's very well done and quite interesting, though his wife, who sometimes is allowed to influence his choice of viewing material, is not pleased that he is taken with a golf documentary ... 

Edited February 22, 2023 by tiderider

[TiScape]

2 hours ago, tgws said:

McIIroy isn’t even know outside golf 

 

None of these guys are except Woods, not mickelson either

I disagree and offer the following clip as proof. The show he was on appears to be similar to a late night or morning show here. Rory known far and wide there outside the golf world as the “washing machine golfer kid”. Famous

 

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by TiScape

[Chrysalis99]

I just finished the last 4 after watching the first 4 yesterday and I still like it. No it’s no ground breaking but most was an enjoyable watch. Can’t really add much that hasn’t already been said but I hope they do another season and it seems like they will. Crews are still following some players and a work mate said he flew some film crew’s to Mexico the other day and they said it was for Netflix. 
 

My wife dislikes golf and watched parts of the last 4 with me today and said she liked the back stories especially  the DJ, Finau and Theegala episodes. Go figure…

[Robby_Hughey]

This site never ceases to amaze me. Anyone ever storyboarded an 8 part docu series then capture over 6,000 hours of footage, then spend months in post production piecing it together? As a filmmaker I can say with absolute certainty there has never been an in-depth perspective of professional golf as well produced as this series. 

 

Those that claim it isn't entertaining or dull - look at it through a different aperture. How many series exist where you can listen to what the defending US Open champion is saying, thinking, and feeling the night before the final round of his first PGA Tour win and major championship?

 

This isn't another true crime that rinses and repeats the same story line that occurred 40 years ago. This series is so well produced and conveys the most current events in professional golf. 10/10 top to bottom. 

[dwboston]

I've watched four of the episodes and it's slickly produced and edited.  Joel Dahmen and his wife and caddy (and Max Homa too) come off the best in the whole show - regular people just being who they are.  I thought Dahmen was a little obnoxious before this, but I get it now.  If he could develop some belief in himself, he could win regularly.

 

Koepka just doesn't seem like a happy guy.  He's got everything he thinks he should have - millions of $, HoF resume, trophy wife, comically oversized mansion on the water - but he seems miserable.  The biggest indictment of him is that he's mean/aloof to his dog! 

 

To me, the biggest shortcoming of the series is that they spend all this time with the players off the course, then show very little action on the course.  I get that golf on TV is boring to many, but they can edit it down to build a story/drama that reinforces the off-course stuff, and they just don't.  It's almost like watching the Olympics on TV - all "human interest" stories and very little actual sports.

 

And there's way too much Amanda, Sean Foley, and Dan Rapoport.  Foley particularly.

[OKMrazor]

2 hours ago, Robby_Hughey said:

This site never ceases to amaze me. Anyone ever storyboarded an 8 part docu series then capture over 6,000 hours of footage, then spend months in post production piecing it together? As a filmmaker I can say with absolute certainty there has never been an in-depth perspective of professional golf as well produced as this series. 

 

Those that claim it isn't entertaining or dull - look at it through a different aperture. How many series exist where you can listen to what the defending US Open champion is saying, thinking, and feeling the night before the final round of his first PGA Tour win and major championship?

 

This isn't another true crime that rinses and repeats the same story line that occurred 40 years ago. This series is so well produced and conveys the most current events in professional golf. 10/10 top to bottom. 

So as a filmmaker your argument is it's good because there's a lack of competition?  Sure, I guess.  If that's your measure.  I sure watched the entire thing, but it also left me wanting more (not in the good way).  Everyone I know who's watched the entire thing (eagerly) was left with a general "meh" reaction.

 

I think they have incredible footage and access, as well as a great platform, but storytellers all make choices, and they should perhaps spend some time reevaluating some of the choices they made early on.  There were surely more compelling narratives and arcs than were presented.  Hopefully season two hits a little better.  

[Stevens24]

As I said earlier, If you are on this site and follow golf seriously it will likely provide nothing new. And I would rather see more Joel Dahmen's than Rory's. Dude is a pretty normal guy not living in a 20 million dollar house with 5 assistants around him all of the time

Edited February 22, 2023 by Stevens24

[Ex Blade User]

17 hours ago, Dutch1008 said:

What does this even mean? Michael Jordan isn't known outside of basketball. Cristiano Ronaldo isn't known outside futbol. Lewis Hamilton isn't known outside F1. Nobody became a fan of Michael Jordan because of his golf course architecture. Nobody recognizes Lewis Hamilton simply as a social justice authority. These dudes are known for their sport.   

 

What exactly are you trying to get at? Because your statement basically reads, "The Beatles aren't even known outside music". 

Everyone knows who Michael Jordan is. It’s like saying Michael Jackson wasn’t known outside of music or even tiger. 

[MUNIGRIT]

It was pretty good. I thought series lost steam late. The Rory one was probably the most boring to me.

[Ex Blade User]

15 hours ago, Robby_Hughey said:

This site never ceases to amaze me. Anyone ever storyboarded an 8 part docu series then capture over 6,000 hours of footage, then spend months in post production piecing it together? As a filmmaker I can say with absolute certainty there has never been an in-depth perspective of professional golf as well produced as this series. 

 

Those that claim it isn't entertaining or dull - look at it through a different aperture. How many series exist where you can listen to what the defending US Open champion is saying, thinking, and feeling the night before the final round of his first PGA Tour win and major championship?

 

This isn't another true crime that rinses and repeats the same story line that occurred 40 years ago. This series is so well produced and conveys the most current events in professional golf. 10/10 top to bottom. 

As a professional editor yea I was wondering how much footage they had. Must be way more than 6000 hours. I mean I get 3 hours for a :30 spot !!

[dcmidnight]

31 minutes ago, MUNIGRIT said:

It was pretty good. I thought series lost steam late. The Rory one was probably the most boring to me.

 

Doesnt help that Rory said he would basically only do solo interviews on the course - told them he was banning them from his house, his car/plane, no family shots of him at all etc. 

[Dutch1008]

31 minutes ago, Ex Blade User said:

Everyone knows who Michael Jordan is. It’s like saying Michael Jackson wasn’t known outside of music or even tiger. 

But that’s the point. If it wasn’t for basketball or golf, nobody would know MJ or Tiger. Those sports introduced them to the world, they’re inseparable. They aren’t famous for being famous like the Kardashians, they’re famous for their profession. 

[monty09]

On 2/16/2023 at 10:42 PM, jordan2240 said:

Finished it, and overall I'd have to say it isn't much more interesting than a typical player-profile piece.  The last show featured far too much golf and not much new information.  I was disappointed in the lack of footage in the entire series showing on-course interactions.  There was very little.  I was really hoping we'd get some soundbites of golfers and caddies going at it.  My favorite episode was the one featuring Matt Fitzpatrick, and from what I had read in one of my golf magazines, he was basically an afterthought when they needed some footage, and he turned into a story by coincidence.  It's obvious there were a lot of guys who weren't interested in participating, and I will be surprised if there is a second season.  Unlike the F1 series, I didn't think this ended with any kind of 'cliffhanger'.

 

I think Amanda Renner is great at her job, and I always look forward to her interviews, but I'm not sure why she was featured in this, as she can't really relate all that well with what goes on in the life and mind of a PGA golfer.

 

If this series is aimed at non-golfers, I don't think there is much that will hold their interest.  If it's aimed at golfers, I think most will be disappointed with the lack of new insights.  

 

 

 

agree 100%

[HackerDad78]

I think as hardcore fans it will be hard for us to appreciate this as it was probably very little, if not nothing, new to us. 

 

That said, I was always going to watch regardless because - well - I'm a nerd! I was pleasantly surprised when my wife got into it, as well as my 12 year old son! To me that signals that Netflix is onto something.  

 

Much the same way I knew less than nothing about F1, Drive to Survive was a great appetizer into that world, and now I'm a fan.  Not a die-hard fan, but a casual fan who will gladly watch races and keep tabs on the championships. 

 

If Full Swing can do that for golf, that's a very good thing IMO. I'm looking forward to seeing them go even further with the next season!