Golf Channel....sigh

[Ferguson]

 

The precise moment in 2018 when Kelly Tilghman was terminated.

 

 

[RainShadow]

On 9/27/2022 at 8:14 AM, Cali_Stinger77 said:

It's like Golf Channel forgets golf exists outside the PGA Tour.

Because they've been bought and paid for by the PGA Tour and USGA.

They don't want to bite the hand that feeds.

Witness the lockstep commenting from the talking heads when it come to the upstart golf league. 

 

[Zitlow]

SkySports Golf doesn't have all the obnoxious commentary TGC has. 

[Ferguson]

 

Anyone care to guess what year and why they look concerned? 

 

 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

2 hours ago, RainShadow said:

Because they've been bought and paid for by the PGA Tour and USGA.

They don't want to bite the hand that feeds.

Witness the lockstep commenting from the talking heads when it come to the upstart golf league. 

 

Are you implying the upstart league is somehow a victim of a corporate conspiracy & agenda?  If you do, then you're wrong.  It doesn't take a deep thinker to know the truth about the upstart and recall the history of the funders actions.  On the contrary, I'd say it's a good portion of supporters of the upstart have been brainwashed by a certain person and specific network. Those are the ones with the agenda. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by BlackDiamondPar5

[Stevens24]

I can see this becoming the PGA channel as I was on the channel and the PGA logo is next to the Golf Channel logo. So I am guessing the rebrand is starting. 

[Dutch1008]

Perhaps I haven't been watching Golf Channel long enough to remember the good ole days. The still play ET, KFT, LPGA, Champions, and NCAA golf. Perhaps they need to do more of that. I also haven't noticed an abundance of political correctness, or at least no where near the levels of places like ESPN. 

 

My one concern with GC is that they seem far more focused on narrative story telling vs the actual golf. It's as though everybody at the network is more focused on winning a peabody award than discussing the actual tournament at hand. The LIV stuff has been tiresome, but I get it. It's a huge story and not going anywhere. The posts in this forum are proof enough of that. 

 

To me, the recipe to improve is pretty simple...

 

1. More actual golf

2. More golf news and less golf opinion

3. Fill out the rest of your airtime with the things that are thriving on Youtube (Instruction, course and equipment reviews)

 

#3 I find shocking. How has Golf Channel not approached Erik Alders Lang about the rights to Adventures in Golf? How have they let guys like Shiels and Finch own the instruction and equipment review space? Why haven't they partnered with someone like The Golfers Journal to produce a weekly hour long show akin to HBO's Real Sports? Nickelodeon partnered with the guys from Dude Perfect on programming, why hasn't the Golf Channel approached the Good Good guys in a similar fashion?   

[bscinstnct]

GC got like early Th-Sun coverage of all the pga tour events.

 

They got all the euro events. Ladies golf. Lots of am events. 
 

Got guys and gals yapping about all the players and events.

 

Replays of lots of classic events.

 

”Live from” at the majors. 
 

It is what it is and a great thing to have around. 

[jordan2240]

56 minutes ago, Dutch1008 said:

. Fill out the rest of your airtime with the things that are thriving on Youtube (Instruction, course and equipment reviews)

I think they have plenty of instruction, but reviews could be tricky territory.  I doubt they'd review any course poorly if they want more people to play golf, and equipment reviews would be heavily impacted by their sponsors.

[Dutch1008]

5 minutes ago, jordan2240 said:

I think they have plenty of instruction, but reviews could be tricky territory.  I doubt they'd review any course poorly if they want more people to play golf, and equipment reviews would be heavily impacted by their sponsors.

Agree completely, it would be a tricky space to navigate but I think it's doable. 

 

For courses I was thinking more travelogue style. The Adventures in Golf team tell pretty interesting stories about different places without defaulting to criticizing the layout, conditions, or prices. 

 

With equipment reviews, I was thinking more about TXG. They never trash a product but do a pretty good job of identifying the target audience for a given product.  

[jordan2240]

1 hour ago, Dutch1008 said:

Agree completely, it would be a tricky space to navigate but I think it's doable. 

 

For courses I was thinking more travelogue style. The Adventures in Golf team tell pretty interesting stories about different places without defaulting to criticizing the layout, conditions, or prices. 

 

With equipment reviews, I was thinking more about TXG. They never trash a product but do a pretty good job of identifying the target audience for a given product.  

I agree reviews would be useful if they did as you suggest.  I'd particularly like to see ball reviews/comparisons with emphasis on differences in distance and spin.  A travel show that concentrated on public courses and emphasized things like difficulty and walkability would be particularly interesting to me.

[sfiggins]

On 9/28/2022 at 9:22 AM, golfortennis said:

 

Comcast needs to cut costs cause their "innovations" haven't panned out.  Color me shocked.

 

My only question about them selling the channel to PVB is, how much of the rights fees come from GC?  Because essentially they would be paying themselves, no?  

 

 

 I imagine the separate buckets (departments) would be something the bean counters work out. Similar to the Yankees getting paid by the Yes network, which they own the majority share. 

[pccasstpro]

17 hours ago, Zitlow said:

SkySports Golf doesn't have all the obnoxious commentary TGC has. 

I was in Ireland playing, got back to the hotel room the second day, and tossed on the TV. SkySports Golf was on and it was great! I have wanted to do the streaming package in the US when I do all my renewals !

[golfer07840]

A few things after reading this thread. 

 

1. When I turn on the Golf Channel, most of the time, I see golf content. Whether it's a tournament, Live from, Golf Central, etc. 

 

2. I don't see the "woke" politics. 

 

3. Someone mentioned they needed more instruction. They do have instruction. You just have to pay for it, via Golf Pass. Also, depends what time of year it is. Usually their instruction shows ramp up around winter time and run through the spring. I.e. School ofm Golf (as horrible as that is).

 

4. Let's be honest, when golf channel was at its best and peaking with quality content, Tiger was also in his prime. Coincidence? Absolutely not.  In fact I'd argue it was The Tiger Woods Channel for a good 15 years. 

 

5. Someone mentioned a travel show. Again, they had a good one with Matt Ginella. He left and shortly after, the world turned upside down in 2020 and we know what happened with travel. 

 

6. You don't like it now, don't watch it. Pretty simple. Now, If you're longing for the days of yore and looking to moan and groan on a golf forum, might I suggest the distance debate thread. 

[ksher84]

Bring back the long drive coverage. 

No more golf movies

 

[Zitlow]

41 minutes ago, ksher84 said:

Bring back the long drive coverage. 

No more golf movies

 

 

And bring back Holly Saunders too. 

[golfortennis]

I don't know exactly what time it came on, but as the OP, I should give credit where it's due.  The event in St Andrews went to a shotgun start for 8.30am local time in order to avoid some crazy winds they were expecting.  The guide showed broadcast from 8-12 EST, but when I tuned on the TV around 6 am, they were showing the live play.

 

It's the fact they can do stuff like this, but only rarely do that is so maddening.  

 

 

[Dr. Block]

23 hours ago, Ferguson said:

 

Anyone care to guess what year and why they look concerned? 

 

 

All I can tell from that picture is that they are at Sawgrass and it was back when Frank Nobilo was sporting the George Michael whiskers.

 

Now, lets have it with the punch line Charnier. I know you've got it locked and loaded 🙂 

[Ferguson]

23 hours ago, Ferguson said:

 

Anyone care to guess what year and why they look concerned? 

 

 

 

Tiger was in the middle of what is now considered the second best year of his career, 2006.   The crew sat confused and horrified when Stephen Ames won the Players, a tournament widely considered as the 5th major (not by me).

 

Frank uttered, "this can't be accurate, we're checking the numbers." 

Kelly just looked fantastic. 

 

 

[jdl]

2 hours ago, Zitlow said:

 

And bring back Holly Saunders too. 

She no longer exists, her entire self has been replaced with plastic surgery.

[golfer07840]

2 hours ago, ksher84 said:

Bring back the long drive coverage. 

No more golf movies

 

I should have added this into my bullet points response: 

 

You guys keep asking for things that COST Money and doesn't bring an adequate enough eye balls to the TV set to justify a company to buy ad space. 

 

It's much cheaper for someone in Stamford CT, or Orlando FL, to flip a switch or push a button to rerun a movie. 

[Dr. Block]

16 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

 

Tiger was in the middle of what is now considered the second best year of his career, 2006.   The crew sat confused and horrified when Stephen Ames won the Players, a tournament widely considered as the 5th major (not by me).

 

Frank uttered, "this can't be accurate, we're checking the numbers." 

Kelly just looked fantastic. 

 

 

Did she ever indeed. She is an attractive woman. I always enjoyed her contributions to the programs she graced and I was sad to see her leave. 

[nsxguy]

37 minutes ago, jdl said:

She no longer exists, her entire self has been replaced with plastic surgery.

 

Haven't even thought of Holly since she left GC.

 

Oh my. She looks like a caricature of her GC self. 

 

What some people will do for $$$. Hope she's happy.

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by nsxguy

[sfiggins]

28 minutes ago, golfer07840 said:

I should have added this into my bullet points response: 

 

You guys keep asking for things that COST Money and doesn't bring an adequate enough eye balls to the TV set to justify a company to buy ad space. 

 

It's much cheaper for someone in Stamford CT, or Orlando FL, to flip a switch or push a button to rerun a movie. 

 I’ve seen The Greatest Game at least 10 times.

[Dpavs]

26 minutes ago, nsxguy said:

 

Haven't even thought of Holly since she left GC.

 

Oh my. She looks like a caricature of her GC self. 

 

What some people will do for $$$. Hope she's happy.

 

 

 

 

Makes you wonder doesn't it? 

 

[golfer07840]

33 minutes ago, sfiggins said:

 I’ve seen The Greatest Game at least 10 times.

I don't know what to tell ya. 

 

[Golferpaul]

On 9/27/2022 at 11:38 AM, Hacker76 said:

No wonder LPGA purses are so much smaller, I feel at times the PGA is stifling LPGA growth potential. If LPGA got broader TV coverage I'm sure their purses would increase. LPGA will only see 3 hours of coverage each day this weekend. ESPN+ showed over 9 hours of featured group coverage each day during the 2 times they broadcasted LPGA.

 

It's a simple "supply and demand" situation.  Very few people want to watch any women's sports.  Why add coverage if nobody is watching?

[Hacker76]

49 minutes ago, Golferpaul said:

It's a simple "supply and demand" situation.  Very few people want to watch any women's sports.  Why add coverage if nobody is watching?

Sure, they put the LPGA on ESPN+ for 9 hours straight all weekend because there is no demand. I stand by my opinion that the PGA is stifling LPGA coverage for its own gain. 
 

[golfer07840]

19 minutes ago, Hacker76 said:

Sure, they put the LPGA on ESPN+ for 9 hours straight all weekend because there is no demand. I stand by my opinion that the PGA is stifling LPGA coverage for its own gain. 
 

 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

2 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

Haven't even thought of Holly since she left GC.

 

Oh my. She looks like a caricature of her GC self. 

 

What some people will do for $$$. Hope she's happy.

 

 

 

Porn star comes to mind now when I see Holly. It's horrible what she did to herself.