The next "The Match"

[MK7Golf21]

39 minutes ago, TheMoneyShot said:

I thought Steph was supposed to be close to a “tour caliber” player?  His game didn’t impress me at all.  

 

the problem was Klay, Steph was trying to teach him during the round and that takes focus off the game.

 

Steph is the best player of the 4. Kelce and Mahomes won because Klay can't really play at all so it was Steph vs. two people in scramble mode. You will lose everytime. Plus Kelce was hitting some really good iron shots, hit the green from 250 with an iron out of rough. That's pretty high caliber for an AM.

Edited June 30, 2023 by MK7Golf21

[GungHoGolf]

Kelce’s “reclaimed bath mat” shorts - did he lose a pre-round bet or something? 😂

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by GungHoGolf

[bobfoster]

59 minutes ago, j3r1ch0h0l1c said:

Let's just hope the ratings for this were poor enough that Capital One realizes their mistake.

The golf is mildly fun - actually can be a little humorous to watch bad golfers. 

 

But that isn't the point. The Match started in 2018 (the original was just Tiger and Phil). Since then it has kinda bounced back and forth between pros v pros, and amateur/pro v amateur/pro. This was the first one that was just amateurs v amateurs. And once a year is now moving to twice a year.

 

BUT over those years that handful of events (not counting yesterday's) have raised tens of millions for charity that has gone to multiple causes and organizations. COVID relief one year. Florida hurricane relief another. Yesterday's charitable proceeds will, in part, go to No Kid Hungry (which is a great charity). Other than the first one (where Phil took home $9MM - and was only pay-per-view), no purses have been paid. Everything other than costs go to charity.

 

So yeah, the golf isn't always that great. A lot of the time it is basically "silly season" level (and yesterday was barely even that). But it is supposed to be lighthearted - you don't watch it with the same eyes as you watch the US Open. It isn't primarily about the golf. But further, it actually usually gets really decent numbers. In fact, the Tiger/Peyton-Phil/Tom one hit something close to 6 million viewers. (To put that in context, the average PGAT event will get 2.5 - 3, and the Masters generally hits around 10 ... the 5.8 - 6 actually was the largest golf viewership in TNT history - and at least some of the audience were people that almost never watch traditional golf.)

 

So no, I don't think Capital One (or any of the big name presenting sponsors) even remotely think this is a mistake (I don't either). It is a fun event that raises serious coin for great causes. 

 

 

[Ironman_32]

2 hours ago, bobfoster said:

The golf is mildly fun - actually can be a little humorous to watch bad golfers. 

 

But that isn't the point. The Match started in 2018 (the original was just Tiger and Phil). Since then it has kinda bounced back and forth between pros v pros, and amateur/pro v amateur/pro. This was the first one that was just amateurs v amateurs. And once a year is now moving to twice a year.

 

BUT over those years that handful of events (not counting yesterday's) have raised tens of millions for charity that has gone to multiple causes and organizations. COVID relief one year. Florida hurricane relief another. Yesterday's charitable proceeds will, in part, go to No Kid Hungry (which is a great charity). Other than the first one (where Phil took home $9MM - and was only pay-per-view), no purses have been paid. Everything other than costs go to charity.

 

So yeah, the golf isn't always that great. A lot of the time it is basically "silly season" level (and yesterday was barely even that). But it is supposed to be lighthearted - you don't watch it with the same eyes as you watch the US Open. It isn't primarily about the golf. But further, it actually usually gets really decent numbers. In fact, the Tiger/Peyton-Phil/Tom one hit something close to 6 million viewers. (To put that in context, the average PGAT event will get 2.5 - 3, and the Masters generally hits around 10 ... the 5.8 - 6 actually was the largest golf viewership in TNT history - and at least some of the audience were people that almost never watch traditional golf.)

 

So no, I don't think Capital One (or any of the big name presenting sponsors) even remotely think this is a mistake (I don't either). It is a fun event that raises serious coin for great causes. 

 

 

Its not that its a mistake, its that they need to figure out is this going to be "golf serious" or "golf fun"' they're kind of stuck between the two. I didn't watch last night but I watched the others, its a good idea to bring in Chuck but they should be leaning in further with announcers if they want. Have a comedian like Bill Burr or someone out there, have different contests (they kind of do), do a match where they pair up pros with gamblers/play gamblers rules. 

 

We have PGA tour every week,  this might be a step away from that but they might need to go a little more. 

[Duct Tape]

I watched it. A few minutes anyway. Only because some snake in the grass cancelled General Hospital and Days of Our Lives. 
 

😳🤓🏌🏼‍♀️
 

Joking. 

[TiScape]

3 hours ago, MK7Golf21 said:

 

the problem was Klay, Steph was trying to teach him during the round and that takes focus off the game.

 

Steph is the best player of the 4. Kelce and Mahomes won because Klay can't really play at all so it was Steph vs. two people in scramble mode. You will lose everytime. Plus Kelce was hitting some really good iron shots, hit the green from 250 with an iron out of rough. That's pretty high caliber for an AM.

Yes! I was definitely impressed w/Travis’ game (not so much his shorts! 😜) Klay’s a tot hack. Didn’t belong out there. Andre Iguodala would have been a far better choice golf wise, but nobody knows who he is! Haha

[JD3]

4 hours ago, MK7Golf21 said:

 

the problem was Klay, Steph was trying to teach him during the round and that takes focus off the game.

 

Steph is the best player of the 4. Kelce and Mahomes won because Klay can't really play at all so it was Steph vs. two people in scramble mode. You will lose everytime. Plus Kelce was hitting some really good iron shots, hit the green from 250 with an iron out of rough. That's pretty high caliber for an AM.

I thought they should have switched it up and have curry go first so he wouldn't follow up after repeated bad shots. Also the one thing I high handicapper can do is make some putts after seeing the line. 

[JD3]

39 minutes ago, TiScape said:

Yes! I was definitely impressed w/Travis’ game (not so much his shorts! 😜) Klay’s a tot hack. Didn’t belong out there. Andre Iguodala would have been a far better choice golf wise, but nobody knows who he is! Haha

Kelce is a competitor you can tell, no matter the situation he finds a way to focus and make clutch plays/shots. 

[TiScape]

Just now, JD3 said:

Kelce is a competitor you can tell, no matter the situation he finds a way to focus and make clutch plays/shots. 

Agreed. I’m sure he’s that kid we all knew that was just better at every sport than everyone else! 

[MK7Golf21]

25 minutes ago, JD3 said:

I thought they should have switched it up and have curry go first so he wouldn't follow up after repeated bad shots. Also the one thing I high handicapper can do is make some putts after seeing the line. 

I had seen klay take a lesson with Claude Harmon like a year or so ago I believe and he was a complete beginner just trying to make contact so I didn’t have much hope for their team 

[Justsomeguy]

19 hours ago, mosesgolf said:

Steph is pretty good.  He doesn't have a vanity cap.

 

https://golf.com/news/steph-curry-explains-difference-between-him-pro-golfers/#:~:text=Curry's four rounds on the,a bit of the difference.&text=“When I played with Jordan,a difference between the two.

Well, we know he doesn't suck under pressure, bc he drains 3s like crazy in his real line of work.

[me05501]

I think I enjoyed this version more than a couple of the other recent ones. The chatter was light and fun compared to Phil trying to over-analyze every shot into the mic. The crowd was close to the action and comparatively loose. Chuck was subdued but still funny. 

 

There were a couple of miscalculations like having Von and Draymond insert themselves too much into the broadcast, but overall I think it hit the mark as light entertainment. 

[mosesgolf]

Kelce was impressive.  Stiffs a 175yd par 3 with a 9iron.  2x SuperBowl Champ and golf seems to come easy.  Life is good.

[PedronNiall]

Have to agree with the assessment that while it may not have showcased four dialed-in players, the overall atmosphere is probably exactly what the sponsors wanted. The energy was good, everyone was loose and fun, and the crowd was into it. While it would be even better if the entire match was close and came down to the wire, the ratings will always favor the audience feeling like they're getting to know their favorite sports stars in a different way than they normally would.

 

Won't be surprising if they continue to go this route most of the time with at least half if not all of the participants coming from other sports. Could be fun seeing baseball vs hockey next.

[BobMorris]

On 6/30/2023 at 6:35 AM, TheMoneyShot said:

I thought Steph was supposed to be close to a “tour caliber” player?  His game didn’t impress me at all.  

 

He's never been remotely close to that level.

[grm24]

The lowest rated "The Match" golf event ever. Down 50% from last years edition.

 

https://awfulannouncing.com/golf/tnt-the-match-lowest-ratings-yet.html

 

TNT continues to see diminishing returns on its Match series, with Thursday’s broadcast seen by a record-low audience of 773,000 viewers across TNT (580,000), HLN (106,000), and TruTV (87,000), according to Sports Media Watch. That’s almost a 50-percent drop-off from the 1.45 million who tuned in last summer to watch Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen compete in a battle of NFL heavyweights.

[chillybilly]

I may be naive and/or forgetful but wasn't The Match or whatever it's been called over the years a chance for big names in golf to appear in a prime-time format other than a tournament and to be seen by non-golf fans? Obviously during the years of Tigermania there were attempts to get him in front of cameras under any pretext.

 

Granted, some (most?) of the events have been less than gripping ('The Bummer At Bighorn' as one of them was described). The injection of pro athletes was an interesting angle if only to witness the interaction, to demonstrate that top jocks with decent games were still light years behind the golf pros. Obviously PG-rated jocularity, banter, digs were encouraged especially as the omnipresent Charles Barkley was, er, omnipresent to begin every utterance with 'Ay....'

 

The problem: ultracompetitive and successful pros in any sport are...ultracompetitive. Tongues were quickly removed from cheeks and smirks were replaced by well-rehearsed game faces as the prospect of winning or losing loomed.

 

Removing golf pros entirely from the equation - even in a coaching role - has driven The Match into the cul-de-sac of Hit-N-Giggle...this time with more giggles than hits (as in solid golf shots).

 

The concept, marketing and execution of the jocks-only events have inherent flaw: NFL & NBA players have no shortage of media attention including social media if they so desire. This is no longer a chance to see the top stars in candid moments since...that's what we can see the rest of the week.

 

Beyond that, it's clear that the athletes (and the golfers before them) are uncomfortable doing the Eddie Haskell act for the cameras since we know and they know that away from the cameras the language is foul, the commentary crude bordering on cruel, the refreshments & vices out in the open and, often, large sums of cash that definitely aren't going to charity change hands.

 

THAT would be worth watching but for obvious reasons it never will be aired.

Edited July 2, 2023 by chillybilly

[Go_Blue!]

Need to get pros back competing.

[TheMoneyShot]

6 hours ago, BobMorris said:

 

He's never been remotely close to that level.

That’s what all these announcers build him up as being anyways. 

[me05501]

5 hours ago, Go_Blue! said:

Need to get pros back competing.

I wouldn’t mind seeing a great pro playing his own ball  going against three non-pro golfers playing best ball. 

[jdl]

9 minutes ago, me05501 said:

I wouldn’t mind seeing a great pro playing his own ball  going against three non-pro golfers playing best ball. 

Plenty of those on the youtubes already.

[jdl]

del

Edited July 2, 2023 by jdl

[PedronNiall]

20 hours ago, grm24 said:

The lowest rated "The Match" golf event ever. Down 50% from last years edition.

 

https://awfulannouncing.com/golf/tnt-the-match-lowest-ratings-yet.html

 

TNT continues to see diminishing returns on its Match series, with Thursday’s broadcast seen by a record-low audience of 773,000 viewers across TNT (580,000), HLN (106,000), and TruTV (87,000), according to Sports Media Watch. That’s almost a 50-percent drop-off from the 1.45 million who tuned in last summer to watch Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen compete in a battle of NFL heavyweights.

Wonder what their advertising mix is. Literally the only place I saw anything about it was here. Nothing run during any sports, golf or otherwise, while watching on TV, no ads on YouTube when I'm watching that on the TV and don't have adblock running, no banners on any of the golf sites I visit, nothing in my feeds.

 

Anyone here see ads running for it?

[Vespar]

Some of the worse golf on TV that I have seen...( yes there were a couple of good shots)

 

Capital One go back to pros and maybe play the game of "wolf"

 

"Wolf" is the name of a golf betting game for a group of four golfers in which one golfer on each hole—called the Wolf—chooses whether to play the hole 1-vs.-3, or to partner up and play it 2-vs.-2.

Wolf goes by a couple other names, too, including Ship, Captain & Crew, and Boss. Wolf is typically played with full handicaps.

[ae1985]

It's just not entertaining to me.

[BobMorris]

On 7/2/2023 at 5:37 AM, TheMoneyShot said:

That’s what all these announcers build him up as being anyways. 

They were/are being nice....or terribly ignorant.

[3whacker]

many on WRX are probably too young to remember the SKINS game let alone Shell's Wonderful World of Golf, those were great events until they quit being unique happenings and became a mockery of the original product....same goes for the Match, it was unique during CV19 but it has no appeal any longer...stop already

[Titleist99]

It should be obvious that this initiative was to grow the game with new NFL/NBA fans and add to their Charity donations......

 

But most golf fans are so self-center and entitled .....unbelievable! I digress...😇

 

 

[jdl]

 

[grm24]

From Golfweek.....

 

All four players will use the same tee boxes on par 3s, while varying tee boxes will be used for the remaining holes. This match will benefit the First Tee program.

 

TNT’s broadcast team will include Charles Barley, Ernie Johnson, Trevor Immelman, Kathryn Tappen, Christina Kim, Paul Bissonnette and DJ Khaled.

 

Let the announcer complaining begin. 😁

Edited January 24 by grm24