CBS coverage unwatchable

[sandy]

It's been a long time since I tried watching live golf coverage and I probably won't again until the Masters. My gosh what a lot of commercials. I thought it seemed like a lot but then I started timing. For the last 1/2 hour (4:15 to 4:45) it is 2 minutes of golf and 3 minutes of commercials many of them shilling the next CBS covered tournament. I rememered it as being bad but this takes the cake. And they don't even have Tiger to dote on so I guess it is jam all the commercials possible in. At least this way no one can comment on the lousy announcers---they aren't on long enough to irritate anyone. AWFUL AWFUL.

[AUDuffer]

The big problem is that there isn't anyone playing by that late in the round except for the final couple of groups so there's less golf to cover--big problem right there.

[Gooze]

It's been a long time since I tried watching live golf coverage and I probably won't again until the Masters. My gosh what a lot of commercials. I thought it seemed like a lot but then I started timing. For the last 1/2 hour (4:15 to 4:45) it is 2 minutes of golf and 3 minutes of commercials many of them shilling the next CBS covered tournament. I rememered it as being bad but this takes the cake. And they don't even have Tiger to dote on so I guess it is jam all the commercials possible in. At least this way no one can comment on the lousy announcers---they aren't on long enough to irritate anyone. AWFUL AWFUL.

 

 

I seriously am SO glad, that all those adds are cut out for european TV....

 

Sorry I had to say this, but hey if you are fed up with the "messages from your local station" I always have some drinks in the fridge for some fellow WRXers!

 

:drinks:

[Hifade]

It was irritating......way too many commecials. Thanks God I had the movie "Hitch" going on my other DTV tuner and could flip back and forth.

 

The commercials are a real problem and as the bidding wars for TV rights have escalated the past few years, the networks have to run loads of commercials just to pay for their right to broadcast the events. I heard an obscene number the Golf Channel is paying the PGA Tour for the rights to be the exclusive cable network starting next year. Billions........

[shortnstraight69]

its great having tivo. watch 3 hours of golf in 45 min, instead of 3 shots and 2 min of commercials. also, how about the second to last group of the day, 2 major championship winners (leonard and toms), no coverage whatsoever. i guess no one cares when jb is hitting it 354.

[corky]

Yep it's all about length these days..... and John Holmes sure is long!!! :drinks: (LOL)

[Chelanace]

So nobody here likes to listen to Lanny babble on and on? They have got to get rid of that guy!!!

[ramsey_steve]

Holy smokes, I thought it was just me.. I swear there was one sequence where we went Ad-break -> 2 golf shots -> Ad-break -> 1 Golf shot -> Ad break - 2 golf shots, one slow-mo swing thingy -> Ad-break.. And that doesn't include the constantly repeated promos for CBS' evening line-up.

 

And please, someone gag Lanny Wadkins.. gushing constantly about how innacessible the pin on 18 was. Obviously it was a tricky pin, tucked away back right there behind a trap, but come on, a lot of the shots they showed were being hit with pretty short irons if not pitching wedges.. Totally pathetic commentary.

 

If it weren't for the display JB Holmes put on I'd have tuned out straight away.

[VTHOKIES]

Thank goodness for TIVO. I start the recording, go grab a beer or two and head back to watch it 30 minutes later. Funny thing is, I skip the commercials and by the end of the 2 hours broadcast I catch up with the live feed.

[NikeProto]

The Masters with No Commercials was the Shiznit!!!! Remember that ?

[bethpageblk]

Thank goodness for TIVO. I start the recording, go grab a beer or two and head back to watch it 30 minutes later. Funny thing is, I skip the commercials and by the end of the 2 hours broadcast I catch up with the live feed.

 

Exactly!..You people need to get TIVO....greatest thing since TV itself... :drinks:

 

Also, I wish someone would tell McCord to shut up...He is just NOT funny..

Don't get me wrong I 'm sure he is a great guy..But it is torture to listen to his comentary.

[Big D McGee]

TiVO is the only way to watch television these days. Had mine for 5 years now, and it's the one possession I'd save if my house were burning down. YES, EVEN OVER MY GOLF CLUBS!!

 

It's just that good!

[WriterRay]

In my observance, what we have in McCord and Lanny Wadkins are a couple of "one-trick ponies." Different, yes, but still one-dimensional. McCord tries so hard to come up with the great one-liner, the exaggerated metaphor that has long been the playground of Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly. Problem is, McCord may have lots of these scribbled down, hoping to use them at the appropriate moment, but golf is so unpredictable that the golf shots on-air may not match McCord's "ammunition."

 

Now as for Wadkins, he simply lacks creativity, so instead tries to make up for it by emphasizing a particular word or syllable. He thus relies too heavily on voice inflection. Example: "He has GOT to get this in the fairway, Jim."

 

Well, duh, Lann-o.

 

Funny how enjoyable it is to stay up late (or rise early) and listen to the European Tour announcers . . . much more eloquent, far less grating.

 

But hey, if there were a threesome of J.B. Holmes, Tiger, and Bubba Watson going at it, I wouldn't care if Katie Curic did the play-by-play. I'd tune in to watch those bombers try to out-bomb each other!

[mikestonecypher]

Sandy I thought the same thing, it was the advertisement open.

[Hifade]

I'll be sure to tell him that for you tomorrow. He sure beats most of them.

 

 

Also, I wish someone would tell McCord to shut up...He is just NOT funny.. :drinks:

Don't get me wrong I 'm sure he is a great guy..But it is torture to listen to his comentary.

[bethpageblk]

I'll be sure to tell him that for you tomorrow. He sure beats most of them.

 

 

Also, I wish someone would tell McCord to shut up...He is just NOT funny..

Don't get me wrong I 'm sure he is a great guy..But it is torture to listen to his comentary.

 

 

Hifade,

Like I said at the end of my post I'm sure he is a great guy. Heck, I'd love to play a round of golf with him as I'm sure it would be a blast. I may have been a little harsh with my first post but just as WriterRay stated I feel he just tries to hard to be witty and funny and for me it makes it a very hard listen. Different strokes for different folks... :drinks:

[Hifade]

bethpageblk,

 

I'm with ya....they all "dig a little deep" sometimes to come up with just the right witty comment. He is a great guy and blast to play with and after you get to know him (and some of these other guys), I guess you just "listen" a little differently.

 

Cardo

 

I'll be sure to tell him that for you tomorrow. He sure beats most of them.

 

 

Also, I wish someone would tell McCord to shut up...He is just NOT funny..

Don't get me wrong I 'm sure he is a great guy..But it is torture to listen to his comentary.

 

 

Hifade,

Like I said at the end of my post I'm sure he is a great guy. Heck, I'd love to play a round of golf with him as I'm sure it would be a blast. I may have been a little harsh with my first post but just as WriterRay stated I feel he just tries to hard to be witty and funny and for me it makes it a very hard listen. Different strokes for different folks... :drinks:

[Hifade]

This is a very cool technique and idea....the problem that I see with American telecasts is that the networks spend so much for the rights to broadcast these events that in order to recoup their expenses, they have to sell the ad time, and as much as possible just to make money. Here, is all about the almightly dollar. The network that figures out how to do this while serving the viewing publc better will find the holy grail IMHO.

 

Cardo

 

 

On the BBC, there are NO ADS!! The Open Championship (aka British Open) is shown for 7 or 8 hours, with one or two short breaks for lunchtime news or to switch channels. Otherwise wall to wall golf and a few small pieces where one of the on course commentators demonstrates the slope on a tricky green or something like that.

 

Also no "This shot was brought to you by ..." either.

[leftysviewuk]

We get a lot of US golf coverage here.

 

Some of the commentators are very informative, telling me that "he wants to hit this in the fairway" when stupid me, I thought he wanted to hit it in the trees. I like McCord and Feherty, but some of the others are terrible. I think one of the problem is that they think they must keep talking. Big mistake. Sometimes less is more.

 

On UK TV, Sky (cable) has ad breaks, but fewer during Euro PGA coverage than US. When showing US golf, they take some of the US ad breaks, but fill in some others with studio commentary.

 

On the BBC, there are NO ADS!! The Open Championship (aka British Open) is shown for 7 or 8 hours, with one or two short breaks for lunchtime news or to switch channels. Otherwise wall to wall golf and a few small pieces where one of the on course commentators demonstrates the slope on a tricky green or something like that.

 

Also no "This shot was brought to you by ..." either.

 

Ah roll-on the Summer and coverage on the BBC. Until then it's Golf via the Tivo, just can't watch it live anymore....... How long is it before we hear the IMOP the best Golf commentator on TV - Peter Allis

 

Enjoy the link.......

Peter Allis article prior to heading for the masters.....

[Big D McGee]

 

 

Funny how enjoyable it is to stay up late (or rise early) and listen to the European Tour announcers . . . much more eloquent, far less grating.

 

 

Renton Laidlaw is THE MAN. Not only is his voice incredibly pleasing, his play-by-play is excellent. I could listen to him do play-by-play for a match between two local hackers at my muni course.

[easyyy]

Tha ONLY way I watch Golf on tv is through a DVR. TiVo or DVR will allow you to fastforward through the 50% comercials.

 

It is a killer. Sometimes I wonder how they keep people watching.

[curryj]

Best part of the BBC masters coverage is Ken Brown rolling balls on the greens, legendary!

[ce_me_golf]

I usually video tape the golf tournaments I watch. One, it allows my to do other things like either PLAY GOLF or GO TO THE RANGE instead of watching T.V on a nice sunny Texas Sunday afternoon. Two, I like to slo-mo certain players swings. Three, I can just fast forward through the commercials. Four, if a tournament really has a dramatic or exciting finish I can keep it and play it back.

[dtwainright]

So nobody here likes to listen to Lanny babble on and on? They have got to get rid of that guy!!!

 

Lanny gets on my last nerve!!!!

I can't stand listening to that guy!!! ;)

[The Boom Bapp]

I enjoy the Europen coverage more. Much more considerate and less arrogant!

 

This is why I cannot wait until TGC takes over full coverage of all events

 

No more moronic comments from Gary and Lanny and best of all, fewer adds.

 

I count on average about 4 to 6 strokes in between each and every commercial break. 4minutes of ads, 90 sconds of Golf!!!

 

E-NUFF-ALL-REDDY ;)

[Lundingolfer]

Here in the Uk we receive via Sky Sports American Golf broadcasts from all the TV companies and frankly all of them are crap. If it isn't commercial after commercial interupted by the odd Golf shot then its overpaid washed up pro's going on about things nobody cares about and God help us when the Golf Schmaltz channel starts Me I'm off to watch the Cricket...............................