Televised golf needs to step up. here are some ideas

Golf kicks off the holiday season with a gift-giving craze—what’s under the tree? Ah, yes: sweet, sweet TV competition. Latest product, skin game returns, airs to viewers on Amazon Prime on Black Friday.

Skins Game follows in the footsteps of its predecessors with some great moments, including competition and last year’s showdown. But like many things in golf, the event has drawn criticism from fans who believe the format is outdated and the competition uninspiring.

The book ends on Skin Game Around 1 p.m. Eastern Time, But the genre of television programming is here to stay. So what will golf net How can teams add to the fun? We dive below.

James Colgan, News and Features Editor (@jamescolgan26): Well, Sean, we’ve finally done it: we’re fixing television by restoring the written word.

Sean Zak, Senior Writer (@sean_zak): Hahaha, yes…

James: To be honest, I’m here because I want a chance to talk about the skin game. I think radio is…reliable! It’s certainly better than nothing for Black Friday morning. But I don’t think it’s offensive to say that the experience didn’t blow my mind. Before we set the chainsaw to anything, let’s practice a little holiday cheer: What do you like? What about the Amazon Golf debut?

Sean: I love that we’re ditching AirPods. All four contestants pulled up their microphones, but no one knew what was being said in the broadcast room. they just Play, Xander chose to be the relaxed and cool foil to Tommy Fleetwood, egg on Shane Lowry against Keegan Bradley, and occasionally grab the microphone from Colt Knost. While it’s nice for broadcasters to have some back-and-forth with players occasionally, I think it simplifies things a lot by having players just be players… as long as you have Xander personally pulling the strings.

James: I will say this: I love the broadcast team. Andrew Catalon is ridiculously underrated as a golf commentator, and Colt Knost got the money left over from Thanksgiving after serving as a course analyst for the telecast (and hoofing all 18 holes!).

Sean: To me, that’s the style of a lot of television golf productions. Some good actors! Some semi-relevant golf. A lot of internal hype about what different This time. But do the math. We’ve seen a lot of iterations in recent memory.

James: Yeah, I think it’s important to remember that made-for-TV golf has really reinvented golf on television lately. Many people forget that drone trackers, microphone players and stadium interviews are daydream This was already the case in golf seven years ago when The Match emerged. Now, thanks in large part to TV golf, they are part of our daily experience.

Sean: While this reminder is true and accurate…I do think the form doesn’t exactly jump forward, but rather lurches forward. I guess that’s why we’re chatting now.

James: Yes! So I have given each of us the task of three innovations that you will enact to launch us forward In Golf TV. I’ll get you started.

Sean: Anyway, I wouldn’t call it innovation, just get and keep on brand Understanding the nature of the event, or at least the desired event, is critical to attracting meaningful attention. I mean, don’t let Peter Jacobson tell me that Keegan Bradley treats the putter in this game the same way he treats the putter in the Masters; There isn’t a golf fan on the planet who wants to go down this path of faith, so make sure the message stays on the message. Knost’s interview was friendly and relaxed, which suited the players’ mood. But there are sometimes competing views that these professionals Will use any means necessary to defeat the opponent. I mean, Tommy Fleetwood rushed into town from Dubai and then ran home with not enough time for a practice round. This is not a gnashing of teeth!

So, in short, make it about one thing, and keep it about that one thing. That might have been enough to bring some focus to the five hours we spent together.

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James: I always look at golf TV in three categories: die-hard fans, moderate fans, and casual fans. I think televised golf has caught on with casual fans. On televised golf shows, casual golf fans are a carbon copy of the average American: they want fun jokes and cool visuals, and players competing for tons of money. This is how you get skin games.

I’m not so sure television-produced golf can appeal to die-hard golf fans, or even middle-class golf fans. How do adjustments make you smarter? How do you learn about playing games from professionals? How does it give you a deeper insight into the life of a professional golfer?

In some ways, this should be the easiest place to experiment with TV golf: There’s a lot of time between the tee and the green on each hole, and only a handful of players. Why not hire a swing coach? Or bring back some version of Ken Brown’s “Brownie Points” segment? Or get swing tips from players watching from home? These are just three of the top ideas, but I think any idea that caters to the die-hards will catch on. Sean, what’s your second solution?

Sean: I was going to suggest something similar! The wandering nature of Noster feels ever-present, which is nice, but I also feel like I want to study More. When Keegan Bradley talks about trying to hit a long iron hook and Xander Schauffele berates him for trying to hit a long iron hook, it would be awesome to see the broadcast force Keegan to hit a long iron hook. explain Provide your audience with as much detail as possible. I’ve had Xander and Tommy give me coaching advice before – this is their expertise! Considering the amount they received, forcing them to share it at the moment they were evaluating the opportunity felt very fair.

James: My second shift was simple: why did this video have to be live? I know we are prisoners of the moment and there are some inherent advantages to live competition, but why not follow in the footsteps of the Internet Invitational and hire editors who can craft compelling stories? I heard Knost’s voice when he pointed out on the

Sean: This would solve one of the problems plaguing the broadcast: Producers frequently have to abandon audio for five seconds as they bring in Grade-A cursers like Sean Lowry. I think my final innovation is also a nod to YouTube Golf: having a two-man team come together and take on the world – that is, having Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas say “we’re going to win or go home” against other famous duos, no matter how many games you want to play. JT and Spieth vs. Sam Burns and Scotty Scheffler. The winner will face Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa. The winner will face Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, or – gasp! —Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton. These events are usually organized based on the interests of sponsors, the wishes of one or two television executives, and involve nearby professionals who are vaguely interested and have the time. If both players show real passion for trying to keep (and retain) the championship belts, I can start to envision a longer runway. (Footnote: This all stems from the endless entertainment JT and Spieth had against Tiger Woods and McIlroy a few years ago.)

James: My third solution is also simple: better venues. Truly great golf courses elevate the U.S. Open every year, but there are dozens of truly great golf courses that don’t have the infrastructure to host a major event (and dozens more that have truly crazy visuals that add to the fun, too). make Those ones As with the pros, lessons are at the heart of the experience. Star power isn’t just found on OWGR!

Zack: I’m with you. Panther National is a joyous occasion, but it’s not as relevant yet because it’s not known. I can’t play it. Neither can you. But it’s a completely different can of worms that complicates things. The private, open nature of Panther National is exactly what helps it host this venture. I’m not sure which South Course venue would be the perfect venue for a future Black Friday game, but it would need to have enough space to make this fantastic piece possible.