When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Mike McCarley's most recent email to the Golf Channel community announced the addition of 52 more employees via the acquisition of two tee sheet software companies to compliment GolfNow, the OpenTable of golf. Included in the acquisition is a company based in Europe, which one can read a lot into. Or not.
From the Golf Channel head's note to the staff after Golf's Longest Day coverage, note the ambitious last sentence...
While year two of Golf Channel's extensive "Golf's Longest Day" coverage didn't yield the same number of unforgettable on-course moments as the inaugural effort, the marathon day of coverage paid off again with a few fine moments and overall sense that this day is why we love our sport. That was best proven by the player interviews with golfers genuinely grateful to be heading to Merion made for great television. But also credit Golf Channel for giving the actors in this drama time to talk and share what qualifying for the U.S. Open means.
Technically, the daunting effort to cover 11 sites was superior to last year, with the use of attractive and easy-to-follow graphics standing out. The on-site coverage from Merion, where there was no qualifying, seemed more disruptive than informative. Perhaps in future years there can be a little more affection for the regional and state golf associations that are running the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifiers for the USGA, and a little less on the blue coats who get plenty of attention a week later.
Either way, the point of the ambitious coverage is to whet our appetite for the U.S. Open and share the many satisfying rags-to-riches stories that come out of the Sectionals, and once again Golf Channel succeeded wildy.
Rusty Miller sums up the Columbus qualifier that ended with an 11-player qualifier for 7 spots and was led by Charley Hoffman fresh off a final round 81 at the Memorial.
Jeff Rude was at Columbus and focused on final qualifier Luke Guthrie who eliminated Mike Weir, Steve Flesch and Jason Kokrak with a 5-footer. Flesch, who has been juggling playing and commentating, had son Griffin on his bag for the first time ever and the young lad Tweeted about the day.
Guthrie Tweeted his joy:
Wow! I'm so pumped for an opportunity to compete for the US Open! Pretty intense out there in the playoff! Thanks for all the messages!
— Luke Guthrie (@LukeGuth1) June 4, 2013
But the most fun qualifier was at Century CC and Old Oaks in Purchase, NY where Canadian Tour player Jesse Smith led the way over 18-year old Gavin Hall and 48-year-old Geoffrey Sisk who punched his fifth U.S. Open ticket.
Jerry Foltz wrapped up the coverage in this report.
David Dusek on the brief thrill Brandon Matthews had in easily the most exciting moment of Golf's Longest Day coverage. Though he didn't make it, Matthews is still an alternate. There is no clip online right now, but his unplayable lie and chip in was easily the best moment of the broadcast.
Dusek also writes about 18-year-old Gavin Hall, whose final of four straight birdies was caught by Golf Channel.
Barry Svrluga reports on Sam Saunders' near miss that included a four-inch putt, Fred Funk missing by two and Lee Janzen's DQ for wearing spikes at a course where spikes weren't allowed and where competitors were told they were not allowed.
Jay Coffin obtained a copy of a letter sent to contestants of the Woodmont qualifier with the second item that says: "Steel spikes are not permitted for the qualifying rounds or for practice rounds. It is a condition at all qualifying sites, unless otherwise indicated by an asterisk on the entry application …"
Kay Cockerill covered Lee Janzen’s disqualification for wearing steel spikes and interviewed Michael Cumberpatch Mid-Atlantic Golf Association.
Golfweek notes from the Woodmont qualifier.
Adam Schupak reports from Memphis where Kevin Sutherland was medalist, former NCAA champion Scott Langley made an ace and Cinderella story Brandon McCrick is in, too.
Cassie Stein's notes from the Ball Ground, Georgia qualifier where Nicklaus Award winner Michael Kim arrived after a quick trip to Columbus to collect the award for top college player made it through to Merion.
Rex Hoggard reports from Newport Beach where a struggling Bio Kim easily qualified while NCAA Individual Champion Max Homa made it through in a playoff. Cal's Homa has already taken to Twitter to request a practice round with Stanford's Tiger Woods.
@tigerwoods just won PAC 12s, NCAA championship, and qualified for the us open. Any chance I can get a practice round with u?? #hero
— max homa (@maxhoma23) June 4, 2013
Nick Masuda's notes from the Bradenton qualifier where two players return Tuesday morning for a one-spot playoff.
Andy Zunz's five things from the St. Louis qualifier where 54-year-old Jay Don Blake stole the show.
Brentley Romine's notes from the Springfield qualifier.
The USGA's main Sectional page with links to photos and scoring, with stories to come in the night.
Golf Channel's results page and their Twitter feed page from the day.
Golfweek has a photo gallery from Hawks Ridge, including a push cart shot. Cover your eyes golf snobs!
The USGA has photos from 10 of 11 sites and here they are:
Newport Beach
Bradenton
Ball Ground, Georgia
Rockville, Maryland
St. Louis
Purchase, New York
Columbus, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Dallas, Texas
Cle Elum, Washington
**Nick Masuda on "Trump protege" (the poor man works for The Donald) John Nieporte, who qualified in Bradenton. And yes, the name does look familiar because it is. He's the son of longtime Winged Foot head pro Tom.
Plenty of interesting numbers in this press release on Golf Channel's big May, 2013.
I've included the Big Break numbers since I know that's all the kids really care about:
GOLF CHANNEL POSTS MOST-WATCHED MAY EVER, 19% INCREASE IN VIEWERSHIP YEAR OVER YEAR
As 2013’s Fifth Consecutive Most-Watched Month, May Garners Nearly 17 Million Unique Viewers for Golf Channel
PGA TOUR’S THE PLAYERS Championship Posts Most-Viewed Week and Most-Watched Week Records for Event on Golf Channel
GolfChannel.com On Pace to Set Best Ever Marks for Key Metrics
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 30, 2013) – Golf Channel’s tremendous momentum continues through the month of May, which was the network’s most-watched May ever. Golf Channel has now opened 2013 with five consecutive record-setting months, an unprecedented accomplishment since Golf Channel became the cable home of the PGA TOUR in 2007.
Golf Channel drew 16.9 million unique viewers in May with a wide-spectrum of programming driving these record numbers, which have been built upon Golf Channel’s success in 2011 and 2012 as the fastest-growing television network among those serving 80 million-plus homes – a two-year span of unprecedented viewership growth since the network became part of the NBC Sports Group. For 24-hour Total Day (6AM-6AM), 133,000 average viewers per minute were tuned into Golf Channel in May, representing a 19% year-over-year increase compared to May 2012 (112,000), 58% vs. May 2011 (84,000) and 49% vs. May 2010 (89,000), according to data released today by the Nielsen Company.
Viewership highlights from May include:
TOURNAMENTS:
· Most-viewed and most-watched PLAYERS Championship week for Golf Channel in the event’s history with 11.5 million unique viewers (+23% YOY) and 212,000 average viewers per minute for 24-hour Total Day (+25% YOY), respectively.
· Golf Channel’s early round coverage of THE PLAYERS on Thursday (1.73 million viewers) and Friday (1.7 million viewers) becoming the network’s 18th and 19th rounds or programs in 2013 with more than 1 million viewers.
NEWS:
· LIVE FROM THE PLAYERS audience peaking on Sunday, May 12 with 1.4 million average viewers leading into and out of “Golf Channel on NBC” coverage (1:15-1:30 p.m. and 7:15-7:30 p.m.)
· MORNING DRIVE up 19% with 51,000 average viewers per minute vs. May of last year (43,000), including its highest hour of the year outside of Masters Week with 155,000 average viewers on Saturday, May 11, from 8-9 a.m.
ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING:
· BIG BREAK MEXICO season premiere becoming the second most-watched debut for BIG BREAK with 279,000 average viewers.
· FEHERTY episode featuring Rocco Mediate on Monday, May 13, matched this season’s premiere with Jack Nicklaus as the most-watched FEHERTY in 2013 with 193,000 average viewers.
Tony Manfred looks at ESPN's layoffs and the likelihood that overpaying rights fees may portend strength from its competitors, though as the first link notes, it's also about bringing in younger, cheapter labor.
Still, if Manfred's case is to be believed, this is of note considering that NBC's USGA contract expires in 2014 and the two networks are expected to bid on the next contract.
In the last 24 months, ESPN has agreed to huge rights deals with a bunch of leagues and events. Some of the highlights:
• $15.2 billion over 10 years for Monday Night football (73% higher annually than the previous deal).
• $7.3 billion over 12 years for the new college football playoff (480% higher annually than what it was previously paying for BCS bowls).
• $5.6 billion over 8 years for MLB (100% higher annually than the previous deal).
• $825 million over 11 years US Open tennis (400% higher annually than the previous deal).
That doesn't include smaller deals with specific college sports conferences, golf tournaments, and NASCAR.
In Ron Sirak's story on Dottie Pepper there was some indication that we might be hearing Pepper announce again soon and it turns out ESPN is her destination. Nice get for their team.
For Immediate Release:
Dottie Pepper Joins ESPN’s Golf Coverage Team
Dottie Pepper, a major championship-winning golfer as well as a respected television commentator and author, has joined ESPN’s golf coverage team and will make her on-air debut at next month’s U.S. Open.
Pepper, a 17-time winner on the LPGA Tour during her career, will serve multiple roles on ESPN’s multiplatform golf coverage including analyst, on-course reporter and anchor during live play. She also will be an analyst on ESPN’s signature news and information program SportsCenter and will write for ESPN.com.
"Joining the ESPN golf team offers me the chance to cover the greatest golf events in the world,” said Pepper. “It's a team of passionate and proven winners, dedicated to making the events they cover the best in the game."
Pepper, who retired from the LPGA in 2004, worked for the past eight years as a golf commentator for NBC Sports and The Golf Channel and also was a contributing columnist for Sports Illustrated. She announced at the end of the 2012 season that she would be joining the PGA of America Board of Directors to work on developing junior golf in the United States.
ESPN’s championship golf schedule for 2013 includes the Masters, U.S. Open and The Open Championship; the U.S. Women’s Open and Women’s British Open; and the U.S. Senior Open and Senior Open Championship.
“ESPN’s golf schedule is perfect for me,” said Pepper. “I love working in television and this schedule allows me to do that but also gives me time to continue my work with the PGA of America and junior golf. It’s an ideal situation.”
A three-time NCAA All-American golfer at Furman University, Pepper turned pro in 1987 and her 17 victories on the LPGA Tour included two of women’s golf’s major championships. She was LPGA Player of the Year in 1992, a six-time Solheim Cup team member and won more than $6.8 million during her career.
In addition to her work on television, Pepper also is co-author of the Bogey Tees Off and Bogey Ballton’s Night Before Christmas children’s books.
"We're very pleased to have the opportunity for Dottie to join our team,” said Mike McQuade, ESPN vice president, production. “Her knowledge, experience and professionalism will bring another layer of strength to our golf coverage."
Ed Sherman with the details via SBD.
I ran into David Feherty strolling his second home--the DFW airport--and asked him how the Rocco show Monday was and he reported that Mediate was in great spirits. Hardly surprising that those two could yammer up storm about the '08 US Open, Arnold Palmer, the long putter and other stuff, as evidenced by the preview clip.
The show first airs Monday, May 13 at 10 pm ET.
I'll be on this week's special Wednesday edition with John Feinstein and David Fay...for da full hour. 
Should be a lively discussion covering the many interesting issues in the game, including the continuing buzz over the Tiger drop, Vijay's non-sentence, anchoring and much more.
The show airs Wednesday at 6 pm ET/3 pm PT and replays at 1 am/10 pm PT.
Thanks to reader Ian for Brad Ziemer's story on James Lepp of Big Break fame (I wouldn't know, under doctor's order not to watch) learning from Golf Canada's Dale Jackson that the saucer shot he featured on the show (still don't know, still under doctor's order) has been ruled illegal by the USGA/R&A joint rules committee.
“The rule that would be breached is Rule 14-1 that says in part the club can’t be pushed, spooned and scraped,” Jackson said. “Pushed and spooned don’t apply here, but scraped here basically means you are intentionally dragging or pulling the club along the ground before it hits the ball, which is what he does.”
Lepp’s saucer shot is a hybrid of sorts, part hockey snap shot and part golf chip shot. Lepp, a former NCAA champion and multiple B.C. Amateur and Canadian Tour winner, came up with the shot to combat the occasional yips he was suffering when chipping off tight lies near the green.
He used it with considerable success on last fall’s Big Break series on Golf Channel and Lepp has videos of the shot posted on his website for Kikkor Golf, the shoe and apparel company he owns and operates.
Can't wait for the first cries that this, too, will be stifling massive growth of the game after Commissioner Finchem reveals that nearly 20% of golfers use the saucer to combat yips.
Steve DiMeglio reports on 22-year-old fourth alternate Derek Ernst winning a Wells Fargo Championship playoff over Englishman David Lynn in just the UNLV rookie's eighth PGA Tour start.
The round started as early as any final round Sunday in recent memory to help get the round in before storms rendered the already dreadful greens even less playable. This put CBS in the unenviable position of showing tape-delayed golf that was widely reported on if you follow Twitter or log onto PGATour.com.
And in an era with a channel devoted to golf (showing early round coverage) and live digital streaming, John Strege took issue with CBS's choice to stick with a tape delayed telecast.
The tournament, as a result, ended more than an hour before the delayed telecast began on CBS.
We reached out to a CBS representative for an explanation. "We have the rights to the final round," she wrote in an email. "Our broadcast window is from 3:00-6:00 pm ET. Due to affiliate and/or other programming commitments, we can not move the broadcast window when tee times are moved up."
What then would compel anyone to watch had they already known that an obscure tour rookie, Derek Ernst, had won in his ninth career start? They might logically conclude that they hadn't missed anything.
Fun and funny new CBS golf ad starring Feherty and Nantz…now if Nantz would just get in the studio to record Hello Friends...
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
