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
Wow.
"I've never been sure about the whole drug-testing aspect of the Olympics," says David Feherty, 57, a former European Tour player from Northern Ireland whose training regimen once included weed, cocaine and a daily dose of 40 Vicodin and two and a half bottles of whiskey. "If they come up with a drug that helps you play golf better, I am going to be so pissed – I looked for that for years."
I'm not entirely sure what to make of the results given that Joe Buck and Greg Norman were runaway winners in their respective divisions for least liked while Fox didn't register on the least favorite network voting (TNT excelled despite doing only one event a year and mostly with CBS production values, so go figure). This may come as a blow to Norman, who continues to suggest folks were paid to Tweet negative comments about Fox's U.S. Open coverage.
Alex Myers sums up the results and makes some comparisons to the last survey, where it was all about Tiger Woods. This time around Nick Faldo and Jim Nantz cruised to victories, while there was little dislike for CBS and Golf Channel, but a real hatred for TNT. And Joe and Greg.
In fact, Buck and Norman were named least favorite in their respective categories, with Buck widely criticized for a perceived lack of golf knowledge and Norman getting knocked for a surplus of arrogance. It wasn't quite a Brent Musburger level of disdain—the former ABC golf announcer received 43 percent of our worst-host vote in 1996—but 39 percent named Buck their least favorite, and a quarter of those polled gave the Shark a biting review.
There was good news for Fox...they weren't included in the best/worst network balloting!
This week's Forward Press previews the unofficial Jordan Spieth week, as the 22-year-old Texan shows up Down Under all week and on Fox Thankgiving day.
That, plus news of a Australian Masters replay and my deepest apology for a huge oversight last week. Huge! I hope I can win back your trust.
As mentioned this week in the Forward Press, this was an opportunity for fresh voices. And a new energy they brought!
Jim "Bones" MacKay and John "Woody" Wood immediately delivered a different vibe than the usual former golfer-turned on-course reporter. Day two starts at 1 pm ET on Golf Channel as the two loopers hit the course for RSM third round coverage.
Bones and Woody assessed day one with Steve Sands.
There was also a fun bit set up in advance where Bones told a story from the 1993 Ryder Cup involving Davis Love.
I'm not sure what's of more concern: that President Obama tells Bill Simmons that watching the occasional chip-off from The Big Break is his treadmill guilty pleasure viewing, or that some poor aid is going to have to break the news that the show is on a hiatus of the permanent variety.
From the Simmons GQ interview hitting newstands.
Probably the guiltiest pleasure—and this is kind of lame—is Big Break. You know, on the Golf Channel? Which is kind of a silly show. [laughs] But I find it really relaxing.
So you watch it on the treadmill or something? Yeah, when I’m working out sometimes late at night. I never see all the episodes, but if they’ve got some chipping contest or something… [laughs] It’s pretty lame. I do love Game of Thrones.
In the latest installment of the Forward Press, I marvel at and preview The Squeeze, supplanting Tin Cup on the Golf Channel schedule this week.
It's noteworthy that Golf Channel is the first landing spot for a theatrical release and that Tin Cup gets a break, even though a nice sized audience watches every time it airs (or a Nielsen family just really likes Ron Shelton's work).
On a serious note, Morning Drive is tackling the totally unsexy but utterly vital topic of water and golf. As I note in the Forward Press, Matt Ginella's visit to Goat Hill on Friday is what I'm most anticipating, but there are some really solid, meaty topics on tap for Tuesday through Thursday.
The rundown of topics and guests discussing the most important issue in the game.
While our segment was shortened because the Commish took his sweet time sharing his exciting news of a venue-less new Champions Tour stop, Matt Ginella and I only briefly discussed this most vital topic on Morning Drive.
Doug Ferguson reports that Kevin Kisner holds a two-stroke lead over Dustin Johnson, a former HSBC Champions winner. But if you've watched any of the event (and the ratings say you haven't), there is a really fun story potentially looming with 20-year-old Li Haotong. 
Ferguson filed a separate story on Haotong, who gets some pretty entertaining crowd reactions to his shots.
“This tournament is so big - it’s too big,” Li said after a 6-under 66 that left him one shot out of the lead going into the final round. “I know that the final day, a lot of people are going to be making a lot of birdies. That’s why I thought my goal of this tournament would be making the top 10, because making the top 10 will already be a highlight and a milestone for my short career.
“I hope that tomorrow I can do well and finish at the position where I want to.”
Here's a little taste of a Li roar. Golf Channel coverage starts at 10 pm ET:
**Another gem from Sunday's final round?
Li sends the crowd into a frenzy once again.
This 20-year-old is full of magic. #QuickHits https://t.co/uWfSNZ3Wk6
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 8, 2015Brian Hammons, original member of the Golf Channel team since the network's inception, has not had his contract renewed after 21 years.
Hammons announced the news in a Tweet.
Golf Channel Executive Producer Molly Solomon issued this statement:
Brian Hammons has been a valued member of the Golf Channel team, anchoring telecasts through the years with class and professionalism. During this Sunday's pregame telecast of the Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup Championship, we will pay tribute to Brian. And on behalf of Golf Channel, I would like to wish Brian the best and thank him for his contributions to Golf Channel.
Scott Van Pelt, a former assistant and later Golf Channel personality now with ESPN, Tweeted:
@BrianHammons I was the worst PA in TV history and you never treated me like less than a friend. You're a pro and a good man
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) November 4, 2015Marika Washchyshyn at golf.com talks to David Feherty about his move from CBS to NBC and for the first time the funnyman mentions that there was a bit of a money issue.
Answering a question about rumors of wanting more booth time and less golf course time:
It was a combination of things. Money was always an issue, of course. I have been doing this for about 19 years, it was time to make that change. But the other aspect was that I’m going to be doing basically the same thing at NBC/Golf Channel. I’m going to be working more four-day events there than I was at CBS. Because I’m working all four days, whereas I was only working five four-day events at CBS, I’m going to work less events overall but more of the four day ones [by extension, more time in the booth]. The first few days, I’ll be in the tower like I was at CBS, but look, I’m an outside pet. Someone has got to be out there stirring things up on the course.
There was also this about his Golf Channel interview show and desired guests. It really is sad that for all the First Team All-Conference sucking up he's done to Tiger, the Big Bat hasn't been able to find time for an appearance.
There are a number who are on my bucket list, some of whom haven’t been able to come on because of scheduling, like Freddy [Couples], Ernie Els, Phil, Tiger. But really, I’d say Tiger. I want to show the side of Tiger that I know, the side the media doesn’t show. Part of the reason he hasn’t been on is that he’s not ready - he gets defensive, because we in the media have given him such a hard time.
And it just goes to show that even kissing up to Tiger doesn't earn you the chance for a one-on-one!
With music mogul Irving Azoff capping off an impressive first season of Callaway Live Tuesday at 9 pm ET, I explore the ambitious first season as well as the possibility of other manufacturers getting into the content business.
Taylor Made is rumored to be looking at doing a similar show, while Titleist, PING and Cobra are already doing quality video content for their websites. Considering how much of Golf Channel's inventory is now devoted to live tournament action and with Back9 network long gone, viewers may have their appetite for talk, equipment design insights and lifestyle entertainment fed by the people who sell them clubs.
Also this week: Golf Channel's Jordan Spieth special and woohoo, opening day for the PGA Tour.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
