Hannigan On NBC

Frank Hannigan's latest Golfobserver column looks at the work of Tommy Roy and NBC. A few highlights...

It's a primary reason why, for me, NBC is the toughest listen in golf. I'm not sure producer Tommy Roy knows better. He allows Miller to get away with murder, with an open mike at all times, allowed to say whatever he feels like saying, at any time.

Roy is a very good producer in the sense that his images of golf are terrific and it is, after all, television. Producers matter in golf more than in other sports because they have so many choices. You don't just follow the bouncing ball.

Roy told the writer John Feinstein that if he hadn't gone into TV sports production he would likely have become a tour player. Except that he had never won anything.

Indeed. And if I hadn't drifted into the management of golf I would likely have become Marcel Proust.

And...

TV producers have to suck up to people, but putting PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem on camera at the top of shows, as if it's The Masters and we should be thankful we are allowed to watch, is over the top. I can only imagine what NBC will have to do for the USGA when the US Open rolls around, especially since the USGA has a new president, one Driver, who excels in self-celebration.