"It was like the Skins game version of Between Two Ferns. In that way it was almost endearingly bad."

Almost!

Look, golf on TV is hard to do. The Skins Game succeeded for two decades in part because it was only nine holes per day and tape delayed. And the money meant something back then. So did the timing of Thanksgiving weekend.

The revitalized and much-hyped MGM Grand Resorts The Challenge Japan Skins was played to provide GOLFTV Powered by the PGA Tour content and to kick off the Tour’s first official Japan event was bound to be imperfect. And other than not playing a practice round or taking their warm-up very seriously, leading to some loose golf early on, the players did their part. But the actual event execution was abysmal, from the broadcast production to the brilliant idea of playing a rushed 18 holes (instead of two days of nine holes). A foursome of Trevino, Demaret, Hagen and Palmer couldn’t have come off well with these constraints.

The Golf.com gang’s take, including the Josh Sens line from the headline above:

Michael Bamberger, senior writer: It looked like a practice round on a course that would never be the site for a PGA Tour event, here in the lower 48. I should say I fell asleep before the gents reached the fourth green. It was just guys playing golf and spreading good cheer. They weren’t raising money for war bonds, but it was still a good time and at times a good cause. What’s not to like?

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer (@AlanShipnuck): I didn’t make it to the back nine. The golf was sloppy, the course uninspired, the banter forced and cheesy, the money laughably small. But other than that…

Josh Sens, contributor (@JoshSens): Well, that was one weird show. The production itself was almost local cable access quality — you could hear the players talking and then you couldn’t; the shot tracer worked and then it didn’t; the images glitched and jumped then steadied. It was like the Skins game version of Between Two Ferns. In that way it was almost endearingly bad. I kind of liked how unslick it was.

Maybe the kids today and the adults who put all of the capital into appearance fees instead of the Skins and production will have found this acceptable. But it’s hard to imagine Tiger and friends will want to be associated with a glorified Periscope broadcast, no matter how lavish the appearance fees.

As we discussed on Morning Drive, it’s hard to have fun banter or great Skins moments when you’re in a hurry: