My first blog for a few weeks so apologies for not keeping in touch better – I will improve. Honest! I was prompted to put finger to keyboard after watching the PGA Golf at Bay Hill this weekend. In fact, they’re still battling it out as I post this.
A few aspects of the golf commentary on SKY have been niggling me for a while then it came to a head yesterday. So I’m interested in what you think – so please feel free to send me your comments.
Maybe it’s just me but increasingly I hear members of the SKY commentary team use phrases like “amateurs couldn’t play that shot”; or “you amateurs at home ….”; or “that swing just now was like golfers at their municipal course on a Sunday morning”. It really annoys me the seemingly condescending way that the commentators refer to amateurs as if they are lesser beings. At the end of the day, golfers play golf and we all try to be as good as we can be.
And while I’m at it, we have a situation where a brilliant talent in Bryson DeChambeau decides to change how he plays the game – all within the rules – and comes out this year and entertains us. However it seems the establishment commentators can’t cope with the different approach. I’ve heard phrases like “it’s not how golf is meant to be played” which to me is so very narrow minded and quite frankly boring. Would they have us still wear tweed suits, shirts and ties and use hickory shafted clubs!!
The best and worst example of this came yesterday at the 6th hole at Bay Hill when Bryson nailed his drive 360 yards over the water at the par 5 to within 80 yards of the green. He was whoopin’ and a hollerin’ as were the crowd – exciting to watch and an adrenaline rush. To his credit, one commentator was positive about it and was enjoying the moment however the other clearly doesn’t like it for whatever reason, and was heard to remark “but how close will he get his second”. Sour grapes or what??
This just about sums up to me why youngsters and adults alike are often put off golf before they get started. It’s as if when players are seen to celebrate or dare to make a noise they are told that they are not here to enjoy themselves, they are here to play golf!
If the game is to grow it needs to be more exciting and positioned as such, including TV coverage and commentary. The days of the viewer being told that “so and so has put on his sweater so it is getting chilly out there” needs to be over. It’s not easy when many top class professionals can’t bring themselves to even smile when something good like a birdie happens. But commentary teams, c’mon you need to try not to suck all the excitement out of it.
This is a great game we play but please let us have some fun along the way.
I’m off to hit a driver and shout yeehaar!!
Cheers
Calum