Conference 7.286::golf

Those who are not golfers can NOT appreciate golf on TV...no matter HOW exciting
they may be able to make it for those who play the game.  It seems that some
sports are interesting to viewers whether or not they play, or have tried to
play the sport, or not.  Basketball, football, hockey, and other team sports
and then horse racing and auto races.  Maybe folks have at least tried these
activities and/or can envision themselves participating.

Golf and tennis just don't fit into this category.

I used to HATE to watch golf on TV.  My father and brother-in-law played the
sport and could watch it, but I didn't (except for once or twice a year for
kicks) and I could not, for the life of me, figure out how ANYONE could find
WATCHING golf on TV interesting.

Then, a couple of years ago, I got interested in playing the sport.

Now, I LOVE to watch golf...on TV or live.  I understand what is REALLY going
on and don't need the pure, physical "action" of other sports shows to hold my
attention.  The same thing happened to my wife.

Now, when I'm in the company of others who don't play the game, and there's a
golf match being televized, I have to force myself to remember that they 
probably CAN NOT find such a program entertaining AT ALL.  It's hard, but I
KNOW, from personal experience, that there is nothing that I can do or say that
will help them to appreciate what is being shown...you have to experience it
for yourself.

Just my seventy-five cents worth (of verbage...not wisdom).




    

    After we've finished a match ourselves on the weekend, coming home to
    tune in "the boys" is the frosting on the cake.  Seeing them miss the
    same putts we've missed (although not with the frequency), or make a
    shot that is poetry in motion is wonderful entertainment in our
    estimation.  Listening to Gary McCord and his wonderful commentary
    ("flaps-up, flaps-up" or "oops, the dreaded hormels...), and conversely
    laughing at the ever so stuffy Ben Wright who doesn't intend to be
    funny makes for pretty good TV.  You mean to say there are actually
    people who don't enjoy this?!!!!!!  Amazing!
    

    
    I think it ha to do with the objective of golf versus say car racing
    and the appreciation of what it take to be a winner. In car racing
    although most don't understand the mechanics of the sport they can
    appreciate how hard it is to win. Who wins is also a simple matter
    that anyone can follow.
    With golf you appreciate it because you can appreciate what it takes
    to play a certain shot and what it takes to win. The non golfer
    and understand that the guy with the lowest score wins but can't
    appreciate what it takes to win.
    
    I think that is the reason TV golf is for golfers only.
    
    
    Tom

	I like watching golf on TV, but the camera doesn't do the course
	justice.  The greens look flat & the putts straight in.  Other than
	that watching golf is the next best thing to playing it.  (Especially
	if the coverage is for a major.)  I especially like watching them
	play early in the season when the snow is still on the ground.

	In June & July it better be a major or a rainy day.

	Larry

    I really get a kick out of the slope distortion also. It's great
    to watch some player barely tap a putt and then it rolls 40 - 50
    feet across the green and breaks 10 feet on a seemingly flat putt.
        
                          Mad Hacker

    Hacker:
    
    For years I watched the Masters on TV and couldn't believe how the
    pro's would miss 2-3 footers on 18 to lose. (H. Green, Ed Sneed, and
    others) I eventually got to Augusta and couldn't believe my eyes when I
    approached the 18th green and saw the amount of break possible on 2-3
    footers. TV did no justice for the degree of difficulty the greens at
    Augusta had. I can now watch the Masters and share some of the
    experience.
    
    NBC was experimenting with a computerized graphics picture of the greens
    but I have not seen it since the beginning of the year. It looked like
    it would shed some light on the "flattening" TV projects.
    
    Ken_who_is_getting_goosebumps_thinking_of_the_Open_TV_coverage_all_4_days.

    I also agree with the deception of the camera shots and hope that
    someday the will be able to show the true difficulty of the greens
    so that others can appreciate it.  But getting back to the "FUN"
    of watching golf on TV. I think that the golfers themselves are
    starting to show more of the emotion of the game. I remember when
    tennis had that same type of reputation. Now look at McEnroe,
    Agassi,and all the others. 
    
    In golf, we now have guys who jump in the lake!, or throw their
    fists in the air. What about in New Orleans, when Greg Norman made
    that incredible shot on 18, only to watch David Frost's INCREDIBLE
    chip out of the bunker...Even my wife and daughter who hate watching
    golf got a thrill out of that one. And what can you say about yesterday
    when Hale Irwin made that great putt on 18 to post an 8 under at
    the Open. How many "Hi-Fives" was it that he gave to the crowd!!!!!!!
    I think we'll see in a few years, even MORE exciting golf on TV.
    
    For what its worth,
    Tony