Golf Channel's Social Media Experiment needs tweaking.

Some golf fans enjoyed Golf Channel's social media "experiment" on Saturday while others claimed that the format just "did not work" but one thing is for sure; kudos go out for trying!

Golf Channel's Twitter acknowledgment that their announcer-lite format might need work, "Don't worry we have announcers today," was merely a response to angry viewer commentary on the Q and A forum. Sound issues from mic noise and the lack of narration from the broadcasters actually detracted from the Nationwide Tour's Boise Open.


Here are a few fan complaints about the Golf Channel announcer-lite Satuday:


Mark Boyd Said on 09/18/2010, at 6:18 PM EST

“This simply does NOT work!! Should have learned after the NFL tried this tears ago - didn't work for them either!!!!”

albegolfin Said on 09/18/2010, at 6:15 PM EST

“we watch golf every weekend. Commentary free golf is "for the birds". As I timed it, we only get to see about three golf shots and then a whole bunch of commercials. As the cook of the family, I cannot go to the kitchen and listen to what I am missing. When a shot lands on the fairway, we have no information about yardage or obstacles in the players way. Are the players really this quiet in reality? We won't be watching any more of these. PS We do agree with the Johnny Miller comment. We have been muting him for years. ”

bigbwana1 Said on 09/18/2010, at 6:13 PM EST

“No comentary! Who had this bright idea? If I wanted just to watch the golf, I would mute the TV. I especially like to hear what each shot is likely to accomplish, given the condition of the lie, elevation to the green, the slope of the putting surface etc. PLEASE bring it back to normal!!!!!”

In all fairness, some golf fans thought the announcer-lite format worked well:

Shizzle Said on 09/18/2010, at 6:04 PM EST

“Hi Jerry and Curt, I like the format today. It's nice to hear the players thoughts and when they are joking around it's like they are human, not just superhuman! So, can you tell me which player on the Nationwide Tour is the practical joker?? Hunter seems funny... Thanks, Kirk Carter, Elk Grove, CA ”

boardsnower Said on 09/18/2010, at 5:51 PM EST

“This no annoucer format is GREAT! Nothing against Kurt and Bryan but this is how golf was meant to be watched. PLEASE, PLEASE continue with this format more often!!”

As with most new ideas, Golf Channel probably went a bit overboard with this one but perhaps a bit of tweaking will improve this "announcer-lite" format in time for the 2011 PGA Tour season.


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Will the Golf Channel Social Media Twitter Experiment be a success?

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Golf Channel will go "non-traditional" in it's Nationwide Tour coverage this Saturday; light on the announcers and heavy on the social media interaction.

“If it works, it could be to golf announcers what reality TV was to actors," according to Golf Channel announcer Stephanie Sparks.


Sparks and Kay Cockerill will be on the 13th and 15th tees doing player interviews and Jerry Foltz and Curt Byrum will limit their comments on air but will interact with viewers "via social media channels such as Twitter," according to a network release.

You will also hear commentary directly from the caddies and players as the final four pairings will be equipped with a boom microphone.

Will this Twitter, Facebook social media experience have golf fans frantically typing away on their smart phones interacting with announcers or will the experiment prove to be a flop? Television commentary has been known to be dry at times so why not spice it up, chatting back-and-forth with an extended audience? And, isn't it better to experiment at the Albertsons Boise Open than open up all social media communications right before the Masters?

In comparison to John Daly whose Twitter following is about 71,000 (31,400 Facebook) and Stewart Cink who has amassed over a million Twitter followers, Golf Channel currently has about 19,000 followers on Twitter and about 28,000 Facebook fans. With this interactive take on golf, it will be interesting to see by how much Golf Channel's followers increase.

Foltz mentioned that his bosses claim that this isn't a long-term plan but, if Golf Channel's social media 'announcer-lite' pure golf experiment improves numbers on Twitter and Facebook, I'll bet the broadcasting team will be cracking their knuckles for another event in the near future.

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