Is Golf Tiring for You? PGA Tour Rookies to Excite Fans.

An article on CBSSports.com stated that "golf is sort of tiring right now" due to a never-ending season. Do you agree and what would you change to make golf more exciting for the fans?

For many golf fans, it's the same old stories, from Tiger Woods' surgeries to whether or not Phil Mickelson still has game. As the new season begins with rookies to liven up the action, is that enough to increase viewership or, at least,m maintain the status quo?

Or, could it be that fans need more than fresh-faced Tour pros to sink them into a comfy Stratolounger?

Golf for Beginners believes that a combination of rookies heating up the course and new programming designed for millennials can save the sport from being relegated to a search for the leaderboard link on Sunday night or a quick flip to the News at Ten. Here are a few newbies we think will heat up the PGA Tour.

1. Smylie Kaufman: Earned his wings on the Web.com Tour and jumped right into the winners seat  at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Can shoot low on a Sunday, when the pressure is on.

2. Emiliano Grillo: Should be nicknamed, "Second Chance Grillo", feeling his oats early in the season with near misses and a season-opening rookie win. Gets into playoffs and gives himself chances; learning how to be a confident winner. Playing on the European Tour for five years, could already be considered a seasoned pro.

3. Patton Kizzire: Leading money winner on the Web.com Tour and already a top-five finisher in two events this season, a Golf Channel writer mentioned, "You may not know who Kizzire is now, but you will soon."

Perhaps an increase in viewership won't come directly from watching tournaments or from rookies having break-out seasons but from new fluffy shows like "Celebrities in Golf Carts" or action-packed events such as the latest Big Break series? Only time will tell what millennials and beginners to golf will need in order to become attracted to, and to stay in, the game.

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our golf blog!

Watch as Jamie Sadlowski Breaks the Golf Channel Simulator

While warming up on the set of The Golf Fix, Long drive champ Jamie Sadlowski breaks the Golf Channel simulator again!

Does he do it with a driver? 

NO - this time the Canadian professional long driver, golfer and ice hockey player from St. Paul, Alberta smashes the simulator with just a 7-iron!

Sadlowski and the longest drivers in the world will attempt to qualify and compete in the RE/MAX WORLD LONG DRIVE CHAMPIONSHIP, which will air live on Golf Channel from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 30.

"The championship golf tee would be placed in a section of seats that will accommodate thousands of fans. A special platform will be constructed in the grandstand on turn four approximately 75 feet above the track, setting up a straight shot to the natural grass infield. Finalists will be competing on a 50-yard grid that stretches well over 400 yards," mentioned Art Sellinger, CEO and owner of LDA.

See below in this YouTube.com video what most golfers only dream of accomplishing...that is hitting a 7-iron so long that they don't NEED a driver!



...not a http://poorgolfswing.com/ by any stretch of the imagination...

The Golf Fix Airs Mondays at 7PM ET on The Golf Channel 

I think it would be a great idea for Michael Breed to invite ME appear on The Golf Fix, don't you? ...Let Golf Channel know!!

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners, @GolfChannel and on our Facebook page.

U.S. Women's Open Golf Preview With Annika Sorenstam

Three-time U.S. Women's Open Champion and fan favorite, Annika Sorenstam, recently opened up to Golf Channel about her thoughts on the upcoming major as well as the mindset and preparation needed to become the winner of this sought-after trophy. Kay Cockerill, the lead analyst for Golf Channel coverage, joined in the interview.

Golf for Beginners selected choice opinions from the Sorenstam - Cockerill interview and have posted a few notable quotes below in the hopes that it will stir up excitement in the 2013 U.S. Women's Open, scheduled for the week of June 24, 2013.

Moderator: Just an opening question, what was your mind set and preparation going into U.S. Women's Open?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM:  Well, thank you, and good morning, everyone.  The U.S. Open certainly has a special place in my heart, and growing up in Sweden, I always thought it was the biggest tournament.  As a little girl, I dreamed about winning it, and like you said, I had a chance to do that a few times.

You know, certainly I think it's the toughest tournament for women's golf throughout the year.  The courses we play on are always immaculate and challenging, and it tests you in every aspect.

Moderator:  What are you hearing from the players on the anticipation heading into next week?

KAY COCKERILL:  Everyone is very excited and there have been a pretty good handful of women that have gotten out and played Sebonack already, and they are very impressed with the golf course. I think everyone is in agreement that it's certainly wide open off the tee, but it's about placement of the second shot, just enormous undulating greens.  And the greens, and the shots around the greens, are going to be very critical.


Moderator: Could you just talk a little bit about what kind of game, particular skills Sebonack might favor, and which players might there for seem to have a particular advantage or chance for this week, next week?

KAY COCKERILL: What I gather from what the players have said, there are some seaside holes.  It's a coastal type golf course, but then, pretty generous off the tees.  ...and I asked a couple players, if it's the kind of course where you can hit low shots and bounce it in.  And they said, not really, because of all the slopes on these greens and the wave like nature of the greens, you kind have to shape your shots in and it's going to be really quite a shot makers golf course.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM:  I think overall, the way the USGA has set up this course, whatever type of golf course it is, they want you to be, you know, you need to be able to fire on all cylinders.  You need to be most of the time pretty long off the tee.

You look at the previous U.S. Women's Open, and it's getting longer and longer.


Moderator: I wonder what you can tell me about...just thinking of people that might have been No. 1 at some point, about Michelle Wie's putting stance and stroke these days, and just generally some thoughts about where she stands these days.

KAY COCKERILL:  I've known Michelle Wie for a very long time.  I've watched her play since she was ten years old, and she was at the time the youngest to qualify for the women's Public Links which has now been eclipsed by Lucy Li. I personally do not like her putting stance.  I find it amazing that she can even stand in that position for an amount of time.  Maybe it doesn't bother her back very much.  I have to tip my hat to her because it takes a bit of guts and bravery to do something very different and risked being made fun of.

She has committed to this.  She seems to; I think she's been told what to do so much that if this was truly her own idea and her own experiment that she felt strongly about and she's committed to it, I applaud her for that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Right now, she has a lot more doubt than confidence, and it's hard.  She's trying something new.  Standing the way she does, it probably stabilizes her upper body a little bit more.  She has a strong back, so good for her (chuckling).

Voice your opinion on our Golf for Beginners blog, on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on Facebook.

Credit: Golf Channel, ASAP Sports

Big Break Mexico Golf Channel Premiere...Arriba!

For golf fans who simply cannot live without watching a season of Big Break, the wait is finally over. The new season of BB hails from IBEROSTAR Playa Paraiso Golf and Spa Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico with a GQ factor of 10-plus. Will a budding Tiger Woods or Annika Sorenstam emerge from this group?

All of the personalities on Big Break this season are "lookers" with game-faces in position and resumes which almost rival rookie tour players. Early on in this show's history, Big Break offered a chance to golfers who were good amateurs with a strong game who wanted to go pro but, as I went over the bios of these young stars, many have already "been-there, done-that"...

...and BB is here to offer up a slew of prizes as well as to advance them to that next rung on the ladder of success, namely, a gig to play a pro tour event. A female winner gets invited to the 2013 Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex and Jalisco and, if a male wins Big Break, expect to see him competing at the Mayakoba Classic.

Many of the competitiors come with tournament experience:

Stefanie Kenoyer who, at twenty-four year old, is a full-time competitor on the Symetra Tour. McKenzie Jackson had four top-tens on the 2012 Cactus Tour.

Liebelei Lawrence who was a two-year member of the Ladies European Tour and who tied for 27th position at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Tournament.

Each of these golfers has an "impressive golf resume" as opposed to season 2003 Big Break participants who were chosen by open audition with prerequisities of a "scratch" handicap and demonstrative proficiency with various types of shots.

Personality, of course, also had to be "engaging" to the viewer as Jay Kossoff, 2003 Senior Producer of Golf Channel, once said, "positively or negatively"... which still applies for all television shows. And yes, a good story still sells; Jason Seymour's story should bring a tear to your eye.

That being said, take a gander at the cast of Golf Channel's Big Break Mexico and make sure you tweet your thoughts during the season using the hashtag #BigBreak to @Golf4Beginners.

Is Tiger Woods Rory McIlroy's Pressure Relief Valve? #golf

With a Monday weather-related finale at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger Woods has once again become the number-one golfer in the world. Fans are joyful but players...not so much unless, of course, you're Rory McIlroy.


NBC Final Round notes from Bay Hill included a compelling quote from the cantankerous Johnny Miller about a possible improvement in Rory McIlroy's game after Woods' victory, "Maybe that will actually help Rory McIlroy by taking the heat off him being number one and set him free again."

So, although Tiger Woods may now be scaring the field once again, he might actually be putting McIlroy's mind at ease, allowing young Rory to sharpen his game and his new Nike VR golf clubs, from VR-S Covert driver to VR Pro Blade Irons.


McIlroy skipped Bay Hill this week, choosing a casual round at a local muni to butting heads with Woods. Perhaps Rory prefers building his confidence instead by playing the "lesser of two evils", Phil Mickelson, at the Shell Houston Open this week?


Although a fifth Masters is not assured for Tiger, Joe LaCava, Woods' caddie, says there is definitely "more confidence" in his short game and putting. Graeme McDowell seems to have put the entire Woods-McIlroy battle in perspective. “Rory’s been No 1 for a while and having this kind of challenge will definitely gear him up. When you’ve achieved many of your goals, your motivations disappear and this will help him refocus.”

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook.

Photo credit: i.i.com.com

Is money still a motivator for Tiger Woods, Mickelson at PGA Championship?

Since I could not attend (via telephone) a recent press conference held by Golf Channel with Brandel Chamblee and Frank Nobilo (aka @FrankNobiloGC), I received the transcript in which the analysts spoke about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson’s dwindling chances to win the 2012 PGA Championship.  Woods has certainly bounced back strong this season from debilitating problems on the home front but his mindset may not be ready for the majors. And what about Phil Mickelson’s chances…Is his crippling illness forcing him out of the game?

 

 

With regards to Tiger Woods’ likelihood to win the PGA Championship, Chamblee spoke about the unpredictability of the Ocean course and Tiger’s past weakness opening the doors to a lot of different players. Frank Nobilo noted that “he's at least been able to contend” and that the Ocean Course, “gives him a little bit of leeway and it's a big golf course.”

 

As for Mickelson, analyst Frank Nobilo pointed to Phil’s arthritic condition forcing a slowdown and having Lefty take life at a more leisurely pace with his family. With regards to Mickelson’s level of play, Frank noted, “there's been more time away from the game this year than ever before.  And you know, physically, he just doesn't look 100 percent. Obviously his game is not sharp.”

 

Chamblee also made mention of Mickelson having to adjust his golf game in light of his slowed swing speed (down from 120 to 116 mph over the past couple of years.) The average golfer’s swing speed, as noted by Livestrong.com, states that Tour professionals average a swing speed of 105-110mph, LPGA Tour golfers “are measured at between 90 and 100 mph” and that, “the average female golfer swings between 60 and 70 mph.” Mickelson still has a healthy swing speed and, as long as his tempo remains fluid, I think he can manage his game.

 

The Golf Channel moderator then asked,

“How long do you think that he (Phil Mickelson) can stay motivated into his 40s, given what he's accomplished, and what's left to accomplish?

 

Brandel Chamblee said that Mickelson is motivated to win a career Grand Slam and still has a chance to win the U.S. Open.

 

Finally, does winning a major championship to these two veteran golfers, and to the rest of the field, have the same meaning as it once did?

 

Chamblee bluntly answered, no, not from a monetary standpoint but yes from a historical one.

 

Historically, for example, “when Shawn Micheel walks by, the first thing you think about is the 7-iron he hit to the final green winning the PGA Championship.”

 

Monetarily it may not mean that much to the higher ranked players, “Anywhere on the Money List, you're making deep seven figure incomes,” said Chamblee pointing out that Luke Donald earned twenty-five million dollars in the past two years without ever winning a major.”

 

Frank Nobilo disagreed, “that's what Tiger Woods is chasing right now.  And guys realize that it is their meal ticket.  People look at Adam Scott not winning, it's cost him about $20 million.”

 

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook.

 

photo credit: sportributor.com

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Does the designation of British in The Open diminish the Championship?

I don't understand what all of the hullabaloo is about regarding adding the term "British" to "The Open Championship" yet it seems to be a sticking point for some golf fans.

When I posted this question on my Golf4Beginners Twitter page, "British Open or The Open Championship?" the responses came at me fast and furious. 

There were those folks who were adamantly against adding the term "British" such as @ray_matthew, " according to the R&A it's #TheOpenChampionship end of story" and the @Mobitee golf rep who said, "The Open Championship is what's on their site so that's what it's called."

While it is true that The Open Championship has officially been in existence since 1860, people on this side of the pond add "British" simply as an identifier to assist the more casual fan and is in no way, in my opinion,  a sign of disrespect nor does it lessen the importance of the event.

 hat being said, when I questioned the group as to how Golf Channel and NBC Sports continually preface The Open Championship with "British", @Matt_Dart91 responded, "Just because they work in TV doesn't mean whatever they say is correct. It's The Open, nothing else." 

Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson are two PGA Tour golfers who use the term #BritishOpen both with hastag and conversationally:

Tiger Woods, on his official website states, “You can have so many different weather conditions. You just don’t know. That’s one of the unique things about the British Open and why it’s my favorite Major championship.”

Tweeters who agreed with Tiger and Bubba were equally as vocal on the subject:

@rdjames01 commented, "I call it the British Open because I live in the US! Drop the country when you are from there!" and @LVGolfInsider who stated, "official name for sure is The Open Championship but leaves room for confusion here in States...Name Confusion for casual fan, speaking as one who writes about the game..."

@MilesDowsett claimed, "It's obviously The Open as it was the first one and thus oldest.....case closed."

But is the case really closed? Just because Ford was the first mass produced automobile, does that make it "The Car" with all other autos having name designations?

 In my opinion, I think anything that identifies a tournament to attract the most viewers is good for the game. I guess whatever makes the fans tune in is the best name for The Open Championship. Would I officially change the name of this major tournament? No, but I personally like adding "British" to the name. When I hear the name "The Open" I often wonder which Open?

“What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose      

By any other name would smell as sweet”  …Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare.

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook.

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

After Nicklaus tie, is Tiger Woods ready for major comeback?

With putts rolling into the cup and memorable fist pumps showing shades of the "old"  Tiger Woods, watching the back nine on Sunday at Muirfield Village was like reveling in the return of an old golf buddy.

 

There was an electric current flowing through the air with fans anxiously holding their collective breath waiting for Woods to fumble, waiting for Woods to miss another putt...but none of that happened. Instead, a focused Tiger pounced on his shots and gave fans a show worthy of the 2012 season highlights reel.

 

 

Television cameras aimed their focus on Jack Nicklaus on several occasions and spectators could see an anxious golf hero of old waiting impatiently to officially greet his successor.

 

"If he's going to do it, which he was obviously going to,” Nicklaus said, “I'd like to see it happen here,"   ...and it did.

When Tiger Woods finally met with Jack Nicklaus at the edge of the 18th green, handshakes and congenialities were exchanged and voices of the past exclaiming that Woods had no shot at Nicklaus' records were quieted.

 

And now questions of breaking Nicklaus' major records are being raised. Can Woods do it? Six months ago this same question would have been met with questions; Is his achilles healed...how is his swing...is his head in the game?

 

From ESPN which conjectures that "Tiger is on track heading to U.S. Open" to Golf Channel which put the question up to the fans for discussion, opinions are mixed at best. ESPN "experts" place Tiger's chances on or about twenty-five percent (except for Collins who raised the stakes to seventy-five percent) stating that Woods' game needs work, from his driver to bunker shots to putting. Fans on Golf Channel like Tiger's chances with a big "but"..."you never know what a guy's going to do week-to-week."

 

One thing fans can be sure of is that Woods will be "riding the momentum to San Francisco" in two weeks.

 

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook.

 

Photo credit: yahoo.com

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Las Vegas betting on Tiger Woods to win Chevron Golf Challenge

A few good showings at golf events in Australia and Tiger Woods has become the odds-on favorite to win the Chevron World Challenge this week. Las Vegas odds makers, Golf Channel and even crowdsourcing websites have the former number one golfer in the world in their sights or at single digit odds while GolfOdds.com says, "All other golfers are double digit odds."

 

 

Bodog.com confirms Tiger Woods as the 7/1 favorite with Furyk also remaining in single-digit odds...but not by much.

 

Although the eighteen player field includes Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Nick Watney, Bill Haas & Jason Day, it is Tiger Woods who is the focus of attention on both the Golf Channel website and on their Facebook page. Why? To play on fan emotions? What does Woods have that these other great golfers are lacking?

 

Would you choose four-time previous winner Tiger Woods to lift the trophy at his own event or one of these great players? 

Webb Simpson - Winner of Wyndham Championship, three second-place finishes this season and second in money leaders on PGA Tour.

Bubba Watson - Winner of Farmers Insurance Open and sixteenth in money leaders this season.

Rickie Fowler - With only one second place finish at the WGC-Bridgestone and four top-tens this season, Fowler is probably not my favorite in this competition but still a solid contender.

Nick Watney - Winner of two events on the 2011 PGA Tour schedule and third place on the list of money leaders, I hope Watney brings his "A" game.

Bill Haas - Unlikely winner of the FedEx Cup Tour Championship, the $10 million dollar winner has a 69.44 GIR and scrambling stat which are both higher than the Tour average, he could finish off the season holding the Tiger cup.

Jason Day - With no wins this season on the PGA Tour, you might think that Day is the weakest link but remember that he took second place at both the 2011 Masters and the 2011 U.S. Open, two of the toughest tests in golf.

 

Jeff Sherman, the founder of Las Vegas' GolfOdds.com said, "All other golfers are double digit odds. Tiger Woods' recent play also slashed his 2012 Masters odds from 12/1 to 6/1, making him the favorite ahead of Rory McIlroy at 10/1."

 

Although this event will benefit Tiger Woods' charity, Woods is grateful that he stayed in the top-fifty long enough to be invited! He is now "rebuilding", as he claimed, after both personal and physical injuries. A win at the Chevron, although not a major event, will be a good start to 2012.

 

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook!

 

photo credit

 

 

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Will Twitter on golf television remove the "social" from the media?

A Twitter feed will share TV screen space with Nationwide Tour golfers this weekend as Golf Channel features writers offering analysis alongside of already long-winded commentary. Do I really need on-screen "captions" telling me what I'm already watching? Is Golf Channel removing the "social" from the media?


You can see what Golf Channel intends to do here but the screen caption does not give me faith in their new "Social Media Saturday". The comment by Rex Hoggard says it all, "Watching JJ Killeen roll up his pants could be an amazing shot from the water." He follows up with, "Hope everyone is watching on the Golf Channel." Oh boy, if this is what golf fans are in for, this golf TV network just took two steps backward!

First, I can see that Killeen is in the water and am excited to watch the shot. Second, I do not need the Golf Channel to place its ad directly in front of me as I'm watching this amazing shot. I hope the commentary is both humorous and entertaining...and tell me something that I don't already know!

Hoggard, joined by Randall Mell, will replace traditional play-by-play commentary during their allotted time, which will be during the next to last group and final pairing of the Nationwide Tour Championship from South Carolina.


It doesn't seem as if some fans have faith in the new concept as it will be displayed on Saturday.

@Courtgolf, for example stated, "This tells me that xxx Golf Channel thinks their people are more important than the players. I hope this is a short lived experiment in media intrusion."
Fogroller so eloquently said, "Oh great, now we can have Rich Lerner and Kelly Tilghman kiss Tiger's butt on our twitter feed!! No thanks."

The concept sounds intriguing, but isn't social media meant to be interactive?

When I asked @dennis_allen about adding a Twitter feed to golf broadcasts, although he liked the idea, he was concerned about the lack of fan engagement. "Why just one way tweets?" Dennis questioned, and he has a valid point. The "one-way traffic mentality" as Allen conjectured, leaves fans without a way to engage, to be social.

Devil Ball Golf, agrees that Twitter integration with golf broadcasting is a great idea but wonders if an opportunity is being missed by not adding fan tweets to the mix. "social media...opens the door wide to amateur commentators from all over the planet, many of whom are much funnier and more incisive, at least for one tweet, than the professionals."

I have a few concerns regarding the Twitter format. For one, the feed is directly in my line of sight.  Golf is a picturesque sport and I enjoy gazing at the course on my screen. Perhaps the feed should be rolling across the bottom of my screen so as not to disrupt the visuals.

I also have a problem with the type of tweets that will be featured and when they will be placed: the eighteenth hole is the most exciting portion of the golf tournament, in my opinion. If Golf Channel wants to experiment with new technology, do it during a portion of the broadcast that begs for attention.

Finally, Twitter allows for social engagement: let the fans have a say!

Speaking of having a say, VOICE YOUR OPINION on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend GolfforBeginners on Facebook!

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Back9 Network tees up new golf entertainment channel

EXCLUSIVE GROUND-BREAKING NEWS:

The Back9 Network, being touted as the world's first multimedia lifestyle and entertainment golf television network, has signed Kevin O'Brien to it's roster of industry professionals.



Mr. O'Brien, a well-known television executive, has successfully led many stations to prominence including WTTG in Washington DC and KTVU in San Francisco.

"Kevin's background running some of the most successful television stations and broadcast groups in the country will serve us well in implementing our launch strategy," says Back9 Network Co-Chairman, President and Founder Jamie Bosworth. "He's a perfect complement to our already strong, core golf industry team."



The Back9 Team is made up of fourteen industry professionals (like a matched set of golf clubs) including Dennis Allen who heads up Global Business Development (and speaks fluent Japanese), Reid Gorman who is a former President of MacGregor Golf Company, Kathleen Hessert, a nationally renowned reputation management consultant and former award-winning TV anchor and Bosworth, a former senior executive for Callaway Golf and Top-Flite. Read more about the Back9 Network Leadership Team here.

The Back9 Network plans to provide simultaneous distribution of it's golf and lifestyle programming over the internet and through mobile devices.
Non-traditional broadcasting on Back9 Network, according to O'Brien, is meant to attract and engage viewers as well as "encourage social media interactions to give a voice to our audience."

Golf fans can now chat with @Back9Network on Twitter (#B9N) and can sign up for the Back9 Facebook launch.

"Golf is a lifestyle, a social and business opportunity, a personal yet shared experience and that's exactly how we intend to cover it. We'll be all the things traditional golf media is not," affirmed O'Brien.
I personally am looking forward to the shows on Back9 Network as a breath of fresh air and a innovative slant on the entertainment of golf.

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Tiger Woods dishes about marriage and more on Golf Channel Interview

Tiger Woods sat down with Golf Channel’s Steve Sands at the Chevron World Challenge for a one-on-one interview, portions which will air within Golf Central, Wednesday, December 1st, at 6 p.m. ET. 

In the wide-ranging interview, Woods dishes on who he believes is the world’s best golfer, his departure from former swing coach Hank Haney and his lowest point on the course in 2010. 

Tiger Woods also addresses questions from Sands about how this past year – on and off the course – tested him emotionally, how the fans have received him, whether he will marry again, and how much the public has the right to know about celebrities and its heroes. 

The former number-one golfer hid from public view after his scandalous affair but has decided to make a grand re-entry with an essay written for Newsweek, "How I've Redefined Victory". Woods now also posts regularly to his Twitter account and called in to the Mike and Mike in the Morning show.

The Golf Channel Interview is simply another way for Tiger Woods to save face and show the public that he is not the ogre that many are making him out to be. The question is,

Are all of these attempts by Tiger Woods really working or has the public already made their decision?

Following Golf Central, the entire Tiger Woods interview will be available online at GolfChannel.com

Read more Golf for Beginners blogs

Voice your opinion on Twitter 
 

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Golf Channel Instructor Search Finalists includes a real Player!

Golf Channel announced today that it has narrowed its nationwide search for the network’s next instructional star to three finalists, and one's a real Player!

 

Wayne Player (Tequesta, Fla.)  Son of golf legend Gary Player, Wayne and his father Gary were the first father-son duo to compete in both a U.S. Open and an Open Championship at the same time.  Today, he is best known for his tailored entertainment and travel experiences for corporate and private clients, sharing life lessons on and off the golf course he learned from his father.  He has worked in-tandem with several of the game’s top instructors, including David Leadbetter, Bob Toski and Peter Kostis.

 

Martin Hall (West Palm Beach, Fla.)  Ranked 12^th on Golf Digest’s Top 50 Teachers of all time and ranked as a GOLF Magazine Top 100 instructor, Hall is no stranger to Golf Channel viewers.   He has been a frequent contributor to the network’s instruction shows including Academy Live, and is a featured instructor on GolfChannel.com.  Hall was 2008 PGA of America Teacher of the Year, is a contributing writer for GOLF Magazine and was longtime teacher for LPGA Tour professional Morgan Pressel.

 

Karen Palacios-Jansen (Mooresville, N.C.)  Named as one of Golf Digest Woman’s Top 50 Women Teachers every year since 1998, Palacios-Jansen is a certified personal trainer who incorporates fitness training into her teaching.  A former David Leadbetter trained instructor and Jim McLean Golf School master instructor, she was named 2008 LPGA Teacher of the Year and has been teaching golf for 17 years.  She currently is managing editor for Golf Fitness Magazine, and is married to Olympic Gold Medalist Dan Jansen.

 

The three finalists were selected from a nationwide search conducted by Golf Channel this fall – all hoping to host their own instructional series on the network.  Each of the finalists will host a half-hour instruction show as part of the network’s 12 Nights at the Academy series of instruction specials, airing Nov. 29-Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. ET.  The finalists’ shows will air Nov. 30 (Hall); Dec. 5 (Palacios-Jansen) and Dec. 7 (Player).

 

Viewers have the opportunity to view the finalists’ audition video and video tips online at www.GolfChannel.com/InstructorSearch.  Viewers also are encouraged to participate in the selection process by voting online through Dec. 15.  The winner is expected to be announced on Golf Central in January, with the new show scheduled to premiere early in the year.

 

Visit Golf for Beginners for more great blogs

 

Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter and Voice Your Opinion!

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Will eavesdropping on PGA, LPGA golfers bring more reality to golf TV?

Golf fans previously immersed in the FedEx Cup and Ryder Cup are now being fed more reality-based PGA Tour and LPGA events where golfers are mic'd up during their round. Golf Channel continues to test this format on TV with the assistance of a few willing participants.

Will this experiment in unrehearsed 'golfer to caddy chat' increase viewership?

In a nutshell, here are four choices for golf television viewing October 7-10.

In two out of the four events, professional golfers will have microphones attached so that fans can hear conversations with their caddies.

The McGladrey Classic

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Venue: Seaside Course, Sea Island Golf Club, St. Simons Island, Ga.

• Davis Love III Mic’d Up – Continuing a test with PGA TOUR players with microphones in 2010, Golf Channel will fit PGA TOUR professional Davis Love III with a microphone during Thursday’s opening round of coverage.  Viewers will have the opportunity to eavesdrop on conversations between Davis Love III and his caddy throughout the opening round of play. 

Navistar LPGA Classic presented by Monaco RV

                 Dates: Oct. 7-10

                 Venue: The Senator Course, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Ala

•        Amanda Blumenherst Mic’d Up – LPGA Tour professional Amanda Blumenherst will be fitted with a microphone during Thursday’s tournament coverage and also will be the network’s Spotlight Player.
         At the Turn and Walk and Talk Featured – Val Skinner and Stephanie Sparks will interview players as they are walking the fairways during all four days of coverage as part of the network’s Walk and Talk feature.  On the weekend, they will interview players between holes 9 and 10 in the At the Turn feature.
          Battle for No. 1 Continues: Rolex Rankings No. 1 Ai Miyazato and No. 3 Cristie Kerr headline a field that includes No. 6 Na Yeon Choi, No. 8 In-Kyung Kim and No. 10 Paula Creamer.  Creamer, the reigning U.S. Open champion, will make her first appearance in Prattville.

Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Venue: TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, Potomac, Md.

 

 

• Season’s Final Major – An elite field headlines the Champions Tour’s final major of the year, including Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Fred Funk, Corey Pavin, Jay Haas, Mark Calcavecchia, Hale Irwin and Tom Watson.

•  Langer Going for Three Major Victories – Bernhard Langer will attempt to match Jack Nicklaus as the only Champions Tour professional to win three major championships in one season.
• Homecoming for Funk – The Maryland native and former University of Maryland golf coach returns to a familiar venue and will attempt to equal Langer’s achievement in 2010 by winning back-to-back Champions Tour majors.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Dates: Oct. 7-10

Kingsbarns Golf Links, Kingsbarns, Scotland

Carnoustie Golf Links, Angus, Scotland

Old Course, St. Andrews Golf Club, St. Andrews, Scotland

World-Class Field: Nine members of the successful European Ryder Cup Team and captain Colin Montgomerie headlines the world-class field that also includes three-time major champion Ernie Els, two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, major champions Michael Campbell, Paul Lawrie and John Daly, who returns to the site of his 1995 Open Championship victory.

Sports and Entertainment Celebrities Featured – International celebrities will compete this week, including Samuel L Jackson, Hugh Grant, Kyle MacLachlan, Huey Lewis and Michael Flatley.  Sporting legends from the world of soccer, tennis, soccer and skiing are also scheduled to compete.

Unique Tournament Format – Contested on three of the world’s best known and respected courses – the Old Course at St. Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links – 168 teams consisting of one professional and one amateur will play the first three rounds on the three courses in rotation.  The top-60 professionals and ties, plus the 20 leading teams, will play the final round at the Old Course at St. Andrews on Sunday.

Golf Channel Big Break Dominican Republic relying on Giuliani for support

Andrew Giuliani (credit)

Golf Channel is relying on the popularity of Andrew Giuliani (son of former NYC Mayor Rudy) and eleven other former "players you know and love—or hate" offering up the biggest prize in Big Break history in order to stir up interest and a continued following in the 14th season of the reality show.

Twelve former contestants will get a second chance tonight at The Big Break: Reunion, Revenge, Redemption, this time set in the Dominican Republic. The premise is that teams compete against each other in order for one golfer, male or female, to reign supreme, get exemptions and win prize money.

Sure the prizes and the idea of Big Break are interesting but can't Golf Channel come up with a slew of new contestants or are fans more interested in watching a show that rivals Jersey Shore?

  

The winning team at the conclusion of the 10-episode series will share the $100,000 cash prize, with $50,000 going to the most valuable player (MVP), who will be crowned Big Break Dominican Republic Champion and a sponsor’s exemption to either the 2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on the PGA TOUR or the 2011 Kia Classic presented by J Golf on the LPGA Tour.

In addition to the tournament exemptions and the cash prize, the Big Break champion also will receive an Adams Golf endorsement contract, which includes $10,000 in cash; a $10,000 shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods and an all-expenses paid return trip for two to Casa de Campo Resort in La Romana, Dominican Republic – host site for the series.  Each member of the winning team also will receive a four-night getaway to the all-inclusive Iberostar Bavaro in the Dominican Republic, courtesy of Funjet Vacations.

Here are the cast of characters for Big Break Dominican Republic season 14:

Andrew Giuliani (24, New York, N.Y.) – Son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (you see how he got this gig), Andrew is an aspiring professional attempting to make a name in golf.  A contestant on Big Break Disney Golf in 2009, Giuliani was eliminated on the eighth episode of the series and developed an on-camera rivalry with fellow competitor Blake Moore, also a competitor and teammate on Big Break Dominican Republic.

David Mobley (45, Charlotte, N.C.) — A dominant force on the Long Drive circuit for the past 15 years, David Mobley competed on Big Break Michigan in 2008, teamed with Long Drive champion Sally Dee.  On paper, the team appeared to be the favorites, but they were eliminated in the series’ eighth episode, and Mobley became known as one of the biggest villains in Big Break history.

Blake Moore (26, Denver, Colo.) – A feisty competitor with a tenacity for perfection, Moore was a competitor on Big Break Disney Golf in 2009.  He was eliminated in the seventh episode of the series, when his temper got the best of him.  His experience on the series was a wake-up call.  Moore has since made changes to improve himself on and off the golf course.

Anthony Rodriguez (37, San Antonio, Texas) – Once hailed to become the next Latin star on the PGA TOUR, Rodriguez competed in Big Break Mesquite in 2006.  The third contestant eliminated on the series, Rodriguez faced enormous criticism from blogs and chat rooms for his temper and poor sportsmanship.  He lost sponsors and his confidence, and ultimately quit the game he loves to return to San Antonio to support his family.  Now at peace with his experience on Big Break, Rodriguez is taking full advantage of his second chance at redemption.

Brian Skatell (37, Greensburg, Penn.) – A very confident player, Skatell is a self-described perfectionist and prides himself on his meticulous work ethic.  A contestant on Big Break Prince Edward Island in 2008, Skatell survived more than halfway through the series, an achievement considering Skatell had a lengthy hospital stay six months prior, undergoing exploratory surgery that caused him to be more than 30 pounds underweight when the series was filmed.  He believes he has more to prove on his return to Big Break Dominican Republic. 

William “Football” Thompson (24, Bracey, Va.) – A fan favorite from Big Break Prince Edward Island, Thompson is the definition of country, and he knows it.  Equally at home hunting deer as much as hunting birdies on the golf course, his friends call him “Football.”  Thompson was the second contestant eliminated on Big Break Prince Edward Island.  On this go-around, he plans to give everything he has to keep his dream alive of teeing it up on the PGA TOUR.

Lori Atsedes (46, Orlando, Fla.) – Atsedes is proud of everything she has accomplished in her long career.  She has 26 professional tour wins, is the all-time career money leader on the Duramed FUTURES Tour and was a five-year member of the LPGA Tour.  When it comes to her experience as a contestant on Big Break Ka’anapali in 2008, however, the topic of conversation often centered around her on-camera feud with Christina Lecuyer, which overshadowed her play on the course.  It left her with a feeling of unfinished business.

 Sara Brown (24, Tucson, Ariz.) – Like the rest of the contestants on Big Break Dominican Republic, Brown has unfinished business.  Unlike many of her fellow competitors, Brown’s Big Break experience is still fresh in her mind.  She competed on the most recent season of Big Break – Big Break Sandals Resorts – finishing in the top three.

Christina Lecuyer (27, Conway, Ark.) – When Big Break fans last saw Lecuyer in 2008, she was a first-year professional that found herself in the finals of her first LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, and was a contestant on Big Break Ka’anapali.  Fast forward to 2010, and the wear and tear of traveling finally got the best of her.  She quit playing golf full time.  On Big Break Dominican Republic, she will test herself to see if her dream of playing on the LPGA Tour is still alive.

Brenda McLarnon (27, Charleston, S.C.) – A competitor on Big Break Prince Edward Island, McLarnon was 100 percent into golf.  The Ireland native was a four-year competitor on the Duramed FUTURES Tour and lived out of her car, paycheck-to-paycheck, while trying to achieve her goal of playing on the LPGA Tour.  Then she fell in love.  Engaged to be married just four days before the season premiere, McLarnon’s goals and off the golf course have changed, but the dream to play on the LPGA Tour rages on.

Blair O’Neal (29, Scottsdale, Ariz.) – Prior to her appearance on Big Break Prince Edward Island, O’Neal was better known for her modeling career than her golf game.  She also was in the middle of an extended leave from golf.  She finished runner-up on the series, and the golf world took notice.  Since then, she has hosted shows for Golf Channel, including InFuze My Game on GolfChannel.com and the premiere episode of Donald J. Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf.  Now, she is back to playing full time on the Cactus Tour.  She is more focused than ever and has some unfinished business on Big Break Dominican Republic.

Elena Robles (26, Redondo Beach, Calif.) – The first competitor eliminated on Big Break Sandals Resorts, Robles is excited for her second opportunity on Big Break Dominican Republic.  Her experience on the series, albeit brief, was another chapter in the story about how she has returned to the game after quitting in 2008, citing burnout.

            Filmed on location in June at the world-famous Casa de Campo Resort, Big Break Dominican Republic will unfold on two Pete Dye-designed courses at Casa de Campo: the Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore.  Teeth of the Dog is the number-one-ranked course in the Caribbean and 42^nd in the world by Golf Magazine.  Dye Fore is a picturesque and challenging course overlooking the Caribbean Sea that measures more than 7,700 yards.

For more information about Big Break Dominican Republic, visit www.GolfChannel.com/Big-Break-Dominican-Republic.

Thanks to TIVO I don't have to miss Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey!

Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter
Read more Golf for Beginners blog

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

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.


Read more Golf for Beginners blog
Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter

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

credit

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.

Follow Golf for Beginners on Twitter! @Golf4Beginners
Read more commentary on the Golf for Beginners blog