Golf Coverage and Commentators

Seve OB

I figured that it was about time this topic got a thread if it's own seeing as everyone loves to moan about it.

So BBC or Sky? Allis or Monty? Ken or Butch?

For me you can't beat the Beeb and the legend that is Peter Allis

markthespark77

prefer the bbc coverage and commentary, the and breaks on sky are annoying, but what can you do about it, nothing. so no point complaing i say..

Armchair Andy

Have the TV on mute. No ads the highlight of the BBC coverage.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I quite like Alliss as he can come out with almost anything .

He praised Jordan Spieth today for having a great temperament unlike the young tennis player Papapapadopolus (Nick Kyrgios was who he was talking about)

FixdePitchmark

I haven't seen much of golf as was away.

But that intro on BBC with winners holding trophy.

Is a stunning piece of tv.

benny79

Bbc all way hate monty and ads plus allis is class!

Down9194

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I haven't seen much of golf as was away.

But that intro on BBC with winners holding trophy.

Is a stunning piece of tv.

Have to agree best piece of golf tv I've seen, the emotion is evident on every winners face and we all know deep down that's us

Aidric

Both have their advantages. Most peoples complaints about sky center on their interrupted coverage. This is a bit of a nonsense argument really. Sky is a commercial station whereas BBC is a public broadcaster. It's true that the BBC's uninterrupted coverage is a treat but it comes but once a year.

As for commentators it's a mixed bag. I like Murray a lot on sky but I can't abide Critchley and Riley.

On the BBC Brown and Allis are great but Cotter and James are ingratiating.

FixdePitchmark

I like both.

But my main argument has been the exposure of golf to the public.

The general public would hardly know this was on , if it was on sky.


I actually like the change too - the lads on Sky , you watch them all the time. A different voice and perspective on our game is interesting. Is there anything wrong with understanding the past of a game stuck in the past.

As for the cringeworthyness - Sky with the lads humour / in jokes can be daft too.

I'm a bit old fashioned too (a personal thing) - I often think many modernisations are for the sake of it. Golf for me is golf, I play golf. If I see a swing and ball land, I know 90 % of what has happened.

I accept - shot tracker is an important next phase of coverage and an important new aspect of understanding that 10 % missing above. The flight of the ball for these guys - is why they are these guys.

People are right that BBC got lazy with it, deserved a kick, but move from R&A was too rash and very very short sighted - absolute incredible exposure for golf here on prime time tv. I don't think people understand how big BBC is in a viewership sense versus Sky.

But this idea - that BBC were not able to do what was necessary to move on coverage - is daft. They are simply the best at anything they put their mind too. When they put their mind to it.

Aidric

I take all your points and they are honest but the sports broadcasting model has very much swung to the commercial side in the last 10 years.

You could argue that the Open would get the most exposure by being on the BBC but I'm sure the R&A have crunched the numbers and taken a view that they would be commercially better off by accepting Sky's offer. If this upside in revenue is invested back in to developing the game of golf then surely golf is the winner.

If the Open was of national importance couldn't the government have stepped in and classified it as such, similar to the six nations?

FixdePitchmark

Aidric wrote: »

I take all your points and they are honest but the sports broadcasting model has very much swung to the commercial side in the last 10 years.

You could argue that the Open would get the most exposure by being on the BBC but I'm sure the R&A have crunched the numbers and taken a view that they would be commercially better off by accepting Sky's offer. If this upside in revenue is invested back in to developing the game of golf then surely golf is the winner.

If the Open was of national importance couldn't the government have stepped in and classified it as such, similar to the six nations?

Yes I think they should have.

slave1

Allis and Harmon are both great, Brown on the course and Jack too when he pops in during The Masters

Mysterypunter

Mark Roe is terrible. 586 european tour appearances. 2 wins. And he comments as if he won ten majors.

Tom.D.BJJ

Sky is supreme week on week, but the open on BBC is something I look forward to every year.

delboykelly

Any of ye watch the Europro tour stuff on Sky?

John E Morgan is class on it. Very funny, comes out with some great slang terms for shots and situations.. He's like a soccer Saturday version of a golf commentator... He's hit the ole beans on toast...!!!

First Up

BBC is grand until BBC Northern Ireland breaks off coverage to show Armagh V Derry or some other tribal fist fight in the middle of the final round. Don't know if they will be doing it tomorrow but it was a feature of their coverage when they had the Scottish Open.

There is also Setanta who have the BBC feed with some different commentary.

Dealerz

First Up wrote: »

BBC is grand until BBC Northern Ireland breaks off coverage to show Armagh V Derry or some other tribal fist fight in the middle of the final round. Don't know if they will be doing it tomorrow but it was a feature of their coverage when they had the Scottish Open.

There is also Setanta who have the BBC feed with some different commentary.

You and joe brolly....two peas in a pod! 😜

rrpc

I like the fact that there are no ads on the BBC but in some respects you'd think they would need to take a few breaks because the coverage is choppy and odd at times. You can often hear commentators talking about a particular player's shot (e.g. Woods hitting two fluffed 3 woods) and not showing any of it.

Peter Alliss used to be great, but now he comes across as an old man in his dotage. For someone who listened to him in his heyday, it's a bit sad really. He just seems to be so out of touch and is falling back on things from the past to bolster his commentary.

Some of the complaints about Sky are misplaced. When they cover the PGA tour, they're subject to the whims and vagaries of US broadcasters which clearly frustrates them. When they're on the European Tour, the coverage is so much better. Although they take frequent ad breaks, they're usually very short, so Sky plus takes care of that quite adequately. They've been quite innovative as well with the shot centre, the Sky cart and a great selection of pundits and commentators. Some of them will get up your nose like Mark Roe, but I've enjoyed watching and listening to David Howell and Nick Dougherty for example. Wayne Riley may seem a bit annoying, but he's really very good at calling shots; almost uncannily so.

I think the main problem for the BBC is that they show so little golf that their producers seem to flounder when trying to assemble a package of shots to create a narrative. It can be very frustrating at times when you know that something exciting is happening on the course and the BBC seem to be oblivious to it.

First Up

Dealerz wrote: »

You and joe brolly....two peas in a pod! 😜

??

First Up

rrpc wrote: »

I like the fact that there are no ads on the BBC but in some respects you'd think they would need to take a few breaks because the coverage is choppy and odd at times. You can often hear commentators talking about a particular player's shot (e.g. Woods hitting two fluffed 3 woods) and not showing any of it.

Peter Alliss used to be great, but now he comes across as an old man in his dotage. For someone who listened to him in his heyday, it's a bit sad really. He just seems to be so out of touch and is falling back on things from the past to bolster his commentary.

Some of the complaints about Sky are misplaced. When they cover the PGA tour, they're subject to the whims and vagaries of US broadcasters which clearly frustrates them. When they're on the European Tour, the coverage is so much better. Although they take frequent ad breaks, they're usually very short, so Sky plus takes care of that quite adequately. They've been quite innovative as well with the shot centre, the Sky cart and a great selection of pundits and commentators. Some of them will get up your nose like Mark Roe, but I've enjoyed watching and listening to David Howell and Nick Dougherty for example. Wayne Riley may seem a bit annoying, but he's really very good at calling shots; almost uncannily so.

I think the main problem for the BBC is that they show so little golf that their producers seem to flounder when trying to assemble a package of shots to create a narrative. It can be very frustrating at times when you know that something exciting is happening on the course and the BBC seem to be oblivious to it.

I'd agree. Sky's over-hyping of everything is annoying but at least they show it! I think this is Alliss' last Open - and like you, I'd prefer to remember him in his heyday.

zuutroy

Oddly enough I think if sky didn't do the 5 second fanfare at the start and end of every single ad break I think I'd find it less annoying. Just cut to the ads and cut straight back.

PropJoe10

Its an awful shame that the BBC have lost the TV rights. Their coverage is by far the best. Its going to be detrimental to the game, not having the Open on terrestrial TV.

The Bowling Alley

I disagree. They are not fit to cover the game efficiently, especially when you compare them to sky. Take a few moments ago as an example...they showed warren and lawrie's tee shots and then instead of immediately moving to other players, they showed the two scots walking up to the green. That's amateur hour. Not to mention the mistakes they make on a regular basis.

slave1

The Bowling Alley wrote: »

I disagree....they showed warren and lawrie's tee shots and then instead of immediately moving to other players, they showed the two scots walking up to the green...

I disagree, I think all that extra bits and bobs get you closer to the action and away from the norm of shot after shot, gives time for some nice banter and that something different, to each their own I suppose

The Bowling Alley

Yeah each to their own. If I want to see people walking in a field I'd head down to the local park.

Running Balance

I enjoy rob lee on sky think how he is good at bringing the best out of the panel

TLOA72

Bbc one has coverage from 1:30 to 6 according to sky planner. But should it go past 6 it doesn't say where it will be broadcast. Working this afternoon and want to record final round but don't want to miss last few holes.

cairny

The Open is on live now in the US on ESPN and on Setanta Sports 1 if you have access to either.

The fact that the BBC arent showing it caps off the poor coverage to date. I think the R&A's complaints about the way the BBC have been covering in recent years are now justified.

We're missing Phil and Luke's charge and D Johnson's collapse. ffs.

hoodwinked

has anyone noticed with the BBC's coverage today their cameras are badly positioned for the holes?

a good few shots now have been blocked from view by the caddies/golfers,

Jimmy Iovine

Bob Bubka on talk sport. Don't know if he's still on it. Haven't heard him in years. His voice is hypnotic.

Think I heard him on the official Open station a few years ago when I was at it. Probably about 6 years ago now.

First Up

hoodwinked wrote: »

has anyone noticed with the BBC's coverage today their cameras are badly positioned for the holes?

a good few shots now have been blocked from view by the caddies/golfers,

You expect them to build new camera towers during the event?