Providing quality coverage of a golf tournament isn’t easy. Sometimes the big networks can’t get it right, but TNT did a commendable job broadcasting the early hours of the PGA Championship.
When we examine the differences between golf’s major championships and the weekly grind of the Tour, we tend to focus on the obvious. There’s the difficulty of the courses, the increased pressure to perform, and the quality of the tournament field.
But what about how we consume the action? During the majors, we take pains not to miss a single shot, streaming featured groups from our cubicles and setting the DVR for an extra 30 minutes just in case the round runs long. It may not have any effect on the players, but for all of us watching at home, the network that carries the coverage plays a major role in the tournament experience. Yes, that pun was intended.
During the US Open, we tune to Fox for what typically amounts to a watered down viewing experience. Watching Fox cover golf is reminiscent of watching your local MLB team on a national broadcast, as they explain the basics of the sport to the lowest common denominator of a coast to coast audience unfamiliar with the nuances of the game.
I’m having a tough time recalling anything about the Masters coverage on ESPN, other than how there never seems to be enough of it. I understand that the Masters wants to maintain an element of exclusivity by limiting the coverage, but with the technology available and the demand being what it is, maybe it’s time for Augusta National and CBS to reconsider. As for ESPN, being forgettable isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly isn’t an asset.
While Fox and ESPN can’t find a winning formula, the TNT crew hit their stride this week at the PGA Championship. Ernie Johnson anchored the team with his award-winning talent and the confidence that comes from holding his own alongside Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA. The difference maker for TNT this year was the emergence of Trevor Immelman.
Immelman, the 2008 Masters winner, traded in his spikes for a seat in the studio. As a player, he was known for his smooth swing, which seems to be what every South African is known for (see Louis Oosthuizen and Ernie Els). They must be putting something in the bobotie in the RSA.
More from PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka’s fifth major is the latest evidence that he should be added to Team USA at Ryder Cup
- The 73rd Hole: US Open & Open Championship predictions, Koepka validates LIV Golf, more after PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka now walks among golf legends with fifth major title
- Brooks Koepka returns to major glory, wins third PGA Championship: Golf Twitter celebrates
- PGA Championship playoff format: Tiebreaker rules explained
Immelman comes off as a bit of caricature with his too-wide smile, cartoonish accent and unbridled enthusiasm, but once viewers grow accustomed to his quirks, they find he’s a natural in the booth. He’s young enough to relate to the modern game, and he delivers insights in an authoritative, and more importantly, accessible voice.
Johnson and Immelman work well together, and even though Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo aren’t showing any signs of slowing down, I can see the TNT duo being called up to the majors when the time comes.
Beyond the broadcast booth, TNT avoided Fox’s issue of diluting the analysis. The only exception would be the graphics used on the green indicating the different breaks a putt could take. A neat gimmick, sure, but I don’t think the technology is quite there yet. I saw too many balls follow the superimposed path only to miss the cup completely.
The Top Tracer Technology they use on tee shots and approaches makes sense. It helps us see the ball flight instead of waiting to see where a shot lands. Just because the technology is available for the greens doesn’t mean they should use it. It’s distracting and takes away from the suspense of watching a putt creep up to the cup.
Despite all of the unbelievable surprises we enjoyed on the course, the biggest shock came during breaks from the action. The advertising team behind the Jeep commercial (the one that seemed to run twice during each commercial break) must think we’re all fools. Do they really expect us to believe that a seemingly normal, well-adjusted pair of adult humans would like One Direction as much as the Stepford couple in that absurd 30-second spot?
Here I am talking about it, and linking to it, so kudos to the creative department for Jeep.