Golf commentators

[Slab]

It seems that the perceived quality (or lack thereof) of golf pundits and commentators on telly really impacts the viewing experience for many people but I’m not sure I get why

I often see comments about xyz being the bees knees or hopeless as a commentator/pundit, (not just in golf by across other sports too) and I don’t get why it matters. It’s just a voice describing what’s going on with maybe an opinion from another voice

Now if they kept getting facts wrong or misidentifying players it might matter somewhat but they’re not too bad at remembering who’s who and the incidental factual stuff you need when watching golf on TV

I have opinions on lots of things but when it comes to the attributes of golf commentators/pundits for my TV viewing I’m pretty meh! Why does it matter so much?

 

[Orikoru]

I'm with you, I don't pay attention to them too much. Half the time I don't even know the name of the person I'm hearing. Except when it's Butch Harmon "that's a heck of a golf shot!". All that matters to me is being able to watch it.

 

[Grant85]

It seems that the perceived quality (or lack thereof) of golf pundits and commentators on telly really impacts the viewing experience for many people but I’m not sure I get why

I often see comments about xyz being the bees knees or hopeless as a commentator/pundit, (not just in golf by across other sports too) and I don’t get why it matters. It’s just a voice describing what’s going on with maybe an opinion from another voice

Now if they kept getting facts wrong or misidentifying players it might matter somewhat but they’re not too bad at remembering who’s who and the incidental factual stuff you need when watching golf on TV

I have opinions on lots of things but when it comes to the attributes of golf commentators/pundits for my TV viewing I’m pretty meh! Why does it matter so much?

I think with commentary less is more. Mark Roe says far too much, very little of it interesting and adds very little value and has also just got a very dull voice and zero style or class.
Too many commentators will say too much. Yes, it's obvious if someone hits it to 3 feet from 180 yards that it's 'a great golf shot'.

The commentary that I love, that really adds value is the on course stuff. This is ex-pros who are out on the fairways telling you' 'he's got a great lie' or 'he can get it over this lip / tree / mound'

The likes of Wayne Riley and Andrew Coltart are great at this. Especially the short game shots when they can tell you the difficulty of the shot or the type of shot they might play or that a great shot is 'leaving it 10 foot beyond the pin'. Gives you a much better idea of when someone has played a great shot, or just an average shot.

Also the putting. They can read the putts and on TV everything might look reasonably flat and a 10 foot putt is a 10 foot putt. But they know it's a downhill, right to lefter that will be particularly difficult.

As I said, they can just add quite a lot of value to the event.

 

[Coffey]

In some sports it does matter more than others.

Used to love watching the cricket on sky listening to the banter the commentators had in the box between overs etc when not much else is happening.

I listened to The Open 2 years ago on Thursday and Friday in work on bbc 5 live i believe and the commentary was great. Considering I couldn't see what was happening the commentators kept it very entertaining and I could visualise each shot etc. Which is very difficult to do.

On TV it is slightly different as you can see what is happening, in my opinion this is where the expert knowledge needs to come in which gives you a bit more information about what the player is trying to do etc etc.

Some commentators do just come across as boring and monotone. A bit of personality and charisma is always nice.

 

[bluewolf]

I used to love listening to the BBC Radio commentators when the Masters or the US Open was on and I was at work. A real classic of "less is more" and always described in soft, reverential tones..
More recently, I sometimes struggle with some Sky commentators. Roe is a charisma vacuum. Monty is dull as hell. I don't mind Dougherty but he's hardly enlightening.
For me, Faldo is a great commentator as he has been in every situation he's describing, and he's not shy in expressing an opinion. Rich Beem is decent also.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

One of the problems in all sports now is that the directors don't seem to like dead air so the commentators are talking more and more. It is not radio, we can see what is happening. Only speak when you can add something. Sadly those days seem to be gone.

Good commentators either add to the pictures or are neutral. Bad commentators grate and put me off what I'm watching, they take away from the event.

 

[Beezerk]

I'm going to buck the trend massively, I really don't see why Mark Roe is so unpopular, I don't mind him at all.

*Dons tin hat*

 

[Slab]

I'm going to buck the trend massively, I really don't see why Mark Roe is so unpopular, I don't mind him at all.

*Dons tin hat*

I couldn't even tell you what Mark Roe sounds like. I might recognise the voice but sure couldn't put his name to it

 

[Scozzy]

Some of them just love the sound of their own voice ( yes Monty I'm looking at you) while a guy like butch Harmon,for me at least does a great job of being unbiased in the face of some pretty dire stuff thrown at him, particularly during RC broadcasting. Agree fully with on course stuff being the difference.If I could choose and they were in sync,I'd probably choose sky on the telly and 5live in my ear...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It seems that the perceived quality (or lack thereof) of golf pundits and commentators on telly really impacts the viewing experience for many people but I’m not sure I get why

I often see comments about xyz being the bees knees or hopeless as a commentator/pundit, (not just in golf by across other sports too) and I don’t get why it matters. It’s just a voice describing what’s going on with maybe an opinion from another voice

Now if they kept getting facts wrong or misidentifying players it might matter somewhat but they’re not too bad at remembering who’s who and the incidental factual stuff you need when watching golf on TV

I have opinions on lots of things but when it comes to the attributes of golf commentators/pundits for my TV viewing I’m pretty meh! Why does it matter so much?

Roe talks too much and has been known to be factually incorrect giving out wrong scores or calling players by the wrong name. I simply don't think he's cut out as a commentator or a pundit. No doubt a fantastic short game coach and I can listen to him talking about that aspect but everything else he does is poor. I think the delivery too is monotone and poor which makes him hard to listen to in commentary and in the studio.

Of the others I like Dougherty and Lee as presenters but again neither are cut out at this stage to commentate. I think both could improve but I think they need an old hand like Murray (who himself is just starting to show signs of being past it in terms of modern relevance) and a good sports director to sit down and explain why less is more.

Look at the greats, not just in golf but people like Laker, Arnott, Benaud in cricket, Maskell in tennis and Pickering or Coleman in athletics. They could leave 30 second gaps with ease and let the pictures dictate. These days everyone feels they need to describe what the viewers see. It's a pet hate, especially in football and one or two of the rugby commentators

 

[Orikoru]

Full disclosure, I have absolutely no idea who Mark Roe is, so I had to Google him. Got this:
"Mark Adrian Roe (born 20 February 1963) is an English professional golfer, best known for being disqualified from the 2003 Open Championship for a scorecard error."

Wow. His credentials certainly check out then.

 

[Wolf]

There's only 2 commentators I can't stand that's Mark Roe because whenever I listen to him he invariably gets something wrong like a players name, it's wholly unprofessional and makes him look a knob. The other is Peter Alliss, I grew up with him and enjoyed his wit and dulcet tones over the year, but sadly think he should have been retired to the old commentators home a while ago. He is still rolling out the same anecdotes he had 25 years ago, hasn't moved forward with the times and sport and imo is what brings down the BBC commentary team.

Other than those 2 I don't really mind who I listen to but I am a Faldo fan he generally is insightful and says what needs to be said.

 

[Jacko_G]

Peter is the benchmark they all need to aspire to.

Love Andrew Cotter, talks a lot of sense. Andy Coltart is good. Nick Doherty is very good and should be the new face of golf on Sky. Let him anchor. McGinley, cant stand him his nasal whine isn't quite as bad of porridge but it still has me reaching for the remote and "mute".

Laura Davies speaks a lot of sense too.

 

[Slab]

Most if not all my viewing is via the golf channel (cbs maybe) so the PGA stuff is faldo pundit with a couple of anchors but I've no idea who
The ET is Dougie donnely as the lead with couple of pundits I can't name and Radar on the course

No one really offensive, most seem competent and faldo is the best of the bunch and Radar the most personality

 

[upsidedown]

Most if not all my viewing is via the golf channel (cbs maybe) so the PGA stuff is faldo pundit with a couple of anchors but I've no idea who
The ET is Dougie donnely as the lead with couple of pundits I can't name and Radar on the course

No one really offensive, most seem competent and faldo is the best of the bunch and Radar the most personality

Think Julian Tutt used to do it for ET , did when we were out NZ

 

[Jamesbrown]

It’s just accents that affect the commentary for me. Some accents or dialects just hurt my ears. Butch is one of them that makes me grit my teeth.
Don’t really listen to what’s said. Not much you can say I suppose.
Nothing really happens in golf bar a player hits a ball.

 

[chrisd]

I just cant abide Mark Roe, so full of his own importance in my opinion. Most of the others I can listen to, or ignore , but Roe is just unbearable

 

[Hobbit]

The only one I'm not keen on is Monty. He talks over the action far too often and seems to assume his audience knows nothing. Shame really as in interviews he usually comes across well. For me, he's just not cut out to be a commentator.

Special mention for Laura Davis. Very refreshing and straight talking.

 

[Slime]

I'm another who can't abide Mark Roe. He's too full of himself and Tiger Woods.
Peter Alliss is one I've always had time for.
Of the current crop, I enjoy Radar, Rich Beem, Laura Davies, Butch and Monty.
The future of Sky coverage, though, has to be Nick Dougherty with Radar Riley, Andrew Coltart and Richard Boxall.
What a great team.

 

[dronfield]

To me golf and cricket commentators these days do more than just describe the action (ie, what the viewer can see), they are generally ex players and so can pick up on things that the untrained eye can't see eg, difficulty of shot, tactics etc.
Also, i want a commentator to be willing to criticise when appropiate and not sugar coat stuff - if you want to be everyones buddy, dont become a commentator.
Specifically to golf i think Paul McGinley adds something as he is quite opinionated and has strong views that he is prepared to say, and also calls a bad shot, a bad shot - whereas Ewen Murray too often looks to make excuses when a player hits a poor shot instead of calling it for what it is - and also at times gives too much credit, ie, praising spin control when a player was simply hoping to reach the green.

Rich