Peter Finch - Sky sports presenter

[GB72]

I used to like some of the more relaxed, mates playing golf content but, like most things, success spoils it. Success means it becomes a job and once it becomes a job there needs to be more content then at best it becomes repetitive and at worst it loses that relaxed charm and becomes forced, stilted and almost comes across scripted.

As for the bigger names, they had a good thing originally, reviews and comment outside of the established golf media and so a degree of independence that could be trusted. Then came the review freebies, followed by the sponsorship, followed by the access and press junkets and now they have been fully absorbed by the mainstream and offer nothing new whilst having ditched their teaching roots to a large extent.

I can, however, understand why they are attractive to Sky etc, younger demographic, in most cases a decent golf knowledge and already used to talking to camera. They lack the pro experience but do have a better chance of getting to grips with the presenting element.

I used to watch quite a few golf channels on youtube, now I watch next to none.

 

[sunshine]

I genuinely don't think there's a bigger fraud in the world of golf than Mia Baker. Why the world gives air time to these talentless, narcissistic plebs is beyond me.

Why don’t you get off the fence and tell us how you really feel?

I was going to use the word narcissistic but you have already summed it up. Saw her in action on my golf course a few weeks ago and she was incredibly annoying, just loud and messing around like an idiot. All she does is take pictures of herself.

 

[Dando]

Why don’t you get off the fence and tell us how you really feel?

I was going to use the word narcissistic but you have already summed it up. Saw her in action on my golf course a few weeks ago and she was incredibly annoying, just loud and messing around like an idiot. All she does is take pictures of herself.

There’s a TMcompetition to win a round of golf with Mia baker and Charley hull at foxhills.

Charley hill would be fine.

Mia baker - I’d rather crap in my hands and clap

 

[SteveW86]

There’s a TMcompetition to win a round of golf with Mia baker and Charley hull at foxhills.

Charley hill would be fine.

Mia baker - I’d rather crap in my hands and clap

I saw that, but isnt it only open to women?

 

[Dando]

I saw that, but isnt it only open to women?

i might identify as a woman for that day.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Really beats me why people choose to watch bad golf on some of those channels. Much more fun playing mediocre golf and chat with your own mates. No need to watch it in youtube.
The like of Rick Shiels (Surely a Mrs Browns Boys phenomenon - seems to have a big following, when you would wonder why his channel has anyone at all subscribing), Good Good, or the white teeth guy just playing rounds on average courses. Why??? Whats the appeal.

Proper golf chat I like - Crossfield, No Laying Up, etc. Experts talking about golf, rather than just showcasing their own mediocre skills. There is enough PGAT and LPGA to see real skills rather than the never made its.

Full disclosure is that I have watched some Rick Shiels in the past and so his vids pop up on my YouTube feed quite regularly. I usually ignore them these days, but did watch all of his recent ‘every shot’ video of his match round Woburn Dukes against Ian Poulter (Poulter‘s home track so he knows it inside out). Shiels started at 10 under. Not a great fan of Poulter but felt he came across quite well and actually rather self-deprecating.

I admit to watching it all - in a couple or three chunks as it was long, and found it interesting listening to Poulter explain his thinking around every option he had and shot he played…and he played quite a few from odd places as he was rusty, being just back from a two week holiday, and talked a lot about his approach shots, positioning, spin/de-spin etc. Plus Shiels played shots just as I might and could relate to, and Poulter’s sotto voce comments to camera about Shiels’ thinking and shots were often rather amusing.

No I don’t feel dirty for watching and enjoying it…but as I generally find Shiels a bit irritating I wont be rushing to watch more.

 

[Orikoru]

Full disclosure is that I have watched some Rick Sheils in the past and so his vids pop up on my YouTube feed quite regularly. I usually ignore them these days, but did watch all of his recent ‘every shot’ video of his match round Woburn Dukes against Ian Poulter (Poulter‘s home track so he knows it inside out). Sheils started at 10 under. Not a great fan of Poulter but felt he came across quite well and actually rather self-deprecating.

I admit to watching it all - in a couple or three chunks as it was long, and found it interesting listening to Poulter explain his thinking around every option he had and shot he played…and he played quite a few from odd places as he was rusty, being just back from a two week holiday, and talked a lot about his approach shots, positioning, spin/de-spin etc. Plus Sheils played shots just as I might and Poulter’s sotto voce comments to camera about Sheils’ thinking and shots were often rather amusing.

No I don’t feel dirty for watching and enjoying it…but as I generally find Sheils a bit irritating I wont be rushing to watch more.

I enjoyed it for the same reason. Listening to Poulter talk about the kind of shots he would play, and advising Shiels on what shots were possible, was very interesting. Shiels played rubbish again though - there's no way he's anywhere near scratch. Looks like a 6 handicap at absolute best.

I would love to see a match of Jimmy Bullard vs Rick Shiels. I think Bullard would beat him easily, he's a much more consistent player.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

…and must start ta

I enjoyed it for the same reason. Listening to Poulter talk about the kind of shots he would play, and advising Shiels on what shots were possible, was very interesting. Shiels played rubbish again though - there's no way he's anywhere near scratch. Looks like a 6 handicap at absolute best.

I would love to see a match of Jimmy Bullard vs Rick Shiels. I think Bullard would beat him easily, he's a much more consistent player.

…and must start taking a towel with me onto the green as Poulter did every time to waft away any debris on his line…

 

[Patster1969]

I don't mind either Rick or Peter - it's the people that he has working for him that I find annoying. I find that I watch less content of theirs if it's only Guy playing with Rick and if the two editors/camera people are focused on more with Peter (it's quite painful watching them do their comedy piece pretending to be gold presenters).
The other thing I find annoying is their commitment to underclubbing constantly, even when one of them has hit a shot really short - the other player then will just go with the same club and then be surprised that he's short (or because he's tried to hammer it, it's miles off target). I know it's YouTube but we are many years into golf content on there - do they think we are still impressed with them trying to smash everything as hard as possible?

 

[Patster1969]

I enjoyed it for the same reason. Listening to Poulter talk about the kind of shots he would play, and advising Shiels on what shots were possible, was very interesting. Shiels played rubbish again though - there's no way he's anywhere near scratch. Looks like a 6 handicap at absolute best.

I would love to see a match of Jimmy Bullard vs Rick Shiels. I think Bullard would beat him easily, he's a much more consistent player.

Agree with that - I've just watched Rick's video from Hoylake and he was all over the place. James Robinson was playing with him and was straight the majority of the time - it did make Rick look like a 6 handicapper

 

[Slab]

I don't mind either Rick or Peter - it's the people that he has working for him that I find annoying. I find that I watch less content of theirs if it's only Guy playing with Rick and if the two editors/camera people are focused on more with Peter (it's quite painful watching them do their comedy piece pretending to be gold presenters).
The other thing I find annoying is their commitment to underclubbing constantly, even when one of them has hit a shot really short - the other player then will just go with the same club and then be surprised that he's short (or because he's tried to hammer it, it's miles off target). I know it's YouTube but we are many years into golf content on there - do they think we are still impressed with them trying to smash everything as hard as possible?

Yeah I've not been a long time watcher of Shiels but watched a fair few vids now and its unreal how often he underclubs (but he also shoot through the green quite often too)
Its as if its adjusting to the conditions/weather is the bigger issue

 

[Orikoru]

Yeah I've not been a long time watcher of Shiels but watched a fair few vids now and its unreal how often he underclubs (but he also shoot through the green quite often too)
Its as if its adjusting to the conditions/weather is the bigger issue

He used to claim that he doesn't get to play much golf, which was fair when he was still a teaching pro. But since he's been doing his break 75, and the 10 shot challenges against pros, he must actually be playing a fair amount and doesn't really have that excuse anymore. He seems to hit a few pull hooks which make it look like he's over-clubbed.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I enjoyed it for the same reason. Listening to Poulter talk about the kind of shots he would play, and advising Shiels on what shots were possible, was very interesting. Shiels played rubbish again though - there's no way he's anywhere near scratch. Looks like a 6 handicap at absolute best.

I would love to see a match of Jimmy Bullard vs Rick Shiels. I think Bullard would beat him easily, he's a much more consistent player.

I have it on good authority that on the drive home from Hoylake he asked James Robinson for help as he just can't play golf.

 

[Orikoru]

I have it on good authority that on the drive home from Hoylake he asked James Robinson for help as he just can't play golf.

I haven't actually watched the Hoylake video yet so I have that to look forward to then. If Guy beat his score that'd be the final nail.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I haven't actually watched the Hoylake video yet so I have that to look forward to then. If Guy beat his score that'd be the final nail.

I swear Guy just throws in horror holes to make Rick feel better he'll often be beating him and then throw in a couple of doubles from nowhere.

 

[Orikoru]

I swear Guy just throws in horror holes to make Rick feel better he'll often be beating him and then throw in a couple of doubles from nowhere.

He is that much of a sycophant that it wouldn't surprise me at all. Doesn't want to upset his lord and master.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

No way is Rick making the scores he claims. There has to be some creativity in the filming.

 

[PJ87]

No way is Rick making the scores he claims. There has to be some creativity in the filming.

Well he has the help from the camera team to see where his ball ends up

Hes very honest with his scores otherwise he would break 75 more.often

 

[sjw]

Well he has the help from the camera team to see where his ball ends up

Hes very honest with his scores otherwise he would break 75 more.often

Yeah, if Rick wanted to cheat he'd be a hell of a lot better!

 

[Orikoru]

No way is Rick making the scores he claims. There has to be some creativity in the filming.

Really?? It's not like they're making him look good... In fact one of the things I'd praise him for is including his worst golf in the videos without filtering it out.