The 2013 Open Championship - what's your verdict

[carlosportsman]

Re the coverage, I agree it is starting to look tired. Why don't they do more technical stuff? Look at what Sky do at the Test analysing the players. The commentary team use super slo-mo to explain why a bowler is taking wickets or a batsman is playing badly. It seems the Beeb are afraid of alienating the casual viewer but it's at the expense of the enthusiasts, and we've come to expect more. I don't recall seeing one bit of technical analysis or explanation of a shot over the 4 days.

I do think they need a freshen up, I mean the weekend coverage was very poorly thought out for the first 90 minutes or so as they insisted on having two sets of experts coming in and pretty much repeating each other in terms of the topics of conversation. I would say they need to invest in some younger personalities to help the coverage along (not Dan Walker though).

I love Peter Alliss and wouldn't like to see him being binned (which is unlikely) and hopefully they will retain Nobillo for next year. Andrew Cotter needs to be given more air time in my opinion, he speaks a sensible and sound game. Mark James was poor beyond belief and hopefully will be discarded with next year. I think they lack someone who will actually say things a bit left field and outside of the box, it's all very samey with the current crew.

 

[MegaSteve]

In comparison to other 'events' the entry fee is cheap... Prices went up for the British GP [already higher than entry to The Open] yet sales were up...

I would support a move to Sky only if they offer it free to view... ITV can provide free to view coverage of major sporting events perfectly well... So why not Sky?? Plenty of advertising during their coverage is there not?

 

[Yer Maw]

it was a very good tournament and the course played hard so in hindsight some more favourable pin positions on the last two days would've been better. It's a superb course and the leaderboard showed that. Westy and Tiger only have 3 good rounds in them. Westy scrambled quite a bit on Saturday and his game wasn't there on Sunday. As always (well most of the time) the winner is someone who doesn't defend. I just wish he had the 4 round game.
Poulter won me a few quid as I had him in the top 5.
I was amazed the stands were empty but then I wouldn't pay that money. Dawson doesn't have one foot in the traditional camp, he is both feet firmly cemented in there and won't be there long. It is clear the R&A have issues with the gender thing and how they run the Open as change is a constant and they've lost sight of that.
Same goes for the BBC coverage which is now looking very tired.
However I was well chuffed Mickleson won he's the best player outside a Brit we could have won as he is so generous, honest and grateful. A truly great champion.

 

[carlosportsman]

In comparison to other 'events' the entry fee is cheap... Prices went up for the British GP [already higher than entry to The Open] yet sales were up...

I would support a move to Sky only if they offer it free to view... ITV can provide free to view coverage of major sporting events perfectly well... So why not Sky?? Plenty of advertising during their coverage is there not?

Would a move to Sky improve coverage though, it would mean listening to Monty at another Major which I am against as he is one of the most blinkered pundits on there when it comes to players he rates and doesn't rate, shame as he is a knowledgable guy but he very boring in his views on who will contend at tournaments etc and he overdoes the Tiger criticism for me as well.

 

[Yer Maw]

but don't ever give the Open to a company that will ruin it with adverts jeez what a bloody disaster that would be. The Beeb just need to get with the modern plan.

 

[MegaSteve]

Would a move to Sky improve coverage though

Not really I suppose... I share my F1 viewing between the Beeb and Sky as both options have their plusses and minuses...

Coverage of the TdF on ITV4 has been brilliant and all for free!!!

 

[MegaSteve]

The Beeb just need to get with the modern plan.

Part of the problem is that the Beeb no longer has a standout anchor person like Coleman or Rider... Hazel is OK but that's it...

 

[mikee247]

I agree - the Beeb are not good at golf coverage they all sound bored and drone on for hours...... Allis is too old now and not funny any more and that dullard bloke who captained and lost the Ryder cup was on far to much and completely sent me asleep.... Faldo in the studio was only interested in waffling on about himself for far to long... some body please shoot him!" The on course guys like Ken brown are quality... I miss Sam Torrence he was legendary on the TV great voice...

Their actual group and shot coverage was weak and stank of low budget..... Tons of the same holes and far to much putting and always the leaders and hardly anyone else on different holes. With little technology used throughout and average picture quality even in HD it made for boring and poor viewing.. I want to support the Beeb but Sky's coverage is superb and shows how it should be done and is way ahead in terms of technology and maintaining interest.

 

[Fish]

A panel of ex-players and some young current ones with a spot for someone to join them who doesn't make the cut ala Sky Sports on a Saturday would be good on the Beeb, just got to find the personalities so we can hear cries of Arghhh as a birdie or eagle put is missed in the background.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Prices too high, especially in a recession.

The course got it marginally wrong on the first day. Mainly with a few pin spots. The weather was the big factor and they did not seem to react to that. I generally defend the R&A and greenstaff but I think they were rightly blamed by McElson.

Reduce the corporate tenting areas and bring back the golf exhibition tents.
They have taken that side away from the ordinary supporter for the easy bucks non golfing corporate hangers on who sit around all day drinking.
That is the reason many of the stands were empty.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Coverage of the TdF on ITV4 has been brilliant and all for free!!!

I agree. I am sure I read somewhere that all they are doing is taking the feed from American TV coverage. Phil and Paul are commentating for US TV, ITV just add in the bits Boardman, Imlach and Ned Boulting do.

 

[Snelly]

Quite simply the R&A put on the greatest golf tournament of the year.

Absolutely right.

My other observation would be that the bbc coverage gets worse every year. It's great when you are watching shots and listening to Peter but all the utter cack that they put in about litter collectors and so on is just painful. As is anything that involves Dan Walker. He is appalling.

 

[MegaSteve]

I agree. I am sure I read somewhere that all they are doing is taking the feed from American TV coverage. Phil and Paul are commentating for US TV, ITV just add in the bits Boardman, Imlach and Ned Boulting do.

The pictures are provided by a French channel... Made a point of including their HQ in yesterdays coverage...

 

[Hacker Khan]

The pictures are provided by a French channel... Made a point of including their HQ in yesterdays coverage...

I think that's the same for any sporting event, the host nations broadcasters or whatever company won the contract to film it and provide the pictures, and the individual TV broadcast companies just add their own commentary.

 

[mcbroon]

Absolutely right.

My other observation would be that the bbc coverage gets worse every year. It's great when you are watching shots and listening to Peter but all the utter cack that they put in about litter collectors and so on is just painful. As is anything that involves Dan Walker. He is appalling.

Correct. I think the commentary team are very good but the presentation side of things needs an overhaul. I'm not a fan of Hazel Irvine and all the other 'fun' stuff they do is awful.

With regard to the tournament itself , I thought the pin placements on day 1 were unnecessarily difficult, but they rectified that over the following few days. It was also good to see bunkers acting as hazards for a change, as opposed to the easy-out variety you see on the PGA Tour most weeks. I was pleased to see Phil win as only he and Poulter looked like the were trying to win it on Sunday. Maybe they had no choice but to attack, given where they started the day, but everyone else seemed to be trying to hang around until the death, avoiding mistakes, in the hope that they might eagle 17, or that everyone else would fall away.

As for Westwood, it's difficult to say he choked, I think. Adam Scott said on Friday or Saturday that par was about 75, due to the difficulty of the setup, so I don't think Lee's round was a collapse, it just wasn't good enough on the final day. He holed some big putts early on to limit the damage his long game was putting him in but he couldn't keep it going.

One final point about players misjudging the amount of bounce they were going to get. Doesn't that point to a failing on the part of the players? The example of Moore's caddy saying "It HAS to bounce" is a good one. It doesn't have to bounce. If you can't rely on the bounce, don't hit the wedge. Hit a running 7 iron instead. Modern players don't often have to, and therefore can't, play the low running shot.

 

[chrisd]

I saw more of it this year than in past years and I enjoyed the BBC coverage, thought the course to be tough but fair and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the best player win!