The Golf Channel

[Boabski]

i was speaking with madandra the other week and the golf channel was mentioned,so last week when i was on to SKY customer service complaining about something and nothing i asked why it was taken away.The rep on the phone explain that programs like these are all up for tender like football games etc and basiclly they got outbid by another television company. she informed me that when it is up again that they will be trying to win it back as so many people were not happy when it disapeared.
do we miss it ?
i liked it.

 

[adamk15]

I was under the idea that the golf channel was taken over and rebranded by setanta (god I hate them) as setanta golf?
I'm probably wrong tho.

I quite enjoyed it, apart from the constant k1 fast adverts by slazenger and jjb... they were a pesk.

 

[vig]

Enjoyed it but got to agree regarding the adverts way OTT.

It is on Satanta.

 

[birdieman]

About 5 years ago it was good but it went downhill so much that I can't say I miss it as it was before Sky lost it recently. When I saw it first back in 2004 or so they played re-runs of the last rounds of recent mens major tournaments etc which was good.
I didn't have Sky Sports or Setanta back then so it was about the only way of getting some golf on tv except for an odd show where Mike Reid RIP aka Frank Butcher played various courses.
Not interested in tv golf until the Masters which is nearly 6 months away so I will bin Sky sports soon as I'm becoming more and more fed up with football as each season passes, probably get sky movies instead.
I have just cancelled Setanta as they ain't worth £12.50/month but the schisters want 60 days notice - is that ridiculous or what?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

When the Golf Channel UK started I really hoped there would be loads onthere for British golfers in terms of tournament reviews, instruction, UK courses etc. Sadly it was just rehashed US programmes and so I can see why it went belly up. I lost interest in it after about a month. The only programmes I'd watch if they were on were "Playing Lessons" and Big Break which I thought initially was a good concept but now has been gimmicked up too much to stretch it out.

 

[madandra]

I miss early VT of Brandle Chamblee showing us how easy it is to hit off a bare lie. The Slazenger ads did waste it but I really miss Golf Central Daily.

Seeing Dave Peltz in one clip in his mid 30's then at 50+ in the next was quite funny.

 

[Cernunnos]

As a free channel, The golf channel was basically great. Hated the never ending adverts, but when its a free channel, they have to pay for the viewing somehow I suppose.

However, it would be great to have a dedicated golf channel showing profesional tournaments, both European & US Not to mention great advice etc. Yes a true European version would be preferable & if the adverts could be cut down to something more relevent to UK & European viewrs then I certainly wouldnt mind paying a fiver for an indipendant golf coverage seperate to any current sports package, as golf is all the sport I'm interested in watching or paying for.

I currently Pay for the entire sky-sports package & yet the only thing I watch from all the sports shown on there is the golf, so seems a waste of the fee I pay for the sports package. Then there is the Satanta coverage, which seems to be mostly USPGA tour, which quite franckly on its own I wouldn't pay for.

If it were European Tour & USPGA, European Seniors, Senior Tour, European Ladies & LPGA Challange & Europro tour etc, then any channel that could show coverage, either entire or even in some cases highlights, then I'd see a channel money well spent. Until then I suppose I'll have to suffer the very limited coverage Sky currently provides.

 

[USER1999]

I don't really watch golf. Only the majors, and the RC. It is a lot like P**n, better to do than watch. Doesn't bear comparison.

 

[Cernunnos]

seeing as most of the majors are in the USA I really don't have any interest in any Major but one & that happens in the UK. The USPGA has a lot to answer for imo in it bais toward comps that occur in the US-of-A

 

[viscount17]

it's not the USPGA thats to blame, they are after all protecting their market, aggressive marketing, sunshine and some attractive looking locations with courses tailored to satisfy a US market - long bomb, lots of 'easy' birdies.
it's more that the European never had a good enough marketing strategy or the locations to attract the big sponsors, and hence the big purses, and keep the big players.

 

[Cernunnos]

it's not the USPGA thats to blame, they are after all protecting their market, aggressive marketing, sunshine and some attractive looking locations with courses tailored to satisfy a US market - long bomb, lots of 'easy' birdies.
it's more that the European never had a good enough marketing strategy or the locations to attract the big sponsors, and hence the big purses, and keep the big players.

Though of course all that could be changing as far as the monitary enticements are concerned, but the yanks will hold onto the majors, whilst we'll have the race to Dubai & all the tallent, yet still 9/10ths of the majors will still be in the states. But of course a major is simply a term or name, when any national tournament is im'book as important as another.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think the problem with a dedicated golf channel and it is something I'm finding more and more on Setanta is that if once you have shown the latest tour action and repeated it for a few days what do you have left especially at this time of year.

It is very well to show reruns of old Ryder Cups, Open Championships et al but even watching those has only a limited appeal. I do enjoy programmes like Out of Bounds etc but the crux is that these sort of programmes are expensice to make and so with only limited audience and revenue cannot be made all year round.

I don't mind things from the old Golf Channel like Playing Lessons with... and Big Break etc but there really isn't enough topical magazine and instructional schedule fillers. I know there are porgrammes like the Golf Club, and Inside the Asian Tour but I have no real interest in what happens in these golfing areas. Inside the PGA Tour has a certain watchability as at least I've probably watched part of the last tournament coverage or will have heard of most of the featured guys.

 

[madandra]

I would love to see a channel with all the golden oldie moments like old masters, opens, US opens and other ding dong battles. A wee bit like ESPN classic.

I love going into American Golf and watching the vijo of Jack and Tom Kite going at it in Turnberry.

 

[Cernunnos]

ESPN classic show some great stuff occasionally. Just a pitty there isn't more classic stuff shown.

 

[big_russ]

They should resurrect Pro Celebrity Golf on Setanta. This would be a must watch although now a days it would have to be based around some less well known pro's.

 

[Dodger]

Watson even?

 

[forefortheday]

I love the shouty bloke on the Playing Lessons series (I think!) on Setanta.

"THIS ISN'T RELEASE" as he demonstrates a flick at the ball "THIS IS RELEASE" as he smashes it into oblivion!!

I would imagine a lesson with him would be both terrifying and hilarious at the same time

Wonderful world of Golf is quality too, guys handing their caddy his fag before he smashes one down the fairway, Golf looked much cooler than it does now despite the "efforts" of some pro's!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

OK thats an interesting tangent. Who would you have as the two pro's - perhaps a couple of females for one off programmes. It would have to be someone with a bit of personality so how about Levet and Broadhurst. One has a bit of continental charm and the other the humour and tales of the tour. Or what about getting Boxall and Rob Lee going head to head

The celebrities would need to be up to date. Guess you'd have Spoony, Jamie Redknapp, Steve Redgrave etc

 

[big_russ]

I would love to see a couple of the seniors who dont play too often on the tour.
Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam would make an excellent pair of captains and there is a multitude of celebrities to choose from.
Or what about Torrence and Jacklin with their tales of woe through the use of the Slazenger K1 Speed driver and F.A.S.T irons.

 

[Wildrover]

Wasn't there a program years ago presented by Tony Jacklin with Sam Torrance and Sandy Lyle as the captains? They did one series at Loch Lomond when it first opened and another somewhere in Ireland. Seem to remember it being on around Christmas time, maybe on Ch4.