Couple of golf news stories today.
Obviously bigger problems in the world, but at least itâs some sports news!
Starting with The European TourâŚ
I feel some of the pain behind the words of Keith Pelley here. The back office team really are a great bunch and have schmoozed and worked their nuts off with headline & support sponsorships over the years- most of those budgets will get hammered in the new economy.
Anyway part 1
European Tour: Players warned to expect significantly changed prize funds - http://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/52287050
And then this from the US.
OK So Golf is not hard to Social Distance, Iâve been at Abu Dhabi midweek with invisible crowds so that isnât much different.
Might be harder for the players not having us volunteers finding golf balls for them! And the TV on course mobile camera mike & transmitter teams cant self isolate on 1 buggy.
But ANY Sport is a start
PGA Tour plans to resume in June with tournaments behind closed doors - http://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/52315245
More of the same, but some indications of ideas & actual interviews
The Skins Game is now on NBC, The Golf Channel and maybe Skysports Golf
Rory & Dustin v Rickie & someone else
Yay! More golf on TV tomorrow 8pm CNN.
Tiger v Leftie $10million for Covid-19 plus Peyton Manning & Tom Brady.
Hopefully better Bantz than last week.
For those who didnât tune in, last night, The Match 2 was real entertainment compared to last weeks snoozefest.
Tom Brady was each and everyone of us, slicing, hooking, shaking & clubbing. In fact he made me look like I can play golf. Leftie wasnt far behind him over the first few holes. Certainly he was a Hapoy Hooker.
Tiger meanwhile was just smooth as silk, great to hear his banter on live TV, a side of him us Marshals have seen, and been on the end of at times.
Peyton Manning played really well, yes a few horrid hicks but nailed a long putt & got within 18 inches of winning $25m for a hole in one.
Charles Barclay ( NBA Legend & hacker) dished out some great abuse $25,000 if Tom hits the green he called, followed by maybe I should said $25,000 if he hits the Planet.
They played 1 hole with only 1 club, they changed formats on the back 9 (which mercifully sped things up)
It was slow, but then what we all forgot is the Sports Channels also need to sell advertising space so we were treated to the sight of a Director telling the players to hold up on a tee.
Overall I really enjoyed it. The hangover & bleary eyes (finished at 02:15 here) were worthwhile.
Well done to all & $20m raised for Charity.
One technical innovation in the no fans era. They used the green keeper buggy as a Camera Platform. They fitted a Scissor lift on and that gave them the elevated view a lot easier to set up than the usual scaffold towers
European Tour players set to wear microphones during âUK Swingâ - http://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/52841949
I thought this thread was going to be deleted?
Competitive golf returned yesterday in Fort Worth.
The best stream I found was Golf Channel which reminded me it is not just subscriptions that TV need but also Ad revenues. They were mind numbing.
Away from that, the Broadcast followed just 2 groups from the morning & afternoon Tee Times until they reached the back 9 then went all in.
The coverage was patchy. McIlroy in trouble then we see him on the green. No stands so we saw rusty players getting into weird spots around the green
The lack of GETINTHEHOLE Man was most pleasant, I have walked many rounds alone as a Marshal in tournaments - hell seven had a couple of holes at Gleneagles on Sunday with about 10 people watching back in 2014 Ryder Cup so nothing new there.
The all in had a couple of walking taters on the course, 1 guy alone in the on course studio. Faldo sitting in a garden outside & the 2 regular tators sitting in a studio in Orlando.
The production team were in New England, the graphics were in Burbank, Top Tracer were in Houston and another group in New Zealand.
It was not bad but it was not slick. Worst was when they âplayed throughâ we got split screen TV ads on the right players hitting balls on the left.
A work in progress but better than nothing.
On course the Volunteers were still there - scorers for the Tour, Spotters to find balls/record distances.
There seemed to be 1 Snapper assigned to each group, not the usual melee, and ever present the Bunker Rakers.
Not perfect, players (eg Rory who couldnât hit a barn door with his short irons) were rusty. They made protocol errors - first pumps, signed golf bals to volunteers but it was a start.
Justin was majestic & shares the lead. 4 BAME golfers in the top 6, just what the script needed.
Welcome back golf!
Its on Sky here from 1 pm till midnight.
Heard JR was leading so switched it on. He was 7 under after 12 and so with my help he only parred the last 6 holes.
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Would SO have preferred Sky but while I got a stable stream the quality was so pixelated, hence GolfTV free trial
They had the Golf Channel feed all afternoon, with the same 2 groups.
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Oh.
And wtf was that Harry Kane "on the tee Rory McIlroy thing?
Rory is 1. Irish 2. A Man Utd fan.
Weird.
Live coverage now on Twitter
Quite enjoyed that yesterday. Did the chores had some chill time & reasonable streams.
Rory found his wedges played superbly.
The weirdo Scientist battered the course into submission in the evening.
Justin showed how fleeting putting magic can be but is still in the mix.
A pleasant evening awaits.
Picked a helluva week to give up glue sniffing.
What a cracking finish unfolding in the golf.
Must be any one of about 8 players could still win this.
Great stuff!
