[Lynn_Shackelford]

Probably too late for the right coast guys but Mike Clayton added some intelligent conversation to last night's first round play from Royal Melbourne.  It was on the Golf Channel.  After growing up on Royal Melbourne, as a guest commentator he discussed how the course used to play.  The days of Trevino storming off the course when the greens were brown and hard.  He implied the green grass all around changes the way you play the course, making it easier.  But as interesting was his take on the change in the game as a result of technology.  He indicated that Greg Norman was a great player of the wooden club.  He had an edge on everyone.  But with today's clubs no one has an edge on anyone when it comes to metal clubs.  He talked about Norman hitting a driver off the fairway at Royal Melbourne into the wind.  Very interesting direct commentary.  Bob Huntley we will not get this kind of commentary in the States.

[BCrosby]

I remember Mike's commentary last year. He is excellent. I agree, there is nothing as good on US TV.

Bob

[Jari Rasinkangas]

Is there anything good on US TV?

Jari

[Mike Benham]

They also had Greg Norman miked for his round and it was somewhat entertaining.

He commented to his playing partner that the next big thing in golf ball technology will the a titanium core that is hollow.  I was only listening to the broadcast so I couldn't tell if he was pulling his partners leg ...

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I beg to differ about not getting that type of comment here, spend some time listening to Nick Faldo..he is great.

He is the first guy willing to stand up and basically say Tiger is not close at all and that his mecahnics are flawed..plus  have  enough knowkledge to tell you why!

[Brian_Sleeman]

Is there anything good on US TV?

Jari

Curb Your Enthusiasm?

Agreed on Nick Faldo, it was a great change of pace listening to him at the Buick Invitational.  He provided some great insight and with a good sense of humor to boot.  

Zinger has also been fun to listen to for his unpredictability and candor thus far.  Did anyone else notice how critical he was of the PGA Tour's "lack of common sense" in its decision-making process when talking about the fog delays?

[Jason Topp]

I've always thought Peter Oosterhous was the best commentator, especially when he was doing the European tour with Renton Laidlaw.  He's still good on telecasts with CBS, but his role is so limited.

[James Bennett]

A note on RM for the event.

The course palyed well given the 5 inches of rain in the preceding day.  No apparent bunker damage, nor evidence of casual water (I didn't see the full telecast).  The wind that ripped through after the rain destroyed some advrtising boards (what a pity) but also blew some trees and bushes over, which were removed by chainsaw.  They elected not to cut the greens on Thursday, so they ran at 11 feet, obviously holding any type of shot given the 5 inches of rain.

From a playing perspective, the tournament committee has amended the options for the 18th hole.  Previously, many players went down the old 1st composite, now 17th composite on the left hand side to get a line into the back right hand pin (a Sunday special).  This year, the alternate fairway has been deemed out-of-bounds!! ???The option has been removed, verboeten.  I am waiting to see where the pins are on the next three days (central location on day 1, so didn't really matter).  I wonder what Dr MacKenzie would have thought.

[Jason Topp]

My wife now thinks I'm nuts (or has had her suspicions confirmed) because I have been up till nearly two in the morning the last two nights listening to Mike Clayton's commentary.  Interesting comments last night included discussion of 14 playing at one time like a par 5, the Australian practice of pulling trolleys across the greens, and the potential of two major tours - the US and rest of the world.  

[TEPaul]

"Is there anything good on US TV?"
Jari

Jari:

You're joking right? If you haven't seen "Desperate Housewives" you haven't lived yet. It will knock your soxes off! It completely proves Toynbee's remark---"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public!"

I'd love to hear Mike Clayton--is he going to be on again? I don't know what Australian tournament it was last year that Peter Thomson was in the booth on Sunday but for an interesting commentary on architecture and maintenance practices I've absolutely never seen a commentary on a tournament telecast that good!

[Jason Topp]

TEPaul

I don't know.  He has been on for at least an hour each of the last two nights.

[Bob_Huntley]

You're joking right? If you haven't seen "Desperate Housewives" you haven't lived yet. It will knock your soxes off! It completely proves Toynbee's remark---"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public!"

 

Thomas E. Paul,

Please, no more obfuscation. It was not Toynbee but H.L. Mencken.

Yr. Obt. Svt.

RCH

[TEPaul]

"Please, no more obfuscation. It was not Toynbee but H.L. Mencken."

BobH:

Come on--it's the same damn thing, although I'll trade you three Menckens for two Toynbees. But if I can scrape up three Menckens and two Toynbees I'll trade them all to you if you have one P.T. Barnum!

[Jari Rasinkangas]

Tom,

I haven't seen the Desperate Housewives.  It usually takes year or two before the American series are on Finnish TV.

Of course there are some great series in US TV also.  The very old ones like Soap or Hill Street Blues.  Am I really that old?  

Then of course all science fiction like Star Trek or Babylon 5.  The astronomy has always been one of my hobbies.

But why did you start the reality TV?  It is now destroying the Finnish TV also.

But in general I like the British series better.  The touch they have is more like in real life.  And maybe the humour and the way of life is closer the Finnish one.

Are there any Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds' fans?  Should we have the International Rescue for golf courses?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbirds_%28TV_series%29



Jari

[Mark_F]

Tom Paul,

Do I detect a subtle note of sarcasm regarding "Desperate Housewives?"

The show hit our screens here last week after many weeks of hype, with it very much being a loathed or liked show.

I actually thought it was quite brilliant, and the best black comedy on US television or cinema screens in many a year.

It crapped all over that pathetic piece of rubbish it was based upon, American Beauty.  But then, I'm sure you know that.  

[Mark_Guiniven]

Well done Mike, Julian and Ken. It's the inside stuff that makes it interesting. I've said it before but Mike, you would be a natural fit alongside your two Heineken co-commentators, Jean, Sam and Grades at a British Open. You could just talk while the BBC show someone in the crowd eating an ice-cream. Er, all of it.

[RJ_Daley]

Well, just to go slightly off topic, but same neighborhood concerning the RM telecast.  I too had tried to stay up for the live broadcast.  But, the sand man got me.  What I think I woke up to as I intermittently was dozing, was an "on-course" playing comment by one Ernie Els.  

At first I thought I was hearing things or having a nightmare about a bar fight with drunken Shanghi sailors.  Or perhaps it sounded like an uncut version of a particularly explicative scene from "Good Fellas".   But, the South African accent was quite unmistakable.  Meezrrrabal Coke Soccer or a close variation thereof...

And, would I be correct that this is the second time in a month that one Ernie Els has invoked the same dreaded epithet with open microphone whilst playing the genteel game?

I love Ernie to pieces.  I could watch the man play all day, and I love accents such as his.  But lately  it seems Ernie is doing a "dirty Johnny" joke routine and I think that his mom ought to get out a bar of soap.

[RJ_Daley]

On a higher note, thanks to Mike Clayton for fine commentary, and it is always a source of pride to be a participant on GCA and have knowledgeable fellows like MC give us the benefit of their thoughts from time to time here.

[Philip Gawith]

I have also enjoyed some of Nick Faldo's frank observations - but his contrived attempts at humour, trying to mimick everybody's accent, had me cringing on the sofa. Hopefully someone will have a word in his ear and we can keep the good and get rid of the rest.

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