Golf Architecture Show?

[Mac Plumart]

I just saw on The Golf Channel that at 3 pm today they will be doing a show on The Bear Trap to supplement the live coverage of the tournament on another network.

I think that is a great idea, if, indeed, it is architectural based.  And if they do this every week, we can get some good architectural based coverage to supplement the live broadcast.  I just hope they do it well.

[Charlie Rymer]

It is not architecture based. It's an experiment that will show featured holes on Golf Channel as the main telecast is on NBC. Consider it a supplement to the event. If it were architecture based the loud clicking sound you hear would be TV's all across the country clicking over to NAT GEO for "Finding Bigfoot."  There aren't enough golf nerds out there to support 3 hours of architectural based golf programming. In fact, I'd say not enough for 3 minutes.  But it would be nice to have 2 and half minutes tucked in from time to time.

[Mac Plumart]

 

[Jeff_Mingay]

C'mon, Charlie... don't say it's true

[Robert Emmons]

Charlie, your the best...

[Sam Morrow]

It is not architecture based. It's an experiment that will show featured holes on Golf Channel as the main telecast is on NBC. Consider it a supplement to the event. If it were architecture based the loud clicking sound you hear would be TV's all across the country clicking over to NAT GEO for "Finding Bigfoot."  There aren't enough golf nerds out there to support 3 hours of architectural based golf programming. In fact, I'd say not enough for 3 minutes.  But it would be nice to have 2 and half minutes tucked in from time to time.

Finding Bigfoot is on Animal Planet, it's the best unintentional comedy ever. One episode they said Bigfoot is more common than house cats. I bet the woods around Pinehurst are squatchy.

[Terry Lavin]

It is not architecture based. It's an experiment that will show featured holes on Golf Channel as the main telecast is on NBC. Consider it a supplement to the event. If it were architecture based the loud clicking sound you hear would be TV's all across the country clicking over to NAT GEO for "Finding Bigfoot."  There aren't enough golf nerds out there to support 3 hours of architectural based golf programming. In fact, I'd say not enough for 3 minutes.  But it would be nice to have 2 and half minutes tucked in from time to time.

True on all accounts, but every little bit helps.

[Mike_Young]

It is not architecture based. It's an experiment that will show featured holes on Golf Channel as the main telecast is on NBC. Consider it a supplement to the event. If it were architecture based the loud clicking sound you hear would be TV's all across the country clicking over to NAT GEO for "Finding Bigfoot."  There aren't enough golf nerds out there to support 3 hours of architectural based golf programming. In fact, I'd say not enough for 3 minutes.  But it would be nice to have 2 and half minutes tucked in from time to time.

Finding Bigfoot is on Animal Planet, it's the best unintentional comedy ever. One episode they said Bigfoot is more common than house cats. I bet the woods around Pinehurst are squatchy.

Sam,
Check out the Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.  Google that one...now that's funny...and true

[George_Bahto]

Hello Charlie - - - - nice to get your views from time to time - don't be a stranger here

I understand the channel's thinking on this - very similar to what I was told when I was writing my "Macdonald book" -  I was told it would be a very limited audience.

............  however, for GC and us nuts, this is a fine "beginning" - very nice addition (and whoa, the network is into it)      

George

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Welcome Charlie, I do agree on 2.5 minutes being about the max. it is a shame they picked this course to do a feature on.

[Sam Morrow]

It is not architecture based. It's an experiment that will show featured holes on Golf Channel as the main telecast is on NBC. Consider it a supplement to the event. If it were architecture based the loud clicking sound you hear would be TV's all across the country clicking over to NAT GEO for "Finding Bigfoot."  There aren't enough golf nerds out there to support 3 hours of architectural based golf programming. In fact, I'd say not enough for 3 minutes.  But it would be nice to have 2 and half minutes tucked in from time to time.

Finding Bigfoot is on Animal Planet, it's the best unintentional comedy ever. One episode they said Bigfoot is more common than house cats. I bet the woods around Pinehurst are squatchy.

Sam,
Check out the Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.  Google that one...now that's funny...and true

I want to know but know if I do it won't end well.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Charlie
Are you saying that the viewers of The Golf Channel would not be interested in a 30 minute show about Augusta National the course?

History of the course, the architects, about the course today, the holes, the ecology, what it takes today to get it ready for the masters, maintenance.
I think you are wrong.

Cheers

[jeffwarne]

Charlie
Are you saying that the viewers of The Golf Channel would not be interested in a 30 minute show about Augusta National the course?

History of the course, the architects, about the course today, the holes, the ecology, what it takes today to get it ready for the masters, maintenance.
I think you are wrong.

Cheers

Mike,
spot on.

It's the freakin' GOLF Channel-it's hardly a mainstream audience anyway, and with the drop in golf it's just us geeks left playing anyway.
All the "golf is cool" crowd is doing something else. (although maybe they hung around at the courses with 12 inch cups )

Golfers are tuning in to TGC-The Masters is the highest rated event.
There's enough regurgitated crap on that channel now.

ANYTHING that takes us away from Brandell Chamblee or Morning Drive disco tool would be a positive, and Holly Sonders would make a great host for the architecture segment .

Back to Mac's original post, is anyone else sick of hearing about the "Bear Trap"
3 stupid ponds in a state and course full of stupid ponds.
howling wind, front pins yesterday, stupid ponds. (2 near identical holes)
That's architecture?
They even have stats on it

I do like the 18th hole

[JMEvensky]

Charlie
Are you saying that the viewers of The Golf Channel would not be interested in a 30 minute show about Augusta National the course?

History of the course, the architects, about the course today, the holes, the ecology, what it takes today to get it ready for the masters, maintenance.
I think you are wrong.

Cheers

Absolutely right.Start with spoon feeding them ANGC and then add things as you move along.

Aren't there already enough golf news outlets appealing to the lowest common denominator?

[Mac Plumart]

Charlie
Are you saying that the viewers of The Golf Channel would not be interested in a 30 minute show about Augusta National the course?

History of the course, the architects, about the course today, the holes, the ecology, what it takes today to get it ready for the masters, maintenance.
I think you are wrong.

Cheers

+1

[Eric Smith]

I very much respect Charlie's opinion on this but I myself believe it is only a matter of time before something along the lines of what we're discussing here becomes a reality. But, Golf Channel I know little about because I don't watch it, so what do I know.

[Ronald Montesano]

How can you "spoon feed" them ANGC without vilifying the custodians over the years? The ones who let/encouraged slasher after slasher (to) come in and deface the canvas, until all that was left was a solitary bunker in a single fairway, not even serving the function it was created to serve?

[Tim Martin]

"Bear Trap John. Blah blah blah blah Bear Trap Roger. Blah blah blah blah Bear Trap Jack. Blah blah blah blah blah blah Bear Trap Dan. Blah blah Bear Trap Gary".Bear Trap blah blah blah Mark." Roll credits. Much more overused than "kikuyu" and absolutely exhausting.

[Tim_Cronin]

We can't expect much more than a passing reference to architecture by itself. Ideally, the demands put upon a player on a hole (or the lack of them) will be referenced as regards the architecture, but don't get your hopes up. When the Walker Cup was at Chicago Golf Club, NBC produced telecasts seen on Golf Channel. I recorded them all to watch after a day of walking the course. Not a mention of why players faced what they faced, as I recall. If it's not going to happen on a Walker Cup telecast – which only golf nuts are going to watch in the first place – don't expect it anywhere else on the channel.

Today's good news is Geoff Russell is leaving Golf World to take over Golf Channel's editorial direction as executive editor. Maybe he can influence live telecasts, but I doubt it. (Jamie Diaz takes over at Golf World.)

A few years ago, my editor at my former paper got the great idea that we review public golf courses. As the golf writer, I had my pick, of course, and picked a few that had interesting architecture. Threw in mentions of a Redan and the like. The one review he did, he skipped the architecture and wrote about the cart girl.

[Mac Plumart]

Give me that gig.  I'll get GC running like a top in no time flat!

No half steppin'.  No bull$hittin'.  And no a$$kissin'.

If you love golf, you'll love MRP Golf Channel.  If you are a poser, we don't want ya!!!

[Emile Bonfiglio]

Give me that gig.  I'll get GC running like a top in no time flat!

No half steppin'.  No bull$hittin'.  And no a$$kissin'.

If you love golf, you'll love MRP Golf Channel.  If you are a poser, we don't want ya!!!

Mac,

These guys might need your help preaching a new gospel of golf. Seems like your type, no?

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2012/2/3/back-nine-network-launch-video.html

[Mac Plumart]

Not exactly.

[Tony Ristola]

I agree with Mike; there are instances where it would work.

The problem with doing an architecture show about a project is it needs a story, and most courses TGC would see fit to use (my belief) have labels glued to them; they have no story beyond the label.

What deep insight can an architect give when he doesn't do planning, and is a foreigner to the construction process? And if a story need be narrated, even for 30-min, shouldn't it be done largely by the architect, the supposed brain behind the effort? Otherwise it's just another marketing adventure, and I agree... for 95% of TGC viewers they'd watch such an ad-venture for only a few minutes because there is no there there.

TGC had a show about 10-years ago, about 30min with two of the Big Three during construction of a couple of their courses... I wanted the audio to it because it was chalk full of what I found to be jewels about hit-and-run architecture.