I disliked the Sunday presentation of the golf tournament on CBS. I have two main criticisms. In order of importance:
1. There were WAY too many commercials. I'd estimate that 12-18 minutes per hour were dedicated to pushing products. Midway through the broadcast, when there are dozens of great players playing the course, we consistently followed a select few. Not only that, we were never treated to more than 6-8 golf shots before another 2-4 minute barrage of commercials. I expect to see lots of commercials at the end, when there are few groups on the course, but early on I expect some uninterrupted golf. The program never had any continuity or momentum.
Not only that, but we saw the same 14 commercials all day long. Even if they had been "good" commercials (read "funny"), I would have been bored with them the fifth time around. I estimate I heard a snippet of Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll" 40 times. To those companies who allowed themselves to be advertised in this fashion, I will never buy a Cadillac, or an IBM server, and I'll stick to Viagra, no matter how cute the woman in the commercial is. Another example of clueless corporate insensitivity to their customers. I guess I'll have to TIVO your broadcasts from now on, and skip the commercials.
2. I find golf commentators to be almost useless, and Sunday's broadcast was particularly devoid of insight. I believe there's an intrinsic problem with the whole concept. I generally appreciate hearing what club the player hits, how many yards he has left to the hole, and which way a putt breaks. But I have a real problem with color commentators, and even play-by-play men psychoanalyzing the player's strategic thinking or his mental state from a distance. They don't really know whether he's calm or nervous, or if he's going to play aggressively or conservatively. The problem is they make educated guesses like you and I, and they are often wrong.
Is it interesting that Justin Leonard's coach recommended he loosen his grip recently (from a "7" to a "4")? Yes that's good info. I like anecdotes. But when Lanny Wadkins says Chris DiMarco is going to try a draw the ball into the #18 green in the playoff, and then Chris D. clearly aims his body left to fade it in there (he pulled it a left bunker), it just looks dumb.
The whole concept of golf commentary needs an overhaul. They try to talk too much. I don't particularly care for Wadkins' and Nantz' work, but I sympathize with them because I believe the network expects them to keep a running commentary. Fewer, more thoughtful words would be nice. And more golf shots than commercials.
I thought Whistling Straits made a fine venue for the championship. Long enough to make the players use every club in the bag, very photogenic, and many of the very best players could be found near the top of the leaderboard.