“U.S. Open Announcers Better Shut Up”

[Tim Martin]

Is there anyone that disagrees with the notion that golf announcers talk way too much?

https://nypost.com/2021/06/19/us-open-golf-commentators-should-shut-up/?share=email&nb=1

[Tim Martin]

First off I would put Roger Maltbie in the booth with Dan Hicks and send Paul Azinger packing.

[John Blain]

They're all terrible. The most entertaining golf on TV these days is the European Tour. The announcers are insightful and the courses
aren't  over maintained like they are in this country with our ridiculous green speeds and fairways like kitchen floors. The courses over there have greens that maybe run 10 and a bit of a scruffy look to them which I find appealing.
By the way, speaking of announcing when did the ball become the "golf ball" and someone who is drives it well is now "a great driver of the golf ball" and a good chipper has become someone who is "a great chipper of the ball."  David Duval is the worst with this stuff and his constant um, um, um....   Newsflash to announcers: We all realize what sport we are watching.

[Tommy Williamsen]

It's a tough job to be on with no second chances. They have to comment for hours. They are bound to get something wrong and say something foolish. I like Faldo and Dan Hicks. They are pretty insightful.

[Carl Rogers]

I admit there are times I hit the 'mute' button.

[John Kavanaugh]

I have a friend that got a shot at doing it because he was good looking, articulate and had played in a couple of Masters. Nothing like watching a tournament with him for his insight. The camera came on and everything changed. Funny thing is that if I was good looking, articulate and had played in a couple of Masters I wouldn’t have the balls to even try.

[Mark Kiely]

Has any announcer's commentary come more from a place of fear than Paul Azinger? He either hid that fear as a player or somewhere along the line forgot that he was a pretty good player himself. All he seems to talk about are nerves and nervous situations, and then he's constantly in awe of any decent shot executed under those circumstances.

[Peter Pallotta]

I'd be happy if they could just lighten up on the narratives: not *every* story has to be a story of redemption!

[Kalen Braley]

I don't believe he's done an Open, but if there is a bigger ass-kisser for tour events than Ian Baker Finch I'm not aware of it.  His constant fawning over players is beyond nauseating...

[Jeff Evagues]

I don't believe he's done an Open, but if there is a bigger ass-kisser for tour events than Ian Baker Finch I'm not aware of it.  His constant fawning over players is beyond nauseating...

I know he is a nice guy but to Baker Finch a bad shot is always a gust of wind or a rogue blade of grass or something. The guys are good but not perfect - everyone is going to hit a bad shot occasionally.

[John Crowley]

Is there anyone that disagrees with the notion that golf announcers talk way too much?

https://nypost.com/2021/06/19/us-open-golf-commentators-should-shut-up/?share=email&nb=1

Mute has been my default for the last few years.


I have heard all the hackneyed cliches. (Especially at the Masters)


Only if something occurs on screen that might seem like it would be worth a short listen will I unmute.

[MKrohn]

By the way, speaking of announcing when did the ball become the "golf ball" and someone who is drives it well is now "a great driver of the golf ball" and a good chipper has become someone who is "a great chipper of the ball."  David Duval is the worst with this stuff and his constant um, um, um....   Newsflash to announcers: We all realize what sport we are watching.

I think Jack would have to take some of the blame. he's always going on about, "the game of golf", Norman picked up on it and here we are.


Because you guys have so many commercials, in Australia (limited ads) we switch to an international commentary feed. Punters out here are complaining loudly about the duo in charge Luke Elvy and Ned Michaels. One of them mentioned, "golfing your ball", if I hear "rolling the rock", I'm going to mute.

[astavrides]

Everything phrase Gary Koch utters is in the same sing-song rhythm. Never says anything humorous or terribly insightful. Couldn't they at least use an additional hole announcer so that I don't have to hear from him every other hole? Always had the temperament of someone considerably older than his age, which is now up to 68. He's like an announcer from the 70s before golf announcers figured out how to announce. please retire, Gary.

[Pete_Pittock]

According to the listeners here, some are insightful, others inciteful.  IMO Azinger has passed his expire date.

[jeffwarne]

Making an exciting event unwatchable.

[Tim Martin]

IMO Azinger has passed his expire date.

He could make an onion cry.

[Mark Kiely]

Did Rolex not pony up for uninterrupted coverage like they did at the Women's Open?

[Tim_Cronin]

I have little problem with most of what I'm hearing.


I've sat in a TV truck during a tournament and know how chaotic it is. The on-air crew is being told constantly what hole and player is up next. It's amazing they can concentrate. Having done a bit of commentary, I can tell you it's not easy.


Generally speaking, NBC's crew does a very good job. Would you like Chris Berman back on the U.S. Open? He was not only told who was next, but a producer fed him the line he'd then say. (Amazing what you can hear when you bring a scanner to pick up the audio while on course.)

[Tim_Cronin]

Did Rolex not pony up for uninterrupted coverage like they did at the Women's Open?

The last 45 minutes or so, yes. Stand by.

[jeffwarne]

Did Rolex not pony up for uninterrupted coverage like they did at the Women's Open?

By the time they show the paragliders ,the insipid shot of them at a desk  the trophy  and the recap.we see two live shots,4 taped and Harris fffing English-seriously?
Then 4 more commercials

[Tim_Cronin]

Did Rolex not pony up for uninterrupted coverage like they did at the Women's Open?

By the time they show the paragliders ,the insipid shot of them at a desk  the trophy  and the recap.we see two live shots,4 taped and Harris fffing English-seriously?
Then 4 more commercials

Have you tried the radio coverage?

[Cliff Hamm]

He's like an announcer from the 70s before golf announcers figured out how to announce. please retire, Gary.

Perhaps it's nostalgia. but the ABC coverage from the '70s I always thought was quite good.  As I recall Jim McKay, Dave Marr, Byron Nelson, Jim Whitaker, Chris Schenkel, Bob Rosburg. Not sure there has been a better group.

[Jon Sweet]

Has any announcer's commentary come more from a place of fear than Paul Azinger? He either hid that fear as a player or somewhere along the line forgot that he was a pretty good player himself. All he seems to talk about are nerves and nervous situations, and then he's constantly in awe of any decent shot executed under those circumstances.

Other than him breathing fairly heavy one British I tend to like Zinger. I’d imagine he had all that anxiety when he played, just was able to overcome it. Something to be said for that. He was a hell of a competitor. I think Koch sp? “Coke” does a pretty good job as well.

[Tim_Cronin]

He's like an announcer from the 70s before golf announcers figured out how to announce. please retire, Gary.

Perhaps it's nostalgia. but the ABC coverage from the '70s I always thought was quite good.  As I recall Jim McKay, Dave Marr, Byron Nelson, Jim Whitaker, Chris Schenkel, Bob Rosburg. Not sure there has been a better group.

It was good with Schenkel hosting and Nelson as the analyst, got better when McKay was moved to anchor and Marr chimed in, and even better when Jack Whitaker joined in 1982. And Peter Alliss joined for the U.S. Open and PGA. And Rossie with "He's got no shot" was the first really good on-course reporter. As good as it got.

[jeffwarne]

I guess when the coverage is two holes behind live you can pawn off replays of English as live and look relevant,since they missed the entire live collapse of 8 of the top 10 leaders...
Now that its a 2 man race they have stopped the cliff trophy and desk shots which couldve been paused while 10 people were contending,then imploding..