A couple years ago, there was an NFL game between the Bengals and the Eagles that went into overtime and then through almost the entire extra quarter. As a result, it started to get late and CBS was contractually obligated to cut away from that game as the NBC "Sunday Night Game of the Week" broadcast was starting. What we, the viewers, ended up with was a studio show that was half doing highlights while half watching the game that was still going on. They attempted to do some stilted play-by-play, but it led to long pauses when no one was talking because they were distracted by one of the teams driving for the winning field goal and kept waiting for the play top be over before they started talking. In TV silence is not golden, it's annoying. All in all, it was pretty terrible television. Now, imagine that was going on during a playoff game and you understand what is on The Golf Channel right now.
For the past month The Golf Channel has been hyping itself as the home for all your Masters coverage. They've got everything you need to get ready for the first men's major of the season... except the rights to show the actual golf tournament. Therefore, starting this morning they are broadcasting from a nearby golf course in Augusta (trying to act like it is Augusta National, but it isn't), while not showing any actual golf, just updating various player's scorecards as the rounds move along. It is incredibly annoying to watch.
For example, Retief Goosen began his round with an eagle on #1. This led to a couple of guys going off about how this could jump-start him to an historic round because it was just the fifth eagle on #1 in history. Then they began talking about Goosen's game rounding back into form and what this eagle could mean for him going forward... but they never showed us the damn eagle. It is really frustrating to be watching a visual medium that isn't showing you anything. It would be like a Red Sox broadcast from third base with Tom Caron repeatedly looking over his shoulder, then back to the camera and saying things like, "It's really nice out here. There are some great plays being made... David Ortiz just crushed a monster homerun. Well, let's look an updated boxscore again."
Let me be clear about this: I'm not blaming the Golf Channel - I know how broadcast rights work. ESPN and CBS have the rights and they don't want to share, making me wait until 3 PM to start watching golf that will be over by 6. (Really, you paid all that money for broadcasting rights, so why not broadcast the tournament?) Also, I think the Golf Channel has come a long way with it's programming in the last couple of years and are trying their best. But, if you can't show me the actual golf, then I'd almost rather you forget it. There is a reason pre-game shows stop once the actual games start. At that point I don't want any more analysis, I want to watch the game and if you can't show me the game then you are no good to me. I appreciate the effort, but it's just not enough.
