When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
How To Spice Up Golf's On-Air Product
/Rex Hoggard noted that "Players, officials and television executives met last week in Harbour Town to brainstorm ways to punch up the on-air product, a productive meeting by all accounts."
Oh to have heard the ideas bandied about in that room!
I say, if television wants to flesh out a controversy a bit, they shouldn't be worried about upsetting PGA Tour brass, agents or friends and family. And if television wants to mike caddies and players (which they resisted...like they were trading nuclear codes mid-round), let them!
Shoot, wouldn't we all be fascinated by a once-a-year, announcer-sparse (maybe two, tops?) telecast where we let player-caddy conversations do most of the storytelling?
While many potential innovations have been brought up in the past, most are branded "gimmicks" and forgotten about because golf thinks it's above such things. But with big money on the line and ratings flat, we may see some compromises.
What would you like to see?
"I desperately want to do this."
/"That was 100 years ago, and I think we’ve got to move on.”
/"Sometimes I question the teaching of the game."
/"Wells Fargo's $7 million secret?"
/"If I did, then I'm sorry."
/The New Kinder, Gentler And Wired-In Tiger
/"Old Macdonald is a joyous romp from start to finish."
/
A rave from Joe Passov for Bandon's latest course.
Tiger's Handlers Have Had It!? The Nickelback Concert? Really?
/Rob Shuter says his sources inside Tiger's handling team are fed up that Woods took in a Nickelback concert while he's trying to repair his marriage. Of course, they aren't truly bothered about the act of the concert attendance, but the appearance of Tiger going without his wife.
"Everyone around team Tiger has been working 24/7 to regain control of his image. Everything from carefully releasing pictures of him jogging to staging a press conference for his return to playing golf. No detail was too small to be overlooked," an insider tells me. "Then after all that work and planning, Tiger decides that he must attend a concert by his favorite band and dance backstage while his wife is away. It's a disaster."
Actually, all the work and planning was the disaster. A guy going to a concert while his wife and kids are out of town is not a disaster! In fact, I find it refreshing that he's trying to get out instead of holing up in his house.
So where does Woods stand with his crew, who have been brought on to restore his once-flawless public image?
"Everyone is at the point of giving up trying to help him," my source says.
Wow, maybe there's hope for Tiger's future after all!

