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Joined: 12/05/2007
Posts: 589
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 7:35 AM PST
I have some minor backgroung in radio and television but that is irrelevant. I simply CANNOT understand the programming of this channel. For those with no industry background in TV you have someone called a "Program Director" who basically determines what goes on air and when.
Today i just opened up the guide to see what is going to be on the golf channel today and i see infomercials until 11am. Then Golf Channel Academy from 11-11:30 then back to infomercials until 2pm when their coverage from Doral begins.
I understand that infomercials are paying them money and there are limits to how much golf television is presently out there and producing more of it costs money but come on, WHY WOULD YOU SANDWICH ONE 30 MINUTE SHOW AROUND A BUNCH OF INFOMERCIALS!!!!! I really don't understand how they select what to show and when. Some mornings you have golf programming on, other mornings, infomercials, no rhyme or reason. I guess by doing this they have a better chance that I'll tune in to see what is on and maybe catch an infomercial but I can tell you that while I may order a Rife 2 bar putter or even a Bobby Jones Hybrid by Jesse Ortiz, I will NEVER order THE HAMMER!
POW!!!!
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Joined: 11/17/2007
Posts: 207
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 9:04 AM PST
I think that "Bobby Jones Golf" should be listed as a paid commercial program because it has nothing at all to do with Bobby Jones, other than someone has bought the rights to use his name on their produce. When I first saw the listing, I thought it would be some of Jones' old instructional videos (which are very good, although a bit corny by today's standards) and film of some of his tournaments.
These paid commercial programs might not even be providing much financial support for the golf channel because they may only pay "per response". I forget what the trade term is, but they can run an hour infomercial and if they get two calls, they pay a certain amount for each call.
I have a low opinion of "Golf Hawaii", because I never will. "Road Trip" has to be the biggest waste of broadcast time on any channel. Who cares? If I want to watch some hackers playing a round of golf, I can do that every week end on my home course without commercial interuption. When I was in Japan in 1999, they would televise the CEO of Honda playing golf against the CEO of Toyota (both were hackers), and it was far more entertaining than Road Trip, even with the commentary all in Japanese.
"Big Break" is an absolutely fantastic concept, reduced to appeal to the lowest possible mentality level, with all the "behind the scenes drama". If you want me to watch drama, make it a 60' tripple breaking downhill putt on the last hole for the win, not two bimbos in a verbal cat fight because of what one of them said about the other one's game. I'm surprised they don't try to heighten the drama with background music like they use on soap operas.
Sorry if I offended any fans of the shows I mentioned, but those are my honest opinions of what I hate about the Golf Channel. I've always hated hype, and more recently, I have to supress the overwhelming urge to vomit when I hear the word "buzz".
CPFitness...the only thing keeping you from being in the top 25 of the PGA money list is the fact that you don't use "The Hammer". You better order one today.  LMAO
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Joined: 12/05/2007
Posts: 589
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 9:35 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by alcyone CPFitness...the only thing keeping you from being in the top 25 of the PGA money list is the fact that you don't use "The Hammer". You better order one today. LMAO
"If Jack could somehow learn to 3 putt...he'd make a million 7 on the tour every year."
At least big break and the road trip shows are somewhat golf related. MTV is now the king of reality show programming, most of which have nothing to do with music except that some of the lead charachters were once musicians. But MTV started out by playing MUSIC nearly 24-7. I realize that there is only so much golf to be shown and that networks like CBS probably aren't going to give up their old tourney footage that easily. I don't know who owns the golf channel, I know Arnie is involved, but if a major network came in like ESPN did with Classic Sports network, and gave them some more programming it would work wonders.
I'm a personal trainer, if a fledgling network came to me, I would do a fitness show for FREE just because of the potential clientele I would be able to pick up from having some celebrity status. I'm sure golf network could produce a lot more instructional programming at a relatively low cost, I'm just not sure why they don't.
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Joined: 8/16/2007
Posts: 134
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 12:38 PM PST
I did 10 years in radio and I can't figure out TGC's programming either. If it's not the infomercials, it's "all Tiger all the time" now. Although I did enjoy the new Top 10 last night: "Top 10 Sexiest Golfers (though there were too many guys on the list if you ask me). And I really don't have a problem with the golf infomercials too much, but they're running too many non-related ones. I've ordered a bunch of stuff from these infomercials. I have 3 Bobby Jones Hybrids (excellent clubs, BTW) and can't wait for their new wedges, I have the whole set of F2 wedges (they are GREAT) and later got to be in their newer infomercial myself, I use the swing glove, have a skycaddie, swing the Power Hitter (it really helps), and god-knows what else.
Oh, I ordered the Stance Minder, but A) it turned out to be a clunky piece of crap and B) they screwed up my order and sent me two, then tried to bill me for both even though I returned one and one year later, they still haven't figured it out.
Also, good choice never ordering "The Hammer" . I didn't buy one from the commercial but I went through a phase where I would do anything for some extra yards and I found one in a Play it Again Sports store for 30 bucks so I tried it. THAT commercial is an out and out fraud. The real reason that guy screams every time he hits a ball is that it takes every ounce of your being to get the ball up in the air with that piece of doo-doo. And good luck hitting it further than a 5 wood. I went thru a whole bucket of balls on the range with that thing and hit maybe 3 balls that would have been good drives and none any further than what I was hitting my 3 wood at the time. I can't figure out where they found so many guys to get on camera and lie about the darn thing with a straight face.
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Joined: 8/16/2007
Posts: 134
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 12:46 PM PST
Hey, Alcyone, we've all got opinions, so no problem. I agree with most of what you said, especially Golf Hawaii and Road Trip, although I think with some tweaking, RT could be good. Golf Hawaii though adds nothing to the table.
I'll disagree a bit with your Bobby Jones take. I believe the company is owned by the family, or at least in part. They do own the rights to the name and Jones' son appears in the commercial so there's some legitimacy there. Plus, as far as infomercials go, it is very well produced, informative and entertaining (at least until the fourth or fifth time you watch it). And the product is excellent...no stretching the truth in that commercial.
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Joined: 12/05/2007
Posts: 589
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 2:18 PM PST
I dont think he has a problem with the infomercial, but on your cable guide when you look at golf channel it will just say "Bobby Jones Golf" so you think "Oh Cool, a show about Bobby Jones!" then you get there and its an infomercial!
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san clemente
Joined: 1/14/2008
Posts: 333
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Posted: Mar/20/2008 10:02 PM PST
My favorite is the f2 wedges the greatest improvement since steel shafts , one problem they are exact copies of Jerry Barber shank proof irons from the 1960s.TGC should have more class than that whats next the all new power pod. My favorite shows are shell golf
or ultimate matches, you get to see players like snead ,hogan ,trevino and jack knock it around . We advertise on TV and the hook is for every 3 am time slot you buy you get a 9 am time slot . The truth is TGC spent so much money buying the tour rights ,they just dont have the money to buy or produce good shows to fill the days
and infomercials put money in their pockets. The stockholders want to see a profit. And PC dont listen to these guys the hammer sucks
the perfect club is the perfect club for you. See you on the hooters tour POW.
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Joined: 11/17/2007
Posts: 207
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Posted: Mar/21/2008 7:03 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by Chip90 I've ordered a bunch of stuff from these infomercials. I have 3 Bobby Jones Hybrids (excellent clubs, BTW) and can't wait for their new wedges, I have the whole set of F2 wedges (they are GREAT) and later got to be in their newer infomercial myself, I use the swing glove, have a skycaddie, swing the Power Hitter (it really helps), and god-knows what else.
I think we all probably have a bag (or garage) full of things we've purchased to improve our game. Some work, some don't. I love my F2 wedges and my Medicus driver/5 iron, because they do work. I've even crafted a few copies of various swing aids myself (see my photo section).
In fact, I've got so many of these products that are guaranteed to take strokes off my round that it takes some of the fun out of playing. Now, I just drive up to the first tee, the balls jump out of my bag, disperse themselves around the course, and roll into the cup. All I have to do is drive around and pick them up, then write down an 18 on the score card.  The guys in my group really hate that.
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Joined: 8/16/2007
Posts: 134
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Posted: Mar/21/2008 7:22 AM PST
No kidding. Everybody throws around that "take 10 strokes off your game" claim too easily. If that were true, I'd be shooting 59's all over the place. But my point is that a surprisingly high percentage of these products actually to work like they say they do. I have never shanked my F2's and they really did knock about 8-10 stokes off my game when I started using them. My Handicap when I was in their commercial was 24. It's now 16. I won't say that whole improvement was due soley to the wedges, but they did make an immediate and significant impact. And Ducky, I don't give a rat's A$$ if they are similar to something from the 60's. They work.
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Joined: 8/16/2007
Posts: 143
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Posted: Mar/21/2008 5:37 PM PST
My only beef with the Golf Channel is that they are too cushy (in bed so to speak) with the PGA Tour and their subsidiaries. They refuse to criticise the Champions Tour and their 78 player field events, no cuts, golf carts, playing lift clean and place nearly every week.
I was just watching the PGA Tour event tonite in Puerto Rico. The announcer said that the course wasn't playing to it's full length. One hole was 490 from the tips but they were playing it a 440. Ineed an announcer like Kenny Mayne who would probably tell the PGA Tour to "man up and play it all the way back" or "why can't the top pros play the tips" or "cmon now, is there some sort of rule that prevents pros from using hybrids or fairway metals to long par 4's?"
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