DRAMA Missing On TV Golf

By R.J. Smiley

 

 

 

 

 

The Psychic is bored! For years the drab winter season in the frozen north was the time to watch golf on television and practice putting on the carpet. Putting on the carpet just does not scratch his itch and watching professional golf tournaments on television have lost the drama with a bunch of unknown faceless robots playing beautifully but without the drama of fan appeal.

He first became aware of a true lack of interest (drama) as his index finger scrolls down the leaderboard in Monday’s sports page. Who are these guys? He recognizes only a handful of golfers. Unlike the old days when his favorites created must-see dramatic television.

Instead of eager anticipation of the weekly telecast of the PGA TOUR event, the Psychic anticipates only the majors and even the majors don’t have equal value in his mind. The Masters is his favorite. He knows every hole and pin location. The Masters invites all previous champions (his old buddies). The faces are older, but the memories live on. The Psychic loves the Players Championship for many of the same reasons as the Masters. The drama! Outside the “Road Hole” at St Andrews most golf on television lacks DRAMA.

Outside of the Masters and the Players, the Psychic loves the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup above all others. National pride and drama of team competition. The seldom seen foursomes format (alternate shot) add that additional element (drama) to the competition.

If he can’t watch his favorites golfers compete on his favorite courses, he wants to see something new and emotionally stimulating. Creating drama.  Drama is what run-of-the-mill regular PGA TOUR events are lacking today.

As he thinks drama (“emotionally stimulating”) the Psychic remembers The PNC Championship played in December at the Ritz Carlton. The Psychic absolutely loves watching his favorites compete with their offspring. It creates drama. The 2023 version of the PNC Championship was the BEST!!

Tiger and Charlie! Watching Charlie grow up on TV creates drama, the Psychic realizes. Each pairing was unique with its own story, but the Psychic recalls Annika and her son Will McGee more than any other. The pure raw emotion of love and family pride, creates drama on the golf course. Steve Stricker and his daughter Izzy as a competitive twosome with wife and oldest daughter Bobbi on the bags creates drama. Even Nelly Korda and her father brought drama to the event. Golf competition is golf competition even with golfers of different sexes.

As that thought lingers, the Psychic fast forwards to the Match on February 26th. Rory, Lexi, Max Homa, and Rose Zhang competing on the same course in a skins game for charity. Drama!

As the thought of men and women golfers competing on the same golf course in a team format rolls through his mind the psychic rises from his recliner and moves into the sanctity of his study. As he places the rag-like turban on his head and removes the chamois cover protecting the crystal sphere, the Psychic is attempting to envision a Ryder Cup like competition featuring the drama of teams with the best men and women golfers.

Without a prompt, the crystal begins to glow. As he piers deeply into the light from within, the Psychic sees co-ed team outfitted in their gaudy outfits of international competition. These men and women are locked in the concentration of major competition, as throngs of rabid golf fans cheer their homeland. Drama.

Hole by hole, match to match as the Psychic witnesses four-ball matches. The combination of power, from the men, and finest, from the women, creates the drama of course management, the key to victory. The foursome matches are widely entertaining as golfers move toward the hole in alternating shots format. Golfers want to be pissed that their partner left them in such a precarious position but deep down they know they did the same on the previous hole. Beat your opponent into the hole whatever it takes creates drama.

To his surprise, the Psychic sees a new format that replaces singles matches in traditional Ryder Cup type matches – scramble!

The crystal ball oozes excitement as the entire audience, at the venue and watching at home or sport’s bars feels the drama. The audience knows the game! The fans love scramble. They never play alternate shot, but they play scramble. They understand the pressure (drama) of scramble when your partner has screwed up.

The crystal ball flashes to the team captains agonizing over dramatic pressure filled pairing selections. The winning captain will prove that he or she has the creativity of a chemist blending individual skills with the unique personalities to create dramatic team combinations. The drama of a scramble is like none other.

As the crystal ball glows ever brighter the Psychics eyes focus on the final putt, final match. Holing the putt with the match on the line.

The team captain huddles with the man and woman as they agonize over who will create history. A make will make a hero of the golfer who knocks it in. A miss will place immense pressure on the second golfer to putt. Chocker or hero?  Drama!

The captain knows his decision will also be questioned forever! More drama!

The Psychic loves the idea and drama of mixed team scramble in the Ryder Cup format!!