Last week, the PGA Tour released what I consider to be the best non-tour content they’ve ever produced.
I realize that’s a big statement – but that’s how much I liked it.
The video in question? A 58-minute documentary called Chasing Sunday that followed four players (Rickie Fowler, Si Woo Kim, Chris Gotterup and Akshay Bhatia) and their groups during last week’s Players Championship.
If you haven’t seen it, I recommend you do.
Here’s why.
This is exactly what golf sufferers want to see
This documentary is produced by NFL Films and follows the same type of format we’ve seen with the highly successful “Sounds of the Game” segments and the “Hard Knocks” series they’ve created over the years.
Golf fans have long been clamoring for this exact type of content. We finally got it and reviews have been overwhelmingly positive across the board (add me to that list of backers).
The key to this type of video is minimalism.
While Netflix’s Full Swing is filled with talking heads and over-narration, this video cut all that out in favor of letting the players talk.
There’s nothing too crazy about the video, just a bunch of little moments where you’re like, “Oh, that was cool.”
The video doesn’t have many views as of this writing, but this level of quality is how you put your fans first.
We’re talking about player-caddie conversations as they navigate tricky shots. Honest feedback on how their rounds are going. If they want to get a hot dog and Diet Coke in return.
For most of its existence, the Tour has done a terrible job of marketing its talent. Fans have to decide who they like simply based on a player’s behavior on TV.
But something like “Chasing Sunday” colors in so much personality for these four players. You have a chance to really know who they are.
I knew next to nothing about Kim other than his accomplishments on the course. Turns out he’s hilarious and was playing a bunch of pranks on Scottie Scheffler. I had no idea!
And, overall, there are just a ton of important moments within this documentary.
Bhatia loses his yard book and then finds it as he enters the first ferry. Gotterup (who just won twice and is a fantastic player) has some of the most negative self-talk you’ll ever hear. Fowler chats with Jordan Spieth about equipment as they walk the fairways.
These are normal guys who are incredibly talented.
And they are regularly bored by this game just like the rest of us.
The tournament should look to do more of these
Hats off to Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, who comes from the NFL and probably came up with the idea. Rolapp hasn’t been absent since taking over from Jay Monahan.
This is likely to be expensive to produce, especially given the tight turnaround time. The video was available less than 48 hours after the tour ended, which is remarkable.
I’m not saying we need one of these for every tour, but the Tour absolutely needs to invest in these types of products in the future.
How about one for the FedEx Cup playoffs or at least the tournament championship?
I would be the first in line to watch. In many ways, I find these more compelling than actual golf tournaments.
What did you think of Casing Sunday? Let me know below in the comments.
