Golf is ringing in the holiday season on a gift-giving spree — and what’s under the tree? Ah yes: sweet, sweet made-for-TV competition. The latest offering, the return of the Skins game, aired to Amazon Prime audiences on Black Friday.
The Skins Game had some strong moments following in the footsteps of its predecessors, including The Match and last year Coping. But like many things in the world of golf, the event also drew criticism from fans who found the format stale and the competition uninspiring.
The book was closed on the Skins game from 1pm or so ET, but the made-for-TV event genre is here to stay. So what will GOLF.com what does the team do to spark fun? We dive below.
James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): Well, Sean, we finally made it: We’re fixing television by bringing back the written word.
Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Hahaha, yes…
James: In all seriousness, I brought us here because I wanted a chance to talk about the game Skins. I thought the broadcast was … solid! And that’s certainly better than nothing for Black Friday morning. But I don’t think it’s an insult to say that the experience didn’t exactly knock my socks off. Before we put our chainsaws on anything, let’s practice some holiday cheer: What was it that you liked about Amazon’s golf debut?
Sean: I liked that we gave up using AirPods. All four players were up at the microphone, but none of them knew what the broadcast booth was saying. They were right playing, with Xander choosing to be the foil for Tommy Fleetwood’s cool slight, to grab from Shane Lowry against Keegan Bradley, to grab the mic from Colt Knost ever. As nice as it is to have streamers that occasionally communicate with players, I think letting players just be players oversimplifies it… as long as you have a Xander pulling some strings himself.
James: And I will say this: I loved the broadcast team. Andrew Catalon is grossly underrated as a golf broadcaster, and Colt Knost earned his Thanksgiving leftovers after facing a heavy workload as a televised course analyst (and birdied all 18 holes!).
Sean: To me, that’s what many made-for-TV golf productions have been. Some good actors! Any semi-relevant golf. Too much internal noise for what it is different this time. But count them. We’ve seen a lot of repetition in recent memory.
James: Yes, I think it’s important to remember that made-for-TV golf recently reinvented the golf wheel on television. Many people forget that drone trackers, microphone players and course interviews were pipe dreams in the world of golf when The Match came on the scene seven years ago. Now, thanks in no small part to made-for-TV golf, they are part of our everyday experience.
Sean: True and accurate as that memory is… I think the shape hasn’t exactly moved forward so much as stuck forward. That, I think, is why we’re talking now.
James: yes! So I’ve tasked each of us with coming up with three innovations that you would decide would bring us ahead on golf tv. I’ll let you get started.
Sean: I wouldn’t call it an innovation by any means, but just getting and staying in the brand with what the event is or at least you want it to be, it feels so essential to garner meaningful attention. By that I mean, don’t let Peter Jacobsen tell me that Keegan Bradley is treating the putts at this event the way he treats the putts at the Masters; there isn’t a golf fan on the planet ready to walk that path of faith, so make sure the message stays on message. Knost’s interviews were friendly and light, which matched the mood of the players. But then there was also the competing notion, which was shared from time to time, that these pros they will do anything to beat each other. I mean, Tommy Fleetwood drove into town from Dubai and came home without enough time for a practice round. This is not cutting teeth!
So in short, please do it for one thing and keep it for that one thing. This may be enough to bring a focused meaning to the five hours we will spend together.
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James: I always think of golf TV in terms of three buckets: die-hard fan, average fan, and casual fan. I think made-for-TV golf has the casual fan figured out. In the mind of made-for-TV golf, the casual golf fan is a facsimile of the average American: They want funny jokes and pretty visuals and players competing for a lot of dough. This is how you get the Skins game.
I’m less sure that made-for-TV golf has made sense to the die-hard or even the average golf fan. How does tuning make you smarter? How to learn something to play the game from the pros? How does it take you deeper into the life of professional gamers?
In some ways, this has to be the easiest place to experiment for made-for-TV golf: There’s a LOT of time between the tee and the green on each hole, and only a handful of players. Why not throw in a rhythm instructor? Or bring back some version of Ken Brown’s “Brownie Points” segment? Or sources of swing tips from players watching at home? These are just three main ideas, but I think anything that caters to difficult people will do. Sean, what is your second fix?
Sean: I would suggest something like this! Knost’s itinerant nature felt ever-present, which is good, but I also found myself wanting learn more. When Keegan Bradley is talking about trying to hit this long iron fade, and Xander Schauffele is berating him for trying to hit a long fade, it would be nice to see a broadcast force that Keegan show that for the viewer in as much detail as possible. I have had Xander and Tommy gives me guiding tips beforehand – that’s their expertise! Forcing them to share it, the moment they size a picture, feels perfectly fair given the amount of money they’re getting.
James: My second switch is simple: Why does this video have to be live? I know we are prisoners of the moment here and there are some intrinsic advantages to direct competition, but why not follow in the footsteps of Online invitation and hire editors who can create a story that moves? I heard Knost loud and clear when he pointed out on X that the Black Friday air date made it difficult for the broadcast to attract interesting guests — so why not experiment with a different shoot date that’s slick for Black Friday TV?
Sean: That would cure one of the things that hurt this broadcast: how often the producers had to drop the audio for five seconds because they brought in an A-grade critic like Shane Lowry. I guess my latest innovation is also a tip for YouTube Golf: get two-player teams to come together and take on the world — ie, have Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas say “We’re in” for win-or-go-home matches against other great duos. JT and Spieth vs. Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler. The winner faces Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa. The winner of this will face Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, or – gasp! – Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. These events are often organized through the interest of a sponsor, the wishes of a TV host or two, and include whatever professionals are around, interested and vaguely available. If two players showed real enthusiasm for trying to hold (and keep) the championship belt, I could begin to imagine a longer run. (Note: This stems entirely from being JT and Spieth endless fun against Tiger Woods and McIlroy a few years ago.)
James: My third fix is also very simple: Better seats. The really great golf courses are what elevate the US Open every year, but there are dozens of really great golf courses that don’t have the infrastructure to host a major event (and dozens more with really crazy views that also add to the fun). Do it those saves the experience center in the same way as the pros. Star power can’t be found on OWGR alone!
Zack: I’m with you there. National Panthers it’s a rolling time, but it’s just not as connected (yet) because it’s not known. I can’t go play it. Neither can you. But that’s a whole different can of worms that complicates things. The private and open nature of Panther National is exactly what helped him host this undertaking. I’m not sure which South Course is the perfect setting for the upcoming Black Friday games, but there should be plenty of room to make this dream production come true.
