Feature
- not to mention millions enjoying
a rare TV treat of a weekday
conclusion to a ‘Major,’
and many of them possibly
for the ¿ rst time, were
subjected to American Zach
Johnson, a hugely-talented
but terminally-dull golfer
plodding his way around the
Old Course without a facial
expression to be seen or a scintilla
of body language, just the statutory tip
of the golf cap blanking out his entire head. I
put it to him afterwards, “Some BBC guys on
the radio were celebrating the fact that Ollie
Schniederjans doesn’t have any cap, doesn’t
have any shades, and you are the sort of
epitome of, ‘In the zone,’ and I just wonder if
golf and golfers could do a little bit more to let
the public and TV cameras in?
The newly-crowned Open Champion, a
¿ rst Claret Jug, a second, ‘Major,’ responded
with a mixture of humour, denial and
commercial self-interest. “If you’re referring
to the fact - one, I’ve got a bald spot, so I’m
going to keep my head [covered-up]. “I know
there wasn’t much sun out there, but I’ve got
to be cautious of that. “Two, when it comes
to my sunglasses, I know they’re sunglasses,
but I wear a lens by [valuable sponsor name-
check] Oakley that in conditions like this, I
see, read the greens better. “I’m not the most
charismatic, maybe emotional, fun-packed
individual on the golf course; I get that, but
I’m just so into what I’m trying to do, and
my game plan is as such,” he admitted. “We
play a great, fun sport, one that provides a lot
of drama, and there’s an entertainment value
there,” he continued, adding, “Fortunately
we’ve got a lot of great personalities in this
game and a lot of tremendous talent. “I’m not
here to say that there needs to be more. I think
our game and the players that are playing it are
in a great state,” Johnson concluded.
Wrong, wrong and wrong again.
What, ‘Entertainment value,’ is occasional,
isolated and À eeting, and whilst not every pro
can have the charisma of a Tiger, the À air of a
Mickelson or the comedic value of an Andrew
‘Beef’ Johnson, professional golf on course and
on TV – and increasingly on ‘Fast food’ media
platforms like Twitter and Facebook barely
and only occasionally registers on the bottom
of the entertainment scale. That may be ¿ ne
for the archetypal, traditional golf a¿ cionado,
country club member or beer-fueled Sunday
afternoon, ‘Get in the hole,’ halfwit, but golf’s
‘Quartet Missing in Action - four top-ranked PGA
TOUR stars all skipped WGC HSBC last October
media demographic is changing – traditional
audiences are melting away as Tiger fades to
a shadow of his former self. The sport is part
of the sports entertainment industry, facing
huge challenges from new-kids-on-the-block
like UFC, MMA, WWE, Handball as well as
traditional TV sports such as the ubiquitous
Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Athletics and NFL.
So, here’s a plan.
Unilaterally ban the trademark baseball caps,
visors and shades; evidence shows that sports
where the participants’ faces – and therefore
emotions - are fully on show enjoy the highest
and most sustained levels of fan engagement,
an occasional insight into what’s going on
under that head-borne advertising space or
sponsored cosmetic eyewear surely isn’t too
much to ask for. Alternative sites for logos
and brands are readily available on players
and their equipment, shoulder, pants, gloves,
maybe replaced with namechecks during live
halfway interviews, alternative, sun-protecting
headgear can surely be found. Research
shows that sports such as NFL, Swimming,
Horse Racing, Cycling, Motor Sport - some
admittedly for understandable safety reasons -
where facial expressions are either disguised or
obliterated altogether typically fall short on fan
recognition, connection and engagement.
And, with choice expanding by the year,
the line between sport and entertainment
‘Man Behind the Mask - Zach Johnson, one of many
players refusing to reveal their personality to their fans.’
‘Too little, too late, players could - and
should - be on the clock all the time.’
blurring by the season as well as the pervasive,
irrepressible march of short-form social media,
golf cannot afford to allow its top talent to
hide, in-the-zone, personalities cloaked behind
unnecessary sponsors’ masks and corporate
disguises. This three-point plan is hardly earth
shattering; it’s not like suggesting cutting the
Masters to four rounds of nine, banning Par-
5 holes from tournaments or doubling the size
of the hole, or even preventing the best in the
business to take reasonable steps to optimize
their talent and maximize their revenue-earning
potential. But golf is a historic sport, much the
same, save for some media tinkering around
the edges as it was 20, 50 and 100-years-ago;
it is – and has been for a decade now - sitting
at a crossroads of some BIG intersections,
such as intrinsic brand value, media coverage,
participation and commercial support.
So, rather than coddling and indulging
the stars of today (aka, their current members
/ bosses) the PGA TOUR and its European
cousin must start to show some leadership,
reveal a vision, consider some blue-sky
thinking, looking outside-the-box, innovating,
otherwise, in a decade or two, with, at both
professional and recreational levels, the Royal
and Ancient game will resemble a hollowed-
out husk of the sport they undoubtedly hold
dear and cherish.
Go
G l o f l P f l P u l s u s
‘Quartet Missing in Action - four top-ranked PGA
TOUR stars all skipped WGC HSBC last October
FE
J B
AN
RUARY
2019
33