GOLF CHANNEL 83
Most golfers in Malaysia were ecstatic when Astro added the Golf Channel to their service a few months back. The euphoria dissipated just as soon. The expectation that all major golfing events around the world will be shown live 24/7 did not materialise. Apparently the willingness of Astro to pay for the transmission rights plays a major part in the limited coverage we end up with. What is offered instead is a lot of reruns on golf instructions, some dated years back.
Nevertheless, being new in Malaysia, any golf program will still generate some interest in the golfing fraternity. A few of my golf buddies even credited their better score for the day to watching the instructions on the Golf Channel. The trouble with most Malaysian golfers is the lack of golfing basics. Very few ever bother to take a single golf lesson from the pros. Most of these home bred, self taught middle aged golfers also have very inflated egos. Having read a “Golfing for Idiots” instruction book or two already made them act like an authority on the subject.
So when golf instructions and tips are brought into the living room through the Golf Channel, they are lapped up eagerly by these gullible armchair golfers. The illusion that these tips is going to bring about a major break through in their game inevitably end up in disaster. The problem with these tv/book/magazine instructions is that every pro instructor has his/her own version as to how to hit the ball another 10 yards further. These mixed bags of conflicting instructions will utter confuse the average Joe golfer and screw up his game. Without a proper basic set up and swing to start with, any contorted twigging and adjustments will only aggravate his/her pathetic game. The blame for atrocious scores in the golf course nowadays has shifted to the Golf Channel. So the Golf Channel has very quickly transformed from a welcomed saviour to a bane.
So why bother to tune in? Despite the pitfalls, a golfer’s relentless search to improve on the very difficult game must continue. Yours truly, a weekend hacker but ever the optimist, believe that nuggets of wisdom can be mined if you know how to discern the facts from the mountain of fallacies.
19 September 2007
Nevertheless, being new in Malaysia, any golf program will still generate some interest in the golfing fraternity. A few of my golf buddies even credited their better score for the day to watching the instructions on the Golf Channel. The trouble with most Malaysian golfers is the lack of golfing basics. Very few ever bother to take a single golf lesson from the pros. Most of these home bred, self taught middle aged golfers also have very inflated egos. Having read a “Golfing for Idiots” instruction book or two already made them act like an authority on the subject.
So when golf instructions and tips are brought into the living room through the Golf Channel, they are lapped up eagerly by these gullible armchair golfers. The illusion that these tips is going to bring about a major break through in their game inevitably end up in disaster. The problem with these tv/book/magazine instructions is that every pro instructor has his/her own version as to how to hit the ball another 10 yards further. These mixed bags of conflicting instructions will utter confuse the average Joe golfer and screw up his game. Without a proper basic set up and swing to start with, any contorted twigging and adjustments will only aggravate his/her pathetic game. The blame for atrocious scores in the golf course nowadays has shifted to the Golf Channel. So the Golf Channel has very quickly transformed from a welcomed saviour to a bane.
So why bother to tune in? Despite the pitfalls, a golfer’s relentless search to improve on the very difficult game must continue. Yours truly, a weekend hacker but ever the optimist, believe that nuggets of wisdom can be mined if you know how to discern the facts from the mountain of fallacies.
19 September 2007
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