CBS' Nick Faldo overtaking NBC's Johnny Miller as the most popular golf analyst "was one of the most noteworthy findings" in a recent survey of TV viewers, as the latter had been the "dominant winner" in years past, according to Alex Myers of GOLF DIGEST. While it "wasn't a blowout," Faldo received 58% to Miller's 53% in the favorite-analyst category. Respondents "could choose multiple options." Previous TV surveys were conducted in '02 and '96. Miller "still had plenty of support and was widely praised for his 'brutal honesty.'" But Faldo gets to call The Masters, which was the "runaway favorite event among viewers" (66% to 12% for the Ryder Cup). There was "no contest when it comes to hosts/play-by-play announcers," with CBS' Jim Nantz emerging as "an easy winner among respondents." Nantz' popularity "isn't hurt by his ubiquitous presence" at the net's biggest sporting events. Still, his 65% (nearly doubling ESPN's Mike Tirico, at 33%) versus just 8% of viewers "naming Nantz their least favorite, is impressive." David Feherty, who after 19 years with CBS will move to NBC/Golf Channel in January, was "an overwhelming choice for favorite on-course reporter" with 74% of votes. Another "CBS jokester," Gary McCord, was the "most popular hole announcer [52%], followed closely by Peter Jacobsen" (50%) on NBC. Fox' Joe Buck in his first year covering golf was named the "least favorite" host/play-by-play announcer (39%). The best network for televised golf went to Golf Channel (38%), while TNT (25%) was named the worst. Also on the wrong end of the list as the "least favorite" analyst was Buck's partner at the desk, Greg Norman (25%) (GOLF DIGEST, 1/'16 issue).
HEAR ME ROAR: Tiger Woods as part of an in-depth Q&A with TIME's Lorne Rubenstein described the way he feels about how he has been covered by the media, saying, "There’s no accountability in what they say. And what they say, it’s like it’s gospel, there’s no source behind it. Nothing like, yeah, I talked to X number of players, I talked to this player, this player, this player. It’s none of that. It’s just, some of the announcers, they don’t even go on the golf course. And they look at a pin sheet from the booth, but they’ve never surveyed the golf course, even though the television coverage doesn’t come on until the afternoon. You have all that time to go walk the golf course, to see some of the early rounds, see what guys are doing, how they’re hitting it, how’s the course playing, is the wind coming up? All those different things that you could do. The only one who does that is Finchy (golf broadcaster and former PGA Tour pro Ian Baker-Finch)" (TIME.com, 12/3).
