We are barely more than 3/4 of one tournament in to professional golf for 2016. Watching some of the coverage from the beautiful Plantation Course at Kapalua got me thinking about some things I’d like to see or see happen this year. Since there are 18 holes I chose 18 items. My “19th hole” is a hearty aloha and welcome back to Mark Rolfing.
In no particular order, here’s my list…
No whining in 2016 for Bubba Watson but at least one more victory for Tom Watson
More times in contention for Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods
A win for Stacey Lewis, Brooke Henderson and Laura Davies
A win for Jason Gore, Colt Knost and Jarrod Lyle
Good broadcasts and compelling majors for my friends at CBS, FOX and Golf Channel on NBC
Jordan Spieth wearing something OTHER than gray or white pants
A change in what countries are eligible to participate in the Ryder Cup
A couple of unknown or relatively little known players winning gold medals at the Olympic Games
Fewer (preferably none) LPGA players having to be lined up by their caddies
More Katrek and Maginnes on Sirius XM PGA TOUR radio
Fewer promos, tap ins and stating the obvious on television broadcasts
More Jerry Foltz, Dottie Pepper and Frank Nobilo on television broadcasts.
Good health all year long for Jason Day
David Feherty finding his funny bone and a “foil” on Golf Channel on NBC broadcasts
Tours and tournaments foregoing playing 18 over and over and over again for sudden death.
If tours and tournaments are going to continue to play 18 over and over and over at least change the hole location each time
Less attention paid to the Champions Tour and more attention paid to the Web.com Tour
Discussions about incorporating a mixed gender/mixed tour/mixed team event into the schedule
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About Keith Hirshland
My name is Keith Hirshland and I am a four decades television veteran who has spent time both in front of and behind the camera. During nearly forty years in broadcasting my path has crossed in front of, behind and alongside some of the best in the business... And some of the worst. Many of those people I count as friends while others wouldn't make the effort to spit on me if I was on fire.
This television life started early watching my Mom and Dad found, fund and run a local affiliate TV station in Reno, Nevada. As a teenager approaching adulthood I worked for them, first as an on-air sports reporter/anchor and later as a director and producer. Jobs in the industry took me across the country and then to many places around the world.
Sports is my passion and putting it on TV has been my business. Production credits include auto racing, baseball, basketball, bowling, college football, field hockey, soccer, volleyball and water polo but the majority of my time "in the chair" since 1990 has been invested in the game of golf with both ESPN and The Golf. Channel ( I was one of the first forty people hired by TGC in 1994 ). I am a fan and I watch TV sports as a fan but I also have hundreds of thousands of hours watching from inside a production truck. I think that makes me qualified to comment, my hope is you agree.
I have written four books, Cover Me Boys, I'm Going In (Tales of the Tube from a Broadcast Brat), a memoir that is a tribute to my parents, the hard working, creative people who started ESPN2 and The Golf Channel and a look back at my life in television. Cover Me Boys was awarded the “Memoir of the Year” in 2017 by Book Talk Radio Club. In February of 2019 it was released anew by Beacon Publishing Group. My second book is a novel, Big Flies, and is a mystery that tells the story of a father and a son with four of the world's most notorious unsolved robberies as a backdrop. Big Flies was named “Solo Medalist” in the True Crime category by New Apple Awards. My third book, another mystery titled The Flower Girl Murder, was published in 2018. Book number four might be the most fun I ever had on a writing project. Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis is a mystery, a love story, and an homage to good grammar. It is both the Book Talk Radio Club BOOK OF THE YEAR for 202 and a TopShelf Awards first prize winner in the mystery category. All four are available at Amazon. Book five is in the capable hands of the good people at Beacon Publishing Group and should be available soon.
I look forward to sharing new thoughts about golf, golf television, sports in general and the broadcast industry with you. The views expressed here are mine and mine alone. They are not connected to nor endorsed by any other person, association, company or organization.
Lovely list–your passion for golf very obvious :). Have to agree there are at least 5 things that I’d want to see happening in 2016 too.
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Thank you sir. I’m sure your ideas are as good or better than mine!
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