The Official Golf Thread

[5 Sams]

hallelujah that BBC have coverage for the next two rounds,cant stand another minute of the crap on sky.i Missed most of last nights play and watched or tried to watch Sky's highlights program this morning,my god trying to see the coverage was like getting teeth pulled between silly polls and clowns in a studio hitting shots against a screen..errrrr just show the bloody golf

Where did you see that...are you talking about Radio 5 Live?

[Boycey]

A fair few of the early starters two or three under for their rounds on the tougher front nine. Looks like it's set up for good scoring again today 

[Boycey]

Early eagle on the 2nd for Rory..

[laoislad]

If Peter Alliss is commentating on BBC I'll happily and much rather stick with Setanta HD coverage even though Nick Faldo is on it.

[sans pessimism]

This BBC coverage is great ,and its on NOW!(red button)-Sky coverage is dung...whatever time they're going to start showing live action!

[Boycey]

This BBC coverage is great ,and its on NOW!(red button)-Sky coverage is dung...whatever time they're going to start showing live action!

On under red button on Sky too, was explained on here yesterday or day before why coverage is so patchy on ALL channels until a certain time..

[sans pessimism]

On sky red button its all over the shop

[Tony Baloney]

Starting on bbc2 proper at 7.30 yis crying cnuts.

[Minder]

Not sure its Augusta folks - I read an article not so long back on Augusta committee trying to get more TV coverage but that the agreement they had with CBS (might be wrong) wouldn't allow much more.  Will have a look for the article and paste here if I can find it.

Didn't take that long to find - http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/04/masters-countdown-why-cbs-refu.html

I always thought it was Augusta and not the TV companies, there is talk Augusta National are keen to show content through their own apps/streaming.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/golf/article4407905.ece


It was another historic round from Jordan Spieth yesterday. Shame that television viewers were deprived of the chance to watch it unfold.
The lack of early-day coverage at the Masters remains a cause of vexation for armchair fans on both sides of the Atlantic, as viewers must wait until the Green Jackets permit full live coverage in the afternoon.

"We spent two months talking about Tiger at the Masters and might see him for about an hour on Friday, assuming you're by a computer or phone," one disgruntled writer complained on USAToday.com.

Viewing before 8pm in the UK — 3pm Eastern time in the US — on the first two days is possible only via the Masters website or an app that shows Amen Corner, holes 15 and 16, and two featured groups – neither of which included Woods yesterday – or with limited access via Sky's red button.

Broadcasters would love to show more but they must comply with Augusta National's hierarchy, who are cautious and highly protective of their prestigious brand.

Twenty years ago there was hardly any Thursday and Friday coverage at all. It was not until 1995 that even two hours' live action was permitted for the first two rounds.
The amount gradually crept up to four hours by 2011 but Billy Payne, the club chairman, made clear this week that a notable increase is not imminent and, even then, most likely through online streaming via the club's own channels.
Pushed for a comment on the paucity of early coverage of play on the front nine holes, Payne said this week: "The earliest thing I read about that was 55 years ago. And we've taken small, baby steps."

He said that "digital platforms" would create opportunities for broader, early coverage. "But we're just trying to figure all that out," he said.
Things move painfully slowly at Augusta. So be patient — and prepare to watch a lot more via computers and tablets.

[Hardy]

A lot of golf still to be played. t will be a remarkable performance if Speith can continue in this vein. I'm betting on a bit of a collapse. McIlroy can still do it - looking in the groove today.

[Tony Baloney]

A lot of golf still to be played. t will be a remarkable performance if Speith can continue in this vein. I'm betting on a bit of a collapse. McIlroy can still do it - looking in the groove today.

Still playing well but Lefty and others starting to move. Plenty of work still to do.

[screenexile]

McIlroy and Tiger tearing it up but started too far back. DJ needs to get a birdie soon to settle.

Casey is really impressing me he's going great stuff along with his playing partner Phil while Hoffman is faltering... Second bogey of the week from Spieth!!!! Its gonna be interesting!

[muppet]

When did Dustin Hoffman start the golf?

[laoislad]

No nerves there from Speith great birdie.

[Hardy]

The point is, though, Tiger is back, regardless of the result here. We could be coming into an epic era like the days of Arnie, Nicklaus and Player. Rory, Spieth and Tiger.