2015 Open Championship: Where Was the Sports Media?

Golf’s popularity has seen better days. This past week’s Open Championship could not move the needle as the golf community had hoped. As the sports media works hard each week to develop a story line for upcoming events, golf handed the sports media a choice story line with the 144th Open Championship. What unfolded at The Open was an incredible event at St Andrews, the home of golf. The sports media punted on this one. This is not about railing on the sports media, this is a message to golfers. Golf will never receive the recognition in mass it so hopes to receive. After last year’s PGA Championship there were two “clowns” on the radio debating if golf was even a sport. That is the mindset of the sports media regarding golf. St Andrews Monday afternoon and the US Sports media was on vacation. This year’s final round was played on Monday because of weather delays on Saturday. As I drove down the road Monday mid-morning tuning into various am sports stations I was searching to hear updates, or even some account as to what was unfolding. I did not try the Jim Rome show, I just can’t stand the guy going back to his Chris Evert incident. That incident reveals who he is. I’m embarrassed to say, something that I thought was so important in the world of sports only received scant comments on live am radio. July 20th what is going on in sports? Apparently contract negotiations and shark attacks were best for ratings than The Open. Certainly the golf industry knew what was unfolding as they watched but unfortunately the sports talk show host either didn’t realize the gravity of the situation or chose to ignore. Spieth was closing in on a record set by Ben Hogan in 1953. Yes, not Arnie, Jack nor Tiger have been able to match the record. I tuned to Fox Sports, The Rich Eisen Show was talking about the shark attack on a surfer in competition and fielding calls about their survey question; what type of attack you would fear the most, shark, bear, bees etc. I was surprised at the lack of respect for the moment. I was even more surprised that listeners felt so compelled to call in and recount their past experiences. ….it was like listening to uncle Ed fish stories. They were more concerned about handing compliments to the guy that created the poll question than what was unfolding at St Andrews. I felt like I was listening to a TMZ story. This illustrates that even the hottest golfer in the world will receive scant coverage at best. More telling was his call in guest that gave his perspective on the weekend’s shark attack and talked about his new golf board. A motorized surfboard that can be ridden on the golf course rather a boring 4 wheel-cart. So as golf history maybe in the making on the oldest golf course in the world Fox Sports is talking about a surfboard as a way to grow the game of golf. Yes, having a drunken golfer surfing over the lip of a bunker is what golf needs for growth. I am glad I’m not the ranger on that course. Good Grief Give credit to The Rich Erien show, he at least provided updates. He incorrectly updated Spieth’s position entering the last hole, but he tried. Golf will always struggle to grow beyond modest numbers at best. For every 1 million golfers who take up golf 1 million will drop the game. Us golfers take pride in the game we play. It is an incredible sport that is challenging in so many ways. The golf establishment should do what they can to help grow golf however don’t try to gain their acceptance by building a race track down the fairway. I’m sure the surfer dude would frown on me for putting a motor on the back of my surfboard to ride the wave.