by Jeff Skinner
It’s difficult to remember a day when we didn’t have The Golf Channel. I think I have had it on since it debuted in 1995. I am not very discerning when it comes to golf on television I’ll pretty much watch anything including the infomercials that air in the early afternoon. Golf Central, The Golf Fix and the boys on The Grey Goose 19th Hole are great and I haven’t missed a season of The Big Break yet.
The big brass at The Golf Channel know what they are doing. They want to raise their ratings and their main demographic is middle aged men so they get a few attractive, young women to mix in among all those old, male pros and commentators. I mean I like Frank Nobilo, Charlie Rymer and Michael Breed but Win McMurray, Stephanie Sparks and Lauren Thompson are a bit easier on the eyes. Now The Golf Channel has added Holly Sonders to their latest show, The Morning Drive, which will try to get some viewers to stick around in the morning after Golf Central.
I didn’t think there was much that could get me to reach for the clicker to switch off The Golf Channel but the programming wizards have managed to find it: Rush Limbaugh. Next week starts a new season of The Haney Project and Hank will try and work his swing magic on Limbaugh. I won’t be watching.
Can the execs at The Golf Channel think this is going to be entertaining? You have to be kidding me. I know that the typical golf pro may be slightly conservative and Presidents Bush (41 & 43) have more friends on tour than Obama can ever hope to have, but Rush Limbaugh? The mere fact that such a self-important, pompous ass has a platform to spew his propaganda from is sickening enough but now he has infected my Golf Channel. Is nothing sacred in this country! If I wanted to watch an overweight hacker play I’d record my rounds. If I wanted to listen to an overpaid, pretentious, right wing bigot that thinks he knows it all I would tune in to Limbaugh. Not going to happen.
Previously Hank Haney spent hours working on the worst swing in golf, Charles Barkley and tried to get funny man Ray Romano to break 80. Getting to see Haney in action was reason enough to watch and Barkley was a riot. Romano took things a little serious but at least it was entertaining. There were so many other attractive possibilities. Halle Berry or Teri Hatcher would have been great choices. Samuel l Jackson or Joe Pesci are avid golfers that could have used some help. Heck, I would rather watch Haney teach Jack Lemon’s corpse a flop shot than watch Limbaugh puff on his cigar. I see no reason to even try and watch this. I know I won’t be able to get through it. I’ll use that time to read my New York Times. Take that Rush.
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I am much more entertained by Barkley than Limbaugh. That said, until I watch it I wont know if he will use the Golf Channel as an extension of his radio show or maybe he puts politics aside and focuses on the lesson and talking things other than politics like he was suppose to on MNF. I’ll at least give him a chance for a few episodes. If it turns political then I’ll remove it from my DVR.
You’re a better man than I….I can’t bring myself to watch.
The show is about Hank Haney [allegedly] curing golf swing problems. Why do you try to label it as ‘giving Limbaugh a political forum’ – have you already seen the final edits?
First, you say that you don’t want to watch an overweight hacker. Then you say you enjoyed watching Barkley. Your ability to form a distinct opinion is impeded by your own bigotry. In attempting to degrade a man you don’t like personally because his political beliefs differ from yours, you act like a high school prima donna trying to turn all her friends against the cute new girl.
Like you, I am lured to anything golf and I don’t think there is much that would turn me away from a website dedicated to such … but this editorial proves otherwise.
Limbaugh’s radio show is his political forum and Barkley’s swing was well known throughout sports. At least Barkley could laugh at himself along with the rest of us and that was entertaining. As far as my bigotry, you may be right: I have no use for pretentious, right wing bigots.
Couldn’t have said it much better. However, I’ll take it one step further. My eyes are now fixed on GC, to see if this is signalling some significant message, or just some bone-headed decision by an insensitive jack ass.
Sorry Hank, I love your show! I am not a Rush fan by any means but still was excited for another season. I just cant bring myself to watch after his insensitive remarks regarding the Democrats and the Arizona shooting. I have considered myself a conservative independent but after Bush 1 and 2 and the constant whining of Rush, I am feeling myself turn against the Republican party. I cant wait for the next season of The Golf Fix.
Players on the PGA Tour are about 93% conservative, suggested by a Golf Digest article before the 08 presidential election. The first broadcast of Limbaugh’s lessons on Tuesday night was the most-viewed of any original program produced by Golf Channel. I think this firmly puts you and your opinion in the minority of the golf world. So go push this socialist blather at places that are interested, like the NY Times. Face it; golf is a sport supported and dominated by classy and conservative-minded people, not by left wing sad-sacks that complain about sharing airtime with people that earn their way in this world.
That’s the first time I’ve ever been a called a socialist. As far as golf being dominated by classy people I am not so sure. Ever been stuck behind a foursome of drunken fools? Millions of viewers watch Dancing With the Stars and American Idol but that does not mean it’s quality television. Enjoy Rush and Hank, I’ll still take a pass.
Too all you pompous-assed, biased, intellectually vapid libtard bigots on this here blog/comments page, if you feel the need to not watch the show because of your narrow-mindedness, I have one thing to tell you:
As the great Curly Bill said to Wyatt Earp, “Well…Bye.”
Good Riddance.
Now the Golf Channel should really be embarassed by their choice after listening to Rush’s angry imitation of the Chinese language. After all, the PGA and especially the LPGA has a high percentage of asian players. How insulting.
Mr. Skinner, Explain to me how Rush is a bigot. It is obvious that you don’t listen to him, and if you do, it is only sparingly and not done so objectively. His call screener is black, as well as two of the persons who regularly fill in for him, but I’m sure that he is a racist to you because he does not agree w/ Obama’s political views. I don’t agree w/ them either, but I would still watch the show if he was on it. I can honestly say that I would put the politics aside, and watch the show. But that is the difference between open minded conservatives, and close minded liberal socialists. There, the second time you’ve been called a socialist.
I just saw rush limbaugh on the golf channel. I changed immediately. I am offended by what he says about people who do not vote as he does and I’m sadden by how many Americans agree with and support him. I’ll be glad when he’s off so that I can start watching again.
Please golf channel, are you sure there’s not enough population in that demographic (white,male,middle-age,etc.) for you to totally disregard the feelings of all others?
I agree, I also will be glad when he is gone and hoping for a more “watchable” student for Hank next time.
Some ideas for Hank Haney’s next project:
Need a racist? Get Mel Gibson, his on-camera comments would be a riot.
Misogynist? Spring Jared Loughner from jail, he definitely hates women.
Homophobe? Pretty much anyone from the Westboro Babtist Church would be great. And you could mix in some great visuals of them picketing dead soldier’s funerals!
Hate monger? Gee, there are so many to choose from. Palin? O’Reilly? Beck? Bachmann? Personally I’d grab Sen. James Inhofe, he’s the master.
Oh, wait. I guess you don’t need any of them. You’ve already got Rush!
Wow, you pretty much covered everything there!
Great article. Aside from the ethical problems Rush presents, he promotes the immage of golf as a ” fat, rightwing, richman’s sport. Golf’s decline is largely a result of the immage Hanney is promoting.