The recent announcement that 23 golfers and Netflix are working together on an inside-the-ropes, inside-the-locker room, inside-the-down time documentary about life its ownself on the PGA Tour already has imaginations racing.
From the streaming service that has given us Ozark, The Crown and all of those cakes on The Great British Baking Show comes the promise of seeing Kevin Na like we’ve never seen him before.
We’re going to get even more Ian Poulter.
We’re going to spend time with Harry Higgs which, at least from the outside, seems like a blast.
We’re going to find out who Mito Pereira is.
While it may not be as sexy and bring in Bridgerton numbers – it’s OK to admit you watched at least part of it just to see what all the flushed-face fuss was about – this is a meaningful step for the PGA Tour which for years has preferred to keep image management in house.
The documentary could answer the age-old question of “what are those guys really like?”
As impressive as the list of participating players is, the real eye-opener is the agreement by the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship to participate.
It’s the PGA Tour letting down its guard, trusting that allowing fans to see the full picture – when the logos aren’t on and the conversations aren’t limited to interview areas – will enhance both the sport and the business of the sport.
It worked for Formula 1 with its popular Drive To Survive documentary series that chronicled the 2018, ’19, ’20 and soon-to-be-released 2021 seasons in 10-episode installments.
It can work for golf, too.
As impressive as the list of participating players is (hang on, we’re getting there), the real eye-opener is the agreement by the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship to participate.
All are understandably proud and protective of their brands and by allowing the documentary to proceed at their events adds to the depth and texture of the stories being told. It’s also a recognition that the world – particularly the way people consume their sports and entertainment – continues to evolve and these events are adapting, too.
With the goal of telling the story of a season, not having the majors would have been like those old-time Notre Dame football highlights on Sunday mornings when Lindsay Nelson would say, “Moving on to further action in the third quarter … ”
Who knows, maybe we’ll find out how Brooks Koepka really feels about the pimento cheese at Augusta.
The secret sauce to this endeavor working is the players. That’s why HBO’s Hard Knocks series works. The cameras show us what it’s really like to be part of a football team. It’s shown us players getting cut, players getting yelled at, players feeling the pressure.
We all love a glimpse inside.
That’s what this can do for professional golf.
In addition to Na, Poulter, Higgs, Pereira and Koepka, the cast of characters includes: Abraham Ancer, Daniel Berger, Cameron Champ, Joel Dahmen, Tony Finau, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Sergio García, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson and Keita Nakajima, the world’s top-ranked amateur.
That list includes five of the top seven in the current world ranking.
Pardon the snark but it would be really interesting if the documentary cameras could follow the players going to the Saudi International next month and show us that side of the story.
The series doesn’t have all the stars. Rory McIlroy has his own deal with GolfPass. Tiger Woods, who will hopefully return to competition this year, has an agreement with GolfTV. Jon Rahm isn’t participating; nor is Phil Mickelson.
Then there’s Bryson DeChambeau, who would make for interesting behind-the-scenes viewing, but chose not to be included for his own reasons. He already does a lot on a YouTube channel he created and any more would be invasive, he told reporters last week.
“If I was to go on there, yeah, it would be cool to see, but I feel like there’s a lot more interesting stories. You’ve got Harry Higgs. You’ve got numerous others,” DeChambeau said. “I don’t want to take the light away from them for their potential to grow themselves in a manner that's unique to them, where they’re already pretty far behind. They have the opportunity to grow a lot more than I do in that regard.”
How altruistic.
Until this, the overwhelming majority of what the public has seen from the PGA Tour has been tightly managed. That’s part of the strain in the ongoing threat from the proposed new golf leagues – top players feeling they deserve more freedom, particularly when it comes to their images and where they choose to play.
If this series delivers, it will find candid moments that reveal not just the player but the person. It’s not about hitting a 7-iron to a back right pin. It needs to be about how Dahmen and Homa see the world, not when they’re looking at a yardage book but when they’re looking at everything else.
What’s it like on a Thursday night after shooting 76 in the first round? What’s it like waiting for a 1:45 p.m. tee time on Sunday with a chance to win? What’s it like when a swing change isn’t working, a coach is pushing the wrong way or the kids are sick?
Mr. Monahan, the PGA Tour is ready for its closeup.
Above: (top row, from left) Harry Higgs, Ian Poulter, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele; (bottom row, from left) Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau, Sergio García and Tommy Fleetwood
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