Viewer's Forum needs a little controversy

The Golf Channel, an American cable television network also accessible in Canada, boasts about 45 million viewers. Its 1995 inception and the subsequent growth period coincided (or were they planned?) with the emergence of Tiger Woods, and golf, as they say, has not been the same since.

The Golf Channel's Golf Channel Academy and Academy Live shows, featuring top-notch coaches and their high-prized pupils, are available to an increasing number of people trying to learn or improve their golf game. On the other hand, for those more interested in happenings on the golf tours-like myself, since at this stage, there's very little that can salvage my golf game-Viewer's Forum (VF henceforth) is the perfect alternative.

Or is it?

The show's four slogan words are "opinion, insight, controversy and analysis." However, there is very little of any of those in most instalments of the hour-and-a-half weekly show.

Behind the smiling faces of the hosts and the participating golfers, there doesn't seem to be much substance. In fact, the only controversial part of the show may be that there IS no controversy. Also, Viewer's Forum really should be Viewers' Forum, but let's not go any further on this.

VF invites two or three guests to discuss current events in golf. The guests usually consist of former or current, washed-up players disguised as 'analysts,' and golf writers most of whom are based in Florida area, where The Golf Channel itself is located.

Journalists Tim Rosaforte, Craig Dolch, Brian Hewitt and Jeff Babineau (he needs to lose that makeup) are regulars, but the panel needs more diversity. Otherwise, VF would be depriving viewers of some excellent writers who no doubt has a lot of interesting and, yes, controversial things on their mind.

Personal favourites John Feinstein, Melanie Hauser and John Strege come to mind, plus those from West Coast such as Thomas Bonk of the Los Angeles Times and Brian Murphy of the San Francisco Chronicle. New York-based Newsday's Damon Hack has the most appropriate name among golf journalists, and he deserves some air time just for that reason.

VF would be better off without players in the chairs because they, especially active sorts, tend to shirk controversy. It is quite understandable that players don't want to stir up anything on the national golf television. They simply have too much pressure from their respective tours-which is precisely why they shouldn't be on the show.

Player interviews are even worse. This is where the hosts-Jennifer Mills, Kraig Kann, Rich Lerner and Kelly Tilghman-cozy up with players and throw them softball questions. Some remotely contentious questions are dodged maladroitly by the players.

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