From boring broadcasts to player defections, readers weigh in on PGA Tour’s declining ratings

A recent column on the decline in television viewership for professional golf, including The American Express in La Quinta, seemed to strike a nerve with many readers. Or perhaps it just opened an old wound.

Plenty of readers emailed me about the column, my suggestions for helping broadcasts and their own ideas about why the ratings are going the wrong way.

There is, for instance, the caliber of the product presented on television, says John in an email.

“I am 85 years old and have played golf since I was 17. That’s a lot of golf. I have been to two U.S. Opens, seven Masters and many of the old Bob Hopes. I feel that one of the main problems with golf today is the broadcasts are boring,” John said. “The hosts do not make it fun to watch. They also could show three times the amount of golf that they do. They spend too much time watching golfers lining up putts, showing them walking, or just standing instead of showing other golfers actually playing.”

Gary jumps on a subject that is more and more of a sore point in the game – pace of play.

“I enjoyed your article and recommendations. How about a shot clock on the greens? It seems to work in so many other professional sports!” Gary points out.

Michael admits he doesn’t know all the reasons for declining television numbers, but he emails that he knows why he struggles to watch the sport as much as he did in the past.

“I grew up admiring Palmer, Watson (Tom of course) and Tiger. I identified with these golfers although they were not perfect in other areas than golf,” Michael said. “However, they were reliable and predictable in their respect for the game. Nowadays, how can I confidently identify with a golfer knowing I could be betrayed in a heartbeat like Koepka, Rahm and Johnson did.”

Denise emailed a very simple cause for not watching.

“I am not interested in watching the PGA since LIV golf. Letting all that money in is going to wreck the sport,” she said.

Of course, one problem with that is the professional golfers play for, well, money, and many will chase more and more money when given a chance.

The split in the game over the last four years continues to pop up in reasons for fans watching less golf, like an email from Gary points out.

“PGA and LIV need to figure it out. Sort of like how Americans finally said enough was enough,” Gary said. “The PGA needs some of the LIV megastars and the guys in their late 30s and early 40s, along with the young guns like Scottie (Scheffler) and Sahith (Theegala).”

Gary also points out a change in one broadcast was a good idea, with Kevin Kisner being on the tee of the 16th hole of the Waste Management Open when NBC did that tournament.

Brian moves back to the idea that the money behind LIV golf and players jumping to that tour from the PGA Tour remains a problem for him, and he’s not the only one who mentioned that.

“For me, I’ve for the most part given up viewing professional golf as a result of their financial relationship with Saudi Arabia,” Brian said. “While it was always about the money, this new partnership and the way that it occurred rubs me the wrong way. I would rather watch women’s basketball or just about anything else than those hugely overpaid athletes. I love golf but it’s over for me.”

Alan blames the players for the most part, and not the players who jumped to the LIV Tour.

“When I watched the game through the years, players like Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods made the game exciting with their personalities and their dominance,” Alan said. “Today’s players are very good, but they are not much more interesting than robots going around the golf course, with barely a smile or a celebration for a good shot. And they all seem interchangeable to me.”

Barbara, for one, thinks that it is a lack of star power that is hurting the television ratings.

“You mentioned some of the early events aren’t getting good ratings, but some players like Scheffler and (Xander) Schauffele aren’t playing because of injuries,” Barbara points out. “When they come back and we get closer to the more important tournaments like the U.S. Open, the ratings will rebound I would guess.”

That might be, Barbara. But the fact is the ratings are low now, and as the emails and texts I’ve received point out, there might be plenty of things that need to be fixed both in the game and with the networks to turn the trend around.

Larry Bohannan is the golf writer for The Desert Sun. You can contact him at (760) 778-4633 or at larry.bohannan@desertsun.com. Follow him on Facebook or on X at @larry_bohannan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Readers share reasons for PGA Tour’s declining TV ratings