No one ever said broadcasting golf on television was easy, but five-time PGA Tour winner Ken Green was vocally and brutally honest in his assessment of new CBS Sports hire Davis Love III as the network broadcasted the weekend coverage from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Love III made his broadcasting debut last month at the Farmers Insurance Open, and in just his third broadcast, Green made his feelings well-known.
“Davis Love (III) is just awful,” Green tweeted on Saturday evening during the third-round broadcast. “CBS screwed up royally dropping (Peter) Kostis and (Gary) McCord.”
Davis Love is just awful. CBS screwed up royally dropping Kostis n McCord. Faldo doesn’t know the golf swing like kostis but people will believe his pts on analyzing the golf swing cause he’s pro yet he’s great playing pro but loose n the head on all other
— ?Ken Green?? (@KenGreenGolf) February 8, 2020
Late last year, CBS made the somewhat controversial decision to not renew the contracts of Kostis and McCord, instead opting to bring in new blood like Love III and Michelle Wie while bolstering the roles others such as Frank Nobilo, Trevor Immelman and Mark Immelman.
The Saturday broadcast of the AT&T has long been an easy punching bag for hardcore golf fans who yearn to see the best players in the world competing on one of the best courses in the United States, but CBS’ consistent stance has been to make Saturday more about the amateur competition.
The Saturday broadcast of the AT&T pro-am is the worst thing CBS airs all year long. And have you seen Mike & Molly!?
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) February 13, 2016
Unpopular opinion: Saturday of the @attproam is the worst golf broadcast of the year. You know who wants to watch Ray Romano, Chris Berman, and random businessmen/18 handicaps play golf?
Absolutely nobody. #PGATour #ATTProAm #PebbleBeach
— Bogeys & Blue (@BogeysandBlue) February 8, 2020
Annual reminder that the Saturday @CBSGolf telecast from Pebble Beach is by far the worst golf TV experience of the entire year. Completely unwatchable garbage.
— Matt Sanders (@M_Sand09) February 9, 2019
Despite the general disdain for the “bigger picture” audience during the third, Green, who has won 11 times around the world, pointed out that with Kostis and McCord no longer in the booth, fans are done a disservice, even if they’re not aware of it.
“(Nick) Faldo doesn’t know the golf swing like Kostis, but people will believe his points on analyzing the golf swing because he’s pro,” he wrote. “Yet he’s a great playing pro, but loose in the head on all other (aspects).”
Nantz is all of us here pic.twitter.com/lNDdPCLJ1t
— Jay Rigdon (@jayrigdon5) January 25, 2020
It’s always easier to criticize from the outside looking in, and while DL3 completed just his third broadcast with CBS this past week, Green’s verdict appears to have already come in.
