Will The Haney Project Kill Golf Instruction?
I saw a few episodes of last year’s first season of The Haney Project with Charles Barkley.
It was mostly about Sir Charles and had little to do with golf instruction. I guess it was The Golf Channel’s version of reality TV. The second season, which just got underway, is with Ray Romano.
The Golf Channel seems to be aiming, once again, to cash in on the popularity of the latest fad. That may be interesting to some viewers, but it doesn’t enlighten us about learning to play better golf. The result is the golf channel is walking a very fine line that could end up undermining golf instruction for the rest of us.
Charles Barkley’s swing is famous for being so bad. No could blame Hank for getting nowhere with him. The first season of the Haney Project was a video version of a golf joke. Ray Ramano, however, looks very much like the average amateur golfer, like the other guys in your foresome.
He shoots in the 80′s and 90′s, has some pretty good skills, has had his handicap as low as 11 and his next goal is to legitimately break 80. He’s got a few quirks in his swing, but who doesn’t. He seems to be dedicated and in reasonable physical shape so why shouldn’t he improve, dramatically, with one of the best instructors in the world, great facilities and plenty of time to practice?
Charles was never a standin for any of us – the average golfer – but Ray is. Who amongst us hasn’t wondered how much better we could get if we had the money, time and a great instructor to teach us how it’s done. Here comes our answer in the form of Ray Romano and Hank Haney.
And that’s were The Golf Channel is playing Russian Roulette. If Ray gets no better for whatever reason, how could any of the rest of us justify going to Hank Haney or Butch Harmon, let alone our local PGA instructor.
Who wouldn’t conclude that once you plateau in golf you are hopelessly stuck there. Hank Haney risks destroying his reputation and The Golf Channel risks destroying golf instruction. I hope they know what they’re doing! Talk about a teachable moment.
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Comments
All ‘reality TV’ is just TV wrestling for the rest of us. It’s staged and there’s a script. I don’t have to watch most of it, so I don’t care. But I still worry that viewers will think the Haney Project is real golf instruction and become disillusioned.
I wonder if Arnold and others who truly love the game, are as disgusted as I and others, that the haney project has turned into a desperate attempt for ratings and turned into a WWF version of golf insruction. The latest BUFFOON you are using has made us turn you off…
Tom, I couldn’t have said it better. Besides being just plain stupid, what a disservice to golf instruction.
The problem I see is Mr. Haney had three golfers with out of control ego’s and no real desire. In golf you must have an ego, but controlled. I bet Mr. Haney could improve my game in 1/2 no 1/5 the time as his previous students. Keep in mind I’m old, fat with bad knees(one artifical). Desire and controlled ego must be present to learn.
Herman, you and Hank Haney. Now that’s a show I would watch! I’m serious. I’d love to see what these guys can do with a regular guy…or gal.
It’s putting a lot of pressure and responsibility on Hank to make some progress with Romano. Like you said he seems to have the average golf swing that should be able to improve on just like the average golfer.
Let’s hope for Haney’s sake Romano ends up breaking 80.
The Golf Channels seems to be once again. It was just show. It may be interesting to some viewers but it doesn’t enlighten us about learning to play better Golf. Thanks for sharing stuff.
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It was just a show. There are average guys who became pros. Relax! Ramano probablyl was asked to try to be funny, look bad, and hard to teach. Barkeley’s 1st series was fun to watch so I bet they tried to make similar effects for the second and etc. Otherwise Sir Charles would look really bad.