Like any golf fan around the world, I came into this week full of excitement and anticipation for what promised to be a blockbuster US Open.
Fortunately, Oakmont has played its villainous part spectacularly - with the brutal rough and lightning fast greens terrorising players and providing the perfect opportunity for a score of par (or worse) to win this Major for the first time since 2018.
However, despite the golf course baring its teeth as expected, I am struggling to maintain my enthusiasm and there is one culprit to blame... the hard to watch television coverage.
That's a sad reality at one of golf's main events, and one which I have criticised recently after also being fed up with The Masters TV coverage, so what needs to change? Well, these four key areas would be great starting point to re-engage golf fans...
1. Create A Logical Broadcast Schedule
When I woke up this morning to check what time the US Open television coverage started today, I was perplexed to find that we wouldn't be seeing any live golf until 4pm (BST) at the earliest.
In the interest of research, I also checked the US broadcast schedule and found a similarly shocking truth... no coverage until 10am (EST).
There were even complaints on X about coverage being exclusively shown on streaming platforms, rather than traditional television, ostracising many and, in some cases, preventing their consumption.
With the end of the second round being concluded, plus early starters that will include six Major Champions (including Rory McIlroy) starting their third round, I defy anyone to give me a logical and rational explanation as to why we aren't showing more golf during one of the four Men's Major Championships of the year.
Some big names are set to miss the cut on Saturday morning, and we will likely get an early run from someone at the bottom of the pack, but irritatingly we won't get a chance to see it...
2. Show More Golf Shots
When the golf eventual starts, the quality of what we are shown is lacklustre at best.
In the interest of finding the solution to this significant problem, I did some research to find the best viewing experience among the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf.
Sadly, the analysis highlighted a similar theme to one we are seeing at the 2025 US Open - broadcasters are not showing enough golf shots.
The filler and fluff interspersed with an endless stream of inane adverts is an engagement killer - but there was an interesting lesson to learn from my experiment.
This isn't going to be a popular opinion, but LIV Golf do it best.
Get more cameras on the ground, follow all of the groups, show as many different shots, from as many different players, in as little time as possible.
Keep interviews, leaderboards and pictures of random flowers to a minimum - instead focusing on the thing every golf fan is actually here to see... the golf!
3. Variety Is The Spice Of Life
I get that Scottie Scheffler is the best player in the world, and that Rory McIlroy is the golf's poster boy, but I don't want to watch every single shot of their round at the expense of the other 154 players in the field.
That might be a slight exaggeration, as we tend to by default see their playing partners go about their business in the shadow these two juggernauts, but beyond this we are only privy to a smattering of other relatively well-known names.
I have been concerned in the past about a lack of Bryson DeChambeau TV coverage at other Majors, which wasn't going to happen here as he is the defending champion, but I do believe there is a tendency to overlook the majority in favour of the few.
One of the first shots that I saw this week was Max Moldovan's hole-out eagle, but interestingly that shot came before the 'big names' set foot on the golf course.
While I am sure we would have seen it at some point had it occurred later, why are we not able to witness some of the truly spectacular stories that the US Open naturally creates throughout the field?
I'd love to have seen more of James Nicholas' heroic effort to birdie four of his last seven holes in order to make the cut, or the agonising heartbreak for Tom Hoge as he went bogey, double-bogey to miss out on the weekend by one shot.
Feel free to stick those players on featured group coverage, and give everyone the chance to tune if they wish, but the default offer desperately needs variety to avoid disengaging golf fans.
4. Cap The Commercials
The balance of commercials to the amount of live golf being shown is way out of kilter, and it's perhaps the biggest reason I am struggling to enjoy the coverage.
The flow is almost as pedestrian as the painfully slow pace of play at the US Open, with adverts popping up after every few shots (or so it would seem), which makes it impossible to sit and enjoy for any prolonged periods of time.
I understand the need for commercial sponsorship, and the financial importance to the wider game, but the sheer volume adds up to a terrible viewing experience.
If the priority was showcasing our sport to the world, growing the game and inspiring participation, the responsible decision would be to cap commercials to a reasonable limit.
I'm aware that might seem fantastical, but I worry that the path we are on could lead to a dire situation in the future as the next generation decide how they wish to consume golf (if they decide to do so at all).
Have your say...
What do you think about the television coverage at the 2025 US Open?
I'd love for you to share your thoughts using the comments box below, sharing your opinion on the quality, quantity and potential changes that could be made to improve the overall viewing experience.
No golf for a few hours yet, so I'll be waiting to hear from you!
