| 释义 |
- Background
- List of Golf Films
- Timing of the Premiere Dates
- References
{{short description|Franchise of films produced by Golf Channel}}Golf Films is a franchise of films produced by Golf Channel, which originated in 1995 as the first U.S. single-sport cable network, co-founded by golf legend Arnold Palmer. The biographical features in the Golf Films library cover a wide range of key figures and events that have changed the game in unique ways, in particular over the last century. Background Golf Channel is an American pay television network owned by the NBC Sports Group subsidiary of NBCUniversal division of Comcast. The channel focuses on coverage of the sport of golf, including live coverage of tournaments, as well as news and instructional programming. The Golf Films franchise is a collection of independently produced biographical films that center around key figures and events in the history of golf. Each Golf Films production is typically released at a time that matches its significance and correlation with a current major championship/event. Recently, “Famous 5” premiered on September 24, 2018, just days before the beginning of the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, France, which was aired on NBC and Golf Channel. “Famous 5” focused on a group of five European golfers – all born within 11 months of one another – who helped revitalize the Ryder Cup and redefine the professional golf landscape. In the summer of 2018, as part of the Golf Films franchise, Golf Channel premiered “Go Down Swinging: The 1999 Open at Carnoustie.” That film – which aired just prior to NBC’s and Golf Channel’s exclusive live coverage of the [https://www.theopen.com/Heritage/OpenVenues/Carnoustie 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie(] Scotland) – highlighted one of the most unforgettable collapses ever in major championship golf. The film recounted the 1999 Open when Jean van de Velde surrendered what seemed like inevitable victory with a three-shot lead on the 72nd and final hole. List of Golf Films | "Famous 5" | World Premiere September 24, 2018 | Producer Israel DeHerrera | Duration One Hour |
“Famous 5” outlines how five European golfers – born within 11 months of one another – helped revitalize the Ryder Cup and redefine the professional golf landscape. The film also details how the five (Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam) would go on to World Golf Hall of Fame careers, led by 16-combined major championships and a No. 1 world ranking (all but Lyle). The history of the Ryder Cup is explored, highlighted by how the five (along with captain Tony Jacklin) left their indelible mark on the biennial competition that would evolve from an event incessantly dominated by the Americans into what has become professional golf’s biggest spectacle. As an article on TheComeback.com put it, “it wasn’t that long ago that the Ryder Cup teetered on the edge of irrelevance. The United States won 17 out of 18 Ryder Cups from 1935 through 1977, their lone defeat coming in 1957. Then a few very important changes happened.” [1]| "Go Down Swinging: The 1999 Open at Carnoustie" | Producers Israel DeHerrera Rich Lerner | Writer Rich Lerner | World Premiere July 9, 2018 | Duration One Hour |
"Go Down Swinging: The 1999 Open at Carnoustie" highlights one of the most unforgettable collapses ever in major championship golf, the film recounts the 1999 Open when Jean van de Velde surrendered what seemed like inevitable victory with a three-shot lead on the 72nd hole. Van de Velde recounts (shot-by-shot) what was going through his mind on Carnoustie’s demanding par-4 18th hole during Sunday’s final round. In addition to Van de Velde, the principal characters involved reflect on how improbable a finish it was, and how unbelievable it remains nearly 20 years later. As Martin Kaufmann wrote in Golfweek,“We remember Van de Velde’s collapse more like a full-length movie filled with dramatic plot twists.” [2]| "Summer of '76" | NarratorTim Matheson | Producers Rich Lerner, Israel DeHerrera James Ponti | Writer Rich Lerner | World Premiere July 18, 2017 | Duration One Hour |
"Summer of '76" takes a deep dive into professional golf in the 1970s, through the lens of Johnny Miller and Seve Ballesteros’ showdown in the 1976 Open at Royal Birkdale. The film pops with the groovy style of the ‘70s when golf was looser, with stiff shots on and off the course, and when the sport was still in its relative television infancy. The film’s principals recall the cars they drove, music they listened to, clothes they wore and the golf equipment they played, which required a level of artistry many feel has been lost in the modern game. In a Golf World article, Miller talks about the Open and his rounds with Ballesteros. “’Obviously, it’s an important event to me, but it’s just as important that Seve was introduced to the golfing world,’ Miller said. “Surely, they didn’t think he was ready to win an Open Championship. It was cool for me to play with him on Saturday and Sunday. I didn’t know him from Adam and we didn’t talk much, but he just played with a sort of joyful exuberance.’” [3]| "Jack" | NarratorTom Selleck | Producer Israel DeHerrera | World Premiere April 9 - 11, 2017 | Duration Three 1-Hour Installments |
"Jack" is a biopic on record 18-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Jack Nicklaus.The film is a product of nearly 100 interviews and hundreds of hours of archived film blended with recollections from Nicklaus, as well as his playing competitors, family members, sports legends, business partners, childhood friends, along with golf and sports media. The three parts are segmented chronologically: Prodigy (part I), Prime (part II) and Pinnacle (part III), including context on each of Nicklaus’ 18 major titles. As TV Insider wrote: “As it did with Arnold Palmer in 2014's Arnie, Golf Channel gathers interviews with luminaries from sports and media, and rarely seen video footage to create an in-depth portrait of Nicklaus not only as a great athlete, but also as a family man, businessman, philanthropist and ambassador for golf.” [4]| "Countdown to Rio" | World Premiere July 31, 2016 | Duration One Hour |
"Countdown to Rio" prepared viewers for golf’s return to the Olympic Games in 2016 for the first time in 112 years. The special details the sport’s journey back to becoming an Olympic sport, including the reaction from the vote in October 2009 that finalized the sport’s reinstatement into the Games. The subsequent elements include the events that would follow ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics, including: The bidding process for designing the Olympic golf course venue and the challenges that the winning architect – Gil Hanse – would face in preparing the course for competition. | "86" | NarratorJohn Cusack | Producer Israel DeHerrera | World Premiere April 5, 2016 | Duration One Hour |
"86" is a commemoration of the 30-year anniversary of Jack Nicklaus’ 30th anniversary historic 18th and final major championship in the 1986 Masters. The film recounts the Golden Bear’s improbable come-from-behind victory to become the oldest winner of the Masters at age 46. Whether from a truck stop, hospital, at home with family or in-person, golf fans all remember where they were for Jack’s final moment of glory in the majors, and the film documents the vivid memories from their array of vantage points. ’86 also features interviews with Nicklaus and his family members, along with members of the broadcast team in 1986, fellow professionals, and members of the golf media covering the event. From the New York Times: “Nicklaus helps recreate his great charge, but the sweetest touches in the film are the side stories — about the sudden demand for the type of putter he was using; about the touching tale behind the yellow shirt he was wearing for that final round. Golf is one of those sports that are either kind of drab or full of drama, and that day in April 1986 might have been the most dramatic it has been.”[5]| "Ben Crenshaw: A Walk Through Augusta" | Producer Israel DeHerrera | World Premiere April 13, 2015 | Duration One Hour |
“Ben Crenshaw: A Walk Through Augusta” serves as a retrospective on the life and career of Ben Crenshaw, while shining a light on his special relationship with the Masters as a two-time winner of the event in 1984 and 1995. Premiering on the eve of “Gentle Ben’s” final competitive start in the Masters in 2015, it also explores Crenshaw’s relationships with his caddie, Carl Jackson, in addition to his longtime teacher Harvey Penick, who passed away just days before Crenshaw would go on to claim his second green jacket. As Golf Digestrelates, “Crenshaw's love and passion for the game generally and the Masters specifically is infectious. It often moves him to tears. ‘It occupies a lot of my thoughts,’ he said. ‘It has for a long time and it always will.’ As his wife Julie put it in the film, ‘It might be an obsession, but that's all right. It's almost like he's got green blood in him rather than red. It's just the most meaningful thing in his life.’" [6]| "Arnie & Me" | Producer James Ponti | World Premiere March 17, 2015 | Duration One Hour |
"Arnie & Me" a follow-up fourth installment of Arnie, features the legion of Arnold Palmer fans (“Arnie’s Army”) sharing their love of Palmer through a collection of home videos highlighting their personal connection to “The King.” "Arnie & Me" was inspired by the overwhelming fan response to Golf Channel Films’ 2014 presentation of the three-part "Arnie". Martin Kaufmann writes in Golfweek, “Whereas the 2014 series was a polished, if largely unrevealing, production, “Arnie & Me” consists largely of videos submitted by loyal soldiers in Arnie’s Army, recounting random meetings with Palmer. The stories are told by the fans, with no narration. That’s a smart production choice, because we see time and again how The King connected with his loyal subjects.” [7]| "Payne" | NarratorJosh Elliott | Producer Peter Franchella | Writers Al Szymanski "Fritz" Mitchell | World Premiere June 8, 2014 | Duration One Hour |
An Emmy-nominated film commemorating the life of one of the game’s legendary figures, "Payne"delves into the enduring legacy of Payne Stewart on the 15th anniversary of his monumental victory in the 1999 U.S. Open. "Payne" recalls the PGA TOUR icon who became one of the game’s most-beloved players on the golf course, but also a family man, entertainer, jokester and golf fashion icon, and reflects on his legacy following his tragic death in a plane accident in October 1999. “Not only is it very powerful but I also think it shows the love affair between (Payne’s wife) Tracey and Payne,” said Keith Allo, vice president of original productions at Golf Channel.[8] | "Arnie" | NarratorTom Selleck | Producer Israel DeHerrera | Writer Aaron Cohen | World Premiere April 13 - 15, 2014 | Duration Three 1-Hour Installments |
"Arnie" showcases how Arnold Palmer revolutionized and transcended the game while becoming one of the most beloved figures in sports history. "Arnie" features interviews with more than 100 people spanning U.S. presidents, elite athletes and pop culture icons, all weighing in on Palmer’s contributions to sports and society. The film is broken into three parts, providing a glimpse into each phase of his life: “Arnie & His Army,” “Arnie & His Majors,” and “Arnie & His Legacy.” In Newsday, Neil Best wrote, “Arnie,” a three-part series about guess-who … is an impressively ambitious undertaking that involved more than 100 interviews and a trove of cool video images.”[9]| "Lee Trevino: An American Champion" | NarratorAndy Garcia | Producer Israel DeHerrera | Writer Aaron Cohen | World Premiere June 9, 2013 | Duration One Hour |
"Lee Trevino: An American Champion" recounts Lee Trevino’s heroic playoff victory in the 1971 U.S. Open over Jack Nicklaus, featuring retrospective interviews with both World Golf Hall of Fame members. The film details the impoverished childhood of Trevino, a Mexican-American eighth grade dropout, and shares how his trademark, homemade swing led him to become one of golf’s most revered shot makers and one of the most beloved personalities (and champions) the game has ever seen. | "Go Annika" | Producer James Ponti | World Premiere May 22, 2013 | Duration 30-Minutes |
"Go Annika" commemorates the historic moment when Annika Sorenstam became the first woman in the modern professional golf era to test her mettle amongst the men in the 2003 PGA Tour event at Colonial Country Club. The film details how and why the World Golf Hall of Fame member and best female golfer of her generation came to play in the tournament, revealing the immense pressure she felt and how it changed her outlook on her life and career forever. Longtime golf writer Ron Sirak summed up Annika’s foray into men’s golf. “She entered the Bank of America Colonial as a female golfer and left it as a golfer,” Sirak wrote. “She entered it as a reluctant superstar and left it as a one-word celebrity.” [10](3) "Go Annika" also incorporates Sorenstam’s return visit to Colonial a decade later, where (to her surprise) she is reunited with her playing partners from 2003 – Aaron Barber and Dean Wilson – for a casual round of golf to reminisce about their experience together inside the ropes. | "American Triumvirate" | NarratorKurt Russell | Producer Dominic Dastoli | World Premiere August 13, 14, 21 and 28, 2012 | Duration Four 1-Hour Installments |
"American Triumvirate" celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the birth of three of golf’s greatest legends: Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead. All born within three months of one another in 1912, the film offers an in-depth look at their respective lives and careers, and the collective impact they left on the game. With 198 combined PGA TOUR wins and 21 major championships, the trio would go on to help save the sport in America by shaping a modern, new era of golf. "I'm a massive Hogan fan and this movie is a great way of celebrating the centenary of three stand-out legends of the game," said 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell after watching a special screening of the film. "They're a big part of the reason we're playing modern, tournament golf." [11]| "Uneven Fairways" | NarratorSamuel L. Jackson | Director Dan Levinson | Writer Pete McDaniel | World Premiere February 11, 2009 | Duration One Hour |
"Uneven Fairways" chronicles the story of the little-known, but rich history of the African-Americans who had the courage to stand up for their rights and pave the way for future stars of golf. The film celebrates the golfers who confronted prejudice and endured indignities for the right to play golf at its highest level. The film was considered “the most compelling portrait of the black golfers who never got the full opportunity to play against the best in the world because of the PGA Tour’s Caucasians-only clause. The voices of these pioneers, who tried to eke out a living on the cow pastures of the UGA, are captured here in a contemplative and revealing way that will make viewers feel like eyewitnesses to golf’s Jim Crow era.” [12] Timing of the Premiere Dates The release date of the productions often coincided with major golf events that were contested at the same time. Some dates relate to other newsworthy events at a particular time. Below is the list of premiere dates and their significance. | Title | Release Date | Notes | | Uneven Fairways | February 11, 2009 | first aired during Black History Month | | American Triumvirate | August, 2012 | commemorated the 100-year anniversary of each of the film’s prominent figures: Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead | | Go Annika | May 13, 2013 | aired on the 10th anniversary of Annika Sorenstam being the first woman in golf’s modern era to play in a PGA Tour event | | Lee Trevino: An American Champion | June 9, 2013 | aired as the U.S. Open was returning that year to Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania, the site of Trevino’s first Major championship victory in the 1971 U.S. Open | | Arnie | April 13, 2015 | aired in conjunction with the Masters, the first Major to be played each season and a tournament whose legendary status grew thanks to the dominance of Arnold Palmer | | Payne | June 8, 2014 | aired on the 15th anniversary of Payne Stewart’s long-awaited victory in the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst | | Arnie & Me | March 17, 2015 | first aired in conjunction with the playing of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, an annual stop on the PGA Tour at Palmer’s adopted home course in Orlando, Florida | | Ben Crenshaw: A Walk Through Augusta | April 13, 2015 | commemorated the 20th anniversary of Crenshaw’s second and final Masters victory and also to mark his final appearance in the Masters field in 2015 | | 86 | April 5, 2016 | celebrated the 30th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus’ remarkable Masters win, the final of his record 18 Major championships | | Countdown to Rio | July 31, 2016 | premiered as golf was just days away from returning to the Olympic Games for the first time in nearly a century | | Jack | April 9. 2017 | three-part biographical production on Jack Nicklaus served as a prelude to the 2017 Masters and was centered around his incredible career which included a record six Green Jackets earned with Masters victories | | Summer of '76 | July 18, 2017 | coincided with the return of the Open to Royal Birkdale in 2017 a look back at professional golf in the 1970s which featured a memorable duel between veteran American golfer Johnny Miller (the eventual winner) and upcoming 19-year-old Spanish star Seve Ballesteros at the 1976 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, England | | Go Down Swinging: The 1999 Open at Carnoustie | July 9, 2018 | premiered just ahead of the Open returning to Carnoustie where NBC and Golf Channel would telecast the major championship | | Famous Five | Sept 24, 2018 | debuted in advance of the Ryder Cup which would air exclusively on NBC and Golf Channel - the film featured five of the top legends in European golf and the 2018 Ryder Cup was being played in Europe at Le Golf National in Paris, France |
References 1. ^{{Cite web|url=https://thecomeback.com/golf/golf-channels-famous-5-explores-the-european-generation-that-rescued-the-ryder-cup-from-irrelevance.html|title="Golf Channel’s ‘Famous 5’ explores the European generation that rescued the Ryder Cup from irrelevance."|last=Rigdon|first=Jay|date=September 18, 2018|website=TheComeback.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
2. ^{{Cite web|url=https://golfweek.com/2018/07/08/golf-channel-go-down-swinging-recounts-the-infamous-1999-open/|title=Golf Channel’s ‘Go Down Swinging’ recounts the infamous 1999 Open|last=Kaufmann|first=Martin|date=July 8, 2018|website=Golfweek.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
3. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/golf-channels-latest-film-to-focus-on-johnny-miller-seve-ballesteros-and-one-groovy-era|title=Golf Channels latest film to focus on Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, and one 'groovy' era|last=Myers|first=Alex|date=June 21, 2017|website=Golfdigest.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
4. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvinsider.com/115868/golf-channel-jack-nicklaus-documentary-jack/|title=Golf Channel's Jack Nicklaus Documentary 'Jack' Tees Off April 9|last=Berenz|first=Ryan|date=February 8, 2017|website=tvinsider.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
5. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/05/arts/television/review-golf-channel-drama-and-adult-swim-duffers.html|title=Review: Golf Channel Drama and Adult Swim Duffers|last=Genzlinger|first=Neil|date=April 4, 2016|website=newyorktimes.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
6. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/golf-channel-salutes-ben-crens|title=Golf Channel salutes Ben Crenshaw at the Masters: 'It's the most meaningful thing in his life'|last=Strege|first=John|date=April 13, 2015|website=golfdigest.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
7. ^{{Cite web|url=https://golfweek.com/2015/03/16/pga-tour-arnold-palmer-golf-channel-documentary/|title=Soldiers' stories carry 'Arnie & Me'|last=Kaufmann|first=Martin|date=March 16, 2015|website=Golfweek.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}
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{{improve categories|date=January 2019}} 1 : Golf Channel |