Morning Read Mailbag: TV Talk and, Once Again, Plenty More LIV Opinions

As LIV Golf continued to make news on and off the course, readers weighed in. Here's just a few of the many letters from the last two weeks.

As always, your letters about any topic in golf are welcome at inbox@morningread.com. Include your name and hometown for your letter to be considered for publication. And click here to receive all the latest SI.com/Morning Read news and commentary free in your inbox every morning.

John Wood or Dottie Pepper?

I wish to question John Hawkins’ assessment of John Wood as “the top on course analyst in golf today.” ("John Wood, Golf's Best On-Course TV Analyst, Has His Eyes Wide Open," Aug. 2)

I believe Dottie Pepper to be the best on-course analyst in golf today. She is knowledgeable, candid and tells it like it is. She is very well-prepared, doesn’t overstate the obvious, and is a pleasure to listen to. Unfortunately Dottie’s coworkers drag her down a bit in comparison to Wood’s coworkers, which in my opinion are much more interesting to listen to. I enjoy Wood’s commentary a great deal and his enthusiasm may trump Dottie’s, but I do not necessarily agree with John Hawkins’ assessment as to who is the best.

Bob Curry
Waltham, Massachusetts

Analyzing LIV Golf As ... Golf

Very enjoyable article, especially your analysis of LIV Golf ("So, Is LIV Golf Any Good? Here's An Analysis After Three Events," July 31). I'm following LIV golf pretty carefully, and so far, I find it to be entertaining because there are many "name" players who have made the move to LIV. Dustin Johnson is key to its success with his "matter of fact" answers to the usual hot-button questions, and he's playing well.

The PGA Tour's suspension of the LIV players was a mistake. If the suspension does not hold up in court, (PGA Tour Commissioner Jay) Monahan should resign, and his replacement should sit down with the LIV operatives and work this situation out. The PGA Tour wants to be the only horse in the rodeo.

For me, the Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup have lost much of their luster because former Ryder Cup players, from both sides of the pond, are now playing in the LIV events.

George Bevan Jr.
New Meadows, Idaho

I keep seeing that the LIV's pro-ams are closed to the public but have not seen anyone explain why this is the case. It would be interesting to find out why this is a policy. 

Social media comments are full of people who have decided that others are "boomers" or "old heads" for supporting the PGA Tour over the supposedly younger-skewing LIV Tour. Yet, these same LIV backers seemed really fired up about a possible broadcast booth of golf commentary fossils like McCord and Feherty plus a tired Charles Barkley.

As a Massachusetts native, please don't just accept LIV's promos that it has an event in Boston, it does not. The September event is in Bolton, a sleepy, rural town with a population just over 5,000 about 45 minutes away. No one associates Bolton with Boston, just like no one thinks the Foxborough-based New England Patriots play in Boston (a half-hour away) or TPC Boston is in Boston (45 minutes away), no matter how many exterior shots of Boston are shown on television.

Glenn LaChapelle
Wilbraham, Massachusetts

The Presidents Cup Captain Speaks

For the majority of my 62 years, I have believed in, and lived by traditional means. I understand the tradition of the PGA Tour. What I do not understand is why the PGA Tour thinks it is the sole arbiter of golf, and who gets to play the game. I just read Davis Love's comments, and what I took away from it was what a cry baby. ("'You Can't Convince Them:' U.S. Team Captains Fighting Tide of PGA Tour Defectors," July 29.) He really wants to boycott the U.S. Open because some of the eligible players are on a different tour?

The PGA Tour does not own golf like it apparently thinks it does. Why are they so afraid of competition? I have heard the arguments about Saudi money and the history there. We do business with all kinds of terrible people and countries all the time. It seems like selective outrage to me.

William Jordan
Walker, West Virginia 

You're on One Side Or the Other

What I find fascinating is the lack of “other” opinions regarding LIV. Basically it’s all bad. No in-between.

The mindset that LIV needs a legit TV deal is from the “get off my lawn guy.” People under the age of 40 are not turning on their basic cable to watch the CBS telecast. And there are more ways to watch than just YouTube. Streaming is not even the wave of the future--it’s now. Take the case of the Open streamed on Peacock and the Open website. No real need to tune into NBC or the Golf Channel.

Sure, the LIV broadcast is a bit over the top, they can always tone it down. The question is can the others turn it up?

Tim Delaney
San Antonio, Texas

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I personally think LIV Golf is a good thing. As a golf fan, the more golf I can watch the better. The LIV format is good and I like the idea of watching golf without silly commercials and meaningless commentary.

The hypocrisy from those criticizing the funding sources of LIV Golf is laughable. This are the same people wearing Nike gear made in the biggest sweatshops in the world, with child labor, and in an equally disgraceful regime, the Communist Chinese Party. So, they can spare me the outrage and I’ll have a bit more respect for them.

All this could have been avoided, but the PGA Tour and its greediness did not allowed it. The PGA Tour or the DP World Tour do not own professional golf, but they do act as they should be the only game in town.

Hector R. Fernandez
Festus, Missouri

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To paraphrase a line from James Carville, it’s the format, stupid.

For detractors of LIV Golf, “sport-washing," while highly unethical, is a tough sell, particularly in America, a country awash in racism, misogyny, and off-the-charts gun violence. But shotgun starts (why, exactly?), 54-hole tournaments, participation trophies (gobs of cash even for finishing last) and a carnival atmosphere isn’t professional golf, sorry Greg.

John Cullen
La Quinta, California

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I’m saddened by this LIV golf league, especially the fact that it is backed by the Saudis. It disgusts me that they are paying millions for guys to just show up. They don’t even have to perform! How ludicrous is that?! They’re bringing in more guys, so what does that do to their 48-man field? They’re going to start relegating the bottom guys. Does that mean they will have to return some of their money, or can they just sit back and relax and watch the show?

It may be great for the golfers who are pocketing the big bucks, but I personally don’t think it’s good for golf.

Victoria Zielazny
North Fort Myers, Florida

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I keep reading and hearing from the traditionalists that "no one is bigger than the game."

You know what? Neither are the organizations that run the pro tours. The PGA and DP Tour lords need to get off their high horses and work with the players to figure out how to work with LIV.

Save the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup by working out a solution instead of being obstinate. "My way or the highway" usually never works, in business or in life.

Ron Ariana
Chicago, Illinois