The Golf Channel announced sweeping new changes for its popular “Morning Drive” golf news show to begin on Feb. 4.

.

“Morning Drive” will be expanded and aired seven days per week from 7-9 a.m. ET. It will feature golf news and information about every golf tournament from around the world.

Current regular show hosts Holly Sonders, Gary Williams, Damon Hack and Matt Ginella will handle the broadcast duties Thursday through Monday.

Kelly Tilghman, Lauren Thompson and Ahmad Rashad will fill in on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Rashad has made guest appearances on the show over the past year. During his NFL playing days he was a member of the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. He has had extensive sports broadcast experience with CBS and ABC covering the NFL and NBA. He is a dedicated golfer and is close friends with both Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

Tilghman was a former touring professional and joined the Golf Channel at its inception. She is the first female lead golf announcer and has partnered with Nick Faldo to handle the Golf Channel’s announcing duties.

Thompson has held various roles at the Golf Channel including the “Top Ten” and “Golf Now.” She will handle the lead-ins for Tilghman and Rashad, as well as provide brief news updates.

Other Golf Channel personalities that will continue to make appearances will be Rex Hoggard, Tim Rosaforte, Brandel Chamblee, Todd Lewis and Charlie Rymer.

The size of the set has been more than doubled and will allow more room to move about the studio for special features and interviews.

Currently “Morning Drive” is only aired Monday through Friday with special weekend broadcasts during major tournament weekends.

The expansion of “Morning Drive” demonstrates the success of the Golf Channel’s popular golf news program.

Fred Altvater offers golf tips and videos at www.toledoohiogolflessons.com. Email him at BackNine@toledofreepress.com or follow him on Twitter: @tolohgolfr.

Tags: "Morning Drive", Ahmad Rashad, Damon Hack, Fred Altvater, Gary Williams, Golf Channel, Holly Sonders, Kelly Tilghman, Lauren Thompson, Matt Ginella, The Back Nine

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 26th, 2013 at 2:18 pm and is filed under Golf, Sports, The Back 9, The Back Nine.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

It has been reported that Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” co-host Erik Kuselias has been reassigned by NBC Sports to another segment of the NBC family.

Just as Adele would sing, rumor has it he and co-host Holly Sonders were having an affair. (See deadspin.com/5784227/erik-kuselias-making-friends-at-golf-channel-just-like-he-did-at-espn.)

Kuselias’ contract with ESPN was not renewed at the end of 2010 and he was picked up by Golf Channel as co-host for “Morning Drive,” which first aired in January 2011.

“Morning Drive” with Kuselias, Gary Williams and Holly Sonders as co-hosts has been well-received and become a workhorse for Golf Channel’s early morning programming.

“Morning Drive” features interviews with players, top writers and other industry personalities reporting on the leading topics from around the golf universe.

Kuselias brought an edgy, slightly over-the-top personality to the show, which made a counterpoint to Gary Williams’ more laid-back, easygoing style.

Golf Channel has been using substitute co-hosts for Kuselias over the last week. Jason Sobel, Jerry Foltz, Paul Goydos and even swing coach extraordinaire Butch Harmon took turns in the co-host seat.

In January 2011, Comcast, the parent company of Golf Channel, acquired a majority interest in NBC Universal, the parent of the NBC Network. NBC has combined its golf broadcasting efforts through the Golf Channel.

The combination brings together myriad golf broadcasting talent and has seemed to work well.

NBC golf broadcast stalwarts Johnny Miller, Dan Hicks, Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch blend in nicely with Golf Channel on-air personalities Nick Faldo, Terry Gannon, Kelly Tilghman and Rich Lerner.

I’m not too sure CBS has been too thrilled with their lead broadcast analyst, Nick Faldo, also appearing on the NBC golf broadcasts, though.

For more golf tips and video, visit www.toledoohiogolflessons.com. Follow on Twitter: @tolohgolfr.

Tags: "Morning Drive", Comcast-NBC Universal merger, Erik Kuselias, Fred Altvater, Golf Channel, The Back Nine

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Golf, Sports, The Back Nine.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.