If you have watched a lot of golf over the years, you will know how important it is to have charismatic personalities when following the coverage. The unique insight the best announcers provide keeps us entertained for hours. You can learn so much by listening to the greats talk about the finest golfers in the world. This got us thinking, who are the best golf commentators and announcers?
Every sport is littered with iconic moments and clips, but golf has a unique synergy between commentators and players. Over the years, there have been many outrageous shots made all the better thanks to the excitement provided by the announcers. Whether it’s the putt to win a major tournament or an unbelievable slice of luck, the best golf commentators make a significant moment even better.
We want to celebrate the best golf commentators and announcers of all time. That is why we have included the best golf on-course reporters, play-by-play broadcasters, and analysts. If you think we have missed somebody out, let us know via the social channels!
10. Roger Maltbie
Starting our list of the best golf commentators is the legendary Roger Maltbie. His professional golfing career began in 1973 and he recorded 12 wins before retiring in 1996. He had several attempts at the majors but never finished higher than fourth. He came fourth in 1987 and ninth in the 1976 Masters. Those were his only top-ten finishes in any golfing major.
Maltbie wasted no time getting involved in broadcasting while his professional career was winding down. In 1991, he began as an on-course reporter for NBC Sports. Maltbie inadvertently endeared himself to the golfing world by getting stuck in. He would stand closer to the green than other reporters and was not afraid to dive into the deep end. The network ran segments with Maltbie camping out with other golfers waiting to play tournament courses.
Thank you, Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch. ❤️
Names from around the game paid tribute to these Golf Channel icons who are broadcasting their last event at the @PNCchampionship this weekend. pic.twitter.com/fkbktjCeLq
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) December 17, 2022
Maltbie had incredible insight that he would share with the public regularly. His eagle eyes allowed him to pick up on subtle variations in players’ swings, being able to comment in depth about what each player was trying to do. Hearing Maltbie explain a golf shot suddenly made it all seem easy, which is always the sign of a brilliant commentator.
9. Peter Alliss
Next up is Peter Alliss, who many of us will remember as the “Voice of Golf”. His professional golfing career began in 1947 and he racked up 31 wins on the tour. He played in eight Ryder Cup teams, including the 1957 European Ryder Cup win. Alliss made history when he was the first father and son to play in the Ryder Cup.
Alliss dabbled in golf commentary long before taking the reins full-time. His first gig was at the 1961 Open Championship, and he became a commentator in 1978. Unfortunately, his comments did not always get the best reception. Many accused Alliss of being out of touch and harsh, especially the players. While he tried to justify his comments, they came across as brutal. When quizzed about Tiger Woods in 2011, Alliss said:
“The aura has gone. He used to be nicer, and he became grumpy. He hasn’t done anything to recapture the public’s affection.” – Peter Alliss
While he riled up many players over his broadcasting career, he was often right. Woods at the time was falling out of love with the sport, and only over the past few years has he regained his public image. While everyone might not agree with Alliss’ methods, sometimes being harsh is exactly what professional golfers need to hear.
8. Dottie Pepper
The eighth-best golf commentator of all time is another on-course reporter, Dottie Pepper. Pepper was a female professional golfer who turned pro in 1988. By the time she retired, she won 17 LPGA Tour events and recorded 25 wins in total. She was also successful on the big stage, picking up the Chevron Championship twice, an LPGA major championship.
When her commentating career began in 2005, she quickly made headlines. Pepper was an on-course reporter at the 2007 Solheim Cup. The U.S. team had let their lead slip, and she was incredibly disappointed. Pepper assumed they had gone on a commercial break when she remarked the team was a bunch of “choking freaking dogs”.
Friday Flashback to the '16 @attproam when I was crowd-surfed by the one & only Bill Murray. What a rookie orientation at @GOLFonCBS! Tune in this weekend to see what surprises we have in store for you this year 3pm eastern Saturday and Sunday on @CBSSports. pic.twitter.com/tmuZnppGLA
— Dottie Pepper (@dottie_pepper) February 4, 2022
In 2015, she was the replacement of one of the best golf commentators of all time, David Feherty. At her debut event, Pepper was talking to Bill Murray, who asked a crowd member to pick up the new on-course reporter. They hoisted her up and attempted to crowd-surf. While she might not be the most iconic name on the list, her insight and personality always bring a smile to our faces. Besides, stepping up into Feherty’s shoes is no effortless task!
7. Verne Lundquist
One of the most iconic personalities to commentate on golf was Verne Lundquist. He is the first person on our list of the best golf announcers of all time not to play golf at a professional level. Instead, he was a trained broadcaster, giving expert play-by-play commentary on American football, basketball, and the Olympics.
Five days until Masters Week.
Verne Lundquist and Lanny Wadkins suspend belief on No. 16 and deliver the signature moment in @TigerWoods’ march towards a fourth Green Jacket in the 2005. pic.twitter.com/euw2j0JmE8— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 3, 2019
Perhaps Lundquist’s biggest claim to fame was the iconic commentary he gave during the 2005 Masters. Tiger Woods contributed one of the most famous shots in golf history on the 16th hole at Augusta. Woods led the tournament with 13 under strokes under par and he had to chip on a very difficult green. As he chipped it, Lundquist had this to say:
“Well, here it comes… Oh my goodness! Oh wow! In your life, have you seen anything like that?!” – Verne Lundquist
We have included a link to the famous shot above, and even after our 1,000th viewing, it still leaves goose pimples. Lundquist’s commentary was second to none during the Woods era. He provided fantastic analysis and was rarely speechless, like in the clip above. If you are talking about the best golf commentators of all time, Verne Lundquist must be up there.
6. Johnny Miller
Some of the best golf commentators and announcers were either loved or hated. Johnny Miller was a golf pro from 1969 and he won 36 events during his career. He is a two-time major champion, picking up both the U.S. Open and Open Championship. He was close to adding to that tally by finishing second at Augusta on three occasions.
Miller began broadcasting in 1990 but continued to play in the occasional event. He won the 1994 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and then stayed behind the desk. We appreciated Miller’s insight, but he is another one who spoke before thinking. In the 2008 U.S. Open, Rocco Mediate was up there with Tiger Woods for the title. He made two controversial statements about Mediate:
“Guys with the name of Rocco don’t get on the trophy, do they?”
He looks “like the guy who cleans Tiger Woods’ pool.” – Johnny Miller
Those comments landed Miller in hot water, and rightly so. Mediate took Woods to an 18-hole playoff before losing in a sudden death hole. But that is just the commentary we want to hear when watching golf. We want the truth, no matter how much it stings. You won’t get people like Johnny Miller in the booth these days, and that’s a great shame.
5. Gary McCord
Next on our list of the best golf commentators and announcers is Gary McCord. He began playing golf professionally in 1971 and took part in over 400 PGA Tour events without registering a win. He has three professional wins to his name, one on the Korn Ferry and two with the PGA Tour Champions. McCord was a character even before stepping into the commentary box. He achieved the PGA Tour Category of fewest putts by deliberately missing greens and chipping on.
When he made the jump in 1986 to commentary, it did not take long before he put his foot in it. When covering the Masters in 1994, he said the 17th green was “bikini-waxed” and there were “body bags” behind the green for players who missed their approach shot. We still think he made those comments in jest, but Augusta did not see the funny side. They banished him from attending the Masters and he never commented on the event again.
McCord provided his take on golf when the only fun to be had was by the players. Nowadays, modern golf sees more of the entertainment side of the sport and is leaning toward putting on a show. McCord would have fit the bill perfectly in today’s game, but they ousted him for being outspoken.
4. David Feherty
The fourth-best golf commentator of all time is David Feherty. The outspoken Northern Irishman turned professional in 1976. He played until 1997, winning 11 events with five on the European Tour. He competed at every golf major but only managed a career-high fourth-place finish at the Open Championship in 1994.
Feherty was another personality who was not afraid to talk about his experiences. His unfiltered approach is why many enjoyed listening to him talk about golf over the years. He admitted in an interview with Golf Magazine he used alcohol to hide his depression. When Tom Cruise said that the cure for depression was physical exercise, Feherty took offense. He said:
“Some sort of exercise would have helped me. If I kicked the shit out of Tom Cruise, I’d feel a lot better about myself.” – David Feherty
Feherty was never afraid to go there, and that is why his commentary is so great. He was raw and did not care about the repercussions. We could pick through dozens of great clips, but let us leave you with his famous anecdote regarding U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. He said:
“If you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Osama bin Laden, there’s a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death.” – David Feherty
3. Frank Nobilo
Frank Nobilo is one of the best golf commentators of all time. The New Zealander turned pro in 1979, picking up 14 professional wins in his career. He was at his best in the 90s, consistently challenging in every golf major. That was until a tee shot struck him above the left eye. The injury came at the worst time, and it hampered his abilities, forcing an early retirement in 2003.
If you have not heard Nobilo’s commentary, it is always fantastic. As a Kiwi, a person from New Zealand, he has a unique way of expressing himself and is not afraid to share his insights. When watching an event on the TV, it’s easy for us to assume it’s a giant green and we could hit that with no problem. Nobilo would give us a unique view of seeing the tournament from a player’s perspective. You could tell this was not a trait he put on for the cameras, but just a reflection of the person he was. In an interview, he said:
“I never achieved in golf some things I thought I would, or I would have liked to. So, for me when I stopped, I was very bitter and twisted about it. I thought golf had treated me unfairly. But, when I look back now, it hasn’t. Everything I got in life has been through golf, whether it’s from being inside or now outside the ropes.” – Frank Nobilo
Few golf commentators have been able to convey the mind of a professional golfer. However, there is only one name that did it better, and he is in second place on our list of the best golf announcers.
2. Nick Faldo
Nick Faldo will always have a special place in the world of golf. Not only was he incredible to watch, but he has provided incredible insight and commentary for over 20 years. Faldo turned pro in 1976, and it did not take long for him to make his mark. He won 30 European Tour events, leaving him fifth on the all-time leaderboard. He won 43 professional events and is a six-time major champion. Faldo picked up the Green Jacket three times and won the Open Championship on three occasions. He also came second in the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
Faldo quickly became a fan favorite when fans saw a new side to the former world number one. He was quick-witted, funny, and provided unrivaled insight into the top level of golf. Whenever he speaks during an event like the Masters, you can’t help but hang on to every word. The way he can break down golf at the elite level almost makes it feel obtainable for the average Joe. That is exactly why he is so high on our list. How many other world number ones for any sport can sit in a commentary booth and be as fantastic as Faldo?
Nick Faldo had us holding our breath more than once at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001.
[Wait for the end…]#PGAChamp | #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/oXu8WLPm8c
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) February 1, 2024
Faldo not only makes our list of the best golf commentators, but he is also one of the best golfers ever. Winning the Masters three times is beyond a dream for most players. Plus, staying on the scene and providing commentary for golfing events tells us everything we need to know about the man. He truly lives and breathes golf, and that is why he is a man of the people.
1. Jim Nantz
The best golf commentator of all time is Jim Nantz. Nantz did not play golf professionally. Instead, he is a thoroughbred sportscaster with an NFL, NBA, and golf broadcasting experience. He has been the CBS anchor for Masters coverage since 1989, a remarkable feat for a play-by-play announcer.
Nantz belongs in first place on our list because he has been there, done that, and commentated on some of golf’s greatest moments. He was the one who summarised Tiger Woods’ first major victory, calling it “There it is – a win for the ages!”. Many of us can look back and criticize Nantz as it seems outlandishly obvious Woods was a talent. However, he called it for us all long before Woods dominated the golf scene. Nantz was also iconic during Phil Mickelson’s charge for a Green Jacket in 2004.
His most iconic call came in the 1986 Masters. Jack Nicklaus won a record-setting 18th major at 46 years young thanks to a miraculous turnaround. He was four shots down towards the end, and many had ruled him out. However, this is Nicklaus we are talking about. After some outrageous drives and shots into the green, Nantz said:
“The Bear had come out of hibernation.” – Jim Nantz
How right he was. This was right at the start of Nantz’s broadcasting career, and he got it spot on. He has since provided countless iconic moments and has played a pivotal role in making golf the sport it is today. You might look to the younger pundits around nowadays, but they all owe something to Nantz. There is no doubt in our mind that Jim Nantz is the best golf announcer of all time.
