Faxon turning to broadcast booth for CA, other events

text size

Feldman/Getty Images

Faxon has missed five cuts in six starts in 2010.

DORAL, Fla. -- Brad Faxon has always been a student of the game. It turns out he also studies the game's announcers.

"I watch golf on television when I'm not playing and listen to all of the different announcers," said Faxon, who will be in the booth this week for NBC's coverage of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship. "I think it's more difficult than what people think. It's hard to say the right thing. It's hard not to say too much."

If there's one thing that's not difficult for Faxon, it's talking. "I'm a golfer and I'm a golf fan," he said. "I enjoy the game and enjoy talking about it."

Faxon will do the latter at seven events for NBC this year, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational, THE PLAYERS Championship, the U.S. Open and the final three legs of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

This isn't the first time the eight-time TOUR winner will be in the behind the mic -- he had an audition of sorts at last year's Shell Houston Open and was on-air at the Deutsche Bank Championship to talk about the changes to TPC Boston. That will help with the transition, but Faxon admits that he'll probably have some "first-tee jitters."

"I think the hardest thing to do is when you put an announcer on the spot and say, 'Here is Rich Beem's swing, he hit it in the right rough, tell us why,'" Faxon said. "You have to make something up because his swing looks exactly the same."

One thing Faxon won't try to do is be Johnny Miller.

Miller has become better known as an announcer for his keen insight and sharp words than his playing career, which included 25 TOUR wins, a U.S. and British Open among them.

The 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup team famously used Miller's criticism of Justin Leonard as motivation and Peter Jacobsen once refused to talk to Miller for eight months after Miller said Jacobsen had a shot that was easy to choke on.

That doesn't mean Faxon will bite his tongue, he says, even though he is currently on TOUR. "Nobody out here likes me anyway," Faxon joked. "My angle is going to be as someone who is a current player who knows a lot of the guys on TOUR. I'm not worried if I have to be critical."

That's easier said than done sometimes, according to former TOUR player Brandel Chamblee, who has been in the booth full time for GOLF CHANNEL since 2004.

"The hardest thing is being critical about your friends," Chamblee said. "I remember playing with Olin Browne in an event after having been in the booth and he turned to me and said, 'Am I talking to a player or an announcer?'

"Brad's a smart guy. That's going to set him apart and I have no doubt he'll be very good."

Faxon has always been considered one of the TOUR's brightest minds and has served on the TOUR'S Players Advisory Council. He's also one of the best short-game players and putters on TOUR.

His interest in announcing also goes well beyond golf. Faxon, an admitted sports nut, remembers listening to voices like Howard Cossell, Pat Summerall, Al Michaels and Vin Scully, among others. He's also gotten to know Chris Berman and Sean McDonough and says he respects former NFL players Boomer Esisason and Chris Collinsworth, each of whom has successfully transitioned from the field to the booth.

"I just really love listening to all the different sports guys and their styles," Faxon said.

"I don't know what I can bring differently. I think I have a pretty good perspective for having a long career out here."

That career, at least on the golf course, could be winding down soon for Faxon. He'll turn 49 this year and he's missed five of six cuts this season after making just five cuts in 23 starts last year. A second career in the booth seems like a natural next step.

"This is a great test for me," Faxon said. "I don't know what's going to happen after this year. I hope I do well, because I enjoy it."