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Michael Breed Leaves Golf Channel

Rick Arnett /

I’ve enjoyed golf instructor Michael Breed’s presentation during The Golf Fix on GolfChannel. His enthusiasm and helpful gadgets were an easy watch to hopefully overcome our golf struggles. However, all was apparently not well between Breed and GolfChannel execs as Breed’s trademark “Let’s Do This!!” will now be heard and seen on Sirius radio and Golf Digest after 385 Golf Fix episodes on GolfChannel.


Thus, Breed’s announcement led GolfChannel to hire Sean Foley–one of Tiger Woods’ past swing gurus–and who currently works with Justin Rose. GolfNewsNet.com has the details. By the way, all of Breed’s previous episodes were immediately removed from GolfChannel’s web page so one has to assume the split wasn’t amicable.

Breed made the announcement on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio program, “A New Breed of Golf,” which will expand to five days per week in 2018. Breed said some of the decision was related to family life, and he also has teaching opportunities with Trump Links at Ferry Point in New York City.

Breed won’t be moving away from video instruction entirely. Instead, he’ll be working with Golf Digest and his primary equipment sponsor Titleist to develop online content, including a regular teaching series and the all-too-familiar, bite-size teaching a lot of us find on YouTube when we’re begging for answers to golf questions. Breed will no doubt kill it online, as he’s got a big following already, and many of them will follow him wherever he formally lands next.

Meanwhile, Golf Channel is not shying away from instruction. Instead, they’re bringing in Sean Foley, to become the face of their instructional programming. Foley will host “Playing Lessons” as a primetime show, effectively replacing “The Golf Fix,” while also contributing content to their “Golf Central” show and other programming. He’ll be an instruction analyst, and, based on his ability to speak clearly about his swing philosophy, should prove a fascinating foil for Brandel Chamblee, which is probably what Golf Channel loves most about having Foley join them.

There’s this nugget by Golfweek’s Forecaddie on the real reason Breed and GolfChannel divorced. Remember, always follow the money.

So what led to the disintegration of Breed’s Golf Channel relationship? TMOF hears Golf Channel’s purchase of Revolution Golf, a smart play to diversify the network’s revenues, has placed an emphasis on highlighting their instructors over non-Revolution affiliated pros such as Breed. And while it’s the oldest cliché in the book, Breed really was ready to spend more weekend time in New York with his family and less time battling Orlando’s infamous airport security lines.

I’ll miss Breed’s presentation but am interested how Foley bit will mesh with GolfChannel analysts and viewers.

 

GolfChannel Michael Breed Sean Foley