Sports Illustrated cutting its golf site is a game-changer

They say irony is hard to explain but you know it when you see it. After hearing the sad news that Sports Illustrated I was taking a machete at its best golf course, and did a quick Google search on this latest act of newsroom barbarism.

This was the first article that appeared, from a post dated May 29 Front office sports:

“Many writers who have been around for a long time have been put down Sports Illustrated.”

This was the second time, as of April 23:

“PGA Tour Lays Off 4% of Staff as Part of Restructuring.”

Not surprisingly, the second story was written by Bob Harig, a veteran Sports Illustrated golf writer. Bob, as indefatigable, connected and fair-minded as any journalist, was one of the twelve writers and editors SI in this latest attempt to kill good journalism in a ruthless search to make more money.

Just to quote, and very briefly, some talented, addicted golfers SI staff who recently lost their publishing home (where I spent 22 years of my career at the masthead), I raise the flag to half-mast on behalf of Jeff Ritter and John Schwarb, two elderly and long-time golf editors; columnist Michael Rosenberg, who writes with humor, outrage and insight, as his topic of the day calls for; and Stephanie Apstein, who has written golf winners and often runs again when she takes a slide in her big, encompassing pastime.

Part of what makes this news so painful to hear is that SI It has one place in modern American history to cover golf. If you care at all about the written tradition of the game, you know these names and their great works: Herbert Warren Wind, Dan Jenkins, Rick Reilly, starting with the Big Three, but also Jaime Diaz, John Garrity, Gary Van Sickle, Alan Shipnuck, Tim Rosaforte, among others. There were several world-class editors behind these authors, but for now I will offer only two: Mark Mulvoy and Jim Herre. Then there are the smart ones SI Authors who dip into golf again and again, including Gary Smith and Steve Rushin. Much of what I know about this game has come from reading the authors listed here, and many others have SI stamp on their work. The photography that accompanied all of these stories was often creative and unique. All this was expensive to produce. People were willing to pay for quality, and you can always go to your library, too. Some of you will miss libraries.

Let me stop here on behalf of Harig. Harig knows more about Tiger Woods’ complicated medical journey than Tiger Woods. He knows more about the balancing act of creating a PGA Tour program than Brian Rolapp. When the rules debacles come to the fore, Harig is (I won’t say it was) forever to find out what happened and why.

From its illustrious beginnings, Harig has given LIV Golf a fitting introduction, as some of golf’s biggest names have left their longtime homes to join it in the name of money, money, money. LIV Golf has been making news and Bob’s MO expert will talk about the news, without judgment.

Bob’s latest book, Tiger v. Jackit gives you everything you need to know to prepare that argument for yourself. That’s how Bob rolls. That is what it means to be a true journalist. He is 62 years old, started playing golf as a caddy and started as a newspaper reporter. He has 67,000 followers on X and knows all of Scottie Scheffler’s favorite Chipotle spots. It takes years to be Bob Harig.

The first point after these SI cuts (this is painfully obvious) that the owners of the monthly magazine, and the 24-7 website, are trying to make money. The magazine and website are owned by Authentic Brands Group and owned by Minute Media. It is a telling word. Attention is never short. Both outfits will find that less is less, and that it is cheaper, in every way. SI he should (someone get me off this pulpit!) lead New York Timesi The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker. Those publications, and their websites, thrive on the idea that there is more, and that honest people want serious news sources.

Part of what’s happening here is a generational, seismic shift in learning habits. Reading on screen is a completely different learning experience than reading ink on paper. Its inefficiency is proportional to its size. Reading on a screen is a minute-by-minute proposition. Email me if you’ve already stopped reading this one. Of course there is a “metric” for that. The next thing always comes along, grabs your attention and gives you some kind of dopamine hit that usually has no more value than a roll of Smarties and the same staying power.

What Herb Wind wrote about (and with) Ben Hogan will be on the shelves forever. Dan Jenkins to Jack Nicklaus, same. Gary Smith to David Duval, ditto. Part of what made their work successful was that their subjects actually appreciated what was written, throughout its eternity. Yes, David Duval. Maybe Colin Morikawa is as likable as David Duval, but he has to be willing to open the door for us to find out. Meanwhile, we have all kinds of stats achieved by the Strokes in all their glory. It’s interesting.

This website, and by any means necessary (video and audio and typed copy), is committed to celebrating the game, with a mix of features and profiles, analysis, travel broadcasts, instructions – and news analysis and news when it rises to the level we need to know. Competing with SI it only makes us better. SI he made golf news on a unique level. (I’m nodding here Golfweek and Doug Ferguson of APagain.) I hope this isn’t true but it’s hard to imagine that the future of golf news broadcasting will be any better than its past. Golf will suffer as a result, and so will golf fans.

I can’t give a solution here because I don’t know of one. Habits change habits. Profit incentive profit incentive. I know I would be lost in my life without The Journal, The Times, The New Yorker. SI he is no longer on that list.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com