Plot: What’s it about?
Probably more addictive than drugs, this wonderful game has quite a history that dates back a few thousand years. Once called the “sport of kings”, Golf, is chronicled in this impressive DVD. In essence, the tittle says it all here, this is really the story of golf. Anything about golf that you need or want to know is included in this dual-layered, 2:30+ story. From the sport’s beginning in Holland to the first roots of the courses in Scotland and even a chapter on the miracle man himself, Tiger Woods. Story of Golf starts in the early days and focuses on key players and events that led to the sport’s popularity. What you think you know about the sport will either be confirmed or denied, as this is the definitive resource for one of the most popular sports around. Focusing on elements that I found interesting, namely the clubs and the key players that have made a definitive mark on the history of the sport. From the amazing Bobby Jones to Arnold Palmer to Tiger Woods (and, of course, everything in between), there is something for anyone who likes the sport to identify with.
Not all attention is paid to the male superstars, though. There are several chapters devoted to the ladies who have also made their divot (mark, rather) in the game. This mock-documentary also features interviews with respected historians, biographers and past presidents (male and female) of the USGA. Also included is rare footage of the very early days of tournaments. While Story of Golf shows how far we’ve come with the sport, it also shows us how constant the game has remained, with only the equipment constantly changing. This is called the “Director’s Cut” which contains about 45 more minutes of footage than what aired on NBC after the 2000 British Open. And speaking of the British Open, all four major tournaments (Masters, U.S. Open, British, PGA Championship) are chronicled and how they came about. For the golfer in your family, the time whizzes by as I was personally fascinated with the presentation. If you’re a fan of golf in the least, this is something you must own.
Video: How does it look?
Shown in it’s orginal aspect ratio of 1.33:1, The Story of Golf was intended for viewing on network TV. The images are crystal clear, and the older filmed shots of Arnold Palmer, Bobby Jones and others look as good as they can, all things considering. While a good majority of the presentation is of interview footage, the rest is old footage from matches, which gives it a classic feel. All in all, a very good video presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
While this is definately not a DVD for sound, the Dolby Stereo track sounds farily good. 90% of the audio is from the center channel alone and very rarely are the front speakers even used. At times, there is a stereo effect, but the clear, centered dialogue is more than ample for this purpose.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Unfortunately there are not a lot of extras, there is a screen with all the ordering information. I’m not sure if this is available in stores, but in case it’s not, you can get a copy at www.thestoryofgolf.com . Some bios of the production staff are included, but the real treat is the DVD itself. Pop this in when you look out the window and see snow!
