Besides watching the splendid birdies and the hilarious bogeys, golf fans also love the coverage itself. For years now, the NBC coverage has mainly been done by Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch. Both Koch and Maltbie played in PGA Tour-winning events in the 1970s and 1980s. The duo have since been known for their voices in NBC’s golf coverage.
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NBC recently announced that the duo will no longer work with them in the 2023 season, since they want to “refresh” their team and the coverage.
Golf fans react furiously to the announcement
The duo had been the voice of golf for decades now, and many fans often looked forward to hearing their thoughts.
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The announcement that Roger and Gary would no longer be working with NBC hit the fans hard.
🚨#NEW: Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch are OUT at NBC in 2023 as the network looks to make a ‘refresh’ to its golf coverage. (Via @golfweek)
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) November 10, 2022
They lashed out at NBC, some even saying that they would no longer “watch NBC events.”
Hope they head over to CBS, their golf coverage is top notch and with the loss of a few legendary voices over the last few years, they could be great additions
— Daniel Gonzalez (@danny_fenton95) November 10, 2022
You can add all the fresh talent you want. Unless they are knowledgeable like Roger and Gary it’s just adding young people and nothing more. They will be hard pressed to find people like those two.
— Kolo Raphtis (@koloraphtis) November 11, 2022
Whoa legendary voices Very sad to hear this
— The Beat (@sgbdrummer) November 11, 2022
Looks like I'll never watch NBC events again
— Gary Woodland Tracker (@TrackingGary) November 10, 2022
Two of the voices of golf
— Return of The Return (@TheReturnReturn) November 10, 2022
@nbc pic.twitter.com/vEj8ZwS85l
— jeremy (@jecamp86) November 10, 2022
A few fans even suggested that LIV Golf was now the place to be for the broadcasting duo.
I’m sure they’ll #LIV
— $Huey (@Houston_Hair) November 11, 2022
welcome to liv baby
— david (@davidinnanen) November 11, 2022
It is clear that not many fans are pleased with NBC’s decision, but will this affect their viewership?
Roger and Gary’s illustrious career
Maltbie, now 71 years old, began his professional golf career in 1973. He signed with the PGA Tour a year later. He won two back-to-back events in his first year by a stroke each and went on to win three more events on the tour. In 1987, he narrowly missed winning a major at the Masters. He paces T-4 and sees it as his biggest disappointment.
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Gary Koch turned professional in 1975. He won a total of six PGA Tour events, and in 1984 he finished seventeenth on the money list after two event wins that year. Koch placed in the top 10 at three major championships. Like Maltbie, he too placed T-4 at a major, the 1988 Open Championship.
The duo didn’t only work together on during their coverage, on air. They paired up and won the PGA Tour Champions’ Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf three times: in 2003, 2008, and 2009. It seems like they were a splendid duo on the pitch as well.
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The entire golf community will undoubtedly miss the legendary duo. The fans hope to see them at LIV Golf together, but is that likely? Let us know your views in the comments below.
