Golf's TV Heart
A chance meeting with the king of golf led to the creation of the Golf Channel, America’s first one-sport network, which turns 25 this year

In a modest neighborhood in the southern part of Orlando, away from the manicured fairways of a golf mecca and the manic machinations of Disney World, sits the warren of offices and studios that comprise the Golf Channel. From the outside, the tan and gray buildings are not all that impressive; they don’t shout of grand ambition and higher purpose. But inside, there is a pulse and very much a purpose. Inside, the world of golf comes together and flows out to the millions who comprise its passionate culture. For 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, tournaments, talk shows, news shows, instruction programs—golf, golf, golf—are available to nearly 500 million viewers in more …