Lance Barrow - Part 2 (Broadcasting the Masters)
In Part 2 of our four-part conversation with Broadcasting Hall of Famer and longtime CBS Sports coordinating producer Lance Barrow, we dive deep into the formative years and defining moments of his storied career. After graduating from Abilene Christian University, Lance headed to New York City in 1982 to begin his journey at CBS Sports—eventually stepping into the biggest chair in golf television.
Lance shares vivid behind-the-scenes stories of working under the legendary Frank Chirkinian, the iconic and tough-as-nails pioneer of televised golf, famously known as “The Ayatollah.” From sand greens at the Norman Challenge to producing Jack Nicklaus’s historic 1986 Masters win, Lance details the lessons learned, innovations introduced, and high-wire pressure of live sports broadcasting.
You’ll hear incredible accounts of golf’s evolution on TV—from the introduction of mini-cams and drones to unforgettable slow-motion replays, including the first-ever televised shank. Lance opens up about his early leadership missteps, the weight of replacing a legend, and the team effort it took to modernize CBS’s golf coverage with a new era of announcers like Jim Nantz, David Feherty, and Sir Nick Faldo.
And in a moment any golf fan will savor, Lance relives the electric Sunday at Augusta when Jack Nicklaus charged to his sixth green jacket—complete with the unforgettable calls and behind-the-scenes decisions that shaped a broadcast for the ages.
Insightful, funny, and filled with reverence for the legends of the game and television, this episode is a rare look at the craft, chaos, and camaraderie behind golf’s most memorable moments on screen. You won't want to miss it.
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"FORE the Good of the Game” is a golf podcast featuring interviews with World Golf Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around the game of golf. Highlighting the positive aspects of the game, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by PGA Tour star Bruce Devlin, our podcast focuses on telling their life stories, in their voices. Join Bruce and Mike Gonzalez “FORE the Good of the Game.”
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Barrow, Lance
Golf Broadcaster
From the greens of Augusta National to the gridiron of Super Bowl Sunday, Lance Barrow has made an indelible impact on not only the legacy of CBS Sports but the entire sports-broadcasting industry. During more than 40 years at CBS Sports, he created some of the most memorable moments in sports-television history as coordinating/lead producer of CBS’s golf coverage and NFL coverage for two decades.
“Lance will go down in history as one of the most distinguished and accomplished producers in the annals of sports
television,” says CBS Sports lead announcer Jim Nantz. “It’s a massive achievement to be the leader of one network sports package. Amazingly, Lance was in charge of two: CBS Golf and the NFL on CBS. Since 1997, he choreographed our coverage of the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the Super Bowl. He did them all over and over again and won countless Emmys. A true testament to a legendary career.”
If Hall of Famer Frank Chirkinian is “the father of televised golf,” then Lance Barrow is the man who brought the sport into the 21st century. Taking over for his longtime mentor as coordinating producer for CBS Sports’ golf package in 1997, he became just the second man in history to produce the Masters for television and would continue that role until 2020. Simply put, televised golf would not be where it is today without the artistry and imagination of Lance Barrow.
But Barrow’s mastery extended far beyond the greens and fairways. He donned the hat of coordinating producer for the NFL on CBS and took the helm as lead game producer from 2004 … Read More
