Master plan for Masters coverage

It's pretty hard to criticize coverage of the Masters, assuming you can ignore the dreaded tinkling piano, the overwrought commentary, the reverent tones of the announcers, the verbal genuflecting to all things golf ...

Okay, there's a lot to criticize. But even complaining about that stuff seems petty when you're handed an event that's almost commercial-free and somehow manages year after year to produce some memorable last-hole dramatics.

If there is a constant complaint from golf nuts,  it's the fact that the most-anticipated golf event on the calendar doesn't get full coverage. While it would be nice to see more, the price would probably be more commercials, so I'm not going to get worked up about that one.

Besides, there's a lot more coverage than ever now. TSN has plenty of live online coverage this year with Amen Corner (holes 11, 12 and 13) and the 15th and 16th holes for all four rounds. This is the stuff that happens before TV gets into the act. TSN also has the par-three contest Wednesday at 3 p.m.

TSN is promising glitch-free broadband this year. When it was first tried here in 2007, the company doing the streaming was overwhelmed by the response, meaning frequent crashes and major challenges in logging on.

Despite those problems, 450,000 watched some of the online coverage over the tournament's four days.

TSN has the weekday TV coverage to itself while Global will simulcast the weekend stuff with CBS.

If you can't get enough coverage, Scoregolf.com this week launched the country's first Internet-based golf report, SG Daily. Running Wednesday through Sunday, t will provide daily updates and interviews.