Top 6 Stories That Didn't Make the Show

• By Big Break Producer
• Oct 9, 2012 10:00 PM ET

Losing Derek in last week’s episode was very surprising to the whole cast and crew. But if there is one thing I have learned in my 15 seasons of producing Big Breaks, it would be you can never under estimate the amount of pressure getting up on a stage like Big Break and hitting a golf shot does to a player.

The players involved in this week’s Elimination Challenge are just as unpredictable in my opinion. And since I have the inside scoop as to what went down that we couldn’t fit into our 50 minutes of show time. Here are the top 6 things (5 wasn’t enough and 10 was too many) that I either couldn’t fit into the show but REALLY wanted to, Or... that happened when the cameras weren’t rolling.

#6 - Tom and Stephanie have one of the more dangerous jobs in golf. At each challenge they try to position themselves in places where they have a good vantage point of the incoming shots so they can accurately commentate, at the same time be out of the players eye line. In the first challenge, the sun played a pivotal role in them almost getting hit by Liam’s 2nd shot. A near miss to be sure. But Liam again targeted them in the Elimination Challenge when his tee shot at the 2nd hole narrowly missed Tom and Steph by a few feet. Of course they were both accidents, but Stephanie jokingly remarked, “Was it something we said??”

#5 - The reason Chan offered to buy everyone a Happy Meal if he hit it over 300 yards at the Draw/Fade wall challenge, is because the guys all aimed at a big McDonalds “golden arches” off in the distance when they were hitting the draw. I guess it just provided some inspiration.

#4 - In his interview, Chan made the astute observation that the grass on the Old White TPC course is much sweeter than the bitter grass on the Meadows Course. Must have something to do with the toxic pesticides they use...

#3 - After his hooked tee shot, Anthony actually smashed his driver against his three wood which as a result broke his three wood. Had he been selected for the Elimination Challenge, he would have been without that club.

#2 - Liam’s miracle shot thru the trees actually was THAT amazing. Both parts luck and skill played a roll. Some would say luck more than skill perhaps, but that’s the way golf is. Liam did admit afterwards, however, that while he hit the shot very solid, he had zero intentions of hitting it close to the pin. His intended target was “anywhere on the green”. 

#1 - The cast and crew take a lunch break in between the 2nd Immunity Challenge and the Elimination Challenge. Chan had a very interesting ritual during this particular lunch break to get revved up for the Elimination Challenge. He took a nap. Right there in the lunch room, just curled up and got some rest. While I thought his nerves might have stopped this from even being an option, in the end he said it really helped him to get his head right and “reset” after the debacle at the Draw/Fade wall. A very interesting tactic to be sure, but as it turns out, quite effective.

Thanks,

Chris Graham