GOLF CHANNEL IN FULL SWING.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH MEDIA

PALM DESERT - In the Golf Channel's makeshift production compound for its coverage of this week's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the network that wants to be seen by millions is trying to go incognito.

A half-dozen Peterbilt trucks parked every which way surround portable office trailers linked together by hundreds of cable wires. They are all trying to lay low, wedged into a barren valley area behind the elevated 14th green and the hill where the 17th tee sits at the Arnold Palmer freshly-designed Classic Course, hopefully out of the spectators' and players' line of sight.

Only a huge crane with a radio frequency antenna sticking up from the top gives away their hiding place. But it's the only way the production crew can gather the live pictures and sound not just from this course, but three others within a 15-mile stretch along the way toward LaQuinta, because that's the logistical challenge that the tournament presents in the five-day event.

They're just three tournaments into a 15-year commitment to be the only place where every PGATour starts, and some (like this one) go from beginning to end. Already, the Golf Channel -- otherwise known as the little network that could -- is put to the test, asked to avoid all the lateral hazards and keep as many balls in the air as possibly.

``The blimp is our safety net,'' says Tony Tortorici, the Golf Channel's executive producer and VP of production, smiling as he stares at a wall of dozens of TVscreens inside the darkened room of one of the trucks that serves as the nerve center for what's going out over the air on Wednesday's first day of coverage.

Tortorici and other Golf Channel execs have had a year to brainstorm how their coverage will look, sound and feel since solidifying this contract with the PGA to do all or part of 43 events (as opposed to just one last year), acting as the sole cable partner (no more USA Network or ESPN) with CBS and NBC (no more ABC) for the Tiger Woods And Others Tour.

Golf Channel has also had a year to get its answers straight on how to enlighten a public that may not even know it even exists, or how it can be found on the maze of channel menus.

Golf Channel (which reaches 75 million viewers in the U.S., 100 million worldwide) has picked up some ground but isn't quite up to the built-in audience that an ESPN (92 million) delivers. Some Tour players have complained that the channel is not available in the hotels they frequent. On some cable systems, it's on an extra-charge tier of sports channels.

One of the amusing stories circulating is that one reason the PGA Tour ended up here is because commissioner Tim Finchem's 87-year-old dad watches it ``about 60 hours a week ... and when he can't find something on the Golf Channel, he needs help,'' Finchem joked.

But don't lump this into an NFL Network-like tug-o'-war with its audience or carriers. Golf Channel, co-founded by Palmer, celebrated its 12th anniversary Wednesday, so those in the know already have it on their radar. It's now up to the casual fans of the game -- those just trying to find out how Woods is doing -- who'll have some issues.

Once they track it down, they'll see a much different approach than the somewhat staid networks, as evidenced in their jumpstart to coverage this month.

A chippy, country music-driven montage that begins each day's coverage gives it an ``Are You Ready For Some Football!'' feel. Unique and exclusive graphics such as the AimPoint, a football-like ``1st-And-10'' blue line on the green to show the break of a putt as the golfer is actually striking the ball, is one sure thing the networks will soon want to steal.

GC also expects to have as much, if not more, of its viewing audience watching the replays of that day's events put in prime time. And if there's a story to follow -- like last week's 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa trying to make the cut in Friday's second round of the Sony Open -- the network just keeps the cameras rolling without cutting away for ``60 Minutes.''

``We're still looking at this as an opportunity to define how we want to televise golf, and not a lot of networks get this opportunity,'' said Tortorici, who has 20 years of experience at ABC doing golf and college football. ``You can see we're going to have fun, but you also have to respect the game.

``I think we've gotten a pretty good reaction so far. We know who we're being compared to, and some expectations are pretty high. But for us, we only cover one sport. Golf is always in season for us. We have drawn ideas from people all over the company on how to cover it, and now it's putting it out there.''

One of the other immediate innovations that is bound to ignite some debate is the hiring of Kelly Tilghman as the live event host -- the first female full-time lead play-by-play announcer. The former Duke golfer and women's tour pro knows her role, for the most part, is to tee up the analysis by studio partner Nick Faldo, the 49-year-old international star who'll also work for CBS.

It's kind of a ``Good Morning America'' dynamic that some network- centric golf viewers may have a tough time getting past. Kelly and Nick may not be the Sandy and Danny that the reality-show producers are looking to cast in the new Broadway production of ``Grease,'' but they're the ones the Golf Channel wants to set the tone.

``So far, it's been a great ride,'' Tilghman said after Thursday's coverage ended. ``I think we've pleasantly surprised a few people who doubted what kind of heat we could bring.

``I haven't run into a player who didn't have rave reviews about what we've done so far. Phase One isn't complete, but as far as impressing our audience with our product, I think we've done that. The second part is getting the viewership, and you can't do that overnight.''

Adds Faldo: ``I think we're going to catch people's attention, which is very important. It's going to be worth the effort to tune in to see Kelly.''

This weekend, the Golf Channel's focus has been sticking a reporter and camera fulltime on Phil Mickelson during his 2007 debut and covering as many of the George Lopez-invited celebrities as it can, despite the fact they field switches from course to course each day.

Reporter Rich Lerner noted at the start of Thursday's telecast, Alice Cooper was closer to the FedEx Cup title now than Woods. The cameras were also tight on ``American Idol'' winner Taylor Hicks, hoping to pull in those who'd otherwise not really care.

The real treat Thursday, however, was when Palmer, a five-time Hope winner, came into the booth to chat it up with Tilghman and Faldo.

Woods won't make his firstGolf Channel appearance until next week's first two rounds of the Buick Classic from Torrey Pines. Golf Channel will also do the first two rounds of the Nissan Open from Riviera Country Club next month. CBS does the lasttwo rounds of both those events.

And Tortorici's tour, which started before the first two events in Hawaii, rolls on.

``I haven't been home since Dec. 23,'' admits Tortorici, who lives with his wife and three kids outside of the Golf Channel offices in Orlando, Fla. ``But we've been planning this for so long, I want to be here to see it through.''

Just 14-plus years to go.

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Photo:

Golf Channel co-founder Arnold Palmer, center, joins 18th tower broadcasters Kelly Tilghman, left, and Nick Faldo during Thursday's coverage of the PGA Tour's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in Palm Desert.

Mark Feldman/PGA Tour/WireImage.com