BBC to use SkyCaddie GPS at Open Championship

Tag : Foot Ball Product

SkyCaddie GPS, the official rangefinder of the PGA of Great Britain& Ireland, will be used by BBC commentators at The 137th OpenGolf Championship to tell viewers how far golfers have driven theball and how far they have to greens and hazards.
Portable, handheld SkyCaddie SG5s have been loaded with newsoftware so on-course reporters like Paul Eales will instantly beable to measure distances on the course and report them back to thelive commentary team.
SkyCaddies have been used extensively on the LPGA Tour to improvebroadcasts by the Golf Channel and will enable the BBC toaccurately present player performance statistics on every singlehole at The Open.
Jackie Hitchcock, of SkyCaddie Europe, said, "Because of themarket-leading accuracy provided by SkyCaddie, Open Championshipviewers will be given precise information, such as players drivingdistances and positioning and distances needed to clear or lay upin front of hazards.
We will load the new teebox positions into the SkyCaddies everymorning, so the commentators can be sure they will be communicatingthe most accurate detail they have ever had.
We are delighted to be working with the BBC to enhance theirtournament broadcast from Royal Birkdale.
The BBC will again use Virtual Eye to create animated visualgraphics on seven of Birkdales famous links holes during The Open.Distances on four holes will be measured by the Virtual Eye team,using their own GPS backpacks, while SkyCaddies will be used on theother three by BBC on-course experts.
Added Jackie, We are very proud to be playing a part in improvingthe BBCs Open Championship coverage. By using SkyCaddies, the BBCwill be able to provide instant playing statistics on all seven ofthe holes featured by Virtual Eye. In addition, all 11 other holescan be covered on foot quickly and easily by their own on-coursereporters.
SkyCaddie is the most accurate handheld golf GPS system in theworld, as all course distances have been verified on foot by a teamof professional golf course mappers  known as enablers.
Royal Birkdale was recently mapped along with Loch Lomond, whereSkyCaddies were also used by the BBC during the Barclays ScottishOpen.
BBC commentator Paul Eales, a member of the European Tour Players'Committee, said, I can highly recommend SkyCaddie. Having used itboth for playing tournament golf and in my role as an on coursecommentator for the BBC, the SkyCaddie brings you accurateinformation in an instant.
Eales is writing a daily blog for the SkyCaddie website during Openweek, describing life as a BBC commentator.