Golf tech: Meet the Trackman
Screenshot of a PGA broadcast, with the path of the golf ball traced using data from a Trackman (below).
As exciting as it is to have the PGA TOUR in our backyard, not everyone will be able to view the proceedings in person. Even those who make it to the course will not be able to view all 18 holes at once. That is where broadcasting comes in. Whether live on TV or streaming on the internet, each shot on the PGA TOUR is caught from multiple angles for all kinds of in-depth analysis.
Perhaps the most important piece of golf technology on the course, however, is the Trackman. This unassuming metal square can be found all over prestigious golf tournaments. It uses cameras and Doppler radar to track every movement of the club and the ball. It can tell golfers everything they could possibly want to know about the motion of their swing. Within seconds, it knows the launch angle, speed and spin of the ball, and it can instantly calculate the trajectory of the ball down the course, even accounting for things such as wind speed, humidity and altitude (see related article here).
When watching a broadcast, a line is traced on the screen showing the motion of the ball – this is not created visually or with artificial intelligence; it is created based on mathematical calculations from the data gathered by the Trackman the instant the ball is hit. These calculations produce shockingly accurate results, making it possible for viewers at home to follow the minuscule white dot of the golf ball across the blue sky.
The Trackman is not the only piece of technology that will be helping to bring the excitement of the tournament to a screen near you. There will also be volunteers on the course with laser rangefinders and tablets recording and sending out the exact location of each ball as soon as it comes to rest after every hit. Other volunteers follow the golf teams with cell phones in hand to keep official scores and close betting windows the second a player hits the ball.
Even if you are not one of the fortunate viewers able to attend the tournament in person, modern technology can still bring the excitement of the day right to you, complete with far more data than one could possibly absorb standing in a crowd on the course.
By Rachel Poe; courtesy photos
