Featured Golf News
3D at the Masters
Instead of mini-periscopes, golf-watching may one day be better known for those funky 3D glasses from the 1950s. The first tournament to have a 3D broadcast will be next month's Masters, an event that will also mark the 2010 return to competitive golf by Tiger Woods.
On Monday, Augusta National Golf Club and Masters chairman Billy Payne announced that the year's first major championship will be produced and broadcast live in 3D. This innovation, the first of its kind in golf, will include multiple 3D cameras placed throughout the course resulting in never-before-seen perspectives of Augusta National.
Because the technology is so new, very few viewers will have televisions capable of showing the 3D telecast. But the production - primarily focusing on the second nine - will be distributed live to American homes equipped with 3D-capable television sets or 3D-enabled computers.
"Innovation has always been part of Masters' tradition," said Payne. "Utilizing this technology marks another important milestone in allowing our at-home patrons to better experience the beauty of our course and excitement of our Tournament. We consider ourselves fortunate to be a leader in providing this technology, thanks in large part to our valuable partners who share in our commitment to deliver a meaningful and memorable viewing experience."
Sony Electronics will support the effort not only as a sponsor of the 3D telecast but also as an industry expert, along with supplying the latest professional camera equipment and its 3D-capable televisions. Comcast will join in the production effort and provide the distribution channels necessary to deliver the content free to its households throughout the United States. Additionally, Comcast and IBM, the tournament's technology partner, will combine efforts to offer the 3D feed on www.masters.com.
Two hours of live afternoon 3D coverage will be available each day beginning with Wednesday's Par 3 Contest on April 7 and continuing in the four rounds Thursday, April 8, through Sunday, April 11.
The Masters has a heritage of bringing innovation to golf, including advancements in television coverage. The tournament has been broadcast by CBS with few commercial interruptions since 1956 and, beginning in 2007, early-round coverage has been on ESPN. In 1993, the Masters introduced its first HD production and became the first golf tournament presented live in HD on network television in 2000.
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