The “Standards” at Merion

The first day’s play at the US Open at Merion Golf Club hasn’t even been completed yet, and already Merion’s wicket baskets have moved from quirky to notorious.  In scenes reminiscent of Tiger’s flag stick-to-water episode at The Masters (just without the now infamous incorrect drop), Lee Westwood suffered the misfortune of striking a Merion basket on the 12th hole, cannoning off and enduring a double bogey as a result.  He had been tied for the lead at the time so we can only hope it doesn’t come back to haunt him on…Read more …

Sky’s the Limit for Camera Angles

Securing exclusive rights to live coverage of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth was obviously another coup for Sky Sports and their relentless cornering of the market.  But with so many hours of live coverage come the inevitable ‘fillers’ between play. Maybe I’m just an old cynic, but the latest addition to Sky’s technological armoury didn’t really elevate the viewing experience, even if, ironically, ‘elevating’ it was precisely what it did do. Best described as a ‘Heli-Cam’, this was a small camera mounted on a radio controlled device with propellers that could fly up…Read more …