9 ways tech has improved your relationship with the professional game
From the way you watch TV to the ways you can learn from the best, technology has brought you closer to the game’s superstars
1You can caddie for Sergio garcia…
There is no way the Masters Champion would ever agree to let a 40-year-old club player he’d never met carry his bag, right? Wrong. On July 9, 2016, Sergio Garcia superfan Mark Johnson began sending his idol a daily tweet containing the hash tag# let me cad die for you. The Englishman did not receive a reply on the 1st, 25th, 75th, 89th or even 205th day. But on the 206th day a social media miracle occurred. “Okay, @markjohno6969 I think I found the perfect day for you to get a taste of carrying my bag & make your dream come true! Are you ready?” tweeted Garcia. Obviously, the Englishman jumped at the opportunity and is preparing to caddie for Garcia during the pro-am at September’s British Masters. “We decided that if he held on for 200 days he would make the cut,” reveals Garcia. “I’m sure it will be a great experience for him, and also for us.”
2 …orown rory’s old nike covert driver
Towards the end of 2015, Barry Edwards cheekily asked Rory Mcilroy if there was any chance of getting one of his old Nike drivers. The former World No.1 saw the comment on his Facebook page and, much to Edwards’ surprise and delight, replied: “Sure. I’ll send you a Nike Covert driver. Served me well! Message me your address and my team will ship it to you.”
3 You can get 140 character tips from Tiger’s ex-coach
Before social media, it would cost you in excess of $1,000 to get a lesson from Hank Haney. Now, if you Tweet a quick video or 140-word plea to @Hankhaney, the Texasbased super-coach will respond with a one or two-line diagnosis of your issue. Better still, he’s not the only top coach serving up advice, videos and all sorts of opinions online. Five more great coaches to follow on Twitter n Stan Utley (@stanutley) n Michael Breed (@Michaelbreed) n Ted Eleftheriou (@Creategolfers) n Joseph Mayo (Trackmanmaestro) n Andrew Nicholson (Point1golfcoach)
4 You found out how troubled tiger Woods really is…
After much deliberation, we’ve decided that the fact the dashcam footage of Tiger Woods’ recent arrest spread like wildfire around the internet was a good thing. This isn’t because we enjoyed revelling in the sight of the former World No.1 attempting to recite the alphabet and walk in a straight line. It’s because if it hadn’t gone viral his team might have swept the incident under the carpet and the 14-time Major champion might not have got the help he clearly needs.
5 You are the referee
OK, you probably aren’t. But, thanks to HD TVS, slow-motion cameras and live TV you can rewind, some armchair viewers are. The good news for the world’s top pros is that the constant call-ins have prompted the R&A and USGA to introduce rule changes aimed at minimising the impact of television viewers. The bad news for them is the governing bodies have yet to go the whole hog and ban television fan rulings.
Five famous phoned-in golf rulings (so far)...
LPGA star Lexi
Thompson was handed a four-stroke penalty during the final round of this year’s ANA Inspiration, after a viewer spotted she’d replaced her ball in the wrong spot on the 17th green during her third round.
Simon Dyson received a two-month ban and £30,000 fine after a TV viewer emailed the European Tour to inform them the Englishman should be DQ’D for tapping down a spike mark on the line of his putt during the 2013 BMW Masters.
At the 2011 Abu Dhabi HSBC Invitational,
Padraig Harrington was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard after a viewer noticed that the Irishman had accidentally moved his ball on the green. Tiger Woods received a two-stroke penalty after a viewer spotted him taking an illegal drop on the 13th hole in the second round of the 2013 Masters.
Camilo Villegas was DQ’D from the 2011 Tournament of Champions after a viewer reported him for moving a twig that might have influenced the movement of his ball. Gone are the days of settling down for a couple of hours of grainy highlights once or twice a year. And here are the days of enjoying wall-to-wall high definition coverage of every European and PGA Tour event featuring ball-tracking technology, action replays and insightful post-round interviews. Given how far golf broadcasting has come, it’s difficult to shortlist the best innovations, but here goes...
On-screen statistics
Previously, you had to guess whether a pro was or wasn’t likely to make a putt. Now, you can study the percentage chance of a player finding the hole, while they study their line.
Featured groups
Can’t wait until Sky Sports’ official coverage begins at 8pm? Then simply press the red button and follow every shot from the morning session’s two headline groups.
Shot tracker
The feature that a) showed you that sometimes pros hit duck hooks too, and b) launched an app that you can now use to capture you and your friend’s somewhat erratic ball flights. You’veseen Beefplay chauffeurand Stensonasa mannequin Once upon a time the European Tour’s publicity drive involved putting on a couple of pre-tournament press conferences. Today, it features live social commentaries, in-play highlights and some of the best viral videos being made by any sporting organisation in the world. These are our top-five...
3. The Awkward Reporter
Get ready to bite your knuckles and fidget in your seat, as stars including Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler are on the receiving end of some brilliantly awkward questions. youtube.com/watch?v=rmy89bsk89q
1. Mannequin challenge
It’s a who’s who of European golf and every single one of our top stars is standing, sitting or posing rigidly still for the camera. youtube.com/watch?v=jwzfcywsnps
4. Best birthday ever
A young golfing superfan and three very famous Major winners are given a lift to Wentworth by the one and only Andrew “Beef” Johnston. youtube.com/watch?v=zg6uvpalkc4
2. When Billy met Rory
A nine-year-old grills the four-time Major winner on all sorts of subjects, before joining the former World No.1 for a dip in the pool. youtube.com/watch?v=ghevj3jm6ym
5. The fastest hole of golf
Can the Spanish, Danish or French teams break the world record for the fastest hole by a golf team of four? Tune in to find out. youtube.com/watch?v=cyaxsiqypu4
8 Findout what prosreallythink
Whether it’s a wine-fuelled Westwood rant or pros coming out to criticise a daft ruling, social media lets them share opinions on their own terms. Take Tiger Woods’ plight. A few years ago, the only way we’d have found out another pro’s view was if an interviewer asked them about him. Now, thanks to social media, we get to see players react to the story as it happens. Several uploaded a number of heartwarming “get well soon” messages, but by far and away the most emotional was the video Martin Kaymer filmed on his sofa and posted on his Twitter feed. Haven’t watched it yet? Go to twitter.com/mkaymer59, scroll down to June 1 and enjoy.
9 Youcannowgoon holidaywiththem
Okay, okay. So you didn’t actually get to fly in the private jet, jump off the boat, mess around on the Baker’s Bay’s golf course or chill by the pool. But thanks to the Snapchat app you got to live every second of Rickie Fowler, Smylie Kaufman, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas’ #SB2K17 in the Bahamas. And what’s more Follow the Bahamas four: The #SB2K17 crew’s main social media handles
Rickie Fowler
Twitter: @Rickiefowler Instagram: instagram.com/rickiefowler Snapchat: rickiefowler15
Justin Thomas
Twitter: @Justinthomas34 Instagram: instagram.com/justinthomas34 Snapchat: jlthomas34
Smylie Kaufman
Twitter: @Smyliekaufman10 Instagram: instragram.com/smyliekaufman10 Snapchat: smylie_kaufman
Jordan Spieth
Twitter: @Jordanspieth Instagram: instagram.com/jordanspieth Facebook: facebook.com/jordanspiethgolf