A completely different perspective
Researching articles and future trips is pretty much a daily occurrence in my golf-dominated life. And if there is one thing that surprises me more than anything else, it is the unwillingness of many clubs to showcase their golf course well. Too frequently the website lacks appealing photos. Equally often, the club’s office struggles to supply images for use in the magazine and on our website. This is all the more frustrating now that drone photography allows clubs to showcase their courses better than ever before.
Aerial footage is often remarkable. It not only looks sensational, but it shows off the course in a completely different way.
Kevin Murray is one of the world’s leading course photographers, and along with associate Howard Boylan, he recently photographed my own course at Tandridge. As a member of 28 years who felt he already knew the course inside out, these photographs have given me a totally fresh perspective on the Colt design and how it all fits together.
Kevin had been a little less sure of drone footage in its early days, but the technology has moved on. “The recent introduction of the DJI Mavic Pro 3 into the drone market is a complete game changer in both quality of images and also ease of use,” he tells me. “Because of a bigger sensor, it’s now an important part of my equipment, so I can achieve the shots that reveal each hole from a different perspective.”
Aside from the marketing bonus of drone photography, there are also practical benefits as these views offer the chance to inspect tree canopies, cutting lines and indeed anything on the property. Now more than ever, there is no excuse for clubs not to wow their audience.