The 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

[Rick Martin]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2013/03/19/pga-tour-golf-channel-arnold-palmer-invitational-tv-golf/2000817/

USA Today's story on the hover camera.......

Watch the Golf Channel on Wednesday and you may think you see space aliens hovering over players. Or maybe drones.

But it's just the latest gadgetry in TV sports: It's a sort of tiny unmanned helicopter equipped with a camera.

The Golf Channel says it won't use the remote-controlled whirly bird to swoop over regular play -- at least not yet.

But it will test the so-called Hoverfly, from the company by the same name based in Winter Springs, Fla., on its On the Range show on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET).

The idea of that show will be to take viewers to the practice range to see how players are preparing for this week's PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Neither GC's nor NBC's coverage of the tournament will include use of the flying gadget, which previously has been used on TV fishing including the NBC Sports Network cable channel's Ultimate Fishing Experience and Animal Planet's Hillbilly Handfishin '.

[Rick Martin]

Video that I took from Tuesday of Pat Perez having the hover cam fly around him.

[David in FL]

Video that I took from Tuesday of Pat Perez having the hover cam fly around him.

I pride myself as being relatively immune to outside distractions, but that could get into your head!

[Chilli Dipper]

Originally Posted by Rick Martin

Spoke w/ a long time attendee at the Arnold Palmer practice round and the consensus is that after Arnie passes, this tournament will probably pass away as well or at least the venue will change.

That wouldn't surprise me. Bay Hill isn't a high-profile club, especially when compared to many of the newer clubs in Orlando that have better courses with more amenities and room for spectators. This is Arnie's tournament, far much so than the Memorial is Jack's tournament (and that one's lifespan will far exceed even Nicklaus), and though Orlando will always have a premier tour date in March, I doubt it will be here once he's gone.

[TourSpoon]

I am surprised that the hovercam wasn't wearing a putter by the end of that video.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by walk18

I was thinking out of respect for one of the all time greats, the guy who made golf popular back in the day? I mean how many more years do you think the guy's gonna be around?

I don't get how the only way to show respect is to play in his tournament.

The implication seems to be that by not playing Rory is deliberately snubbing Arnie, which is just spinning a story for a story's sake. Rory obviously doesn't want to play a lot of tournaments early in the year (wrong decision imo) and this is a scheduling decision.

[Rick Martin]

Listened to Arnie's press conference on Sirius today: laughed when he referred to the long-putter as a "contraption".......wonder if Keegan's panties are in a wad?

[David in FL]

That wouldn't surprise me. Bay Hill isn't a high-profile club, especially when compared to many of the newer clubs in Orlando that have better courses with more amenities and room for spectators. This is Arnie's tournament, far much so than the Memorial is Jack's tournament (and that one's lifespan will far exceed even Nicklaus), and though Orlando will always have a premier tour date in March, I doubt it will be here once he's gone.

I'm curious. What newer courses over here would you consider more appropriate for a tour event than Bay Hill?

[Rick Martin]

Baddeley @ Palmer (sorry about poor video). Wasn't square on during video.

[Rick Martin]

Henrik Stenson 2013 Palmer Practice round

[David in FL]

Can't view the videos......

[Rick Martin]

Sean O'Hair pitching practice 2013 Arnold Palmer

[Deryck Griffith]

Tiger's making an early push!

[colin007]

eagle, baby...

looks like a bogey coming up...

[Rick Martin]

Bud Cauley, Tuesday. Minutes later David Leadbetter came up to him to introduce himself. Wonder if David was recruiting. I understand Charles Howell III has moved to another coach.

[Rick Martin]

Wi chpping after lesson w/ Sieckmann.

Dufner pitching/chipping

[colin007]

tiger has not been sharp on his irons/par 3s...

missing a lot to the right...

[Rick Martin]

Can't decide whether to head out to the tournament bright and early tomorrow a.m. Its about 80 miles away. Big crowds expected, I guess (I hate crowds). You get bussed to the tournament from Universal Studios - pain in the a@@.  Or I could just go  out and play, come home watch on the HDTV while having a couple of beers while sitting in the recliner.

Tough decision.