European Tour Players Set To Wear Microphones During UK Swing

The use of microphones on players could be a reality during the UK Swing of tournaments.

European Tour Players Set To Wear Microphones During UK Swing

The possibility of European Tour players wearing microphones during the six-week UK Swing (opens in new tab) of golf tournaments is becoming increasingly likely at the moment.

Speaking to the BBC recently, European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley said "Covid-19 allows you permission to try things a little bit differently. I think you have to be as creative as you possibly can when you are playing behind closed doors."

One such avenue of creativity is the use of microphones to which Pelley said; "Once you've actually had a wireless mic on in competition and it hasn't affected you in any such way - technology has come so far that it is really, really small and won't disturb your swing - then it just becomes commonplace and a way of life."

In that piece it was reported that players in featured groups would wear microphones and after seeking clarification on this, a spokesperson for the European Tour replied saying; "We are always keen to push the envelope as far as innovation in golf is concerned to give added energy and excitement to our tournaments and to our viewers. We are therefore looking into the possibility of doing a couple of different things in our upcoming UK Swing and miking up players is just one of them."

The presence of microphones on players whilst they are competing has proven incredibly popular in the past with the TaylorMade Driving Relief Skins Match, and The Match: Champions For Charity (opens in new tab) events revealing just how beneficial microphones can be to a broadcast.

The possibility of listening in to what players and caddies say to each other and how they go about competing could be very interesting indeed and many would welcome the technology.

It remains to be seen whether players from featured groups or all the players competing will wear microphones.

We are yet to confirm what other things the European Tour has planned for the series of events but we will update you as soon as we know them.

The UK Swing of golf tournaments on the European Tour will consists of six consecutive weeks of golf in England and Wales.

The series of events will kick-off with the Betfred (opens in new tab) British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood at Close House.

The English Open will follow at Marriott Forest of Arden and a week later the English Championship will take place at Marriott Hanbury Manor.

Two tournaments will take place at Celtic Manor before the European Tour shifts to The Belfry for the UK Championship at the end of August.

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