Spidercam Set to Transform Golf Viewing Experience at the 2025 Open Championship

A feature beloved by fans of stadium-bound sports like the NFL and rugby, football is making its debut at the Open Championship in Portrush, Northern Ireland. The 18th grandstand at Royal Portrush, an iconic spot at the tournament, is known for its vibrant blue structure, loud stairs and yellow scoreboards. However, above the grandstand, amidst a tangle of wires, a new addition is drawing attention: the Spidercam.

On Monday afternoon, the R&A announced that the 18th hole at Royal Portrush would feature Spidercam, a mobile TV camera set to revolutionise how millions of fans experience the most critical hole of the year's final major. Suspended above the 18th green, the Spidercam is connected to a four-point cable system that allows it to move smoothly between different positions, offering fresh perspectives of the hole’s undulating terrain and golfers’ shots. This marks the first time the technology has been used for a golf broadcast anywhere in the world.

American football fans will recognise the technology from its use in NFL broadcasts, where it’s commonly known as the "SkyCam." The Spidercam provides an overhead and down-the-line view of the action, similar to the angles seen in the Madden video game series. The technology gained significant popularity during a foggy Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, when the camera became essential for capturing the action. Fans were so impressed with the view that NBC dedicated an entire Thursday Night Football game to the SkyCam later that season and it quickly became a fixture in NFL broadcasts. Beyond American football, the Spidercam is also widely used in sports like tennis, cricket, rugby and athletics, offering dynamic perspectives that enhance the viewing experience across a range of events.

Neil Armit, the R&A’s chief commercial officer, spoke about the partnership, saying, “We have worked closely with European Tour Productions and their production partners IMG to invest in cutting-edge broadcast technology and believe that Spidercam will bring millions of fans a new perspective of the action from Royal Portrush with incredible detail and accessibility wherever they are in the world.”

As the practice rounds took place on Tuesday, crews from European Tour Productions were seen adjusting the Spidercam, allowing it to zoom from one location to another with remarkable speed and minimal disruption. The goal is to provide golf fans with a unique, immersive experience of the final major, offering views that are traditionally challenging to capture on links courses due to their rolling dunes and pot bunkers.

The 153rd Open Championship will be broadcast on NBC for all four days, with 43 hours of national coverage. For fans watching the dramatic final-round leader’s walk up the 18th fairway in 2025, the Spidercam will offer an enhanced view like never before.