[February 08, 2013]

SMT Unveils Golf Broadcast Technologies for PGA Tour

As the 2013 PGA Tour season gets under way, SMT, the leading provider of data integration, graphics presentation and video enhancement solutions for live sports, is launching a suite of innovative golf products.

The 2013 PGA Tour broadcasts on the Golf Channel and NBC will feature SMT's:

• PuttVision: a system that displays the optimal putting line on a 3D model of the green
• 3D Landing Zone: a system that produces a real-time graphic predicting where a tee shot will land on a par-3 green
• Virtual Driving Grid: a system that displays an on-screen graphic that shows yardage markers and the distance of a player's tee shot

Golf Channel's coverage of this week's AT&T (News - Alert) Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will feature SMT's PuttVision, which debuted to tremendous effect in January during the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, Calif. By displaying the optimal putting line as a 3D virtual scene, viewers can see the complex topography of each green as well as the view the golfer has from behind the putt. PuttVision will ultimately be available on all 18 holes, giving the Golf Channel production the flexibility to utilize the tool on any putt from any hole.

NBC and the Golf Channel's coverage of last week's Waste Management Phoenix Opn featured SMT's Landing Zone technology, which predicts where the ball will land while the ball is in flight. SMT's graphic system generates and displays a landing target within one second of the ball being struck on the tee. The technology is a partnership between SMT and Trackman Golf and will be featured during Golf Channel's "Spotlight" bonus coverage at key 2013 PGA Tour events.

In January, SMT rolled out the Driving Grid, a virtual graphic presentation that highlights drive distances, for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii. The virtual grid has been compared to the yellow first down line used in NFL broadcasts and displays statistics including the longest and shortest drives of the day. The technology can also be used to determine and display a graphic highlighting the distance of any drive as the ball rolls to a stop.

"Prior to our new technology, the information available on each putt was very limiting and only available on a few holes," said Don Tupper, vice president of business development at SMT. "With PuttVision, various new data points are available, including break and speed which will allow us to develop an entirely unique set of statistics for measuring putt difficulty and make percentage."

"We have embraced SMT's technology because we can clearly see the potential moving forward," said Scott Armstrong, director of tournament graphics and technology for the Golf Channel. "SMT has only begun to scratch the surface: Their technology opens up the possibilities for us to expand our technology portfolio to deliver more compelling content to share with golf fans."

About SMT

Founded in 1992, SMT pioneered the first real-time scoring and wireless data system that allowed fans, media and broadcasters to interact with live data displays at PGA Tour events. SMT continues to develop and deliver customized products and services to enhance the production quality and viewers' experience of sports and entertainment events. The company has won 20 Emmy awards since 1993. SMT's solutions have been used at the most prestigious live events including the Super Bowl, NBC Sunday Night Football, the Indianapolis 500, the NCAA Final Four, ESPN (News - Alert) X Games, NBA on TNT, NASCAR and NHL. SMT's customers include all major broadcast television companies as well as several regional and specialty networks. For more information, visit www.smt.com.

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