Dustin Johnson had a search party helping him look for a strayed golf ball during the US Open first round after a TV replay showed the exact spot it had gone into the rough
Should TV Replays Be Used To Find Golf Balls?
Dustin Johnson got a great break during the opening round of the US Open when Sky Sports’ Rich Beem found his ball in the rough.
Beemer was part of a huge search party, including playing partners Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas, helping Dustin Johnson look for his ball and the TV guys were liasing with those in the studio to look exactly where the ball went.
20-odd people were helping him look for his ball which may not sit well with some, although the real issue here is the fact a TV replay was used to help him locate it.
It was looking like the world number one would have to go back to the tee on the par-4 6th hole which would have brought a double or triple-bogey into play.
However, the search party found the ball after concentrating their search on a small area which they had been told was where DJ’s ball was, after those in the studio informed the on-course reporters where to look.
Is this right?
This doesn’t happen with us in our monthly medals and that is acceptable, because we don’t have dozens of people following us on the fairways or TV cameras filming each and every shot we play.
But surely it is unfair on the other players in the field.