Golfers in the UK are getting the benefit of drones, as a new business is developing in aerial photography of golf courses.
Technological advances coupled with falling prices means that there has been an increase in the availability for drones to capture tee-to-green films of golf holes. These give players an online guide to the challenges of the course.
A clutch of new businesses in Britain have started up, specialising in drone-capture footage in the hopes of providing not only an aid for golfers but also a promotional tool for golf clubs which number just more than 3,200 in the UK.
Fairway Flyovers was started a year ago and run by photographer Rob Howarth and his business partner Ashley Pickering. Filming is said to take around one day at a cost just short of £800.
“Voice of golf” Peter Alliss is on board to do the voiceovers for the films, which he says attract two different types of viewer.
“There are those who watch the hole guides over and over, listening to the pro’s tips to try to find that single shot that could win them the game,” he said. “There’s also the visiting golfer, who might look at a club’s website and decide from the film it looks nice and that’s why they are going to play there.
“Fifteen years ago most clubs didn’t have websites as they said they didn’t need them, now everyone has them – the same will happen with aerial films”.
Drones are a lot less expensive than helicopters for filming and given the open spaces involved, golf course are well suited for drones.
