NBC Hopes Greens Grids Bring Out U.S. OPEN Color

(From The USA Today -- By Michael Hiestand)

TV networks usually think of big-event coverage as a time to embellish, rather than experiment. That'll happen on NBC's U.S. OPEN coverage this weekend. NBC will bring back the GREEN GRID animation it used during last year's Open, which shows how balls roll after they hit greens. The network also will use five "super slo-mo" cameras, up from the usual one.

And NBC will use a stabilized STEADY-CAM, strapped to a person, for mobile close-ups at greens. That will be handy, NBC executive producer TOMMY ROY says, when balls hit greens "and end up rolling 30, 40, 50 feet. A camera will be right there with it."

NBC expects the PINEHURST NO. 2 course, with its famous domed greens, to be a star of Sunday's final round. And NBC reporter ROGER MALTBIE expects some viewers will take pleasure in the pain -- "People don't mind seeing the pros getting a little bloodied up."