You’ve heard about the 16th at TPC Scottsdale. The party atmosphere, upwards of 20,000 golf fans filling the grandstands that circle the par-3 hole. The cheering, the booing, the craziness, the drama — it’s unlike any other setting in golf. You want to be part of it; alas, you can’t get to the course. Not to worry. Thanks to virtual reality, the 16th hole can come to you. A live 360 and VR experience will be available for all four rounds of this week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. The live VR experience can be viewed on Samsung Gear VR headsets on a global basis through the “PGA TOUR VR Liveâ€� app available on the Oculus store. In addition, the “PGA TOUR VR Liveâ€� app will launch on Daydream by Google – available on the Google Play Store – at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Fans can also view 360 content through the TOUR’s mobile app. The app will be compatible with a Google Cardboard. For fans who don’t have a headset, the 360 video experience will be available on Twitter and Periscope during all four days of the event, and for the first time ever, via the PGA TOUR app on iOS. Using any smartphone, fans will be able to watch live, 360 video from the 16th hole. Fans can find the coverage starting on Feb. 1 at twitter.com/PGATOUR, by following @PGATOUR on Twitter and Periscope, or by downloading the official PGA TOUR app from the App Store. “The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale during the Waste Management Phoenix Open is one of the most exciting in golf,â€� said Rick Anderson, PGA TOUR Chief Media Officer. “We look forward to bringing that excitement to our fans who can’t physically be at the tournament through live virtual reality. They will be able to experience all the thrills from home.â€� How it works As the exclusive live virtual reality provider of the PGA TOUR, Intel will produce the live VR experience with Intel True VR technology, providing unprecedented access to areas on the course that can’t be experienced – even by fans on-site. Intel True VR uses panoramic, stereoscopic camera pods to create a more natural and realistic view from any direction for a more immersive VR environment. Up to eight cameras will be placed around the 16th hole, in addition to a dedicated sideline reporter bringing a unique aspect to the experience. Teryn Schafer will be reporting live for the duration of the tournament. “Intel True VR technology turn sports into amazing immersive experiences, and Intel is always working with our partners to deliver new ways for fans to get closer to the action,â€� said David Aufhauser, managing director, Intel Sports Group. “We’re thrilled to work with the PGA TOUR to continue delivering compelling experiences with Intel True VR technology at the Waste Management Phoenix Open by leveraging our technology – from the cameras to the data processing to our application platform – to create interactive ways for fans to participate.â€� Users viewing via Google Daydream, Samsung Gear VR, and the PGA TOUR app will have the ability to select 4 different camera angles or the VRCast (produced specifically to highlight the best content from all 8 cameras at the 16th hole). CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON INTEL TRUE VR TECHNOLOGY Ways to watch -NEW! PGA TOUR mobile app VR viewer -Twitter via @PGATOUR -Periscope via @PGATOUR -NEW! Google Daydream via PGA TOUR VR Live app -Samsung Gear VR via PGA TOUR VR Live app How to watch Step-by-step on the PGA TOUR mobile app: 1. Download the PGA TOUR app from the App Store or the Google Play Store 2. Open the app and follow the prompts for camera/location/etc. 3. Click the hamburger menu in the top right 4. Select either Leaderboard (if live) or Video (if not live) 5. If Leaderboard is selected, a red banner will appear with a VR icon on the right. Tap on the VR icon, then tap a video to watch. Choose Cardboard or Panoramic. If Cardboard, load phone into Cardboard device and use the Gaze Controls by focusing the cursor/dot on the desired menu object. If Panoramic, pan phone or swipe left/right to see content 6. If Video is selected, a VR tab will appear at the top of the screen. Click Live VR (if live – notated by red color) or click On Demand VR (notated by blue color). Tap on a video to watch. If Cardboard, load phone into Cardboard device and use the Gaze Controls by focusing the cursor/dot on the desired menu object. If Panoramic, pan phone or swipe left/right to see content. VR history at the PGA TOUR THE PLAYERS Championship in 2017 marked the first time Twitter distributed a live 360 VR experience during a major sports event. Following THE PLAYERS, the PGA TOUR and Intel announced an exclusive relationship to produce and globally distribute live virtual reality (VR) and live 360 video at six PGA TOUR events in 2017 and 2018. The TOUR Championship and Presidents Cup in 2017 also featured live VR coverage. Highlights from the three events in 2017 are available to watch on-demand through the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR VR Live apps. The collaboration between the PGA TOUR and Twitter follows the live streaming relationship announced in 2016. Twitter’s early round distribution of PGA TOUR LIVE coverage, viewable weekly at pgatourlive.twitter.com, has averaged almost half a million unique viewers each day, and more than 70 percent of those are under the age of 35.Â
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