Commentators and proximity to ball

[DDL]

Watching the Canadian Open playoff, after Weir hits the ball onto the fringe of the sand trap, a commentator reports from about 3-4 feet away from the ball. Is he allowed to stand that close to the ball, expecially if the ball is hanging onto the fringe of a sand trap? Looked odd. For a moment there, as he was saying how lucky Weir's lie was, I thought his footsteps might affect the ball position.

 

[bsbsbs]

The ball was not quite as close as it looked. Being former players, most of them are very aware of not being in a positon that would affect anything. A lot of the times you here a commentator make the statement "i had a look at it and..." so they are routinely getting close to balls, its just rare for them to be on camera doing so.

 

[hue]

quote:Originally posted by DDL

Watching the Canadian Open playoff, after Weir hits the ball onto the fringe of the sand trap, a commentator reports from about 3-4 feet away from the ball. Is he allowed to stand that close to the ball, expecially if the ball is hanging onto the fringe of a sand trap? Looked odd. For a moment there, as he was saying how lucky Weir's lie was, I thought his footsteps might affect the ball position.

When I worked as a spotter at the Open at St George's we were asked to check out the lie of shots that ended up in a bunker or in the rough. We would position ourselves in the area where the tee shots would land and sometimes be asked to check out the lie of the ball so that the commentator could discus the prospects of the shot. We had to get very close if the ball was sitting down and well hidden. Most of the time there were marshals standing right next to the ball. So people get very close to the ball and this is normal.