The PGA Tour is enhancing its broadcasts with a new technology designed to provide viewers with more insight into each shot. Debuting at the RBC Canadian Open,the “smart tracer” is an on-screen graphic that dynamically changes color to reflect the anticipated outcome of a golf shot while it is still in the air.

The “smart tracer” complements the existing “drone tracer” technology, which uses a moving drone camera to track shots. The drone tracer recently won an Emmy. The new smart tracer acts as an enhancement,offering viewers a deeper understanding of shot outcomes in real-time.

Broadcast partners such as CBS, NBC, and Golf Channel have been experimenting with probability-based visual graphics, leveraging the PGA Tour’s AWS partnership and artificial intelligence to assess probabilities with millisecond precision.

Previous iterations included a shrinking “landing area” graphic. The “smart tracer” differentiates itself by using colors to indicate the likely result: green for fairway shots, red for those off the fairway, and blue when the outcome is still uncertain. According to the Tour, the tracer appears approximately 1.2 seconds after impact and updates every hundred milliseconds until the ball lands.

Viewer Reactions and the Fan Forward Initiative

Tracer technology,though,has been one of the most ubiquitously appreciated developments in the last two decades of golf on TV.

While some viewers express concern that these enhancements might diminish the suspense of watching a shot unfold, tracer technology has generally been well-received over the past two decades. It has highlighted memorable moments,such as Rory McIlroy’s shots at the Masters and other significant tournaments.

The Tour states that the new tracers are part of the Fan Forward Initiative, which incorporates feedback from a large survey of golf fans to improve telecasts and the overall fan experience in 2025. Other changes include cutline-focused Friday broadcasts, alternative shot sequences, and fewer tap-in putts.

The “smart tracer” tech will be used throughout the RBC Canadian Open weekend and at select Tour events for the rest of the season, including the Rocket Classic, travelers Championship, and the FedEx Cup Playoff events.