PGA Preparations Take To The Skies

Monday, June 11th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

PGA preparations continue, but unlike most of the work in recent months Mondayâ€™s work was done from the sky. The News On 6â€™s Carina Sonn reports a crew from CBS Sports was in town shooting flyovers that will be aired during the championship.

It's less than two months until Tulsa will host the 89th PGA Championship, and on Monday work took to the air. A crew from CBS Sports was in town to shoot flyovers. Itâ€™s what you'd see if you were watching on television, basically a ball's eye view of each hole of the course, plus a few beauty shots.

"We've got pretty much the entire clubhouse closed down to the membership. The parking lots are empty, no golf carts are out, pretty much just creating a clean site," PGA Tournament Director Ryan Jordan said.

A lot of work and preparation has been put into this day, which has been set for a year. It has taken five weeks of planning and several hours of shooting, all for about nine minutes of video, which is shot in high definition, so you can see every bump and leaf on the course. The pilot, camera director and operator shoot each hole three or four times, or until the team is satisfied.

"When you see these aerials, it just didn't happen in five minutes,â€ Sellers Shy with CBS Sports said. â€œIt was a great team led by Southern Hills Country Club and the PGA of America to make this work."

It's a lot of work for just a few minutes of air time, and by then all eyes will be focused on the winner, and one coveted trophy.

Construction crews have started working on the temporary tents and floors, and will soon start putting in restrooms and dumpsters.

Watch the video: CBS Sports At Southern Hills

For chopper video from SKYNEWS 6, click here.