Who is Gold Man? Bizarre special effect on Players broadcast mystifies fans

Critics have lengthy panned golf broadcasts for not retaining up with the occasions.

On Thursday, NBC/Golfing Channel took a daring step into the potential with its broadcast from the to start with spherical of the Players Championship when an animated version of the Gamers trophy — a miniature golden golfer atop a pedestal — seemingly came to life and struck a tee shot on the Stadium course’s island-environmentally friendly 17th hole. It was scene straight out of a trippy sci-fi flick, a did not-see-that-coming specific influence that remaining golfing supporters amused, awed and mystified.

But generally mystified.

Golfing viewers have developed accustomed to seeing Shot Tracer, wind gauges and superior putt-break technology on their screens. But this was, properly … a little something else. It is named “mixed truth,” a actual-time 3D rendering that appears to be merging with the outdoors planet. The trophy’s likeness — and swing — is a blend of past Gamers winners, such as Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rickie Fowler, with “details down to the reflection of the trophy’s gold exterior matching the existing posture of the sun,” the Tour mentioned in statement.

Perplexed? You’re not on your own. Social media reaction to the “golden man” was swift and voluminous.

By Friday, the figurine experienced grow to be a complete-blown Golfing Twitter superstar. The joke came total circle when 1 of the PGA Tour’s possess handles manufactured a meme.

I’m advised the gold boy is now keeping an give from the Saudis. Outstanding 24-hour increase.

— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) March 11, 2022

By natural means, the very little fella even got his possess individual account:

Warming up on the greens in advance of his 2nd round. Will have to regulate the puddles all-around the inexperienced, but shouldn’t be far too a lot of a dilemma. pic.twitter.com/SgbyzGSZ0N

— Gold Person Tracker (@playersgoldman) March 11, 2022

Golfing is not the initial activity to get the job done mixed truth into a broadcast. Previous 12 months the Carolina Panthers conjured an imposing blended-reality panther that bounded into the stadium and tore down a New York Jets banner.

“​​I believe as we head into the Gamers just about every yr, we’re constantly hunting for the new way we can force technology,” Anne Detlefsen, senior director, electronic articles, for the PGA Tour, claimed in a assertion. “We imagined about a way we could not just do it for the sake of throwing blended reality into our broadcast, but truly add some more layers of storytelling to it.”

Gold man’s star turn is just acquiring going. On Saturday’s Gamers broadcast, he is scheduled to reappear on the 17th hole and recreate Tiger Woods famed “Better than most” putt from the 2001 Gamers. On Sunday, he’ll channel a victorious Fowler, from the 2015 version.

Here’s hoping he has rain gear.

Alan Bastable

Golf.com Editor

As Golf.com’s executive editor, Bastable is liable for the editorial path and voice of just one of the game’s most respected and really trafficked news and company web-sites. He wears lots of hats — editing, producing, ideating, building, daydreaming of just one working day breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with this sort of an insanely gifted and hardworking team of writers, editors and producers. Right before grabbing the reins at Golfing.com, he was the capabilities editor at Golf Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Columbia Faculty of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey with his wife and foursome of little ones.