Unusual Rigging and Ross Video’s spidercam Break New Ground at The Open in Portrush

24th July 2025

Unusual Rigging has worked with spidercam, part of Ross Video’s Camera Motion Systems portfolio, to deliver the rigging at one of golf’s most iconic finishing holes — the 18th at Royal Portrush. The use of spidercam marks a significant milestone in sports broadcasting, with a four-point cable camera system suspended directly above the green, offering stunning aerial footage while maintaining complete discretion during play.

The Open is the oldest and one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world and the only major played outside the U.S. spidercam allowed viewers to walk alongside the 2025 champion Scottie Scheffler,  up the 18th – the most iconic walk in golf!

Jason White, senior production rigger at Unusual commented: “We first connected with spidercam many years ago while working on the Olympic Games. It’s a clever system; the spidercam setup relies on four winches, each pulling in different directions to guide the camera smoothly through the air. While widely used in stadiums and sports arenas, such a system had never been installed over a live golf hole before— largely due to concerns that it could distract players during high-pressure moments. But with this latest installation, those concerns were put to rest.”

Marc Denker, Managing Director of spidercam, commented: “Seeing spidercam fly over the 18th at Royal Portrush is a powerful moment for golf broadcasting. This installation proves that dynamic, immersive camera movement can enhance the fan experience without disrupting the integrity of the game. We’re proud to collaborate with Unusual Rigging on a groundbreaking execution that truly moves the game forward.”

To make it happen, Unusual constructed four towers ranging from 21 to 25 metres high — a variation dictated by the drop in ground level around the 18th hole. All towers were built using a specialised 1-metre square aluminium truss, and tied into the temporary seating block via a bespoke connector system all provided and engineered by Eurotruss. Structural calculations and certification were carried out to ensure that the system met the strictest safety standards — particularly important for the venue's Wind Zone 4 classification, which brings high and unpredictable gusts.

Jason explained: “This was a hugely exciting project to be part of. As far as we’re aware, it’s the first time a four-point spidercam rig has ever been flown over a finishing hole in a major golf tournament. There’s always the question of whether players will feel distracted, but the whole point of the system is that it can be pulled out of the players field of view when needed — and that’s exactly what we proved here. Everyone was happy with the outcome.”

Following the initial installation, Unusual sent a crew back to site to carry out final checks alongside the spidercam team. Although the system was fully operational, further refinements were made, including reversing the orientation of all pulleys based on spidercam’s feedback — a last-minute adjustment that was implemented efficiently and without delay.

The result was nothing short of spectacular. With the women’s and men’s competitions broadcast live, audiences were treated to dynamic, high-definition views of the course from above, with the 18th hole captured in full cinematic sweep. Viewers watching from home could immediately recognise when the spidercam was active — the smooth, soaring footage over the final green offering a fresh, immersive perspective on tournament play.

Jason concluded: “If this trial is deemed a success, it could set a new standard for televised golf coverage — and pave the way for similar installations across future tournaments worldwide. It’s very exciting to be a part of history in the making.”
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