Masters desperate to protect golden rule after Major winner incident | Golf | Sport
The Masters have reportedly moved to clamp down on AI glasses designed to circumvent their stringent no-phone and no-camera policy. Those strict regulations saw Mark Calcavecchia ejected from the venue on Tuesday after being caught using his mobile phone.
The rules in question extend to AI glasses, which can house miniature speakers, microphones and cameras, enabling wearers to send and receive messages, listen to music and capture photos and video. The cutting-edge technology can prove remarkably difficult to detect to the untrained eye. The Daily Mail claims the glasses are now amongst the club’s foremost priorities when briefing security personnel, with officials being trained to identify the concealed cameras.
A source told the publication that on one recent occasion, a spectator was caught attempting to smuggle the glasses into the opening round of the Masters. It is understood they had used them during a practice round and were shown a degree of leniency. The club confiscated the device, but the fan was permitted to retrieve it upon leaving.
However, anyone attempting to sneak them into Sunday’s final round would risk being removed from the grounds and banned from the tournament, the source added.
It is further claimed that officials actively monitor online platforms for fans posting footage captured using the glasses. Augusta National were approached for comment.
The reports emerge after 1989 Open Championship winner Calcavecchia was ejected from Augusta after security personnel discovered him with his mobile phone. There was no scope for discussion, and the 65-year-old was swiftly escorted from the grounds.
Addressing the controversial incident, he said: “I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now.”
Spectators are permitted to bring cameras inside Augusta for practice rounds, but once the tournament commences on Thursday, the club prohibits electronic devices such as ‘cell phones, laptops, tablets, beepers, drones and other electronics… including devices capable of transmitting photo/video.’
In recent days, numerous players have been questioned about the policy, with many expressing their complete support. Bryson DeChambeau was amongst those in favour.
He said: “Yeah. I think it’s great. No doubt, the history is so respected here, and albeit we have to have certain types of communication. We adhere to the rules as much as we can and we abide by them as much as we can.
“I think the most important thing is respecting the tradition and the honour and integrity in this new modern social media world.
“It’s funny, I think Augusta is quite tech savvy to be honest everything what I’ve seen and what they’ve done with the place and what they have for the patrons on the range and people on TV, patrons watching on TV is really cool, all the graphics they have. So they’re quite tech savvy, I must say but it’s fun be and nice to go back where we’re more focused on human interaction.”
