As the PGA Championship plays out at Quail Hollow Club, CBS Sports is pulling back the curtain on the massive operation behind its weekend-long broadcast.
>>> 2025 PGA Championship TV Schedule, Coverage, Where To Watch, Streaming, Pairing, Tee Times
Coordinating a Championship Broadcast
Broadcasting a major golf championship is no small task — it’s more like conducting an orchestra of people, equipment and precision timing.
“We have around 1,000 people behind the camera. We have, I’d say, 200 cameras on the course,” said Sellers Shy, CBS Sports Golf Coordinating Producer.
It helps that CBS knows Quail Hollow well.
“We have covered Quail Hollow and its incredible tournament since 2003, but this is a major — this is different,” Shy said.
Technology That Tells the Story
To capture the PGA Championship in a new way, the network uses an array of specialized tools.
“We have a 300-yard fly cam, we have two bunker cams. We have a sparrow cam which runs through hospitality, we have a crane,” Shy said.
Yes, a crane — with a cameraman suspended high above the 18th hole.
“His name is Cup and he’s a hundred feet up in the air,” Shy said. “We found that having a crane at the 18th tells numerous stories. It is an incredible piece of equipment, but it is also covering a hole that could make or break whether a player wins or loses the Wanamaker Trophy.”
The Heart of the Broadcast
All of the feeds — cameras, microphones, live commentary and replay graphics — come together inside the broadcast compound.
“We have around twenty 18-wheelers, all doing specific things around the course,” Shy said.
Each truck is designated for a specific task: front nine audio and video, back nine coverage, replays, graphics, and more. The production ultimately funnels through Shy and director Steve Milton, a seasoned veteran with 50 major championships to his name.
“The beauty about our crew is that the moment isn’t too big,” Shy said. “We’re ready. I know the fans are ready to see us put on a great show, and I promise you, we’ll deliver.”
