The PGA has joined forces with Met Office-backed www.weatherforgolf.co.uk to provide state-of-the-art forecasting for its entire tournament schedule. More than 400 tournament venues across country – at regional and national level – will benefit from the initial 12 month deal.
The web-based system has gone live this week with clubs hosting PGA events able to get the latest information seven days either side of the tournament.
Until now the PGA has relied on calls to the Met Office for information on which to base their decisions. But the new system which will go straight to a lap top in the tournament office will provide 30 minute updates all day – the most frequent timescale anywhere.
PGA director of golf Stephen Cox has welcomed the new technology. “Until now we have had a telephone link to the Met Office to talk us through what weather to expect and it can be as many five or six calls a day,” he said.
“Now we‘ll have the information directly in front of us, which will enable all tournament directors to make more accurate decisions, especially when it comes to suspending play. This is a fantastic addition to the tools at the disposal of each tournament director.”
The system uses the very latest radar technology from the Met Office to predict all weather eventualities including thunderstorms, lightning strikes and rainfall within a 50-mile radius of the venue – enabling club staff, tournament staff and professionals to make better informed decisions.
It can also provide a three-day UK and five-day European forecasts. For more information log on to the site at www.weatherforgolf.co.uk
PGA www.PGA.info