In quite possibly the most epic drone shot of all time Tom Brady hits a hole-in-one on the golf course. But is it real?
In recent years, drone videography has gotten better and better. Footage that could only be created with CGI is now a reality. But even with all of the mind-blowing footage we've recently seen, this very well may be the most incredible drone shot I've seen so far (if it's real).
What are the chances a drone operator would capture the perfect shot while Tom Brady also hit the perfect shot? Well, the average hole-in-one comes around every 3,500 rounds of golf. How often are drones also filming golf shots? How often are drones filming golf shots filmed perfectly? It's too rare to comprehend.
But is this too good to be true? Many have pointed out that the flight of the ball seems unnatural. The ball is obviously flying faster than the drone off the club face but then the drone appears to catch up too easily. And then, when it actually hits the green, it appears to awkwardly change directions and appears to be going way too fast to fall into the cup. The ball also looks bigger than it should on the green, and could the crew even see the ball on the green when it's up on a hill?
What do you think? Is it real or fake?
Video Director: Ari Fararooy
Drone: Beverly Hills Aerials
Aerial DP: Caleb des Cognets
The first time I watched this, Tom's reaction seemed so genuine that I didn't even consider that it could be fake. But after watching it a few times I think he's a good actor.
But if it is fake, what's the goal? Just a joke? You would think that there is an advertiser behind this, but they aren't being promoted. What are they getting out of this?
free publicity:
I'd guess the PGA & Tom Brady's PR Team funded the video
Had they placed a camera close to the hole and one showing the landing area where the ball would touch before rolling... Honestly, the hole is located higher up on a hill and since I have no golf practice at all I can say that I probably would have not seen the ball fall in the hole from where they stand. If you go to the extend of using a drone and Brady, why not place other cameras. There are three guys in gray shirts around the camera mounted on a stand which tells me they were hired and probably paid well and should have plenty of go pros and other cameras available. But then, may be they didn't expect it to go in the hole right away. Other question I am asking myself is why Tom Brady?
Ball acts a little strange right about the 26 second mark.... I'm calling it fake, and not that well done. Great acting though.
I'm not doubting that maybe he made a hole-in-one but the ball looks WAY too big when it hits the green. It looks nearly the same size as the hole itself as it lands. When the drove starts to go around the hole and look back towards Tom and the the rest of the crew, you can hardly see the tops of their heads. if the angle of view was as low as the hold, you wouldn't have line of sight with Tom which means they couldn't see the ball. None of this adds up.
I think at best, he made the hole-in-one and they didn't get clear footage of it so they added GCI. At worst, it was planned this way from the start.
That is a good point, there is a big hill that doesn't seem like they could see over.
Someone said "that's in the hole". Probably the drone operator. He would have had line of sight.
Valid point
Aside from the odd ball flight noted in another comment, there is *NO* way a drone tracks a ball hit from impact travelling about 90-100 mph, especially when you see the drone do an upward maneuver right after impact. It's a pretty fun idea, though :)
JayBirdFilms did it legit for the PGA with Rory Mcilroy. Can't chase down a shot from a driver, but wedge shots seem chase able with the new DJI FPV series:
https://youtube.com/shorts/MuUKTskpCbo?feature=share
I'd like to note that the ball it likely traveling faster than 100mph. Sample size of one here but my driver ball speed is 155-170mph depending on where I hit it on the face. This shot from tom looks closer to 150yds (could even be longer using that tree for reference) out so he is likely hitting something closer to 9, 8, or 7 iron which will usually be between 110-120mph.
The video shared of Rory hitting a short wedge, the drone has to get a headstart. It passes Rory before he hits the ball. In the Tom Brady video, the ball is hit before the drone goes by. Like I've stated in a previous comment, maybe the ball went in.... but I have serious doubts that the footage isn't doctored.
I agree, I got really into golf at the start of the pandemic hahah this shot with Rory is no more than 125 yards (JayBirdFilms mentioned the yardage in a post but I can't find it). So for Rory it was no more than a pitching wedge even at 150yards:https://www.instagram.com/p/CQvsbGVIh7F/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2db7...
The Tom Brady video is fake with two shots comped together/ the switch is hidden during the launch into the sky if I had to guess. This was a fake marketing video - That's what Ari Fararooy is known for
See my comment below about comparing the timing of the two views.
Agree on the MPH.. could be much faster, even with a mid-iron shot.
Ari Fararooy is known for making tons of viral marketing campaigns, the guys is really talented. 99% sure it's fake to build the marketing up for the upcoming golf event Tom's playing in. The PGA had been using a lot more social media based creators lately like JayBirdFilms just to get more eyes on the sport. Ari Fararooy had a Instagram story post showing just how much attention this video is getting.
Okay so since forever a lot of adds are clearly made up and we expect it because it's typically made to leave some obvious and that challenge is what is attractive. This stuff however is quite deceptive as it's made to look legit. I never cared for golf, but now this makes me feel that there is more fake in golfing than there probably really is. Kind of defeats the point.
Not saying it's ethical or how I would run the marketing campaign hahah just calling it how I see it. Check out his work on Instagram, it's impressive as hell. All of his marketing work is made to get you to second guess it and watch it again - it's effective. People have been faking trick shots for years, we're just getting a new level of realism as technology advances.
No interest in pushing myself to watch commercials. Too many and I have a life to live.
You do you hahaha I just like keeping an eye on people at the top of my industry. He posts some really insightful story posts breaking stuff down from time to time.
I feel ya. I also work in the industry.
Adding another comment that if you open two versions of the video. Have a second one ready to go at the point where they say, "It's in the hole". Play the first one... Once the ball visually drops in the hole hit play on the one where you can watch their reactions. The timing for their celebrations don't line up. From the view looking back down the hill, Tom has already started to run towards the group. Meaning, there's something fishy going on.
The editors made the fake ball drop into hole too late for when they "knew" it was in based on the footage from the group. So by the drone footage version, The group and Tom are celebrating well before the ball actually drops.
Suspicious...
I'll eat my hat if it's legit - Ari's videos always have an insane amount of hidden edits. He's been doing stuff with Tom Brady for a few years:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRwSpyMjbZJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Er_sJjeQD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Oh I didn't even know it was the same people.
He's good at tweaking his style just enough to trick you into letting your guard down lol a lot of the times his videos are shared by the talent:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterEffects/comments/demuks/made_this_handheld...
If you see his name involved there's a 99% its a well thought out clip made to go as viral as possible
That pretty much proves it
Not trying to dunk on Tom Brady's golfing too much - the dude's a great athlete!
Here he is actually holing out in competition from around the same yardage last year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr_fkF3380s&ab_channel=PGATOUR
But his work with Ari Fararooy has always been marketing based.
Tom's playing in The Match again on June 1st, this was just a really great viral campaign. The amount of press on this video is insane
I can’t be the only one to have played Tiger Woods Golf on Xbox…. Maybe the first bit is real video. Everything that is “drone” is VERY obviously video from that exact game. Guarantee. I played that game for quite a few years. I know that’s what it is
The graphics on the Tiger Woods games were never that good.. this is rendered but it’s not anything remotely close to that game.
Anyone that has hit a putt a little too hard/fast will tell you that video is fake. Someone else mentioned the size of the ball on the green and that too is true. The ball is WAAAAY too big as it's on the green and approaching the pin.
To me, the greatest evidence of fakery is with the sound. How is it that there's no sound from the whiny drone near the ending? You can hear the ball hit the green and drop in the cup, but no drone sound. Even the people are audibly celebrating from the distance, but no drone whine. Must've used some amazing hidden mics to pull that off. LOL
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