Despite inexplicably choosing to broadcast this year's British Open in standard definition, the BBC pinky swore at a news conference Wednesday that next year, all would be in high definition, it just hadn't been ready yet to invest in HD cameras. As it is, even with thorough widescreen coverage from ABC & TNT, and DirecTV dropping in one of their snazzy HD Mix channels for the event, we'll still know deep down that we're not watching it in the best quality available. So, F1, you're on deck, no excuses.

Bad news golf fans, HDSportsGuide has confirmed that yet again, this year's British Open will be in standard definition on ABC and TNT. At least it will be in native widescreen and the event will be covered thoroughly, including shots from ABC's Segway-mounted Steadicam and X-MO super slow motion camera, but we still can't get over living in a world where the WNBA draft is in 720p and one of golf's major championships and F1 racing aren't.

The U.S. Open gets started tomorrow from Bethpage State Park, and beyond the ESPN & NBC coverage, DirecTV is extending its HD Mix channel for all four days for the first time. That should help keep an eye on the leaderboard, main broadcast and whatever combination of specific areas of the course, interviews, or particular golfers one wants to follow, all available in high definition of course. After the Mediate/Woods showdown last year, we hope they're not locked in to doing only four days of broadcasts.

As should be expected by now, DirecTV is readying its interactive TV prowess for the 2009 Masters Golf Tournament from April 9 -12. The Masters Mix channel serves up CBS Sports and ESPN content, along with plenty of leaderboards, hole by hole stats for each player, a trivia me and daily highlight packages for notable player on DirecTV On Demand. We're not seeing much different from last year's implementation (with the exception of a healthy, surgically repaired Tiger ready to take on the field), but we're open to suggestions about how the Masters Experience could get better in 2010.

It's a few days behind schedule, but Shaw Cable customers in Canada are now getting not one, but two new sports-related HD channels. Effective immediately, subscribers in the Great North can tune to Big Ten Network HD and Golf HD, both of which are available in free preview form until January 31, 2009. Both networks are falling into the carrier's HD Plus service, which goes for an extra $9 per month.

Initially, we wondered why Sky Cable Philippines would choose the Ryder Cup as the nation's first HD broadcast, but then we remembered that there's really no better way to show off the benefits of high-def than to showcase a sporting event. Reportedly the cable carrier will be delivering the four day event (September 19th through 22nd) in magnificent high-definition to those who take the plunge on an HD set-top-box. Too bad that box costs a stiff $42, but hopefully this is just the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

[Thanks, Marco]

Not headed out to Oakland Hills August 7? Even if you were, it's hard to imagine you'd get a better look at the action than DirecTV has lined up for the 90th PGA Championship on channel 701 through 709. As seen previously during the Masters Tournament, there'll be a PGA Interactive Mix channel, showing images of the four HD channels covering the tournament: One either from TNT or CBS, along with three unique feeds focusing on specific groups, holes or player background and stat information. Pretty much the only thing this interactive coverage won't do is take a few strokes off our score (some things are beyond help or altered scorecards, we've tried) but along with coverage on PGA.com it should make watching the Tiger-less PGA Championship a less painful event.

Outside of the Planet Green HD addition, Cablevision subscribers haven't had a whole lot to applaud over recently. For fans of Golf / Versus, however, we reckon you all can stop moping around and point your remote to an all new video-on-demand outlet. Starting this week, the carrier will begin offering its iO TV digital cable customers free access to VOD content from Versus and Golf Channel, but sadly, none of it will be shown in high-definition. Maybe one day...

Versus and the Golf Channel have been sharing an HD channel for some time and both have evidently graduated to the point that they're getting their own channel. This seemed like a pretty good combo to us, as we don't see much golf on at night, but we suppose some want to watch bicycle races during the day. What isn't very clear is if the current carriage deals will need to be reworked, of if everyone who has the combo now will automatically get the two dedicated channels when launched. On a who cares note -- E! is getting the HD treatment which we'll file right up there with Lifetime HD, but hey, at least maybe it'll help some poor sap talk his wife into a new HDTV.

Earlier this year, DirecTV showed up everyone else with its interactive, multi-screen coverage of the Masters. Now, however, DISH Network is stepping up to the tee by planning to offer ESPN's coverage of the U.S. Open in a similar fashion. From June 12 through 13, DISH subscribers will be able to view a multiple-screen showcase (dubbed Interactive TV) that will create a mosaic with ESPN's primary feed, a feed focusing on Tiger and Phil, an "Up Close" channel and a number of other specific feeds that hardcore golf lovers will surely be fascinated with. Your turn, DirecTV.

[Image courtesy of ESPN]

Update: Ah, so DirecTV is doing the same! Thanks m.e.

We've been getting in our fair share of greens watching the last few days, with the 2008 Masters Tournament spread our over four days on two networks, it might be one of the best sports events in HD. TVBytheNumbers called it a reason to get high definition (like we need a reason), before suffering through some SD-only hiccups yesterday -- a check of AVS Forum's thread reveals there may have been breakdown in some areas, but it looks great now. The New York Times keeps it old school, insisting the Augusta National can only be truly appreciated in real life, but with the most viewers of a golf telecast on cable ever, we're sure quite a few you took a look on ESPN-HD.

Read - TVbytheNumbers
Read - New York Times
Read - AVS Forum
Read - Multichannel News

Golf's Masters Tournament starts April 10, and (along with DirecTV's enhanced coverage) ESPN has big plans for its first year covering the two opening days of competition. Live coverage each day from 4-7 p.m. on ESPN HD is in the works, as well as re-airs from 8-11 p.m., and live HD streaming on ESPN360.com of all Masters telecasts. Live streaming from the "Amen Corner" (holes 11, 12, and 13 for the uninitiated), Holes 15 and 16, and Masters Extra will be up on Masters.org. Finally, for those who can't wait until Thursday for their green jacket fix - the never-before-televised Par 3 Contest on Wednesday April 9 featuring players, retired past champs and honorary invitees will be on ESPN HD and ESPN360.com from 3-5 p.m.

DirecTV is most definitely going out of its way to appease consumers this month, as shortly after announcing exclusive HD coverage of the South by Southwest Festival, it's now making every golf fan not on DTV incredibly envious. During this year's Masters Tournament, set to open on April 10th, DTV subscribers will have access to an SD and HD Masters Mix Channel which will provide four windows of viewing. Aside from providing a look at CBS / ESPN's live coverage in View One, users will also see a highlight window with continuously updated material including voice-over commentary. View Three provides a look at "Amen Corner" -- holes 11, 12 and 13 -- while View Four showcases the notoriously difficult holes 15 and 16. Better still, each of the bonus channels will sport its own production crew and announcers, and a special recap show will also air on DTV's own The 101. You know that pricey ticket to Augusta you've been eying? Skip it.

Although Cox inked a deal to snag CNN HD (and TBS HD, mind you) some three months back, it seems as if customers in New Orleans, Louisiana are just now getting a taste. According to a tipster, Cox has just recently threw CNN and Golf / Versus into the high-definition lineup, but stations such as History Channel HD, Science HD and NHL Network HD are still sorely missing. Anyone else enjoying the (admittedly late) newcomers in the area?

[Thanks, Jose R.]

One of the major draws for HD content is sports, and even if golf isn't your game, you've got to admire the beauty of some of the courses. PGA Tour Productions wants to make that HDTV of yours seem like a window onto their events, and is renovating one of their Florida production studios to make it happen. Everything in the facility is getting the HD-upgrade, and it's not cheap. But you've got to spend money to make money, and HD investments at the studio have already reaped rewards. For example, production that previously took 18 months to complete was done in 8 weeks on the new video, graphics and audio hardware. The facility's VP and production manager, Clark Fivek, summed up what every HD enthusiast knows in his gut (and wallet) when he said, "You're always in the upgrade process."