The manufacturing of golf clubs, balls and other equipment has always been as much a science as an art. The introduction of AI has simply added to the arsenal of information manufacturers have at their disposal to make the best equipment possible. It’s not just about tailoring a club the pros can wield on tour; it’s to find the best array of products to help all golfers feel confident from the first time they pick up a club.
There’s a common understanding (or hope) among golfers that “new equipment = ball goes farther.” While that’s certainly a component here, the goal is to help golfers develop more consistency in their game. AI helps builders collect millions of data points to analyze all the different ways golfers struggle to keep the ball in the fairway so they can create a line of clubs that address the needs of a variety of players.
Any seasoned golfer will tell you new equipment can hide some flaws in your game, but the only way to see actual improvement is practice and coaching. With developments in swing tracking and 3D modeling, it’s never been easier to diagnose an issue with your swing. From rotation to angles to swing path, you can get instant feedback on what you need to improve to fix that slice.
Shot tracking technology has been around for some time, but now with advancements in AI, you can get actionable insights on that data for each individual shot. This goes beyond “you have 155 yards to the hole and that’s how far you can hit your 7-iron.” This is using historical data on your shots, as well as the shots of other golfers that have played the course, to determine the smart way to approach each hole during your round.
AI isn’t just helping your game by lowering your Handicap Index® a few strokes. Behind the scenes, golf courses utilize new technology to help make the on-course experience more enjoyable. Some facilities have begun using GPS systems in carts to monitor the pace of play and flow of golfers throughout the course. This helps the course identify bottlenecks and manage tee time intervals, leading to quicker rounds. Maintenance crews are also using sensors and predictive models to more efficiently attend to course conditions.
The newest entrant into the AI arena is the Rules of Golf. The USGA has developed Rules AI, an innovation designed to help golfers better understand and apply the appropriate ruling in any scenario. Even the most experienced golfers find themselves in situations from time to time where they’re unclear what the Rules of Golf have to say about a specific predicament. Rules AI is specifically trained on thousands of instances where rules experts have weighed in on unique queries, giving golfers the confidence to apply the correct ruling no matter where they are on the course.
Just like seemingly every field these days, it’s inevitable that AI has and will continue to impact the game of golf. But just as a caddie is there to assist the golfer, AI is nothing more than a tool to assist those that play the game or work in the industry. It makes the job easier, but all the facets of golf listed above still need human expertise to advance the game. We still need master craftspeople to design our clubs, coaches to implement the changes we want to make, caddies to provide knowledge nobody else has, staff to keep our courses healthy and officials to properly interpret and evolve the Rules of Golf.
Beyond that, none of these topics address that golf is a human endeavor at its core. We may usually compete individually, but the game is designed to be enjoyed with other people. Almost all of us will never make a career out of playing golf, so what other point could there be to playing? Whether you’re with your spouse, your best friends or someone you just met, the golf course is a place to commune, network, compete and share stories in a way that can never be replicated in the digital world. AI may help you get 5% better at golf, but it can never replace what makes this game special.