Immersive technology invades professional golf.
COVID-19 has affected seemingly everyone over the past two and half years, from small families to multinational conglomerates. Very few have remained immune to the incomprehensible damage caused by the global pandemic. This includes the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) Tour, which saw a decrease in viewers as a result of the government-mandated lockdowns.
With the world slowly opening up back up, attendance at live attendance at PGA Tour events is once again on the rise, and event organizers hope to keep that momentum going with a new interactive AR experience designed specifically for in-person spectators. Developed in collaboration with Quintar, a technology company specializing in live metaverse experiences, this AR experience will offer real-time data on every shot made by professional golfers during the event.
This includes everything from ball speed and trajectory to scoring, shot distance, and everything in between. The app will also feature various social capabilities. In addition to sharing these AR visuals with friends and family, attendees can also vote as a group to view replays of their favorite PGA athletes. Information on the players’ performances is provided by ShotLink, a popular technology among golf courses that utilize lasers to track valuable information, like swing and ball speeds.
“The PGA TOUR is excited to expand our relationship with Quintar with a goal of creating a more immersive and engaging tournament experience for fans,” said Scott Gutterman, PGA Tour Senior Vice President of Digital Operations. “We have seen positive interaction and growth with our previous Quintar AR engagements and look forward to building on the momentum.”
The PGA Tour’s AR experience will be available as a free mobile app beginning first with iOS devices. The app is location-locked, which means it can only be used by in-person attendees at select PGA Tour stops. For more information on the PGA Tour visit here.
This isn’t the first time the PGA Tour has experimented with AR technology. The organization previously released an AR game for smartphones that allows you to project models of the PGA TOUR’s most popular holes.
Image Credit: PGA Tour
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