Imagine you’re trying to follow all your favorite golfers on TV as they compete on the PGA TOUR. There’s just one problem: they’re all playing at the same time at different holes. “On average, we have dozens of golf balls moving at any given second,” said Ken Lovell, SVP Golf Technology at the PGA TOUR. “So, the question becomes, which ball do you want to look at?”
To address this dilemma for fans, the PGA TOUR partnered with AWS to create Every Shot Live, which provides live streaming of every single shot during THE PLAYERS Championship. By sending all live video streams to the cloud, the TOUR gives fans live and on-demand access to nearly every shot any player makes—and a sense of the emotion of what it felt like to actually be there. With AWS tools, fans can watch all 144 golfers play all 18 holes of THE PLAYERS Championship. Before, only about 10% of shots were covered by live broadcast.
“The PGA TOUR captures hundreds of hours of raw footage from every tournament and leverages AWS’s capabilities to create experiences out of that content,” said Miriam McLemore, an AWS Enterprise Strategist, and an avid golfer. McLemore has witnessed the PGA TOUR’s evolution of integrating data analytics, machine learning, and media intelligence services to build innovative new products and create more interactive and immersive experiences for fans like her. These experiences may also attract new fans to the sport with the kind of interactive content that today’s consumers crave.
By using AWS to tackle major technical challenges in data collection, processing, and analysis, the PGA TOUR is able to capture over 750 hours of live content and 32,000 shots per tournament with the TOUR’s state-of-the-art ShotLink system. ShotLink uses cameras—there are over 120 of them on the course—and radars that track the golf ball in 3D. ShotLink’s backend system then translates that data into mathematical representations for graphics and predictions for where the ball is going to go.
All the data PGA TOUR collects on the course informs real-time analytics, insights, and enhanced video streaming. It’s also the key to building better tools and viewing experiences for fans. A great example is the PGA TOUR App, where fans can watch live coverage, review highlights, and get real-time updates. “One reason fans love golf is because it sparks an emotional reaction when you watch someone do something physically improbable,” said Lovell. “And one of the things you have to remember about data is it’s an amazing way to tell a story.”
As advances in AI and augmented reality emerge, the PGA TOUR is tapping into Amazon Bedrock, a new service that allows organizations to quickly and easily build generative AI applications. “Together with AWS, we have been transforming the way golf content is created, distributed, and experienced,” said Scott Gutterman, SVP Digital Operations, about Amazon Bedrock.
In addition to making the golf experience more exciting for fans, the PGA TOUR is leveraging generative AI and running data analytics to offer players a way to improve their game. Players—and fans—can use the TOURCast app to track the flight of each shot in 3D, show radar data and shot shapes, and track each player’s numbers. For players, the app can make recommendations to for adjustments on different holes or courses.
Professional golfer Max Homa has won six PGA TOUR titles, but is always looking for ways to get better. On the TOURCast app, he checks things like his club head speed, ball speed, and spin, and then makes refinements to how he’s playing. “There’s no better feeling than looking at what you aren’t great at, putting together a plan, and then watching yourself become great at that thing,” he said.
These incremental, data-driven improvements can be transformative. “Getting that 1% improvement can make the difference from being on the leaderboard to not making the cut,” said Miriam McLemore. “By integrating AWS tools, the PGA TOUR is helping players improve their game, ensuring fans have a better experience while watching, and creating innovative content that will change the future of golf.”
This story was produced by WIRED Brand Lab for AWS.
