Is a golf course a puzzle that can be solved by an equation? Or is it a living entity, susceptible to the power of the elements that should be attacked with human intuition? In reality, it’s probably a bit of both. Analytics can get you ahead in golf, but one gale suddenly coming off the sea on a links course can throw the data-crunching by the wayside.
The question of technology’s impact on sports is probably most felt in golf right now. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is having an impact on the game, and it is expected to do so even more in the future. Broadly speaking, the concept of AI’s influence has been welcomed. Golf Digest released an article on how AI will improve golf, not long after the launch of ChatGPT in 2023, looking at everything from swing analytics to coaching to the fan experience.
Yet, there are those who worry that AI’s influence may take some of the art out of the game, making it, figuratively speaking, more robotic. The opposing views are interesting, not least because the arguments can be transferred to other pursuits influenced by AI, from making movies to writing marketing emails.
Fans can use AI to engage with golf in new ways
On the fan side, you can see numerous use cases. We note that the updated Masters app has AI tools provided by IBM’s WATSON, allowing users to access AI-generated English and Spanish commentary for every hole not covered by human broadcasters. Fans can use AI bots to compare data before betting on the Masters online. There’s a broad world of tools out there that can help them engage better with their favorite sport.
Players have, most certainly, used advanced analytics to change their game long before anyone had heard of Google Gemini or ChatGPT, but the worry today is that the use of AI, particularly in coaching methods, takes away the intuition of the game. In simple terms, the argument goes that using AI to analyze a game and tell you how to play will make you think about getting the mechanics of each shot right through a formula rather than your own ingenuity.
An uneasy alliance for some golf players
An article appeared in Golf Pass arguing the above point. You can read it here, but, in effect, it explained that AI tools are making players think less about the game and more about “pleasing” the AI, i.e., doing what it says to achieve the optimum swing, etc. The article also drew comparisons with the now-famous study by MIT published in a TIME article that demonstrated students who were overdependent on AI chatbots for study saw a decline in cognitive abilities. It’s an important distinction.
The article mentioned above is well-balanced – it’s not an anti-AI piece by any stretch – but it touches on the idea that golf is something to be learned through trial and error. The player must understand the mechanics of the game to improve, rather than relying on mimicking an algorithm. It is, in a sense, like using AI to ace your medical exams, then being thrown out in the real world to work in a busy hospital without understanding the “why” behind everything.
Again, there are numerous positives that have come – and will come – with AI and golf. The technology will aid players and augment the experience of fans. But there is a clear feeling out there that there must be a balance, and a wariness over the prevalence of AI products that are being marketed as essential to get ahead in the game. It’s something worth keeping an eye on, because there is arguably no sport more likely to be impacted by AI in the coming years than golf.
