Golfing with data and analytics  

Data Analytics when driven by artificial intelligence magnifies the traditional application of post-match analysis in any sport. Golf is no exception to Machine learning-based data analytics even though it is one of the oldest competitive games in the world today.

• It has changed the way golfers play the game
• It is changing the manufacturing principles of golfing equipment – sensors are embedded in the grips of golf clubs and balls
• New devices with systems aids in data collection
• Presenters and broadcasters are relying on insights drawn from Data Analytics to present the capability of players, their skills in the competitive ambiance of  tournaments
• Virtual caddies are guiding shots played
• Deep analytics has changed the way golf entertains the world - viewers consume the algorithm-driven data of golfers to predict games and how their favorite players would putt winning shots!

Thanks to artificial intelligence golf is redefining the crossover of technology and sports. Discover how drive-analytics can help you unlock the hidden data in your business…

How is golf using analytics?

Golf today is more than a pure putting experience, as talented players in closely-competed tournaments win or lose millions of dollars in a single swing! The attraction of rich golf tournaments coffers and the easy access to technology that can drive golfing talent to win big titles have changed golfing. It has morphed from a traditional, social competition among senior business executives and rich entrepreneurs to a nail-biting, intensely competed, computing, a powerful sport that relies heavily on data analytics!

Analytics is primarily being used in golf in the following ways:

1. Player analytics

• Data systems are used in golf clubs to collect data
• Every single shot played on a course is tracked
• Swing, put, distance from the tee, and several other minute data is tracked
• The relation to age, gender, handicap, weather, tee use, pin location pace of play are determined
• The data is used to draw insight into the interaction of the player and the features of the golf course

2. Course analytics

• Every element of the course is tracked
• Weather conditions
• How many players won on each course
• The handicap, gender, and shots that led to their wins at each tee
• Geo-thermal sensors provide input to understand technical aspects of winner shots

3. Game Insights

Viewers of the game are given updated information on the conditions of the game, which shot should be played and which should not be played. Analysis of the individual games of the competitors, their errors, or winning shots is broken down for fans to understand the game of their golf heroes!

In the following sections let’s analyze why data analytics is being used extensively in golf…

Golf the game of statistics is home to data analytics

Even before the explosion of modern data analytics, golf has traditionally been a game with loads of statistical data. Artificial Intelligence, mainly the ability of machines to learn and predict the pattern has led to golf becoming dependent on advanced data analytics.

Traditionally, golf statistics is collected by tracking

• how well you hit fairways – data related to fairways in regulation, greens in regulation are recorded

• to find scrambling percentage
• How many putts does the player take for each hole or  total putts in each round
• What are strokes gained

How is data analytics helping golfers?

The use of multiple analytics techniques and algorithm-driven processing has led to several golfing insights at the individual level. The statistics data that should be primarily focused on are – three puts, penalties, and two chips.

Data analysts like GolfTEC, in a massive data-investigation project, analyzed 225 terabytes of data collected from 13,000 pros in 48 body motions per swing to conclude that six key areas of play, separate an excellent golfer from a competent golfer.

6-key areas to focus for excellent golfing:

• the hip sway  
• shoulder tilt  
• hip sway at the impact point  
• shoulder tilt at the impact point
• hip turn at point of impact
• shoulder bend, when the swing finishes

For coaches:

Swing DNA is an intense area of analysis by using granular monitoring of motion variations. This tool uses an HD camera, transmission from the motion of the golf club, and golf ball (Ball Detection) to alter the frequency of waves to track the moment for the club to hit the ball.

Use data analytics and improve the way you golf!

As with most big-ticker sports, data analytics is driving the way golf is played!  The availability of a wide variety of AI-driven golf apps is a major factor that is driving the popularity of the game. Professionals and serious amateurs are able to improve their swings, shots, strategize on how to play the game by analyzing the capabilities of their competitors. Coaches are using advanced analytics to help groom talent and propel wards to win tournaments! Big data analytics is driving the essence of golfing today!