Golfing innovation

The R&A unveiled the world's first playable golf billboard at Edinburgh Waverley Station – allowing fans to experience playing the 8th hole of the iconic Old Course in St Andrews, the host venue for this year’s AIG Women’s Open.

As part of the AIG Women’s Open's new 'Never Stop Playing' campaign, the installation was aimed at elevating the excitement for new, and existing, golf fans.

This innovative billboard transformed into a golf simulator, offering an engaging opportunity to connect with the Championship in a fun and interactive way. The R&A created this playable billboard to reimagine how golf enthusiasts engage with the sport.

Fans stepped up to the billboard, grabbed a real club and ball, and took a swing like never before. The technology employed cameras to track the player's velocity, arc, and direction, digitally encoding the swing in real-time to show where the ball would land on the virtual par-3, 8th hole. Players watched the ball fly across the LED screen, displaying its arc and flight path toward the target.

With a real-time leaderboard tracking nearest-to-the-pin shots, participants competed in a fun golf challenge. Those who were nearest to the pin received a pair of tickets for the Sunday and a chance for the winner to be an official walking scorer for one of the groups during the final round at St Andrews.

Not just for avid golfers, those keen to take their first-ever golf shot also had the opportunity to win prizes in the furthest-from-the-pin challenge.

Zoe Ridgway, championship director of the AIG Women’s Open at The R&A said: “This activation brings the excitement of golf to a whole new level, allowing players to experience the thrill of golf in a fun and interactive way.

“As part of our new 'Never Stop Playing' campaign, we gave both new and longtime fans the opportunity to engage with the AIG Women’s Open like never before, reaching new audiences and enhancing their connection to golf.”

Georgia Hall, champion in 2018, added: “This looks like such a fun and innovative concept from The R&A.

“The playable billboard is a brilliant idea to introduce more people to golf and get them excited about the AIG Women’s Open. It's initiatives like these that will keep our sport growing and evolving.”

Designed to resemble a traditional advertising billboard, this attraction offered a unique and eye-catching experience for golfers of all skill levels. Whether they were seasoned pros, casual players, or first-time golfers, the playable billboard promised a one-of-a-kind experience.

The R&A compiled all the shot tracers from the day's play onto the billboard screen at once, creating a stunning visual display. This impressive feature highlighted the relentless passion and continuous engagement of golfers, showcasing how they 'Never Stop Playing.'