Experience Matters

Hobby 2.0

We’ve all heard the hype on Nike Plus and what it’s done for the running community. Tying together my running data, my running community and my ipod is very cool. Microsoft and others continue to work on the concept of “Life Logging” or “life-streaming” (the visual diary) and the associated SenseCam technology to support the idea. Imagine a world were we all walk around our daily lives tracking and monitoring each and every detail? Well perhaps we’re not too far off from that reality. Both of these concepts represent very interesting impacts on people and technology. With the continued evolution and technological advances to mobile, social and the digital space as a whole it only makes sense that we are witnessing more and more confluence. These digital advances are helping to build communities, bring like-minded people together, promote self-expression and of course, provide endless new product or technology opportunities. New, singular concepts pop up all the time, what’s really cool is when they can be brought together.  

What happens when this concept is applied to other areas? I like to golf. It’s generally a frustrating affair and I’m by no means anything near a scratch golfer. The game is tough and when you do not play frequently, you really cannot expect to develop any kind of consistency. However, what I do still get to enjoy is the addictive qualities of one (near) perfect shot. There is always the opportunity (chance) to chip in from 75 yards out, sink a 45 foot put or perhaps someday even enjoy the ever-illusive hole-in-one. This is what keeps you coming back, that and the fresh air.

Nonetheless, I still love the silly game and I know I’m not alone in this category. What I quickly realized (after a little more thought) is just how much this past-time has spread beyond the physical golf course or driving range. Emerging technology and the digital space has allowed me to “stay in touch” with the game, on and off the course. Through various digital channels, I’m able to not only stay in touch with the game; I can also enjoy it through various forms virtually and digitally via social media, gaming, online tools, informational and instructional sites, etc.  

With today’s golf technology I can already do many advanced things; I can track my ball down to a 3 foot location on the course with BPS (ball positioning system) a technology invented by RadarGolf. I can measure the distance of my next shot with GPS, which is now offered at many courses as a standard piece of equipment in many golf carts. The advancements in ball and club design almost feel like cheating. But this is all outside of my digital experience.

When I looked further into my digital life I began to realize how far things have come. I can maintain my own statistics and compare my play against others with online score, handicap and shot calculators. I can network and socialize with other golfers via countless online social networks. I can play, dream and be inspired with many great video games and simulators. And of course there is no shortage of golf learning and instructional resources available. 

However, all of these resources available to me are very isolated and do not allow me to easily tie them together. Where is my Nike Plus for golf? Give me the tools to realize a streaming “game log” perhaps? I’d love to come home and download my game log for further analysis; look at the shots I made, the club selections I made, the greens I hit in regulation, etc. Then taking it a step further I’ll share the great stats or moments with friends and family through social media channels. I have no shortage of data available – I just need the systems and tools to allow me to interconnect that data. Of course this is going to be the hard part. Everything ends up in silos, at first it seems – pulling them all together is the tricky part. Golf is one example, there are so many more to consider…