Artificial Intelligence Finds ‘Thrilling And Frightening’ Presence In Golf 

The term artificial intelligence comes shrouded in mystery, its potential giving rise to both enthusiasm and alarm. It’s so ubiquitous in everyday life — whether it’s ride-sharing apps searching for the best route for your commute home, or taking a mobile picture of a check to be deposited on the spot — most of us assume the devices around us can somehow learn information and adjust in real-time.

How that same A.I. has manifested in golf, a game of countless inefficiencies waiting to be optimized, is a fascinating study. Last month, we wrote about Toptracer implementing its shot-tracing, statistic-producing technology at driving ranges across the world. Other companies such as Arccos are using similar technology to evaluate data from a player’s game. Just one month ago, the company launched an A.I.-powered rangefinder that factors in wind, temperature and altitude to reach conclusions beyond what a human can process. And to think that some of us still locate a yardage marker and count steps.

A.I. in golf, with...