Michael Cole, Chief Technology Officer of the DP World Tour, has a straightforward mission: use data and emerging technology to build a digital platform that powers immersive experiences for golf fans everywhere. The Tour oversees 42 tournaments across 25 countries, and Cole — who joined the organization in late 2017 — believes technology is the key to connecting them all.
The Core Challenge
“Watching golf at home has always been incredible,” Cole says. “We have a great TV product, lots of digital overlays, and plenty of insights. The on-course spectator faces a very different challenge — watching and keeping track of 18 fields of play while they can only ever be in one place at a time.”
Golf is uniquely complex. Up to 156 players, no two teams, spread across four days — not a 90-minute match. Cole believes digital transformation can simplify that complexity and create more immersive coverage for fans attending tournaments in person.
“I’ve always been a big advocate for recognising that technology can bridge the experience gap between the armchair fan and the on-course spectator,” he explains. “What I’m really excited about is how the capabilities in AI can help simplify the complexity of the traditional game and give on-course spectators as rich an experience as armchair fans.”
Working with Partners
Cole isn’t just talking about it. The DP World Tour recently signed a global agreement with HCLTech to accelerate its digital transformation agenda in the age of artificial intelligence. The partnership aims to deliver new innovations for players, media organizations, and commercial partners while keeping the fan experience at the center of every decision.
For Cole, success isn’t measured in lines of code or server uptime — it’s measured in whether a fan standing on the 14th fairway feels as connected to the action as someone watching from their living room.
