How could A.I. revolutionise course design? Kyle Phillips has some thoughts…

Artificial Intelligence, or A.I. for short, is one of the fastest growing and most controversial technological phenomena.  

The simulation of human intelligence by machines – particularly computer systems – A.I. has transformed industries such as online shopping, where it uses sophisticated algorithms to make retail recommendations to users, as well as the automotive sector, through self-driving cars and the like. 

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It is not, however, without its issues. Some of the most ardent sceptics of the opinion that A.I. poses an existential threat to humanity.  

Some public health experts have even called for a halt to its development until such times as it can be robustly regulated.  

🎙 NEW PODCAST ALERT!

On this week's episode of The bunkered Podcast:

🏆 What does Brooks' PGA win do for LIV?
🧱 Michael Block: instant legend
✍🏼 How to design a golf course with Kyle Phillips

Listen: https://t.co/VuBtcbcvCH pic.twitter.com/0sTVRCkyZd

— bunkered (@BunkeredOnline) May 24, 2023

Already, A.I. has been applied to golf with significant success. Many equipment manufacturers, for example, have used it in the development of new golf clubs, whilst some coaching platforms now offer instant feedback on golfers’ swings using the technology.  

It begs the question: could artificial intelligence be used one day – and perhaps one day soon – to design a golf course… from scratch.  

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Acclaimed golf course architect Kyle Phillips discussed that prospect on the most recent episode of The bunkered Podcast.  

The man behind Kingsbarns Golf Links, Dundonald Links and The Grove, as well as the remodelling of Valderrama in Spain and Golf de Morfontaine in France, Phillips thought he had seen and done it all in his line of work.  

Then A.I. came along.  

Now? All bets are off. 

“It’s hard to say how far it’ll go in terms of how the programming is going to evolve,” said the American. “You could say ‘design me a two-bedroom, three-bath house in a Frank Lloyd Wright style’ or whatever but would it kick it out in the same way? Would it be able to kick out a Kyle Phillips golf course in circa 2000? It would be very interesting to see. 

“But then Frank Lloyd Wright had a very clear style [whereas] I’ve really tried to customise what we do and depending on the story we’re trying to tell about that particular facility, the location it’s in and the surrounds and so forth. 

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“Strategically, there are some definite principles I incorporate in all our courses that come back to my love for links golf and how links golf is played. But stylistically, they can be very different, in terms of both the feel and the geometry of what we do.  

“It would be very interesting, though. Could there be a day when you could say ‘I want one of those’ and it would just spit that right out for you? It’s a very scary thought.” 

Listen to the full interview with Kyle Phillips on the latest episode of The bunkered Podcast, out now. 

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor