Sign up for our daily newsletter

Want latest news, reviews, analysis, deals, and events, and offers from our commercial partners? We’ve got you.

Fans attending next month’s Ryder Cup will be part of one of the most technologically advanced golf tournaments to date thanks to the introduction of radio frequency identification (RFID) wristbands.

Spectators at Gleneagles will receive a special RFID Wristband with their ticket, allowing them to take part in activities around the course and share their experiences across social media.

Gleneagles’ PGA Centenary Course will feature nine RFID activation stations where spectators will have the chance to check-in, engage and win prizes by tapping their wristband.

Johnnie Walker will also welcome fans at the back of the second green, and BMW owners will be able to use their wristband to enter the Owners’ Café at the tenth Hole and spend their pre-loaded tokens.

One the many activations includes a virtual ‘high five’, giving fans the chance to show support for their favorite team when they walk through the gates. The bands will also be accepted in some areas of the course as a method of cashless payment.

“RFID technology seemed a natural choice to lift the event beyond the standard set previously.”

Antonia Beggs, operations director for The 2014 Ryder Cup hopes the new gadget can take the Ryder Cup to new heights.

“Ryder Cup Europe and the key stakeholders wanted to deliver the best possible spectator experience,” said Beggs.

“As social media, smartphones and mobile internet have become a part of everyday life, the RFID technology seemed a natural choice to lift the event beyond the standard set previously.”

How do the Ryder Cup wristbands work?

RFID is a contactless technology that uses low-frequency radio waves to send small amounts of information between a microchip and an RFID reader.

ID&C is the company behind the custom RFID wristbands to be used for September’s match, with the systems and hardware provided by Intellitix.

Head of RFID at ID&C, Steve Daly is proud his organisation can play its part in one of golf’s greatest spectacles.

“The 2014 Ryder Cup will set a precedence for the use of RFID technology at sporting events next month,” said Daly. “Working with the European Tour and its brand partners has been a fantastic experience and we’re thrilled to be part of such a prestigious event.”

topics

More Reads

Image Turnberry green

The bunkered Golf Course Guide - Scotland

Now, with bunkered, you can discover the golf courses Scotland has to offer. Trust us, you will not be disappointed.

Find Courses

Latest podcast

The PLAYERS Championship