AI Golf Commentator To Make Broadcast Debut At New Mexico Open

Duff Foreman, an autonomous, conversational AI broadcast personality created by Gopher Hole Productions, will appear as part of the broadcast team for golf's New Mexico Open in September.

Gopher Hole Productions

From Ty Webb and Roy McAvoy to Happy Gilmore and Will Ferrell’s Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins, the golf industry has its share of memorable fictional characters. Now there’s a new entrant – and an entirely new category – as Duff Foreman is set to make his broadcast debut as a golf commentator at this year’s New Mexico Open.

Foreman is an autonomous, conversational AI broadcast personality who will appear live on-screen and interact with human hosts, including noted golf broadcasters Notah Begay III and Ryan Burr, during live streaming tournament coverage of the 54-hole professional event open to professional and amateur participants. The New Mexico Open, which has a total purse of $100,000, is organized by the Sun Country Section of the PGA of America and held at the Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort from Sept. 14-16.

Begay, a four-time PGA Tour winner and veteran golf analyst for NBC Sports and Golf Channel, will pair with Burr (NBC Sports, Golf Channel, ESPN, FOX Sports) to provide live play-by-play commentary, player interviews and tournament analysis at an event that has been played annually since 1954 and will feature a three-hour live broadcast streamed across several regional digital platforms as well as YouTube Live, Facebook Live and Instagram Live. Foreman, created by Gopher Hole Productions, an artificial intelligence, media, entertainment and technology company that develops AI-powered personalities, will join Begay and Burr throughout the live broadcasts and interact “naturally” with the hosts rather than following a scripted conversation.

Foreman’s appearance is believed to be a first for professional golf.

"Every generation has found new ways to bring fans closer to the game," said Cory Armstrong, executive director of the Sun Country Section of PGA of America. "Television transformed the way people experienced golf. Shot-tracing technology added another dimension. AI now gives us an opportunity to explore another way of explaining the game. We're looking forward to seeing how viewers respond to Duff during the championship."

The Duff Foreman persona was created for Gopher Hole Productions’ X-treme Golf on YouTube, hosting extreme golf adventures that includes teeing off from the summit of Mt. Everest in the show’s first episode.

As the AI personality component of the broadcast team for the New Mexico Open, Foreman will offer insight into player strategy, swing mechanics, course management, the Rules of Golf and other aspects of the game as play unfolds. The idea is to bring analytics deeper into the broadcast, with Foreman’s data driven commentary giving viewers insight into options and odds before players make key decisions during the competition.

"Great golf deserves great storytelling," said Begay. "The New Mexico Open is an event that showcases outstanding talent on a championship course that tests all aspects of a competitor’s ability. This broadcast gives us the opportunity to bring viewers inside the competition, introduce them to southern New Mexico and share stories they won't find on a traditional golf telecast."