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R&A creating a buzz for the upcoming AIG Women's Open in St. Andrews by unveiling world's first 'playable golf billboard' at historic Scottish train station

The golf simulator at Edinburgh's Waverley Station allows fans to experience playing the par-3 8th hole of the iconic Old Course in Scotland

St Andrews, the renowned birthplace of golf, will welcome top female golfers from around the globe for the highly anticipated AIG Women’s Open, which takes place from August 21st to 25th, 2024.

This event guarantees four days filled with riveting competition and a unique golfing experience that will leave a lasting impression, setting it apart as a major unlike any other.

First established in 1976 and now organised by The R&A, the AIG Women’s Open is one of five major championships in women’s golf.

Each year an international field of 144 players compete for the championship trophy with the low amateur, who plays 72 holes, awarded the Smyth Salver.

American Lilia Vu is the defending AIG Women’s Open Champion after her victory at Walton Heath in 2023 – her second major title.

As part of the promotion, The R&A recently unveiled the world's first playable golf billboard at Edinburgh Waverley Station – allowing fans to experience playing the 8th hole of the iconic Old Course in St Andrews. As part of the AIG Women’s Open's new 'Never Stop Playing' campaign, the installation was aimed at elevating the excitement for new, and existing, golf fans.

This innovative billboard transformed into a golf simulator, offering an engaging opportunity to connect with the Championship in a fun and interactive way. The R&A created this playable billboard to reimagine how golf enthusiasts engage with the sport.

Fans stepped up to the billboard, grabbed a real club and ball, and took a swing like never before. The technology employed cameras to track the player's velocity, arc, and direction, digitally encoding the swing in real-time to show where the ball would land on the virtual par-3, 8th hole. Players watched the ball fly across the LED screen, displaying its arc and flight path toward the target.

With a real-time leaderboard tracking nearest-to-the-pin shots, participants competed in a fun golf challenge. Those nearest to the pin received a pair of tickets for the Sunday and a chance for the winner to be an official walking scorer for one of the groups during the final round at St Andrews.

Not just for avid golfers, those keen to take their first-ever golf shot also had the opportunity to win prizes in the furthest-from-the-pin challenge.

Georgia Hall, champion in 2018, said, ‘This looks like such a fun and innovative concept from The R&A.

‘The playable billboard is a brilliant idea to introduce more people to golf and to get them excited about the AIG Women’s Open. It's initiatives like these that will keep our sport growing and evolving.’

Designed to resemble a traditional advertising billboard, this attraction offered a unique and eye-catching experience for golfers of all skill levels. Whether they were seasoned

pros, casual players, or first-time golfers, the playable billboard promised a one-of-a-kind experience.

The R&A compiled all the shot tracers from the day's play onto the billboard screen, creating a stunning visual display. This impressive feature highlighted the relentless passion and continuous engagement of golfers, showcasing how they 'Never Stop Playing.'