If you’re in Austin, TX, over the next few weeks, don’t be alarmed when you see folks in the streets swinging their smartphones like nine-irons. This year, Dell is redefining what it means to play golf by turning the city of Austin into a real-time, data-driven golf course through its new app, Dell Play Through™.
At Dell, we believe that technology has always been about enabling human potential and helping businesses be Future Ready. This approach extends even to golf, which is why we are providing to anyone with an Android or iOS smartphone the opportunity to play golf through the streets of our hometown Austin.
This innovative concept was inspired by Dell’s new role as the title sponsor of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play, taking place in Austin on March 21-27. The Dell Play Through™ app allows golf fans to experience their favorite sport in a completely different way – having the chance to start a match anywhere at any time.
How the Dell Play Through™ App Works
The application, now available for download from the Google Play™ store and the App Store®, allows golf and gaming lovers around the world to play a curated 9-hole course through Austin’s landmarks. Golf travel expert Matt Ginella was brought on board to help design the virtual golf course. The course is laid out on real Austin streets seen in Google Street View™, which users can access on their mobile device, making it possible to play anywhere (but of course we encourage Austin locals and visitors to take to the streets and walk the course as they play). And regardless of location, players will be able to uncover local real-time data that will impact their performance, such as current weather and wind speed.
The app also helps users enjoy the more social aspects of golf. Users will discover hotspots throughout the course, such as the most popular bars and the restaurants with the best reviews (via Foursquare). Players can share their achievements on Facebook and connect the app’s leaderboard to Facebook in order to compare their progress with that of other participants.
The Technology Behind the App
The app itself is cool, but so is the story of how it came to life. MediaMonks, a creative digital production company, designed the application using Dell technology including Dell Precision Workstations and Dell OptiPlex 9020 towers. The goal for the Dell Play Through™ app was simple – take golf out of the country club and use data to turn it into a virtual, social gaming platform that people can play anywhere.
While designing the app, MediaMonks took advantage of the high-performance computing to seamlessly manage multiple files simultaneously. This allowed for great flexibility when testing different user interface (UI) layouts as well as honing in on the final design direction. Dell monitors made it possible to view each design in great detail and ensure that the right UI colors were picked for the game. The technology also allowed MediaMonks to develop and test the app in real-time during gameplay sessions, permitting them to adjust and update the gameplay on-the-fly.
Access to local trending venues and must-do activities was made possible by integrating the app with Foursquare’s real-time location database. All of these components played a significant role in turning Dell Play Through™ into a realistic urban gameplay experience for golf fans and game lovers.
Don’t wait any longer – download the app today so you can your swing.
And check out the video below for more info on how the app was created.
