Heads-up: AT&T Augments Jordan Spieth to Bring Fans Closer to His Winning Strokes

The original article appeared on AT&T.com on February 04, 2019 – https://about.att.com/newsroom/2019/jordan_spieth_ar_experience.html

Before it debuts in select AT&T retail locations later this year, attendees at the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am can use the Magic Leap One to experience Jordan’s memories of his favorite irons.

Like any great golfer, Jordan Spieth, an 11-time winner on the PGA TOUR, has his own set of custom-designed clubs that help him win. A new AT&T mixed-reality experience making its debut at the AT&T Fan Dome – an immersive, on-course showcase for AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attendees this week in Monterey, Calif. – gives Jordan a chance to connect with fans on the drivers and putters behind his wins on the course.

You’ve had some history with this course, and this week, you’re making some history yourself with your first mixed-reality (MR) experience. What’s that MR experience fans can have at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am?

I’ve always loved playing here. It’s an iconic course, and a legendary event. I’m proud to be a part of it. For years, we’ve had my actual AT&T bag and Titleist clubs on display at these events, but this year the team at AT&T wanted to show how its technology could transform a passive experience into an interactive one. So when AT&T asked me if I would film some footage to make an augmented reality experience for fans, I was happy to do it. Attendees stop by the AT&T Fan Dome where my bag and Titleist clubs are on display. They put on a Magic Leap One headset and interact with the clubs. When they do, I pop up in front of them as a digital, life-sized video to tell them a bit more about that club, like when I tend to use it or maybe a favorite memory related to it. We shot the footage using a 360-degree camera a few weeks ago, which was a first for me. That means you can walk around and see me in front of you with the club, the bag and everything else inside of the AT&T Fan Dome.

What do you hope fans get out of this MR experience?

A couple of things. I hope they enjoy the chance to interact with me and learn more about how I approach the game using each club. This experience helps me connect with more people out there who love the game as much as I do. (I can only be in so many places at once!) I also hope fans see how technology can enhance the way you engage with the world around you, in ways that are meaningful without detracting from being “in the moment.” Making this gave me a chance to reflect on some of the successes I’ve had thus far in my career. I’m happy that I’ll get to share it with fans in a way that’s way more personal than just watching a video.

Where else can fans see this MR experience?

I know AT&T plans to bring it to the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas this May and to other events they sponsor. Beyond that, we’ll see what the feedback is and where AT&T could take this technology. I’m curious to see what fans have to say about it.

Do you want to make any predictions for the week?

I’m not one to call out where I’ll end up on the leaderboard, but I can for sure say that this is going to be a fun week. Together with AT&T, we’re going to raise a lot of money for the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and the non-profits it supports, including ones like DigitalNest, whose focus is bringing tech to underserved youth and young adults in the area.

Working with Jordan Spieth, AT&T developed the Jordan Spieth golf bag mixed-reality experience with Groove Jones, an award-winning creative and technology studio that specializes in developing immersive V/R and A/R experiences. Groove Jones selected the Magic Leap One headset for this A/R experience. AT&T plans to be the exclusive wireless distributor of Magic Leap products for consumers in the U.S. later this year.