Sean Callanan chats with Kevin Bain from The R&A about challenges of providing technology on links courses and the amount of testing required to prepare for the traffic that TheOpen.com each year when the world tunes in to see the best golfers in action each July.
On this podcast you'll learn about:
- A brief background about The R&A and The Open
- How the digital landscape looked in the early days at The Open
- The challenges of rolling out new technology and digital advancements in the link courses
- How they are producing content for golf fans to consume
- Redeveloping The Open website and mobile app
- How The Open are innovating their digital platforms
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Our fave quote from Kevin Bain interview
The key role in providing public Wifi is making sure that our fans can stay connected whilst at The Open.
Kevin Bain
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About Kevin Bain
With a degree in computing, Kevin Bain spent almost a decade in the IT field working with oil and consulting companies. It then took him a move to St Andrews that opened the opportunity for him to get a role at The R&A. During his early years in the company, he led The R&A in developing their digital infrastructures bringing in Wifi connectivity in the courses, developing their websites and mobile app development to The Open.
He is now the head of data and digital infrastructures and he is also involved in developing digital and social media strategies, managing project and operational budgets and overseeing teams of designers, application developers and third party agencies.
The R&A is golf's governing body and organiser of golf’s oldest and most international Major championship The Open.
Resources from the podcast
Highlights from podcast with Kevin Bain
4:10 A brief introduction about The R&A
5:02 Kevin Bain chats about his role as Head of Data and Digital Infrastructure at The R&A
6:08 How the digital landscape looked like in the early years at The R&A
7:04 How mobile phones and Wifi connectivity changed the infrastructure requirements at The Open
8:30 The challenges in rolling out digital advancements in the links courses
13:21 Kevin on how they tackle the challenges that different parts of the business require
14:50 Redeveloping the rules of golf
15:51 How they manage the traffic around The Open Championship days
18:18 Redeveloping The Open app for their One Club membership program
20:51 How they are ensuring the production of relevant content for golf fans to consume
32:13 Kevin on finding inspiration in the development of The Open website
35:56 Sports Geek Closing Five
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