Golf Business News – IR&A develops virtual adventure golf
IR&A has partnered with The Gang, a full-service gaming studio, to launch ‘Just Swing’, a new virtual golf experience on Roblox designed to reach new audiences and inspire engagement and participation in the sport.
Players are introduced to the experience through the Club Hub, a light and interactive version of the traditional golf clubhouse, before competing in a 9-hole tour of challenging holes, around the most beautiful settings. Participants can ride in a magical underwater world with corals and giant oysters, or take their swings in the middle of the Wild West desert, full of cacti, sand dunes and cowboys.
At the beginning of each round, players will be transported to three randomly selected holes to play in a variety of exciting challenges. Players must skillfully navigate or use in-game obstacles such as exploding barrels that propel the user’s golf ball when hit, or pinball-style bounces that deflect the ball in unexpected directions.
As players engage in daily challenges, they seek to improve their ranking and earn in-game currency. These virtual treasures can be exchanged in the virtual Pro Shop for exclusive user-generated content (UGC), including new golf clubs, apparel, and accessories, all designed to improve their performance on the course.
The Club Hub also serves as a place where players can track and compare their scores on a modern, interactive leaderboard. Additionally, the Q&A section within the hub gives players the opportunity to earn extra money and deepen their golf knowledge.
What R&A and The Gang are doing is a great strategy to introduce the game to a wider audience through the engaging world of Roblox, which is used by the platform’s 77 million daily users to inspire a new generation of golf fans.
The ongoing collaboration with The Gang will see the launch of the Active Play system featured in ‘Just Swing’ this summer. Players will complete challenges to earn codes they can use to access virtual golf activities near them – a key feature of the R&A to promote golf participation.
Phil Anderton, R&A Chief Development Officer, said, “The development of ‘Just Swing’ on Roblox provides a unique opportunity to share the joy of golf with a new, diverse audience on a global scale.
“Our partnership with the gang allows us to give people of all ages an opportunity to get into this sport. By reaching out to players in the virtual world, we can encourage them to take part in the sport in the real world, inspire a new generation of golf enthusiasts and expand the global golf community.”
Max Proctor, Managing Director at The Gang, added, “Partnering with the R&A to introduce ‘Just Swing’ to Roblox has been an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of what’s possible in online gaming. We are proud to be a part of introducing a new generation to the game of golf in a new, accessible and, above all, fun way.”
‘Just Swing’ is available on the Roblox website and on other device applications, including Apple and Android.
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