Users can pay an entry fee and win money by outperforming their expected shotmaking abilities in closest-to-the-pin gameplay
CARLSBAD, California – Full Swing, the industry leader in pioneering sports technology, has launched Skill Strike, a first-of-its-kind, skill-based, closest-to-the-pin competition for golf simulator play that allows users to pay an entry fee and win money.
Skill Strike users are not competing against the pros or other amateurs as they would in a typical closest-to-the-pin contest. Rather, they are simply competing against themselves and their algorithm-derived expected shot outcome. This new paradigm is an important distinction from the standard closest-to-the-pin contest that will always favor more consistent players.
Skill Strike instantly rewards players’ great shots based on their unique skill level, making every swing an opportunity to win.
Skill Strike is powered by Evenplay’s patented AI technology, developed specifically for Full Swing’s industry-leading simulator platform. The software uses real-time data capture and AI machine learning to tailor Skill Strike’s closest-to-the-pin gameplay to each user’s individual skill level.
This learning is then deployed to create skill-based challenges – namely a unique target size and distance for each shot attempt – based on the user’s dynamic, real-time shotmaking abilities. A series of concentric circles surround the hole, with more money awarded for shots that hit the inner rings, less for those that do not, and none for those that miss the target entirely.
“We developed Skill Strike because we’re always looking for innovative ways to engage with the global Full Swing community,” said Jason Fierro, Chief Operating Officer for Full Swing. “Skill Strike is an unprecedented shift in skills-based gaming opportunities as it essentially creates a real-time dynamic handicap for golfers of any skill level, and allows them to win money so long as they perform above their personalized expected outcome.
“Full Swing simulator users – whether in the comfort of their own homes or at a commercial facility – now have a new way to enjoy the game of golf, with many exciting future integrations to come from our development team.”
New players start with free practice shots that help the AI learn their unique swing profile while earning bonus play money to try the real experience risk-free. Once the system understands a player’s abilities, every challenge is perfectly calibrated to their skill level. This means a beginner hitting their best shot has the same chance to win as a scratch golfer hitting theirs. Challenges begin at just $3 per shot and scale up to $20 as players build confidence. Every swing is an opportunity to outperform your personal baseline and win up to 8x the challenge fee. Players who make a hole-in-one will collect a standalone prize depending on distance. It’s golf the way it should be: every player competes on equal footing, every great swing pays, and winning is about playing your best, not being the best.
“We built our AI specifically to solve a problem that’s plagued golf gaming forever: how do you make it fair and fun for everyone?,” said Bryan O’Reilly, co-founder and CEO of Evenplay. “Full Swing’s precision tracking data gives us the perfect foundation to create truly personalized challenges. When paired with their state-of-the-art simulator experience, every player gets a real shot at winning, regardless of their handicap.”
Added Fierro: “In recent weeks, we’ve given several of Full Swing’s commercial partners a sneak preview of the technology. All have been impressed by Skill Strike’s seamless integration into the simulator gameplay experience and believe it’s going to create a significant new revenue stream for their businesses, as it will increase the frequency of customer visits and also the time they spend onsite.”
The skill-based gaming platform will be available on Full Swing simulators in all U.S. states except Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia.
Full Swing’s launch of Skill Strike’s closest-to-the-pin competition is just the beginning, with several enhancements to come. They include the ability to play against friends during a round of simulator golf and overlaying the closest-to-the-pin competition on iconic par-3 holes from around the world.
For more information about Full Swing, visit fullswinggolf.com