Masters in UX
Anyone else have a husband completely obsessed with golf?
This week, mine has been giving me a full play-by-play on Augusta National, sharing random facts, traditions, and all the ins and outs of the course like it’s breaking news. Normally, I use Masters weekend as an excuse to take naps with the ambient sounds of polite clapping and soft announcer voices in the background. But this year, something caught my attention that kept me awake and curious: the Masters app and website experience.
Pictured: My husband on a golf course in Louisville. Not pictured: A green jacket.
Between all the golf talk, I found myself tuning into how incredibly polished and intuitive the digital experience was. My designer brain kicked in, and I started noticing the intentionality behind it all—the branding, the UX, the data... even the color palette.
Let’s be honest: working with primary red, yellow, and green isn’t for the faint of heart. The fact that they still use the original logo and stick to such a strict visual identity is impressive on its own. Designing within those guardrails? Even more impressive.
So naturally, I assumed there must be a high-end creative agency behind it all. But plot twist: it’s IBM. Yep, the same IBM most people associate with old-school tech and enterprise solutions. But after digging into this case study, I’m officially rethinking everything I thought I knew about them.
Turns out, IBM collaborated with Augusta National’s internal marketing department to build a UX and data-driven experience that’s truly next level. They didn’t just design an app, they created a dynamic, personalized platform where fans can follow every shot, get AI-powered predictions, and watch custom highlight reels built just for them.
As someone who’s worked in several agencies, I’ve seen how often we gather tons of user or company data… then get stuck figuring out what to actually do with it. This is a perfect example of data being used well. You can explore historical stats, pull in player performance data, and even see predictive insights, all presented in a way that feels effortless and easy to understand.
From a content and project management perspective, this build had to be an absolute beast. The website and app features are next level: an interactive leaderboard, real-time shot tracker, and in-depth player profiles that somehow connect to one another seamlessly. You can jump from a leaderboard to a shot breakdown to a full player bio without feeling like you're switching tools. It’s all contextual, intuitive, and deeply immersive.
Honestly, look how much I’ve learned about golf. Who even am I?
So while the golf was on, I wasn’t just snoozing this year. I was nerding out over the design of it all. And now I can confidently say that the Masters isn't just a golf tournament. It’s a hole in one digital experience 😉 (I’m sorry).
I’m no IBM, but I am curious enough to create beautiful user experiences that actually put your data to work. Let’s talk about how we can turn what you already have into something truly engaging.
