GBR Wednesday | McLaren’s Next Engineering Challenge Isn’t It's 2026 Race Car — It’s Golf Equipment
Connecting the dots across golf’s business, media, and professional landscape
Hello GBR,
Have you ever imagined phoning up to book a team time and have six-time major champion Nick Faldo confirm your booking on the other end of the line?
Not what you would expect, but thanks to Golf AI’s new AI Concierge Agent service, that’s exactly what to expect. Let’s be honest, Faldo has lent his voice to the automated system that does all the work, but I’m sure there must be some novelty in there somewhere.
As we look elsewhere at what’s happening in the early part of this week, we look at Foresight’s updated app, a new Five Iron Golf opening in New York, and with the Bay Hill Invitational starting tomorrow at Arnie’s place, Cobra has marked the occasion with a limited tribute to the king and Bay Hill.
We start with an interesting story that came out on Monday.
Current Formula One Constructors Champions and one of the most famous names in the sport, McLaren, has announced they are entering the golf equipment market with McLaren Golf penciled in to launch in late April.
Next to golf, Formula One is my next big love in sport, and I see how the synergy is there. F1 and the major manufacturers in golf share a desire to produce the best equipment using cutting-edge technology and materials to keep the right side of the rule books, but improve performance each year.
There have been collaborations in the past, but none of them have taken off.
Ferrari teamed up with Cobra, Lamborghini partnered with Callaway, and currently, TaylorMade has a collaboration with Red Bull Racing.
The TaylorMade/Red Bull joint venture still works because it’s as much about apparel as equipment. But it begs the question: can McLaren successfully build a golf brand?
Anyway, read below, and judge for yourself. Enjoy the rest of today’s edition of GBR.
MCLAREN LAUNCHES NEW HIGH-PERFORMANCE EQUIPMENT VENTURE, MCLAREN GOLF
McLaren has announced the creation of McLaren Golf, a new venture that will bring the company’s engineering and high-performance philosophy from Formula 1 and supercar development into golf equipment.
The initiative combines the expertise of McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, with a dedicated team of golf-industry specialists and engineers tasked with developing equipment designed to push the boundaries of precision and performance. Neil Howie, CEO of McLaren Golf, described the project as “a high-end, engineering-led venture,” adding that the company has recruited leading engineering and golf industry figures “to create an innovation-led company that pushes the limits of what golfers can expect from their equipment.” The first products from McLaren Golf are scheduled to be unveiled on April 29.
The move reflects the growing overlap between motorsport technology and golf equipment design, where materials science, aerodynamics, and manufacturing precision play a central role in performance. McLaren, one of Formula 1’s most decorated teams with more than 200 Grand Prix victories and the 2025 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, believes the transition into golf is a natural extension of its engineering expertise.
“Taking our benchmark-setting engineering standards from the grid to the golf course feels like a natural step,” - Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing.
While McLaren Automotive CEO Nick Collins added that the company aims to produce equipment that is “beautifully engineered, meticulously refined and unmistakably McLaren.” The venture also reflects broader cultural links between the sports, with golfers and racing drivers frequently crossing into each other’s events and both sports gaining wider audiences through documentary series such as “Drive to Survive” and golf’s “Full Swing.”
GOLF.AI LAUNCHES AI CONCIERGE SYSTEM FOR GOLF COURSE BOOKINGS
GOLF.AI has introduced the GOLF.AI Concierge Agent, an AI-powered digital assistant designed for golf course phone systems that can answer calls, provide course information, and book tee times automatically.
The system integrates with course tee sheets and understands pricing, policies, and common golfer inquiries, enabling facilities to deploy the service in under five minutes without technical development costs.
Through a global ambassador agreement with Nick Faldo, the six-time major champion’s digitised voice will power the caller experience, while he also serves as a shareholder and public representative of the brand.
According to company data, the most common call types handled by courses are tee time bookings (38%), pro shop questions (16%), general information (9%), tee time inquiries (6%), and refunds or cancellations (4%).
CEO Clive Mayhew said the platform ensures “every inquiry is answered quickly and correctly,” helping courses reduce missed calls and staffing pressure, while Bo Lehew, general manager of Golf Club of Texas in San Antonio, said the system has improved telephone service “24/7” and increased bookings while allowing staff to focus on guests in the pro shop.
FORESIGHT SPORTS INTRODUCES DIGITAL TRAINING FACILITY IN UPDATED APP
Foresight Sports has unveiled a major update to the Foresight App, featuring a redesigned interface and the launch of the Digital Training Facility, a new practice environment designed to make indoor training more immersive and data-driven.
Built on the company’s photometric measurement technology, the system captures real ball-flight data rather than radar estimates, enabling golfers to begin practice sessions quickly through a new Quick Range mode that displays core ball metrics and shot tracers without complex setup.
At launch, the Digital Training Facility includes two structured drills — Ladder Drill, where players progress through increasingly narrow targets with an optional Pressure Mode that penalizes misses, and Target Practice, a points-based challenge designed to improve distance control and shot dispersion.
Each session records performance insights such as directional bias, success rates, and shot patterns, providing measurable feedback for improvement. “Every drill, every score, every result is grounded in real ball data,” said Rob Guilfoyle, Head of Digital Studio, adding that the platform builds on the same photometric precision trusted by elite players. The updated app is available on iOS and Android and works with all Foresight Sports and Bushnell Golf launch monitors, while continuing to support existing tools including Shot Analysis, My Bag Assessments, and Session History.
FIVE IRON GOLF OPENS NEW INDOOR FACILITY IN SYRACUSE
Five Iron Golf has opened a new indoor golf venue in Syracuse, New York, marking the company’s first location in the broader Central New York market. The facility features eight TrackMan-powered simulators equipped with multi-angle swing-capture technology, alongside professional instruction from certified coaches, league play, and club-fitting services.
The venue also includes Five Iron Golf’s mix of non-golf attractions such as duckpin bowling, food and beverage offerings, and event space. Local coach Billy Manzene, a Syracuse native with more than 30 years of coaching experience across private clubs in the region, said the facility aims to make improvement more accessible, adding: “Players improve when they have access, accurate feedback and a system that supports consistent practice.” Backed by investors including North Castle Partners, Callaway Golf, and Enlightened Hospitality Investments. The new Five Iron Golf Syracuse venue joins 40 locations across 16 U.S. states and Five Iron Golf’s expansion into five countries beyond the U.S.
SWEETWATER COUNTRY CLUB JOINS TPC NETWORK AS TPC HOUSTON
The TPC Network has added Sweetwater Country Club as its 31st property, with the Houston-area facility to be rebranded as TPC Houston, becoming the fourth TPC location in Texas alongside TPC Craig Ranch, TPC Las Colinas, and TPC San Antonio.
The club will remain owned by affiliates of Sculptor Real Estate and Juniper Golf Properties, with management continuing under Encore Leisure Group, while joining the TPC Network as a licensed property. Originally designed by Roger Packard and opened in 1982 as a home for the LPGA Tour, the 36-hole facility features the Pecan and Cypress Courses and previously hosted the LPGA Hall of Fame Golf Classic, won by Nancy Lopez and Amy Alcott. Later this month, the venue will host a stage of the PGA Tour Americas Q-School from March 24–27.
“We are excited to welcome this wonderful facility… as we further expand our premier TPC brand in Texas,” said Vic Aliprando, Senior Vice President of TPC Network Operations, while Sculptor Real Estate founder Steven Orbuch said the affiliation reflects the club’s standing in the Houston market.
Membership will now include access to the TPC Passport programme, providing reciprocal playing privileges across the network, including TPC Sawgrass, TPC Scottsdale, and TPC Harding Park.
BERNHARD ACADEMY LAUNCHES SPRING 2026 ONLINE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
Bernhard Academy has announced its Spring 2026 online leadership and management programme, offering golf and turf industry professionals worldwide the opportunity to develop key management skills through a flexible digital learning platform.
Running from 9 March to 18 May 2026, the programme includes two development pathways — Aspiring Manager, aimed at future leaders focusing on self-awareness, communication, and stakeholder engagement, and Confident Manager, designed for supervisors covering budgeting, risk assessment, project management, difficult conversations, and presentation skills. Participants can follow a full pathway or select individual courses aligned with their development needs.
The initiative follows strong engagement with Bernhard Academy’s education sessions at the BTME and GCSAA Conference and Trade Show earlier this year. “Our Spring 2026 online programme has been designed to give professionals, wherever they are in the world, the confidence and practical skills to progress in their careers,” said Education Director Sami Strutt. The Academy also confirmed upcoming specialist technical training, including Cutting Unit Set Up and Sharpening Techniques at Loch Lomond Golf Club, Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 April 2026, and Fundamentals of Turf Care Mechanics – Level 1 at Moortown Golf Club, Leeds, England, from 13–15 April.
SBK NAMED OFFICIAL BETTING OPERATOR OF THE DP WORLD TOUR
The DP World Tour has announced a partnership with SBK that will see the operator become the Tour’s Official Betting Operator and presenting partner of the odds page for each tournament on the DP World Tour website.
As part of the agreement, SBK’s betting integration will also feature within the Tour’s fantasy game, and the company will serve as an Official Partner for three 2026 events: the Genesis Scottish Open, the Husqvarna British Masters presented by Sir Nick Faldo, and the Irish Open.
SBK operates as a sports-focused betting platform powered by Smarkets Prediction Markets and includes a price comparison tool designed to show when its odds outperform other operators. “Golf is built on precision, insight and performance — values that sit at the heart of SBK,” said Marketing Director Adam Baylis, while DP World Tour Executive Commercial Director Max Hamilton said the partnership will provide fans in the UK and Ireland with additional ways to engage with the sport throughout the Tour’s global schedule.
LUKE DONALD APPOINTED EUROPEAN CAPTAIN FOR 2027 RYDER CUP
Luke Donald has been named European captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup, marking the third consecutive edition he will lead the team as Europe prepares to host the event at Adare Manor in Ireland during the tournament’s 100th playing.
Donald previously guided Europe to victories in 2023 at Marco Simone in Rome (16.5–11.5) and again in 2025 at Bethpage Black (15–13), and a win in 2027 would make him the first captain to secure three straight Ryder Cup victories outright.
The Englishman becomes just the fourth European captain to lead three consecutive teams, joining Dai Rees, Tony Jacklin, and Bernard Gallacher, with Jacklin the only European to previously lift three consecutive cups, including one retention. “The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family… maybe there is a little more story to tell,” Donald said, adding that hosting in Ireland will bring passionate home support. Europe has dominated the competition since 2000 with a 9–3 record and remains unbeaten on home soil since 1993, a streak Donald’s side will look to extend in 2027.
COBRA GOLF RELEASES ARNOLD PALMER LIMITED-EDITION OPTM X DRIVER
With Bay Hill next up this week on the PGA Tour, Cobra Golf has launched a limited-edition COBRA GOLF x Arnold Palmer OPTM X driver.
The model offers all the same features as the standard OPTM X model released earlier in January, but redesigned cosmetically for Bay Hill with a navy-blue finish, gold accents, and multiple subtle appearances of Palmer’s umbrella logo; the sole also features a reproduction of Palmer’s signature, while an umbrella alignment mark sits on the crown.
The club retains Cobra’s POI (product of inertia) shaping and FUTUREFIT33™ 33-way adjustable hosel; Cobra describes POI as a measure of how the clubhead rotates diagonally across all axes at once, with lower POI paired with higher MOI intended to control gear effect and tighten downrange dispersion. Sold with a matching barrel-style headcover and a Mitsubishi 1K Tensei Blue shaft, the right-handed-only driver is offered in a 10.5-degree adjustable head, is available starting today online and through select retailers, and is priced at $699.