Our Work

SI GOLFNation

Background

GOLF.com has maintained a healthy web presence since its launch nearly a decade ago, so it should come as no surprise that the world’s most popular golf site wanted to expand their reach into the world of social media. Buddy Media was tasked with developing a cross-platform strategy that would provide golfers of all skill levels with a social utility built around all phases of the golfing experience – from setting a tee time to enjoying a cold post-round beverage in the clubhouse.

The development of the application, SI GOLFNation, presented many challenges because it involved building out different levels of functionality across Facebook, a GOLF.com microsite, and the iPhone’s App platform. Each of these three components required intensive work from both our creative and technology teams to ensure that users experienced a seamless, consistent experience across their social media platform of choice (whether iPhone, Facebook or GOLF.com’s site) each with varying feature sets.

Objectives

  • Develop cross-platform social application to engage golf enthusiasts on Facebook, the iPhone, and the open web
  • Provide golfers with tools and utilities designed to socialize the golfing experience from tee-box to clubhouse
  • Incorporate a wide array of features into a single intuitive interface that maintains consistent design and functionality across three different technology platforms

Solution

The GOLF.com project provided the Buddy Media team with the opportunity to showcase their social media expertise – from concept, through information architecture and user flow, to final creative and technology development. Once the application concept was firmly in place, the Buddy Media product development team took the reins and drove the development of user flow documentation and application wireframes. This proved to be a crucial ingredient in the creation of the application, considering the massive amount of functions and features that would be available to users.

With the foundation laid for a robust cross-platform utility, the project was handed over to the Buddy Media creative team, to design an interface that mirrored GOLF.com’s brand identity. The team added flourishes that made the content look unique and fresh to users of all three versions of the application. The technology team then undertook the time-intensive task of developing the ‘guts’ of the application for use on Facebook, iPhone, and the open web.

The application is bursting with features for amateur and professional golfers alike including:

  • Personal Golfer Profiles that allow users to show off the clubs they carry, as well as a granular breakdown of their game-play statistics from courses around the country
  • Social tools that allow users to compare their stats with friends, set tee times at local courses, find golfers to join a foursome, handicap scoring challenges which are not dependent upon time or place. 19th Hole functionality includes the ability to send post-round virtual drinks to playing partners or opponents.
  • Live feeds of the latest stories, photos, and videos from the GOLF.com website
  • On course round tracking that lets users upload their stats – hole by hole – in real time from the iPhone application. Golfers can even take photos with their iPhone and upload them directly into the application.

When all was said and done, SI GOLFNation exemplified the next generation of social utilities – tools that are available to users everywhere, no matter what platform they are most comfortable working (and playing) on.

Download the SI GOLF Nation iPhone application

Category: App-vertisement, Facebook Connect, iPhone Application