The PGA TOUR is doubling down on technology in its bid to modernise the fan experience, announcing a multi-year marketing partnership and strategic investment in smart-navigation company PAM.
Under the agreement, which runs through 2030, PAM has been named the Official Smart Map and Official Smart Map Technology of the PGA TOUR. The collaboration aims to transform tournament venues with interactive digital mapping designed to help fans navigate sprawling event grounds with ease, while also streamlining operations behind the scenes.
John Norris, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, Events, said:
“We are excited to partner with PAM to better connect our PGA TOUR fans with the events and communities in which we play, ensuring they have access and familiarity to each and every corner of the property.”
The partnership officially launched last week at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, where the technology was fully integrated into a TOUR event for the first time under the new agreement.
PGA TOUR and PAM Roll Out Smart Map Technology Across 2024 Events
The Smart Map concept made its official TOUR event debut during the recently completed Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, which concluded on Sunday with Colombian golfer Nico Echavarria capturing the title. Echavarria carded a bogey-free, five-under final round to finish at 17-under overall, clinching his third PGA TOUR victory by two shots and capping a dramatic week at PGA National Resort’s Champion Course.
During the event, fans accessed a 3D-rendered digital course map by scanning QR codes throughout the venue. The platform offered wayfinding assistance, player locations, hospitality information and interactive activations.
The response was encouraging. More than 40% of attendees engaged with the digital maps during the pilot. For a sport that often spans acres of terrain and multiple competition zones, that level of interaction suggested a strong appetite for smarter navigation tools.
How the PGA TOUR Smart Map Enhances the Onsite Fan Experience
PAM’s technology integrates across mobile devices, websites and digital signage, providing real-time guidance on everything from concession locations to ride-share zones and security checkpoints. The company also enhances workforce co-ordination among vendors and volunteers, a behind-the-scenes benefit that improves tournament operations.
The initiative aligns with the TOUR’s Fan Forward strategy, launched in 2024 after gathering feedback from more than 50,000 fans across core and casual audiences. The goal is to make attending a golf event feel less overwhelming and more intuitive, particularly for new or younger fans accustomed to digital-first experiences.
Stephen Minning, PAM CEO, said:
“PGA TOUR events bring together the best players in the world, along with hundreds of thousands of fans in some of the most iconic sporting environments anywhere.
“Our role is to make those environments feel intuitive. When fans can easily find players, activations and amenities, they stay longer, engage more deeply and create greater value for the entire tournament.”
PGA TOUR Makes Strategic Investment in PAM to Drive Long-Term Innovation
Beyond marketing rights, the PGA TOUR is also taking an equity stake in PAM, signalling confidence in the company’s broader growth potential beyond golf. The TOUR will receive two seats on PAM’s board as part of the deal and collaborate on a case study examining how digital navigation influences fan movement and venue efficiency.
Lance Stover, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, New Ventures and PAM Board member, said:
“An international leader in smart navigation, the PGA TOUR is proud to invest in PAM’s rapid growth as they create new, high-quality digital and interactive features that further improve the spectator experience.”
Smart Navigation Technology Positioned for Growth Beyond Golf
Founded in 2016 and first implemented during the development of Hollywood Park and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, PAM has positioned itself as a fully digital wayfinding system that merges operational logistics with fan engagement. With headquarters in Sydney and Los Angeles, the company now adds one of global sport’s most recognisable properties to its portfolio.
For the PGA TOUR, the move represents another step towards blending tradition with technology, preserving the drama inside the ropes while making everything outside them easier to navigate. If early engagement numbers are any indication, golf’s digital caddie is here to stay.
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PGA TOUR and PAM Smart Map Partnership Through 2030 – Key Details
- The PGA TOUR has named PAM its Official Smart Map and Official Smart Map Technology partner through 2030.
- The interactive Smart Map debuted at the TOUR Championship, with more than 40% of fans engaging during the pilot.
- The TOUR has made a strategic equity investment in PAM, securing board representation and supporting long-term innovation beyond golf.
