PGA of America: Transforming Operations with Faster, Smarter AI

The PGA of America is a member-based, not-for-profit trade association that champions more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals and works to grow the game. Kevin Scott, the PGA's Chief Technology Officer, offers why the Association picked Groq as their AI inference platform of choice, and how they use it to stretch every dollar, cut costs, and supercharge efficiency.

The Challenge: The Need to Innovate Fast & Affordably

Imagine backing a global, passionate community of PGA Golf Pros on a limited tech budget. That's Kevin Scott's daily reality. As he puts it, “Most people wouldn't associate high technology with golf.” But as a member-backed not-for-profit, the PGA constantly seeks new ways to empower staff, smooth out daily tasks, and free up people to do what they do best: get more folks playing golf and serving their members.

The goal wasn't just to dabble in AI; it was to find a tool that was practical, affordable, and made a real impact. They wanted a solution that felt less like a complicated project and more like a friendly, everyday colleague, helping PGA employees succeed in their work and make a bigger splash.

The Solution: “PGA Assistant,” an AI Caddie, Powered by Groq

The PGA tech team doesn't just sit around waiting for others to tee off. They move fast! This hands-on, build-as-you-go approach keeps costs down and ensures they get exactly what they need. “We avoid being charged six figures for something that we can build and deploy over a weekend,” Scott comments. Their secret sauce for this agility? You guessed it: Groq.

The PGA partnered with Groq as their inference provider for PGA Assistant - their custom AI sidekick designed to empower employees and effortlessly enhance productivity by simplifying routine tasks. Think of it as a personal AI caddie for everyone in the office:

• Need to rephrase an email? Ask PGA Assistant.
• Want to brainstorm fresh ideas for a member program? It's on it!
• Trying to track down a document or policy? PGA Assistant knows its way around all of PGA's internal systems, keeping everything private and perfectly tailored.

This isn't just a shiny new gadget; it's a powerful tool for PGA employees. Picture a staff member who used to spend ages digging through old files or agonizing over the perfect email. Now, with PGA Assistant, those time-sinks are handled in a flash.

For the PGA, it's about making work-life sweeter for their team, letting them soak in the joy of the game instead of drowning in paperwork. It truly frees them up to pour their passion into the human connections that fuel the golf industry.

Why Groq is the MVP: Speed, Simplicity, and a Human Touch

The PGA isn't trying to train giant, complex AI models. They're all about inference - running models at warp speed to get quick answers and insights. This laser focus means they can weave AI tools seamlessly into their current tech setup without blowing their budget.

“If we have things where performance matters more, we come to Groq - you deliver real, working solutions, not just buzzwords,” Scott says.

For Scott, Groq isn't just a tool; it's a true partner. Here's why he's a fan:

• Blazing Fast. “You're fast. It starts there,” Scott remarks. He's also thrilled that Groq is “very early with new exciting open-source releases,” helping the PGA stay right on the leading edge of new tech.
• Built for Developers, by Developers. Scott, a seasoned software pro, genuinely appreciates how Groq has made the experience a joy to use. Its APIs, SDK, and GroqCloud playground are all super easy. “The Groq team has put themselves into our shoes as software developers and...we just feel appreciated,” Scott warmly expresses.
• Performance That Delivers. Groq shines when speed is critical. Thanks to Groq's speed which holds up with scale and throughput, the PGA can even use bigger, more powerful models like Llama Maverick without fretting over costs or slowdowns. “Groq is very affordable for us and everything that we use is blazing fast. So we don't tend to get much advantage out of going towards smaller models,” Scott reveals.
• Genuine Partnership. Scott loves Groq's support model - “it's attentive, always there, and feels truly personal…it’s better than what we experience with larger companies,” he notes. Plus, “There's like no bureaucracy to wade through,” which Scott loves. This direct line of communication means if they're “confused or need help, we ask a question and it gets answered.”

The Opportunity: Drive the Golf Industry into the Future

With limited budget allocation for AI initiatives, the PGA couldn't afford to make the wrong technology choices. Instead of getting stuck in endless ROI spreadsheets, they kept it simple, choosing the most cost-effective solutions that would deliver the most impact. By selecting affordable yet powerful tools like Groq and building capabilities in-house, they turned budget constraints into a strategic advantage. This enabled the PGA to stretch every dollar while getting results that actually delivered.

Looking ahead a couple of years, Kevin Scott sees AI making a huge splash in golf:

• Automate Low-Value Administrative Work. Scott envisions AI agents tackling the “low-value administrative work that happens at a desk,” even in golf facilities. “The more we can use agentic systems to remove that type of work allows PGA of America Golf Professionals to get back to their purpose,” he emphasizes. This allows them to streamline their administrative tasks and spend more time engaging with their customers who love the game.
• Enhanced Learning and Experience .AI will totally transform how people learn and enjoy golf, making it more engaging and accessible for everyone. This includes vision models to fine-tune swings and analyze data, leading to “a golfer having a better game [and] fans being able to have a more enjoyable experience.”

The PGA and Groq are proving you don't need a massive budget to make a massive impact with AI. It's all about making smart choices, empowering your people, and building solutions that genuinely make a difference - for the employees, PGA of America Golf Professionals, and the future of the sport.

Curious about how Groq powers lightning-fast AI? Learn more at console.groq.com.