With the announcement last month of Justin Ray accepting the role of Head of Content London-based 15th Club is taking another bold step in the modern world of golfing data analysis.
Ray, formerly of Golf Channel and ESPN, owns a Twitter timeline which has become one of the go-to social media accounts for golfers, golf fans and golf media alike.
15th Club is a team of golf professionals, data experts and software engineers whose focus is to assist professional golfers by applying intelligence to data and the media to tell stories through the correct application of golfing numbers.
Their involvement in the success of the European Ryder Cup team at Le Golf National in Paris last September garnered much praise and European Tour members have access to 15th Club’s unique player analytics platform Waggle.
Managing Director of 15th Club, Dan Zelezinski, said: “Justin’s education, experience and passion for the game made him a standout candidate to support our ambitions to unlock sustainable value for our clients and partners.
“He compliments a phenomenally talented team and we look forward to his contributions as we leverage the many opportunities emerging from the junction of enhanced statistics, storytelling, technology & global distribution channels.”
Ray, who graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 2007 added: “I am thrilled to join 15th Club, a company uniquely positioned to impact the future of golf across a multitude of platforms.
“From engaging directly with some of the world’s best players, to generating content in an evolving media landscape, I am immensely proud to call 15th Club my new professional home.”
Head of Golf Duncan Carey expanded on the appointment:
Matt Cooper: First thought is that after a few years of slow-burn, during which time you’ve built a strong platform, it feels like the Ryder Cup success in Paris took 15th Club to a new level – would that be right?
Duncan Carey: I wouldn’t refer to it as a slow burn. We have committed significant resources to building a strong technology platform that will support our long term ambitions.
The reality is that high-performance arenas are like icebergs and most only see the tip. People tend to underestimate what foundations are required to execute a well-orchestrated plan using a highly sophisticated software platform in tandem with our analysts.
Something often forgotten is that we were involved with the Ryder Cup back in 2016 as well – the fact we lost just meant there was way less media in the aftermath. We learned a lot from that experience though and off the back of it made some changes coming into 2018 and were confident we’d done our homework and were fully prepared.
The nature of the win was something even we hadn’t anticipated and credit must go to Thomas and the players for their performance over the three days – it was truly spectacular. Off the back of such an emphatic win, people tend to question what were the elements that contributed to it, and that’s what we were – another element in Thomas’ wider plan.
Subsequently, we generated a lot of media interest, and our name was thrown around more in the industry. Obviously it’s nice to get a boost like that, but after a few years of sustainable development, it feels like, Ryder Cup or not, we were ready to grow the company to the next level, and having brought in a few new faces, not just Justin, but also including a new Managing Director, Dan Zelezinski, we are now in the enviable position to execute on that.
Cooper: And Justin’s arrival hints at big aspirations on and around the PGA Tour?
Carey: It’s no secret that many of the world’s best players base themselves on the PGA Tour, along with a major broadcast focus from some of the giants in the media industry. We will always have a close relationship with the European Tour, due both to our roots in Europe, the Ryder Cup and our proprietary player software Waggle, which is available to all European Tor members.
We are a young company with big ambitions , and in a privileged position to build upon the credibility and value created in Europe and expand into the US market. With Justin’s extensive experience of the golf industry, storytelling ability and knowledge of data analytics, he brings a unique fusion for us to surface some of the most interesting insights from the tour where the top-ranked players are playing each week.
The U.S. embraces the game like no other nation. From high school to college to Web.com to LPGA to Champions to the PGA Tour there are undoubtedly huge opportunities for us, and bringing Justin on board is a defining moment for 15th Club to increase its global footprint.
Cooper: Was it a case of seeing his work and feeling he had the wherewithal to both use your numbers wisely and also introduce 15th Club to a wider audience?
Carey: Precisely. As mentioned above, Justin brings with him a unique combination of skills, particularly with his experience at both ESPN and Golf Channel. Our ongoing work with the likes of Sky Sports Golf enables Justin to combine his knowledge of the media space and leverage our powerful analytics platform to ensure we are making the most of these opportunities and improving the viewing experience for the TV audience as much as we can. It’s about bridging the gap between the complex world of numbers in golf and the audience – and Justin is perfectly placed to help us continue to do that.
Cooper: Finally, is there anything you can reveal of the future?
Carey: We’ve brought Justin in as our Head of Content, and that’s exactly what to expect – content! We’ve got a great team of data analysts, storytellers and technologists. We think 15th Club is uniquely positioned to exploit opportunities emerging from a rapidly evolving media landscape and the fans growing appetite for enhanced statistics in golf.
