Major championships aren't just set-up for the best players, but also the best course conditions, as ground staff work night-and-day to ensure competitors can show off their skills.
It's a thankless task looking after and maintaining a golf course in Major conditions and, at the 2025 AIG Women's Open, we are set to see more than just humans being used at Royal Porthcawl.
For the first time ever, robotics will be used to help prepare the Welsh layout, with it marking the first time a UK Major golf event will be prepared autonomously for an R&A championship.
In total, 15 robotic mowers developed by Husqvarna will be used, The models in question are Husqvarna’s CEORA and Automower models.
Certainly, their work will start slightly earlier than the ground staff's on-site at Porthcawl. Beginning their day at 1.30am, they will help prepare the golf course alongside the greenkeeping team, with the robots finishing at 5am.
The aim of introducing the robotic mowers means the remaining green staff can focus on the greens and wider course management aspects.
Speaking about the move, Assistant Director of Sustainable Agronomy at The R&A, Richard Windows, stated: "The R&A’s agronomy team across the globe is focused on delivering high performance surfaces in a sustainable way.
"At the AIG Women’s Open, the Husqvarna portfolio is helping us deliver this goal through improved resource management, regular lightweight mowing and reduced carbon usage."
Certainly, it's not just a gimmick, either, as Royal Porthcawl's Course Manager, Ian Kinley, has championed the use of robotic technology at the course since first working with Husqvarna in January.
"With the AIG Women’s Open set to be the largest-ever women’s sporting event in Wales, we know there’s tremendous pressure to produce playing surfaces that are worthy of such a high-profile event," he stated.
"Autonomous machinery aligns closely with our commitment to more sustainable practices at Royal Porthcawl.
"We’re invested in using robots on our course long term and we’re incredibly proud to be one of the first venues in the world to use this technology during the hosting of one of golf’s Major championships."
It's not the first time we've seen robotics used at big golf events. At the US Open in June, the Korechi Pik’r-Alpha was spotted picking up golf balls from the range and practice facilities.
Priced at $54,000, it has the capacity to store up to 2400 balls and 4000 balls per round and is, officially, the first-ever commercial range picking robot.
