GLOW GOLF

Glow Golf is a vibrant game displayed on an 5 metre LED rope which you operate with a door handle! To launch the ball, pull back the door handle and release to swing your club. Choose between a putter, a sand wedge and driver to navigate grass (green), lakes (blue), and bunkers (yellow).

Glow Golf will feature a different 9 hole golf course each day, with little score sheets and pencils to write your scores upon (your score is displayed at the end of each hole). Over the days of EMF, the golf course, location and the styles of door handles used will change.

The installation is run on an ESP32, controlled with a door knob fitted with a potentiometer, displayed on a 5 metre reticulated LED rope and powered by a lithium battery. Glow Golf is built to be durable, so should be possible to leave unmonitored for extended periods of time (It has already been battle-tested at a variety of festivals across Europe, including children's festivals).

I designed Glow Golf as part of my efforts to make approachable play for people outside of conventional games audiences. My particular interest is addressing play inequality in older generations, who lack access to digital interaction and are unfamiliar with games interfaces, so using familiar objects such as door handles can lower barriers to access.