A VR-based virtual golf course system for training

Abstract

Recent developments of Virtual Reality (VR) technology has enabled immersive experiences which transport a person to a different location and time. Additionally, through the emulation of physical objects in the virtual world, it is now possible to build imaginary yet realistic virtual environments. VR has been used to reduce costs while improving training in the military. Thus, inspired by this use case, we would like to apply this concept to the world of golfing. This project aims to reduce the costs and barrier of entry associated with golfing by using a VR-based golf course system for golf training purposes. To build the system, we will be using ESRI Shapefiles and overhead scans in the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) format to build an immersive VR experience for the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset and the Oculus Touch controller using Unity VR. In essence, the system will be comprised of three components: Golf Course Data Transformer, Virtual Golf Course, and Golf Immersion with VR. The Golf Course Data Transformer will be responsible for transforming the inputs in the form of DTM and ESRI Shapefiles to readily usable meshes for importing into Unity. Afterwards, the virtual golf course can be built by applying different materials to the different features of the golf course as described in the input data. Finally, the VR component will be added to the virtual golf course, allowing players to interact with the virtual world as if it is an actual golf course. The development of the system was able to successfully produce a pipeline to convert data from the Reflection Bay Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America and turn it into an immersive golf course system with features allowing users to swing the golf ball and perform a simulation. In summary, the virtual golf training system was able to produce an immersive virtual golf course based on real golf course data, providing an advantage over existing systems in terms of immersiveness and cost effectiveness. Future work regarding the system include the addition of more golf courses, over-the-air updates to golf courses in the system, usage of wireless technologies or a standalone app to eliminate wired connections, and the addition of features tailored to professional users such as heatmaps, slope arrows, and/or contour lines.