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AI Drives the IIMB Alumni Golf Tournament – D. Kishore ( PGP 1985)

How an IIM Bangalore Alumni Group Reimagined the Modern Golf Off-Site

Mr. Kishore Degwekar

For more than a decade, a close-knit group of alumni from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore – Class of 1985 has been quietly redefining what an alumni golf gathering can be.

Since 2010, the group—typically comprising around a dozen keen golfers—has met annually for a three-day golf off-site, hosted in destinations across Asia. The format has remained consistent and intentional: three rounds of golf over three days, supported by camaraderie, spirited competition, and the easy familiarity that comes from shared formative years.

This year’s edition, however, introduced a twist that may signal a broader shift in how golf events are planned and executed.

A Venue Change That Sparked Innovation

The 2026 off-site was originally scheduled to take place in Colombo, but due to unavoidable circumstances, the event was relocated to Mumbai at a relatively short notice. While the venue changed, the expectations did not: seamless logistics, relaxed golf, and time-bound departures for busy professionals.

Eight golfers ultimately participated—an accomplished group that included company promoters, board-level directors of listed companies, senior IT leaders, and management professionals including the President and the Vice President of the IIM-B PGP ’85 batch. These were individuals accustomed to high standards, limited time, and zero tolerance for operational friction.

Meeting those expectations led to a novel decision.

Planning the Entire Tournament with AI

For the first time, the event was planned end-to-end using ChatGPT, guided by a custom AI persona informally named “IIMBolfie.”

Rather than serving as a novelty, the AI functioned as a central planning engine, coordinating every element of the off-site:

  • Participant registration and confirmations
  • Tee-time scheduling across multiple golf courses
  • Airport, hotel, and course transfers with traffic buffers
  • Hotel logistics and rooming coordination
  • Evening entertainment and dining plans
  • Flight timing strategies for stress-free departures

In effect, the AI replaced what would normally require several organisers, countless spreadsheets, and a steady stream of phone calls.

Beyond Logistics: A Digital Caddie of Sorts

What truly distinguished this experiment was how far the AI’s role extended beyond logistics.

Golfers received context-aware guidance on:

  • Pre-round nutrition and portion control
  • Hydration strategies for long rounds in Mumbai’s February heat
  • Sun protection and recovery routines
  • Energy management between front and back nines
  • Mental focus techniques to stay calm and present over the ball

The AI also provided course-specific insights, flagging strategic challenges and helping players think more clearly about shot selection and pacing.

The result was visible on the course. Rounds started on time. Energy levels stayed consistent. Decision-making improved late in the day. And perhaps most importantly, no one was distracted by operational concerns.

Golf as It Should Be Played

Mumbai’s leg of the off-site featured multiple rounds across varied layouts, along with carefully curated evening programmes. Despite the compressed planning timeline, the event unfolded with remarkable smoothness.

Participants repeatedly described it as one of the most relaxed and enjoyable editions of the annual off-site—an observation made all the more striking given the last-minute venue shift.

By delegating the complexity of planning to AI, players were able to focus entirely on:

  • The next shot
  • The walk down the fairway
  • Conversations at lunch
  • And the shared rituals that make golf such a powerful social sport

A Glimpse into Golf’s Organisational Future

Golf has long embraced technology in equipment, analytics, and broadcasting. Event organisation, however, has remained largely manual—dependent on tradition, experience, and ad hoc coordination.

This alumni off-site offered a compelling alternative: AI not as a replacement for human judgement, but as an enabler of it.

By anticipating constraints, enforcing realistic schedules, and providing calm, consistent guidance, the AI allowed the human elements—friendship, competition, humour—to flourish.

Tradition, Enhanced

As the event concluded, golfers departed for their respective flights—on time, unhurried, and visibly satisfied. What stood out was not just the success of the off-site, but the sense that a new template had quietly emerged.

For the IIM Bangalore Class of 1985, the Mumbai edition reaffirmed the value of their long-standing tradition. At the same time, it demonstrated how modern tools can elevate even the most established rituals.

In an era where time is scarce and expectations are high, AI-driven planning may well become as indispensable to golf events as the caddie is to the player.

Much like a well-played round, the conclusion was unanimous and understated:

Same time next year.