Scott Mingay
Driven by data to support the game
Scott Mingay came to the USGA in 2013 as a research engineer with experience in the motorsports industry.
One of his first USGA responsibilities was traveling to PGA Tour events to test the clubs of players for rules conformance.
“As someone who wasn’t involved in golf growing up, that immersed me into the deep end,” said Mingay, who is currently the USGA’s senior director of products and engineering and lives in New Jersey with his wife and infant daughter.
While at those PGA Tour stops, Mingay asked questions about data, more directly: How was it acquired? How was it used? After all, he was a mechanical engineer, and he needed data to resolve his newcomer inquiries.
He received puzzled looks as answers to those questions, and he returned to the USGA’s headquarters with ideas about how to apply data. As a self-admitted tinkerer, he wanted to know if the USGA would back the idea of building products that would be data-driven for better results, whatever they might be.
“Using data was critical,” Mingay said, alluding to his time in motorsports. “We wanted to get the most performance out of the car when we show up at the racetrack.”
His queries were well-timed because the USGA was already on that data-driven path, particularly with golf course maintenance. With Matt Pringle in the lead and Mingay as the manager of research and development, the association started the Research, Science, and Innovation initiative. According to Mingay, the idea was “how do we bring innovative products to the golf industry to help with the sustainability challenges?”
“We provide the tools necessary for this industry to advance so that we have great golf courses that are economically and environmentally sustainable.”
SCott mingay
The TruFirm device for measuring green firmness was already on the market, and USGA scientists were diligently developing the GS3 ball (for green speed, smoothness, and firmness) as well as Deacon (a cloud-based system that integrates data from various sources), both designed to help golf course superintendents make informed, data-driven decisions.
Mingay, who admitted he “drives them crazy” with this attention to detail, directs a team of 20 engineers, data scientists, and product managers that is meshed with the USGA Green Section. He said he spends most of this time “putting them in a position where they understand the customer problem, understand how all the parts will come together, and how we can be innovative.”
He cited the products being used in 30 countries and most of the top courses in the United States. In 2024, the GS3 ball was used at the Olympics. In 2025, it was used at all four men’s major championships.
“We are building these products and distributing and selling them globally,” said Mingay, who makes nearly 100 visits to golf courses or clubs annually. “It’s a real business for us.”
He understands the mutual benefits to the USGA (financial) and the industry (new and meaningful products) of his team’s work.
“The maintenance side and administrative side of the golf business dwarfs apparel, equipment, and championships or tournaments,” said Mingay. “When you look at the potential for growth with what we are doing, it is enormous – not just because of the scale, but because of the impact we can create in shaping the future of this industry.”
But there’s still a noble purpose to their efforts.
“We provide the tools necessary for this industry to advance so that we have great golf courses that are economically and environmentally sustainable,” he said.
Pete Kowalski
