STRI, the world’s leading sports turf consultancy, has been shortlisted in two categories at the inaugural Sports Technology Awards.

STRI has been announced as a finalist in the categories for Best Technology in a Single Sport and Best use of Technology by a Governing Body. The shortlisted entries are in recognition of STRI’s innovative Trueness Meter™ and reflect the achievements of the device being used widely on golf courses and STRI’s application of the technology with The R&A.

The STRI Trueness Meter™.

Initially developed in 2006 by STRI scientists, Dr Stephen Baker and Dr Christian Spring, in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University and with funding from The R&A, the STRI Trueness Meter™ accurately measures the smoothness and trueness of golf greens. The technology tracks the vertical and lateral movements of golf balls across the surface of the course. This provides golf clubs with an accurate measurement of the smoothness and trueness of ball roll on greens, enabling them to measure surface quality and quantify improvement.

The Trueness Meter™ has successfully been used at over 400 golf clubs, measuring 2,500+ greens across the world.  It has also been used by The R&A in all Open Championships since 2010, where the data and results are used to influence turf management decisions on a daily basis. The R&A and players have been very complimentary about the resultant increase in playing surface quality since the technology was introduced.

Launched this year, the Sports Technology Awards recognise the role that technology plays in sport and the positive impact of advances from the perspective of officials and players as well as spectators.  The awards aim to celebrate excellence and acknowledge successful technological innovation across all aspects of the sports market.

Gordon McKillop, Chief Executive, STRI, said: “We’re delighted to have been shortlisted in not just one, but two categories for the Sports Technology Awards 2014, especially with the calibre of shortlisted finalists being very high. What the STRI Trueness Meter™ has achieved in a relatively short period of time is nothing short of revolutionary in the way golf clubs and The R&A now measure the performance of greens.

“There was nothing previously in existence to determine the quality of smoothness and trueness of golf courses, which represent the true playing qualities of putting surfaces. This is a technological innovation in golf which has made a vast difference to the surface performance of golf greens, supporting how the sport is played and enjoyed all over the world.”

Entries in the Award’s 19 categories have been received from all over the world including across Europe, South Africa, USA and Australia.

The Sports Technology Awards Ceremony takes place at The Brewery in London on 4 April 2014.