Bringing one of sport’s most iconic events online with The Masters Official Website in 1996.
Building one of the first live sports websites — before anyone knew they needed one
The Context
In 1996, the internet was still experimental.
Most businesses didn’t have websites.
Live data online was almost unheard of.
And the idea of following a sporting event through a website was still questionable.
The Masters at Augusta, however, wasn’t just any event.
It was — and remains — one of the most prestigious tournaments in global sport.
So when the opportunity came to help create the official Masters website, this wasn’t about simply putting something online.
It was about doing something that, at the time, hadn’t really been done before.
A Small Team, Doing Big Work
I was part of the team that designed and developed the first version of the site.
Purple Internet based in Chiswick, London.
And when I say “team” — I mean a small one.
Three of us at that point, from memory:
- Nicky Morris — running the company, somehow holding everything together while working what felt like 90-hour weeks
- Andrew Wheeler — leading the design, and golf expertise
- Me — anything else
Which, in reality, meant:
- HTML development
- Content writing
- Contributing to design decisions
- Photography
- General problem solving
It was one of those projects where roles blur — because they have to.
Working Alongside IBM
IBM were the official technical sponsors of The Masters.
At the time, they were heavily focused on preparations for the upcoming Olympics.
So they brought us in to design and build the front-end of the website.
Behind the scenes, IBM handled:
- Live scoring feeds
- Leaderboards
- Data infrastructure
They supplied the data.
We made it usable, visible, and coherent.
The Challenge
Looking back, it’s easy to underestimate what this involved.
At the time, we were working with:
- Early-stage browsers
- Slow connection speeds
- No established UX patterns
- No real precedent for live sports websites
And yet, the expectations were high.
The site had to reflect the prestige of Augusta, deliver live tournament information, and remain stable under unpredictable demand.
All without the tools we now take for granted.
What We Built
For 1996, this was ambitious.
The site included live scoring and leaderboard updates, fed directly from IBM’s systems — one of the earliest examples of real-time sports data online.
We created 3D course visualisations and flyovers of every hole, adapted from CD-ROM assets and converted for web use. At the time, this was genuinely cutting-edge.
At the event itself, we captured player interviews using a digital camera, streamed them as they were recorded, and published both audio and text versions.
We also maintained live news updates, weather forecasts, and a regularly updated photo gallery — all manually processed and uploaded.
If you saw it now, it would feel basic.
At the time, it was pretty advanced — even if the final delivery might have felt slow by today’s standards.
The Moment That Defined It
Then came the final round.
Greg Norman led by six shots going into Sunday. The tournament looked decided.
But Augusta has a way of changing that.
Over the course of the day, Norman’s lead disappeared, pressure built, and momentum shifted.
Nick Faldo, calm and composed, took control and went on to win — completing one of the most dramatic turnarounds in major championship history.
Why This Mattered Online
Moments like that don’t just happen on the course. They drive attention.
Traffic increased. Interest surged. People wanted updates — constantly.
And this is where something unexpected happened.
IBM’s initial view had been simple: why would anyone use a sports website when it’s already on TV?
What actually happened was different.
People began using the website during the week, from their workplace internet connections, where speeds were faster.
They followed scores, updates, and developments online — and then watched the coverage on TV at the weekend.
It wasn’t either/or.
It was both.
The website didn’t replace television. It extended the experience.
The Bigger Shift
This wasn’t happening in isolation.
Live scoring had started to emerge through early projects like Wimbledon.
From there, things accelerated.
We went on to work across:
- The Grand Slam tennis tournaments
- The Masters
- The Ryder Cup
- The PGA Championship
And then something interesting happened.
Other industries started paying attention.
From Sport to Systems
The idea of live information online quickly moved beyond sport.
We began building systems that handled real-time data for banks and airport arrival and departure systems.
By 1996–1997, we had live information feeds for UK airports available online.
At the time, that represented a real shift in how information was accessed and delivered.
Looking Back
There were no templates. No frameworks. No best practices.
Just a small team, tight timelines, and problems that didn’t yet have standard solutions.
It was demanding, occasionally chaotic, and constantly evolving.
But it worked.
Then vs Now: What’s Changed (and What Hasn’t)
In 1996, websites were experimental, live data was rare, and everything had to be built manually without a playbook. The challenge was proving it could be done at all.
Today, websites are expected to perform. Real-time data is standard, AI influences visibility, and the challenge is no longer whether something can be built — but whether it actually works.
What hasn’t changed is more important.
People still want clear, useful information. Timing still matters. Technology still only works when it’s applied thoughtfully.
The difference is still made by how things are put together.
The Thread That Connects It
From one of the first live sports websites to modern digital platforms shaped by search and AI:
The job hasn’t changed. Only the tools have.
Then, it was about building something that proved it was possible.
Now, it’s about building something that proves it works.
A Final Thought
Long before AI, SEO, and modern digital strategy, the principle was the same.
Take something complex. Make it accessible. Make it work in real time.
Because whether it’s a global sporting event or someone searching for your services today, the moment matters.
And your digital presence needs to be ready for it.
You can see the Masters Official Website at: https://masters.com
