The Gold Man Origin Story, by chatGPT
Cameron Smith may have won The Players Championship in 2022, but the winner of our hearts that weekend was the mixed-reality trophy topper known as Gold Man, or Gold Boy to Golf Twitter.
For those of you who don’t remember, NBC and the PGA Tour partnered with a virtual event production company called The Famous Group to give life to the famous Gold Man trophy that The Players Championship has become known for. They even had Gold Man recreate popular shots from moments in Players Championship history, including the “Better Than Most” moment made famous by Tiger Woods in 2001.
The Players used new emerging mixed reality technology to introduce Gold Man to the world. So I decided to take it upon myself to use another form of new and exciting technology to unveil more of Gold Man’s story. I asked chatGPT to write and give a title to a fictional story about a figurine on a golf trophy who comes to life and gets to compete in the golf tournament for which he is the very trophy they win.
So without further adieu, here is the Gold Man origin story - unedited - written by chatGPT:
Putting Dreams into Motion
On a bright summer day, a group of golfers gathered at the Green Hills Golf Club for the annual tournament. The event was highly prestigious, and the winner would receive a stunning golden trophy in the shape of a golfer figurine. The trophy had been passed down from generation to generation, and every year, the winner's name was inscribed on it.
However, what none of the golfers knew was that the figurine on the trophy had a secret. For years, it had been watching as golfers came and went, and it had always dreamed of taking part in the tournament. One day, when everyone had left, the figurine wished upon a shooting star, hoping that its dream would come true.
The next morning, as the golfers arrived at the course, they were astonished to find that the figurine on the trophy had come to life. The little golfer hopped off the trophy and introduced itself as Tommy. The golfers were surprised but delighted to see the figurine come to life.
Tommy was thrilled at the prospect of competing in the tournament, and the golfers were happy to include him in their group. But they soon discovered that Tommy was no ordinary golfer. He had a natural talent for the game, and his small size gave him an advantage in maneuvering around the obstacles on the course.
As the tournament progressed, Tommy quickly rose to the top of the leaderboard. The other golfers were amazed at his skills, and they soon realized that he was a serious contender for the trophy. However, Tommy had a secret that nobody knew - he was determined to win the tournament and keep the trophy for himself, so that he could continue to live as a real golfer.
As the final round approached, Tommy was tied for the lead with the best golfer in the tournament. The tension was high as they approached the last hole, where Tommy had to make a crucial shot to win the game. The other golfers watched in amazement as Tommy hit a perfect shot, landing the ball right in the hole.
The crowd erupted in applause as Tommy was declared the winner of the tournament. The other golfers congratulated him on his victory, but Tommy was already thinking about his future. He knew that he could not stay in his current form forever, and he needed to find a way to become a real golfer permanently.
In the end, Tommy decided to donate the trophy to the Green Hills Golf Club, hoping that it would inspire other young golfers to follow their dreams. As he returned to his figurine form, he knew that he had achieved something extraordinary and that he would always be remembered as the little golfer who won the tournament.
As years went by, the story of Tommy the figurine became a legend at the Green Hills Golf Club. Children would gather around the trophy and gaze in wonder at the tiny golfer, imagining the amazing adventures he must have had on the course. And every year, as the new winner's name was inscribed on the trophy, they would say a silent thank you to Tommy, the little figurine who had come to life and won the tournament.
