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5 Best Golf Gadgets For 2015

 

With each new season, golfers look forward not just to warm weather and lower scores, but to the myriad of golf gadgets and toys intended to make the game easier, more fun, and sometimes even a bit more casual. Golf is nothing if not equipment intensive and most golfers are never shy about adding to the mix. Gloves, balls, clubs, tees, the basics, those are a given, but all of the other toys, gadgets, and maybe even gimmicks will always grab the attention of even the most staid golf traditionalists, if only for a moment. The quirky little swing-trainers, the “magic” tip, the weighted club, all of the rain gear that stays in your bag because you don’t like to golf in the rain, golfers love it all, even if they don’t always want to admit it.

With eyes always open for lowering scores or adding distance to drives, though, golfers are more open-minded than they sometimes let on. There’s nearly nothing out of the realm of possibility for a golfer convinced that something will lower their score. Even a blade-iron wielding, cart-shunning, drunken Scotsman, playing a gutta percha ball while dressed in plus-fours, would have an open-minded look at just about anything he thought might shave a stroke off his score. With that in mind, we present you a list of, shall we say, golf “accessories,” that you may want to consider, no matter your fondness for the tradition of the game. Below are five golf items that could lower your scores, increase your fun level, or maybe even both.

1. RoboGolf Pro – We start here because, well, because it’s quite amusing to imagine the fictional drunken Scotsman fastened, if only very briefly, to this device. Only slightly less amusing is the idea of then taking it seriously but, crazy as it might seem, this thing has some merit. While it looks like someone is trying to turn an “Iron Byron” into a ride for children, in actuality, the RoboGolf Pro is trying to turn you into an Iron Byron. By guiding you through the precise motions and positions of the perfect golf swing, the RoboGolf Pro incrementally adds speed and resistance until (this next part is purely theoretical), voila…a perfect golf swing. Just to be clear, you’re not actually buying the big contraption and putting it somewhere (though you could probably if you had a spare warehouse), you’re supposed to go to local “academies” for instruction. If you see one, put a quarter in…

2. Zepp Golf 3D Swing Analyzer – Our drunken Scotsman would be relieved that our next item is far more discreet. The Zepp Golf 3D Swing Analyzer is, aside from its bright yellow hue, nearly hidden, attaching to the backside of your golf glove. Within the small clip is a transmitter, reporting back to an app on your smartphone (which, admit it, you always have on the course with you anyway) that collects about every single possible piece of available relevant data. You can track all of your statistics as they unfold during a round or a practice session, or you can wait until later and break the data down in greater detail. Either way, you’ll have a reference point for your golf swing and hard data from which to improve upon. If you’re going to always keep that technology in your pocket anyway, you may as well put it to golf use. “Wet’s uh smurtphoon, laddie?”

3. GolfSkate Caddy – Imagine a Segway for the golf course and you’re not far off. That buzz you hear isn’t the little electric motor in them, it’s everyone you know talking about the future of the golf cart. While GolfSkate Caddy isn’t the only product of its kind on the market, it does have the best battery power, greatest stability, and highest ground clearance. Most golfers love the idea of walking but most often opt for the speed and convenience of a cart, especially in hot conditions or on hilly courses. GolfSkate Caddy improves upon the speed and convenience of the cart, bringing to market a personal, stand-up powered cart that cuts a direct line, does far less turf damage than a traditional golf cart, and adds fun to the entire equation. Even golfers who insist on walking will be tempted to jump on a GolfSkate caddy when they see others carving turns as though they were surfing or snowboarding on dry land. There’s no reason not to add fun to the game!

4. The Perfect Putter – Upon first sight of The Perfect Putter, you’ll probably find yourself intrigued to finally be seeing a Stimpmeter in person. However, this tool isn’t to read the speed of greens as much as it is to be able to see the break in a putt at various speeds. Simply set The Perfect Putter up on a practice green, roll the ball from it for reference, pull it away (leaving only the alignment indictor) and then replicate it all with your own putting stroke, confidently knowing that if you strike it properly, it will go in the hole every time. There’s not much technology involved here, just a very simple concept to help you improve the most important part of your game. Assuming he could figure it all out, even the Scotsman could approve of this one easily.

5. Arccos – The Arccos GPS Golf Shot Tracking Platform is a brilliant combination of simplicity and technology. Fitting small, unobtrusive end caps to each of your golf clubs, Arccos relies on a smartphone app to compile all resulting data. The Arccos caps on your clubs are tracked by your smartphone app whenever you are playing, tracking all of the data from each of your clubs and compiling all of the information in the app for analysis, statistics tracking, and more. Know your distances, track your progress, and improve your game, with simple, manageable technology.

Whether you’re a buttoned-up traditionalist or a flat-brimmed new-schooler, if you’re looking to improve your game, learn more about your swing, or just have more genuine fun out on the course, you’ll likely be intrigued by any of these five products. 


Source: River’s Edge Golf Blog