Old Tom Morris never could have dreamt that someday golfers would enjoy things such as laser rangefinders, GPS measuring devices and Bluetooth speakers. The newest electronic golf accessories are making the game more fun and helping golfers shoot lower scores.
Bushnell Wingman GPS Speaker, $149.99
Shaped like a tennis ball can, this Bluetooth speaker wirelessly connects to a smartphone to play music on the course, and it has a few hidden surprises. Pressing a button on the detachable remote control, which is the size of a silver dollar, decreases the music’s volume, and the Wingman will announce the distance to the front, middle and back of the green on the hole being played. There is also a powerful magnet on one side that securely attaches the unit to the side of the cart, which improves sound. The battery lasts 10 hours, and the Wingman also can be used as a smartphone charger.
Flight Scope Mevo+, $1,999.00
When considering that top-of-the-line launch monitors can cost as much as $25,000, the price tag of the Mevo+ seems like a bargain given everything it can do. Using Doppler radar, Mevo+ can measure basic things such as swing speed, ball speed, launch angle and spin rate, as well as compute landing angle, roll out and spin axis. It creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for fast connections to a smartphone or tablet, comes installed with five courses to simulate playing while on the range, and includes skill challenges to focus on distance control and accuracy.
TecTecTec ULT-G GPS watch, $119.99
Known for inexpensive laser rangefinders, TecTecTec branched into GPS watches with the ULT-G. The device uses satellites to automatically determine the course, the hole and precise location on more than 38,000 courses around the world. It provides yards to the front, middle and back of the greens, as well as hazards and doglegs. The ULT-G is water- and dust-resistant, and the company said a full battery charge lasts 45 holes.
Garmin S62 GPS watch, $499.99
The new S62 is the same size as last season’s S60 GPS watch, but Garmin enlarged the color display to make it easier to see, even in bright sunlight. The S62 has a battery that lasts 20 hours in play mode and comes preloaded with more than 41,000 courses. The unit displays distances to hazards as well as the front, middle and back of the green. When paired with a smartphone, the S62 can make caddie-style club suggestions based
on a player’s shot history and the conditions. On approach shots, the Green View provides an accurate image of the green’s shape for added confidence.
Voice Caddie SC300 launch monitor, $499.99
Easy to set up on the range or indoors, the SC300 launch monitor uses Doppler radar to measure launch angle, ball speed, shot apex and carry distance. It also audibly announces the distance of each shot, so it doesn’t interrupt the flow of a practice session. When paired with a smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth, the SC300 can also reveal spin rates and show representations of shots in real time. A practice mode and target mode can help hone distance control and feel.
Precision Pro NX9 Slope laser rangefinder, $269.99
The 6X magnification provides a clear look at the course when peering through the laser rangefinder, which makes hitting targets and spotting distant flags much easier. As the name implies, the unit has a slope function that calculates playing distances based on the measured yardage and whether a shot is uphill or downhill. The numbers and text in the viewfinder are bright, while the magnetic grip can be attached to a cart for easier access. The unit has a range of up to 400 yards, vibrates when it finds the flag and is water resistant.
SkyCaddie SX400 GPS, $299.95
The SX400 has many of the popular features found in the 5-inch SX500 but in a full-color, 4-inch touchscreen. Pre-loaded with more than 35,000 courses that SkyGolf measures and ground verifies for accuracy, the SX400 provides up to 40 reference points per hole to make finding the perfect carry and lay-up distances easier. The view of the green shifts to match a player’s perspective, and the RangeView with Club Ranges feature learns how far a player hits each club and then shows where each club’s average distance would go on the hole being played.
