No sport has delved into technology or flooded the market with more products in the past decade than golf. From balls and clubs to apparel and other items in and out of your bag, technology is everywhere. But it’s not all wires, lasers and chips. Technology comes in many forms, and how something works for you on the range or course depends on things such as skill level, income and what you want out of the game. Here are some golf-related items that caught our eye this year.
DATREK GO LITE PRO BAG
If you like to walk and carry your clubs, Datrek’s Go Lite Pro bag has 14 full-length dividers and weighs a mere 5.5 pounds. The easy-to-carry bag made of a durable nylon material also features padded double shoulder straps and five pockets for balls, garments, valuables and a beverage, in addition to fitting well on a pull cart. It’s one of several bags and products from Datrek. Visit Datrek.com
PELICAN ELITE CARRY ON
If you want a carry-on bag that meets airline specifications and will keep your valuables safe, the new Pelican Elite 22″ Carry On does that and more. It comes with a retractable handle, TSA approved locks and ball bearing wheels. It’s waterproof to about a yard, and its double wall polypropylene construction can hold loads of up to 1,500 pounds. That’s a lot of golf balls! Visit pelican.com
EPSON M-TRACER
Epson, with headquarters in Long Beach, is now in the golf business with its M-Tracer swing analysis tool. Containing high-resolution sensors, the device gives golfers a real-time swing breakdown in easy-to-read information. The M-Tracer attaches to your club grip and sends data, through Bluetooth, to your mobile device. Among things you’ll see, in 3D, are the club’s swing path, speed and face angle of the clubhead at impact. Visit epson.com/golf
BRIDGESTONE ARMY E6 BALLS
If you play a lot of Army golf – you know: left, right, left, right – then Bridgestone has the perfect ball for you. The company and the U.S. Army have partnered on a limited edition e6 golf ball bearing the Army logo and a Digi Camo pattern. Plus, the e6 is designed to fly straighter, so hopefully you can eliminate that back-and-forth play of the past. The e6 also has a soft multilayer and web dimple design that enhances surface coverage for more distance. Visit bridgestonegolf.com
MIZUNO IRONS
Mizuno’s irons have been on several “hot lists” this year, and for good reason. In the past year or so, Mizuno has released irons for every level of golfer. The JPX-EZ might be the most forgiving irons on the market, and the MP-15 irons are a good mix of tradition and technology. Mizuno prides itself on research, testing and more research before releasing clubs on the market. It shows with these new irons, which are designed to have you hitting more fairways and greens. Visit mizunousa.com
KENSINGTON PLUG ADAPTER
If you’re planning a golf trip outside the U.S., this all-in-one travel plug adapter is handy to have for recharging all of your gadgets. The portable device has an adapter for every country you might visit (well, at least 150), making it easy to charge your devices via USB or a wall outlet by selecting the appropriate plug with the push of a button. It’s one of several high-tech items from Kensington designed to make our digital lives less disruptive. Visit kensington.com
SCOREBAND PULSE
A laser rangefinder is a high-tech gadget for distances to the front, middle and back of greens in addition to hazards and the pin. Many retail in the $300-$450 range, making the words “affordable” and “laser rangefinder” an odd sentence pairing. The ScoreBand Pulse is a compact – and affordable – laser rangefinder, with a retail price of $179.99. It’s as accurate and easy to use as the more expensive models, and there’s also a GPS golf watch ($149.99) and other wearable score-keeping devices that also come in handy. Visit scoreband.net
GODORS
You know that smell. It resides inside your locker, shoes and golf bag. You can get rid of it, and even prevent it, with Godors, a spray that eliminates odors and kills 99.9 percent of bacteria in less than five minutes. And it’s more than just a masking scent, as Godors gets to the root of the problem and is non-toxic, with isopropyl alcohol, tea tree oil, olive leaf extract and cinnamon combining to tackle the job. Start spraying. Stop stinking. Visit godors.com
BOOMBOT PRO
If you like to listen to tunes on the course, the Boombot Pro will be music to your ears. The device delivers uncanny quality and ease of use because of its professional acoustics, built-in flash storage, clip-on design and waterproof construction that produces good sound in a variety of elements. It fits nicely in your golf bag or golf cart and has adequate battery life. Visit boombotix.com
CHAMP C1 PUTTER GRIPS
If putting is the most important part of the game, shouldn’t you feel comfortable standing over putts? Champ’s C1 grip is made from a lightweight and nice-feeling polyurethane material in medium and large sizes to meet the market’s demand for thicker and more stable putter grips. The paddle design has a reminder-notch pattern and the C1 stops wrist breakdown for a more consistent stroke. Two Digi Camo color options – Old Glory and Rainforest – are new. Visit champgrips.com
CATALYST SLEEVES
If you bring valuables and/or digital devices to the course, Catalyst has waterproof sleeves in three sizes to protect your stuff and give you peace of mind. The EVA foam lining keeps electronics protected, and seams and zippers welded with double-lock construction ensures that the contents stay dry and dust free. Sleeves can be used inside a bag as protective covers or transform into a backpack, briefcase or tote by adding removable straps. Visit cataystlifestyle.com
ARCCOS SYSTEM
Golf analytics can be cool or confusing depending on how tech savvy you are or if you care how far you hit your 7-iron on a shot-by-shot basis. The benefits of shot tracking and statistics are many for those who want to improve, and Arccos has something here that’s easy to use and informative without getting in the way of your round. The system features 14 sensors that attach to the grip end of a club and pair via Bluetooth with a free iPhone app. Once you begin a round, the system maps, measures and records each shot taken for data such as distances with each club, putts per round, greens hit in regulation and driving accuracy to help you identify patterns in your play. You can also program in the course you’re playing on the system’s GPS for general distance information. Visit arccosgolf.com
ALL-IN-ONE-SWING TRAINER
Unless you have constant access to video, it’s hard to tell whether your swing stays on plane or not. The All-In-One Swing Trainer from SKLZ is an instant feedback tool for your practice sessions when it comes to proper setup and swing plane. And, unlike basic alignment sticks, the device has adjustable components for golfers of any height. That makes it easy to have one stick work for swing plane and another to rest on the right side of your head during the motion to make sure it doesn’t bob or sway too much. The trainer is designed to build memory for an inside-to-square swing path that eliminates pulling across the ball and hitting slices. When through, it folds up compactly for storage in your trunk or a closet. Visit sklz.com
SIGHT BALL
Almost all golf balls have a line to help with putting. Sight Ball has quite a few more. So many, in fact, that you can’t set the practice ball down without seeing what looks like six gun sights, each with four lines to help with alignment: One points down the target line, one toward your face, another at your feet to gauge proper stance and the last one with the club at the back of the ball. It’s best for chipping and putting, unless you have a practice space where you can pick the balls up after hitting. For now, Top Flite is the brand of ball used. Visit sightball.com
SWITCHGRIPS
Moveable weights and adjustability are standard procedures with most clubs these days. SwitchGrips is capitalizing on the movement and bringing adjustability to putter grips. The product’s selection as one of the top three Best New Products at the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show shows that they’re on to something. Here’s the concept: Once you’ve replaced your grip with the inner sleeve of the SwitchGrips putter system, it never has to come off again since the grip that makes contact with your hands is an interchangeable outer sleeve that allows for several combinations of look, weight and feel. The process of changing the grip can be done in about a minute by removing a screw at the butt of the putter, sliding the sleeve off, sliding a new one on and replacing the screw. Now go putt! Options include leather, gator, crocodile, ostrich, stingray and snake. Visit switchgripsusa.com
GOLFBUDDY WT5 GPS WATCH
The Golf Buddy WT5 is one of several wrist-wearing GPS devices available for the links. With close to 40,000 pre-loaded courses, simply put the WT5 in Play mode when at yours and you’re ready to go. Walk to any tee and the watch recognizes it when you’re about 10 feet away, displaying distances to the front, middle and back of the green in addition to hazards and other objects. Upon arriving to your ball, the Shot Tracking mode tells you how far you hit it, and the WT5 can also track how far you’ve walked. One of the cooler features is the dynamic green view with multiple pin location options, so if the course you’re at provides pin sheets and you’re good enough to hit small segments of the putting surface, you’ll be a step ahead of your buddies … and maybe a few feet closer to the flag. Visit golfbuddyglobal.com
BODITRAK
Building a swing from the ground up is gaining traction across the country. BodiTrak Sports has a technology that uses a smart fabric the size of a doormat to read how golfers apply pressure to the ground. Custom algorithms read the shift change during the swing to provide calibrated force values that can be interpreted by you and/or an instructor. BodiTrak can also measure a golfer’s ability to brace his or her lateral motion with the driver for a more ascending blow and greater carry distance. Visit boditraksports.com
BUSHNELL TOUR X
The latest offering from Bushnell – the Tour X – has two interchangeable faceplates. The black measures only distances, which makes it USGA competition legal. Switch to the red faceplate and a USB connector on the inside activates Bushnell’s Slope Technology for actual yardage that takes into account elevation changes. The TOUR X’s Dual Display Technology allows users to toggle between the two, but just know that if you’re in a sanctioned tournament the black faceplate is the only one deemed legal. (But when with your buddies? Take every advantage you can get!) The TOUR X is also equipped with second generation E.S.P. technology that provides yardages five times faster and more accurately than before.
BIRDIEBOX
This $45-a-month subscription service nets you around $150 in goodies every 30 days. Items include golf, lifestyle and nutritional items and the latest issue of Golf Digest. Last year, boxes included golf shirts, balls and high-end sunglasses. Subscriptions are offered in one-, three-, six– and 12-month options. You’re not sure what items you’ll get each month, but most are based on profile questions and feedback you send the company. Visit birdiebox.com
