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 or how you want to look playing it. Here are some golf-related items that caught our eye this year. To use or not to use, that is the question. Good luck.
ADIDAS ASYM ENERGY BOOST
Your right foot and left foot do different things when you swing a golf club, so adidas created Asym Energy Boost, the first asymmetrical golf shoe with a different design for the front and back foot based on if you swing right or left handed. The different designs are intended to help with weight transfer, stability and power, and an external heel counter enhances lateral stability while the TPU outsole is fitted with special traction elements for optimal control in all conditions. Visit adidasgolf.com
COOLCORE
If you blow your top because of bad shots, perhaps you need help staying cool. Imperial can help with that because of the company’s Coolcore technology that provides a cooling solution and moisture-management fabrics that don’t rely on chemicals, polymers or gels. The fabrics are fast drying and regulate evaporation for a cooling effect, resulting in up to 30 percent lower surface temperatures, drier garments and no degradation from washing. Visit amazon.com
2XU COMPRESSION GEAR
Have more aches and pains after your weekly round of golf? Compression gear from 2XU can help with that by improving circulation, muscle containment and reducing muscle vibration while you walk and swing. It also keeps your blood flowing on long flights – in an airplane, not on the course watching your golf ball. The 2XU gear is available in socks, shorts, shirts, jackets and tops, with a new low-rise sock that is definitely worth a try. Visit 2XU.com
UNDER ARMOUR COLD BLACK
You might not be able to play like Jordan Spieth but you can wear the Under Armour apparel he likes, including the Coldblack line being touted as a game changer. Many fabrics, especially dark colors, heat up in the sun, but Under Armour’s new technology is allowing players who prefer wearing dark hues to do so all year long, with the added benefit of skin protection from sun damage. A variety of colors make the options a good fit for off the course as well. Visit underarmour.com
SUNICE
Sunice makes stylish golf apparel that stands up to all weather conditions and includes a waterproof guarantee. The golf outerwear line, introduced in 1992, provides the kind of quality one might expect from ski gear. In 2015, the company stepped up the brightness factor with more neon greens, blues and bright yellows for pullovers and sweaters, and the company’s Performance Layering System and X-Static Silver technology means you’ll feel comfortable in changing conditions. Visit sunice.com
SENSOGLOVE
We all know we’re supposed to grip the club lightly, and some of us do … until starting the downswing and choking the poor grip. The only way to know that’s happening, though, is if your forearms are sore after a round. Until now, that is. Sensosolutions, a motion and performance measurement company, has come out with SensoGlove, a training device with a lightweight, sweat-proof and removable LED digital monitor and sensors built into the glove that analyzes swing pressure for instant feedback. Users dial in their ideal grip pressure on a scale of 1-18 and swing away. The SensoGlove displays the pressure and warns you if the target level is exceeded, both at address and during swing. With monitors on each finger, the glove can also tell which digit is squeezing too tightly, and an audio warning tells users exactly when the pressure is too tight. Visit sensoglove.com
VIVOBAREFOOT LINX
It’s been said that Sam Snead played holes barefoot if he felt his timing and balance were off. He won 82 tournaments, which remains the most in PGA Tour history. Maybe he was on to something. Maybe Vivobarefoot is too. The original maker of barefoot running shoes is now in the golf game, too, with its latest model being the Linx, a shoe made of ion-masked waterproof leather and off-road barefoot sole that allows for natural movement on and off the course. Wearers will definitely feel the ground while wearing Linx shoes, but the minimal extra layering in the insoles provide a surprising amount of comfort, and the shock absorption, motion control and sensory feedback of the Pure Barefoot Technology makes almost every step feel light and connected. Visit vivobarefoot.com
TALON GOLF GLOVE
Normally, when a product is labeled as tacky, that’s not good. But the owners of CaddyDaddy Golf are proud of that distinction, at least when it comes to its Talon glove and the company’s Tack Fusion grip technology. Wearing this glove will literally give you sticky fingers, which is kind of the idea when gripping a club in varying weather conditions. CaddyDaddy is primarily known for golf travel bags, but, as the story goes, the company was intrigued by the materials used in gloves worn by running backs and receivers in the NFL, and officials wanted to bring that technology to golf. The result is Talon, which can have its tackiness revived with a damp towel after each round. Visit caddydaddygolf.com
STABLE 26 SOCKS
It isn’t often that an instruction manual accompanies a pair of mini crew socks. But buy a pair of Stable 26 golf socks, and there it is. Slip the socks on, and there you go … off for a comfortable walk on the course. The name for Stable 26 derives from the fact that the foot has 26 structural support bones; the philosophy behind the name is because the foot is subject to countless athletic injuries. For golf, however, the main thrust is that the socks can make your shoes fit better because of the silicone pads in the socks just below the ankle. The pads close the gap between foot and shoe and can be adjusted when needed. Benefits include more arch support, reduced friction and less foot movement inside the shoe. Who knew? Visit stable26.com
UV SKINZ
Rhonda Sparks started UV Skinz a couple years ago after her husband, at only 32, died of melanoma, the mostly deadly form of skin cancer. Southern Californians, and particularly those who golf, are aware of how the sun can be both fun and dangerous, with not everyone paying enough attention to the latter. The sun protective clothing line is understatedly stylish, soft, smooth and carries a UPF rating of 50-plus, meaning it blocks out nearly all of the sun’s harmful rays. The UV protection is in the tight weave of the fabric, which means the sun shirts are sans chemicals or lotions. Visit uvskinz.com
