Futuristic Equipment Available Today
WELCOME TO TOMORROW, where playing golf just became a little bit easier. Golf’s been tough enough as it is for years, but fortunately, some companies have been working outside the box to ease your burden. Combining forward thinking with state-of-the-art technology, they’ve recently brought welcome advances to the course. What seemed inconceivable only a few years ago can now transform your golf experience. Here’s a glimpse
For walkers, Bag Boy’s Navigator Quad Electric Push Cart makes schlepping your clubs a snap. Think of it as the Tesla of push carts. An internal gyroscope keeps the cart on track, letting it roll right alongside you all the way. A handheld remote lets you steer and control speed. Anti-deviation technology translates to worry-free operation. When it encounters a bump or hill, the cart stays its course with respect to speed and direction. The 37.5-pound unit includes a large lithium battery, twin motors, a fully retractable fifth wheel for added uphill stability, full-color display, multifunctional handle with adjustable height, and an adjustable bag bracket to accommodate golf bags of any size. Perhaps best of all, it comes with its own seat so you can rest between shots.
WATCH THIS!
GPS handhelds have shrunk in size. Now they can even be an app on your phone. Better yet, they’re offered on smartwatches and as dedicated watches that are more convenient and won’t eat up your phone battery. In fact, with one new watch model you really don’t need to worry about a battery at all. Garmin’s fēnix 6X Pro Solar is a solar-powered smartwatch armed with a revolutionary “Power Glass” crown. That’s important, because after the watch is charged in a wall socket, the lens absorbs sunlight to give it an extra battery boost, arming you with up to 24 days of juice in smartwatch mode. It comes loaded with maps for 41,000 golf courses. After golf, use the street-maps function for directions to the nearest watering hole.
Our favorite model so far is Phat Golf Scooter’s 2020 HD, an ultra-quiet vehicle that features a step-through design, powerful motor with plenty of hill-climbing torque, all-terrain large radial tires and a fluid functioning kickstand. It gets 30-to-50 miles per charge. Your bag straps to the rear for easy access. Expect a smooth, stable and comfortable ride. You’ll feel completely in control, with smooth acceleration and gentle hand braking. Many golfers find using a Phat Scooter much more convenient than sharing a cart, as they can travel directly from shot to shot without having to drop off their playing partner along the way. If there’s no group ahead, rounds can play significantly faster.
CADDIE IN A GRIP
Always wanted a private caddie who intimately knows your game and can help you select the right club for every shot? We can’t afford one either. Until now. This is a classic case of a computer chip replacing humans, but without any creepy science-fiction implications. The third generation of Arccos Caddie Smart Grips uses artificial intelligence to track distances for each club in your bag, manage your course tendencies and adjust distance in real-time for wind, slope, temperature, humidity and altitude. Oh yeah, and after five rounds, it tells you which club to hit based on your personal capabilities, history and optimal strategy. All you do is install the grips on any clubs, sync to a smartphone app, and play away. The graphics are visually outstanding. Inside word in the industry is that many golfers have lowered their handicaps and attributed it to this product.
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
If you can’t read a green to save par, two free-to-try smartphone apps have come to your rescue. The GolfLogix GPS + Putt Breaks (Android/iPhone) senses where you are standing in relation to the cup. You draw a line to the hole on the screen with your fingertip, and then it lays out a suggested roll target line to the hole while accounting for slope, break, distance and green speed. Similarly, Golf Scope — AR Green Reading (for iPhone only) uses augmented reality to show you 3D green-mapping with contours, elevation and distance. Just turn on your camera and mark your ball and the cup with your finger on the screen, and Golf Scope tells you where to aim and how how much break to play.