By Scott Kramer
The annual PGA Merchandise Show was in Orlando last week. Thousands of companies showcased their golf-related products and services to attendees that include PGA Professionals, golf course operators, pro shop buyers, retailers, and pretty much everyone else in the huge golf industry. As you might expect, products are including more technology than ever — and not in places you might expect it. Some examples:
Cobra Golf’s new KING F8 AND F8+ club lines are the sport’s first smart club sets. All clubs in both sets come standard with connected smart grips powered by an embedded Arccos computer sensor. Each chip automatically tracks and analyzes a golfer’s performance, through shot tracking, distance calculation and location. The accompanying smartphone app has a GPS function, as well, and displays analytics, such as strokes gained and handicap breakdowns for driving, approach, chipping, sand and putting. Three other companies — Blast Motion, SuperStroke and TaylorMade — also just unveiled an upcoming smart putter that they joined forces on.
At a media event prior to the show, Sun Mountain will showcase its new Supercharged carry and cart bags. Two models are offered, each armed with two USB ports — one standard and one rapid-charging, allowing recharging of multiple devices at the same time — wired to a portable power pack that’s capable of recharging a mobile phone and powering a mobile device. That way, you can make phone calls, play some music and do some texting — without worrying about running out your phone battery by the back nine.
If you’ve ever hit balls in an indoor course simulator, you know that there’s generally no place to putt. Until now. NextLinks, a Southern California company, has solved the problem with a true-to-golf gaming experience. Its proprietary software seamlessly blends golf simulator play with realistic short game shots and putting on cool, terrained putting greens. A player’s ball position in the simulator game is tracked, and the system designates an exact spot to putt out from on a synthetic green, via a colored laser mark. Depending on the venue, greens can be massive or small. The first NextLinks facility has already opened in Orange County, Calif., with another coming soon to the renowned Indian Wells Resort in Palm Springs.
At last year’s show, a concept smart ball by Coach Labs was awarded the “Best New Game Improvement Device of the Year.” This year, the GEN i1 golf ball is out on the market. Its core has an embedded, nine-axis sensor and on-board MCU that acts like a miniature launch monitor. The ball is calibrated for putting, and measures initial direction, speed, impact force and ball rotation. The data is then transmitted via Bluetooth to a smartphone app. In addition, The GEN i1 comes with a sensor for the handle of your putter that shows the “cause and effect” of a golfer’s stroke and ball line. At this show, the company will also announce its new GEN i2 – the first full swing smart ball that will provide golfers with their full swing data, including direction, spin rate, distance and speed.
Although I am a golf purist to some extent, I truly love seeing the worlds of golf and technology collide. Anything to spur interest in the game and keep it popular for years to come.
Scott Kramer is veteran, Southern California-based writer primarily versed in golf and personal technology. Studying Computer Sciences in college, and then working as a programmer/software engineer for about a decade, triggered my passion for today’s high-end, high-tech gadgets. I can’t help myself whenever I see any kind of cool new personal technology. I feel compelled to further check it out and see what it’s all about. And even if I have no use for it personally, I’m always thinking who it might best suit. There are exciting new innovations emerging daily that are shaping the future and simplifying life. And I hope to be your eyes to that world, through the words of this column.