The distance measuring device market is a very crowded and confusing one, with a multitude of options available to the consumer from handheld GPS, to laser rangefinders, and even wearable GPS devices.
Understanding what your requirements are is critical to selecting the right option for you. The GPS watch market has seen some interesting new features introduced over the past couple of years and Shot Scope is a company known for innovation in this space, so let's take a look at some of them here...
1. Full Hole Maps
Creating a good strategy is one of the most important elements of any tour professional's preparation, yet so many of us recreational players completely ignore this part of the game. Well now with some incredible technology on offer, there really is no excuse to not be well informed and have a clear hole strategy in mind before teeing off.
Full hole maps allow the player to see a complete and comprehensive overview of the hole in front of them as opposed to just offering the distance numbers. Coupled with every distance measurement any golfer could require, including green, hazard, and layup yardages, all the information is at hand to help you play your best golf.
2. CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS
We all like to customize and put some personality into our golf equipment right? Whether it is selecting a custom headcover, stamping our wedges or even standing out with clothing. Well, now you can even customize your distance-measuring device. Golf GPS watches often allow you to pick from a few strap options, and a few even allow you to customize your display to a variety of extents. Shot Scope for example has included five different color themes to choose from so you can alter and freshen up the look of your GPS watch to match your mood or even the light conditions. With red, blue, green, orange, and pink to choose from, there is plenty to choose from. The entry level G5 watch has a whopping 12 colors to choose from for the strap, so you really can add some personality to your kit.
3. Green View and Pin Placement
One of the arguments that laser rangefinder users often level at GPS devices is that they can struggle to give exact yardages to flag positions and even slopes in the green. A number of GPS watches now support features that allow you to see a more detailed overview of the green shape and some can even accommodate pin positions if you have access to them. This feature allows players to be more precise pre-shot, which can only lead to more accurate approaches and lower scores.
4. DOGLEG DISTANCES
How many times have you smashed a great drive seemingly down the middle of the fairway only to see it bound through into the rough on the corner of a dogleg? Well if you are anything like me then it will have happened far more often than you would have liked! Many modern-day watches now seem to have a solution to this problem. Alongside full-hole maps, doglegs are identified and displayed clearly and easily on the screen. This provides you with all the information you need to make better club selections from the teeing ground, setting you up for an accurate approach shot.
5. DIGITAL SCORECARD
Thankfully, the days of scrabbling around in your pocket to try and locate a pencil to fill out your scorecard may be behind you. More and more distance-measuring devices are offering a welcome digital alternative. This updated way of keeping score has many advantages. Firstly, when your “scorecard” is strapped to your wrist it is very difficult to lose it, which is a big plus for someone like me who can often be found backtracking my way up a hole to try and locate a card that has fallen out of my pocket or off my cart. Secondly, environmentally, digital scoring is a much more sustainable way to go. Fewer scorecards mean less paper and less paper means less waste. So not only can you improve your game with a GPS watch, you can help protect the planet.
