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Golfers are always looking for ways to take a few shots off their handicap, improve their swing or outplay their buddies. Oddly enough, the solution to these problems may lie with modern wearable tech. There are dozens — nay hundreds — of wearable devices hitting the market for all manner of niches, at least when it comes to features and functionality. In this case, we’re referring to devices that can help you step up your golf game in one way or another. Believe it or not, there are a few wearables for golfers that can do just that.
Runners, bikers and swimmers aren’t the only athletes that can benefit from wearable tech. Golfers can also get in on the action with a whole slew of devices like clip-on swing monitors for your clubs, weather and green sensors, and even shot estimating gadgets.
Whatever your poison, if you’re looking to pick up a gadget that will help you lower that handicap, you’ve come to the right place! Here, are some of the best wearables for golfers.
Best Wearables for Golfers
There are quite a few wearables for golfers out there already, some of which we’re not even going to cover here. That doesn’t mean they are bad, it just means we didn’t have the time — or room — to feature them. By all means, this is not a comprehensive list. Instead, it only includes the best wearables for golfers that we could find.
Garmin Approach S6
Garmin is well known for their massive catalog of sport-dedicated wearables and smartwatches. You can find a Garmin wearable for just about any sport — including golf.
The Garmin Approach series is currently in its sixth generation and it has always been a series of wearables for golfers. The Approach S6 offers what the company claims is the “slimmest and lightest GPS golf watch” with integrated “first-of-its-kind” swing metrics. What does all that mean to someone who just wants to play golf a little better?
The device has native mapping for more than 30,000 international golf courses already installed. While playing, it will display your yardage to the hole and from the tee, right along with a top-down view of the current hole on a color display. It works similar to playing simulation-style golf video games where you can analyze the entire course without moving from your tee-off location — only it’s happening in real life.
The S6 also tracks information about your swing, allowing you to analyze your playstyle and adjust performance accordingly.
If you don’t want a wristwatch style device — bogging down your swing — you can pick up one of the Approach G-models which are essentially like a mobile device dedicated to golf tracking.
The Approach S6 is $399.99, and comes in three color models: light, dark and dark/orange. If you want to spend a little less and don’t care about top-of-the-line features and hardware, you can always pick up one of the older Garmin Approach models for cheaper.
TomTom Golfer
TomTom first announced their golf-themed wearable the very same day last year that the Ryder cup kicked off. Obviously, they were looking to attractive pro-golfers and sport afficianados.
The TomTom Golfer includes native course support — like the Garmin Approach series — for more than 34,000 courses. Information provided includes distance to the pin, front and back of the green sizes and slope info, hazard locations, and realtime lay-ups while on the course.
It does not include color, instead it presents information in monochrome via a 168 x 144 pixel display. More than just text is displayed though, with various graphics, icons, and more shown on the screen. There’s even a unique green view mode that allows you to check your current position in relation to the flag.
As for additional features, there’s an option to record your score, measure various distances and even track calories you’ve burned during play.
TomTom claims the Golfer will deliver 10 hours of battery life on a single charge, which should be more than enough for a 36 hold tourney or competition. It’s 5ATM water resistant too, so you don’t have to worry about rain, water — or beer — dripping on the thing.
The TomTom Golfer is $249.99, and is available in one style only.
Zepp Golf Sensor
Unlike the other wearables for golfers on this list, the Zepp Golf Sensor isn’t truly “wearable” in the sense that it comes with a wristband or neck strap. Instead, it’s a clip-on sensor designed to be attached to your glove while you’re playing — whether that’s on the course, or at a range. The sensor will then record a variety of information about your playstyle and swing, and then transmit said data to a companion app for Android or iOS.
What kind of information does it collect? Everything from your speed, to the tempo of both your forward and backswing are collected. Through the mobile app, you can then see this information which is offered through visualization, charts and more. The idea is that you can perfect not just your swing, but your technique thanks to this nifty little sensor.
If you have it paired up with a smartphone — and keep that on your person, as well — the app will also use the device’s accelerometer to track hip movements. Hopefully, we don’t need to tell you how useful this additional data can be. Hip movements, right along with the placement of your feet can greatly affect the swing of a golfer.
The app is free, but the sensor is $149.99 for the golf kit (there are tennis and baseball kits also).
Game Golf
If you’d rather get your hands on a tool from professionals, then Game Golf might be the way to go. It has some pretty serious endorsements from names like Lee Westwood, Barack Obama and Graeme McDowell. It’s also worth noting that the device’s design and style was thought up by Yves Behar, the same renowned Swiss designer behind Jawbone.
As for the device, it’s a multi-part system. There’s a wearable sensor meant to be clipped onto your waist or belt. Then, there are a few sensors that you mount to the top of your club — yes, your club. It tracks all information during a swing, and is activated easy enough; by tapping the sensors together.
The sensors will collect information about your shot such as your location on the course, quality and speed and more. Then, you can check out all the information collected via a mobile companion app for Android and iOS.
One particularly awesome feature of Game Golf is that you can set personal challenges and goals before you hit the course.
Game Golf is $199.
iFocus Band
By nature, golf should be a de-stresser for most. Unfortunately, there are some players out there who find themselves feeling more stress while they play. The iFocus Band is designed to help in that regard, by allowing you to better control emotional and mental stress levels. Stress can be especially trying when it comes in the form of that voice in your head, telling you that you cannot make a putt (think Happy Gilmore) or that you’re going to botch a shot.
The iFocus Band is a small tracker that is meant to be slipped inside the sweatband of a hat. Once installed, it collects data transmitted from your brain and syncs it up with a mobile app in realtime. The information is shown through a virtual avater onscreen, offering a representation of current brain activity. It essentially allows you to see when you’re freaking out too much.
You can employ the use of breathing exercises to calm your nerves and brain activity. In turn, this allows players to switch use of their brain to the right side — which can help golfers make better decisions on the fly.
Professional golfer Jason Day has already been using the iFocus Band out in the field and speaks highly of it. If you want to give it a try, you’ll have to pony up $495 at full price. That means, it’s one of the most expensive wearables for golfers on this list.
What Wearables for Golfers Do You Know About?
Do you know of any wearables for golfers that we missed? Feel free to share!