There’s always a lot of technology on display at the PGA Merchandise Show—apps, software, and radars designed to track your shots. But one of the trending stories coming out of the 2019 show in Orlando this week was the prevalence of GPS and laser units that ensure you’re certain of the yardage you have to the flag, whether you’re one fairway over, or mere yards from the pin.
Rangefinders are often found in the hands of lower-handicap golfers, and the PRO XE builds on that trend by incorporating some of the most intriguing elements we’ve seen to date. Yes, it’ll shoot yardages up to 500 yards, so if you’re a long driver contestant, or want to know if the yardage on the card is correct, the PRO XE is for you. But more intriguingly, the PRO XE adds “elements,” which incorporates temperature and altitude into the yardage equation to let you know exactly what you’ve got for yardage.
GPS units, whether they are watches or hand-held devices, are often found in the hands of mid-handicap golfers who love the overall approach of the units, and are willing to give up some precision.
SkyCaddie’s SX500 offers a large five-inch screen that’s rugged and water resistant, and provides some unique new features like Dynamic Rangevue, which provides multiple yardage arcs overlaid on the fairway, while its Intellipath technology allows you to move the cursor to targets you want the yardage for.
Garmin’s latest, the G80, adds the components of a basic launch monitor, and a tournament mode that allows you to play golf against friends who aren’t even at the same course. The launch monitor capabilities set the unit apart, and the G80 can track ball and club head speed, as well as estimated distance, swing tempo and smash factor, a measurement of the efficiency of the shot.
Look for these and other exciting tech to improve your game at Golf Town in 2019.