ORLANDO, FLA — Tens of thousands of people involved with the sport of golf descend on Orlando’s sprawling Orange County Convention Center each year to see the latest and greatest from a game obsessed with the latest and greatest.
The 2015 PGA Merchandise Show, which ran last week, didn’t disappoint. From shoes that are said to increase energy transfer and make it easier to walk a course, to elaborate software designed to track every shot you hit on the course, and a robot that will teach you how to hit better golf shots, there were plenty of intriguing offerings throughout the show.
Here are five new golf endeavours you’ll need to try out in 2015:
Cool gadgets:
Arccos Golf — Not a club or new piece of clothing, Arccos is a system that connects every golf club in your bag through Bluetooth to your phone, allowing you to track every shot you hit over the course of a round. Every club has a simple sensor that attaches easily to the end of the grip and in turn you’re provided with distances, club averages, and other critical data. Not inexpensive — the system retails for $449.99 in Canada and can be purchased at Best Buy — the eyes of golf instructors lit up when I told them of the possibilities of the Arccos. The only downside is that Arccos can’t be used in tournaments as it provides real time information. If that’s a concern, consider Game Golf, a similar device that is a little more complicated, but less expensive and provides similar information.
New rocks:
Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Ball: A ball with a compression usually aimed at senior golfers, Callaway says it has created a product with a soft feel around the greens that has low spin off the driver. That’s golf’s Holy Grail. The company says its “Soft Fast Core” is key to the product, and staff player Phil Mickelson has been raving about it since he first hit it.
Hot kicks:
Adipower Boost (men and women): adidas Golf announced its latest shoe at the show, with the key ingredient being “Boost,” a cushioning system the shoemaker says will offer maximum energy return and unrivaled comfort. “Boost” is actually a foam cushioning system comprised of thousands of TPU energy capsules fused together, and the company says it stores and releases energy in a way that is new to the shoe industry.
Cool inventions:
Snap Cam Headcover: Created by a former hockey player turned golfer from Burnaby, BC, this smart product was at the back of the massive Orange County Convention Center, an area where new products are introduced. Many are created by dreamers who mortgaged their houses in support of a new putter they say will help you make more putts. Not the case with the Snap Cam Headcover. Ever wanted to tape your swing for your golf instructor when you were alone on the range? Snap Cam allows you to easily attach your phone to your driver’s headcover and swivel it so it acts as a tripod. Clever and simple.
Swinging robots:
RoboGolfPro: At a booth in the middle of the merchandise show sat the RoboGolfPro, with its electronic arms guiding students through swings. Not entirely new — the device was at last year’s show — the RoboGolfPro lets a trainer program it to allow a golfer to feel what the company says is the perfect golf swing by guiding the club while you hold it. There was a lineup every time I walked by, and there’s a RoboGolfPro at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. if you’d like to give the concept a try.
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