2015 Father’s Day Golf Gift Guide

Serious Tech for Serious Golfers

This father’s day, buy dad a better game…or at least give him the tools to build one.

The last thing dad needs is another club that doesn’t fit or another dozen golf balls. While a dozen Slazengers might be better than a neck tie (then again, it might not), why not get dad something fun, useful, and potentially game-changing?

This year we’ve focused exclusively on some of the very best technology the golf world has to offer. Whether dad is looking to tweak his swing, dial-in his distances to the flag, or capture the memories he makes on the golf course, we’ve got you covered.

Voice Caddie PT30

We’re fans of Voice Caddie products because they’re intuitive, affordable and they work. The PT30 putting trainer is no different.

The PT30 quickly attaches to  dad’s putter shaft, and provides key information about his putting stroke like face angle, putting time, and tempo. The PT 30 displays distance in either feet or meters, and has a speed setting to simulate putting on greens that are faster or slower than your living room carpet.

Unlike other digital putting trainers, the PT30 is entirely self-contained. No smart phone, or bluetooth required.

GoPro Hero 4 Black

GoPro has redefined our expectations of the traditional camera while simultaneously redefining how golf is recorded and shared.

The pocket-sized Hero 4 captures video in 1080P at an astounding 120 frames per second or in 4k UHD (ultra-high def) at 30 frames per second – at the touch of a single button. The Hero 4 also captures 12 megapixels still photos, and can be controlled remotely via smart phone, and includes simple editing tools via GoPro studio.

Easy to use and ultra-portable, the GoPro Hero 4 gives everything dad needs to capture and analyze his golf swing in super slow motion (240 frames per second), record and relive his best shots, or just capture precious moments with family and friends.

Zepp Golf 3D Swing Analyzer

Zepp can help make dad’s golf swing better.

Unlike other swing trainers, Zepp attaches to the glove (not the shaft), which means it requires little calibration, and no time is wasted switching between clubs.  It gives you the metrics most golfers want and it’s the only swing trainer that includes hip rotation among its measurements. With its unique scoring system, Zepp makes practice a game – and that makes practice fun.

Zepp provides golfers with weekly report (via email) and gives golfers the ability to compare their swings to the pros. It’s all part of an easy-to-use, yet robust toolset that will help dad focus his practice time where it’s needed most.

Bushnell Tour X Laser Rangefinder

A true flagship product, the new Tour X features the entire kitchen sink’s worth of Bushnell’s industry-leading rangefinder technology all in a single device.

The Tour X feature list include Dual-Display technology for clarity in any lighting condition, E.S.P. 2 for faster pin acquisition, and PinSeeker with with vibrating Jolt Technology to let dad know when he’s locked on to the flag.

The Tour X offers 6x magnification with HD optics, is accurate to within 1/2 yard, and with it’s interchangeable face plates (red for Slope Compensation), it’s tournament legal when dad needs it to be, and offers slope compensation for recreational use.

Arccos Golf Performance Tracking System

Way more than a GPS and scorekeeper, Arccos has quickly distinguished itself as the leader in real-time round and stat tracking.

Arccos continuous bluetooth connectivity (to an iPhone) means no tapping (or other intervention) is required, while simple one-touch editing allows dad to easily add a stroke on the off chance he hits the ball OB. Unlike app-based systems that rely on human input, Arccos is completely non-disruptive and won’t adversely affect pace of play.

After the round, Arccos’ robust online analysis tools provides unrivaled insight into each round and your overall game. Based on strokes gained methodologies, Arccos’ proprietary Tour Analytics system beaks down handicap by round and across 5 discrete areas of the game; driving, approach, chipping/pitching, bunker play, and putting.

Apple Watch compatible, Arccos will give dad a complete picture of his game.

SwingByte 2

Making the complex simple is what SwingByte 2 does best.

Like most digital swing trainers, the SwingByte 2 attaches to the shaft just below the grip. Like most other analyzers SwingByte 2 also provides measurements for key aspects of the golf swing. Where SwingByte 2 really sets itself apart from the field is with its clean and intuitive application interface (iphone, ipad and andriod). Even tech-challenged dads can benefit from SwingByte.

We should also mention that with the SwingByte 2, dad can leverage the same proven technology at home that Cleveland Golf recently selected as the foundation for its Wedge Analyzer fitting program.

Garmin Approach S5

Garmin Approach S5 offers everything you could want in a GPS watch and then some.

It features a full color touch screen display. It provides distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, layup distances, and even provides measurements for the specific points you designate.

The S5’s Green View Mode not only allows you to see the shape of the green, but you can also touch and move the pin to its actual location for more precise distance. Stat tracking is included too, and there are no subscription fees.

If that’s not enough, the S5 receives text, email, and other notifications from your phone via bluetooth, and we should probably mention that the Garmin S5 GPS watch is actually a watch, so dad will never be late for his tee time.