Golf Gadgetry Options for 2021

Yes, it’s possible to look and feel like a golf tech guru without having to completely break the bank. They’re products that are exhibiting as part of the PGA of America’s 2021 Merchandise Show (being conducted virtually this year), accessible to the everyday golf consumer, and designed as simple means of improving your game both on the practice range, and on the course.

We know there are many options, but we chose to randomly highlight these three products whose brands are part of this year’s PGA Show lineup:

FlightScope Mevo Launch Monitor ($499). FlightScope’s consumer offerings start with a portable 3D Doppler radar launch monitor that works in tandem with your smart phone app. The app automatically records, clips and saves each swing video with data overlay. FlightScope’s basic measurements with this entry-level model include carry distance, club head speed, smash factor, apex height, flight time, ball speed, spin rate and vertical launch angle.

Upgrading to the Mevo+ will require a four-fold hit to your wallet ($1,999), but includes five course simulations and also double the data parameters to include horizontal launch angle, lateral landing, angle of attack, total distance, roll distance, spin axis, spin loft and shot shape. Bryson DeChambeau may be the PGA TOUR’s leading stat geek – and if he’s endorsing this product, it may be worth a look.

Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor ($499). Same price point as FlightScope, but be advised up front that Rapsodo is compatible only with iOS/Apple devices. It boasts of measuring shot distance, ball speed, club speed, shot shape, smash factor, launch angle and launch direction with pro-level accuracy, with distance accuracy within two percent of TrackMan.

MyGolfSpy named Rapsodo’s MLM the 2020 Best Personal Launch Monitor, and it’s also received Golf Digest’s stamp of approval. With what appears to be a super-easy setup process, Rapsodo might be the ultimate Apple accessory for you.

Shot Scope V3 Black ($219). This brings the golf tech game from the turf to your wrist, and at less than half the price. This GPS watch goes beyond acquiring green and hazard yardages to include gathering performance data of every shot you take on the course, thanks to the 16 tracking tags included with your Shot Scope purchase to use with each club in your bag.

Shot Scope is available in four colors (black, gray, red and green), and available now for pre-order with March 2021 shipping.