The second generation of the Arccos performance-tracking system takes the concept of individual data collection and interpretation to new levels through the company’s partnership with Microsoft’s Cloud Platform and Azure Machine Learning. The first phase of this collaboration, the Arccos Course Analyzer, compares the data you provide through sensors on your clubs to millions of data points from other golfers, to give you insight into how best to play holes on more than 40,000 golf courses mapped in the Arccos system. “Our goal is to create the most advanced artificial intelligence platform for golf,” says Sal Syed, Arccos CEO. $250; www.arccosgolf.com
It may be funny-looking, but the innovative Swing Coach training club provides instant feedback to help you groove a smooth, accelerating swing. By removing the “hit impulse,” the club lets you feel the correct motion through the hitting zone while providing visual guidance for potential swing-path corrections. $109; www.swingcoachclub.com
The standout in laser rangefinders this year is the Bushnell Pro X2, which has a host of premium features including slope-switch technology that allows the user to toggle between modes that measure elevation changes and tournament-legal straight-distance measuring. The device also features JOLT technology, which provides short, vibrating bursts to tell the user when it’s locked in on the target pin. Accuracy is within a half-yard at distances up to 125 yards with full range capabilities of up to 1,300 yards. It’s fully waterproof, too! $500; www.bushnellgolf.com
Carr Golf Travel designs bespoke trips that draw on the family’s deep history in the game to provide the industry’s most memorable golf experiences. Your group’s personal preferences shape every aspect of the trip while Carr’s expertise makes it seamless. Every trip is custom-designed, but you can enjoy a weeklong itinerary like the one described on page 44, with six courses over seven days, all meals, hotels, and ground transportation, for $5,500 per person. www.carrgolf.com/travel
A new golf ball can truly make a difference in your game. St. Andrew’s head pro Greg Bisconti tested TaylorMade’s new five-layer balls using a flight monitor and says, “On average, I was seeing up to six yards of additional carry on a 7-iron. The new TP5x is the real deal!” $48 dozen; www.taylormadegolf.com