4 new technologies for 2017 that could improve your game

Golf in its purest form is simply a person, a club and a ball. And when the three combine perfectly, it can be a beautiful thing. But more often than not things don’t come together and the beauty fades into frustration. This has led many golfers to turn to technology in a bid the make the stars align and help them iron out their bad swings, poor grip and awkward stance. And while some gadgets are more effective than others, they all play a part in the modern game.

Here are 4 new technologies to keep an eye out for in 2017…

Virtual Reality

This is the year virtual reality – or VR – becomes affordable. In fact, if you’ve got a half decent smartphone then you can pick up a headset for as little as £10.

And while the VR experience is very much passive at the moment, with apps letting you watch VR worlds, it’s thought this year could be when things get a bit more interactive.

For golfers this could mean touring any golf course you want, checking the angles and lining up shots from the warmth of your living room – great prep before you step foot on a fairway.

Or, with new VR cameras now available to everyone, you could film your swing and analyse it from all angles using a VR headset

Sensors

Your mobile phone has enough sensors on it to track your heart rate, how many steps you take and more. But by adding a few more sensors to your game, you can start to get some really interesting and useful data.

Whether the sensors are attached to your arm, golf club or body, you’ll be able to analyse your swing in fine detail.

Game Golf is one of the leaders in this field. A small tracker is placed in the top of your grip, with a second device attached to your belt. These sensors sync with your phone to provide information on swing angle, speed, even shot accuracy.

Better shoes

Golf tends to be more about the equipment than the outfit. But footwear is one area where technology can really help out.

Adidas has created super-lightweight 3D printed sports shoes that are also biodegradable. While not aimed at the golfing market yet, expect them to move into this area soon.

Biion has also created a similar shoe for golfers. Created using Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA), it is lightweight, slips on easily without laces and actually moulds to your foot. And the beauty is, thanks to the microbial odour resistance properties, it can be worn without socks. On the bottom, spikes have been ditched in favour of a hexagon pattern for better grip and a lower profile that offers better balance.

Champ PiViX Spikes has also gone down this route, providing a new low-profile spike that’s favoured by the likes of Jordan Spieth. This isn’t a new shoe but a cover that fits over all current spike systems.

Cloud technology

Cloud computing is big in the business world, allowing sharable documents, online storage and flexible software options. So what has it got to do with golf?

Well, thanks to vast improvements in both cloud technology and internet speeds, you can now combine many of the above technologies like VR, sensors and sports wearables to create easily-accessible cloud based profiles of your game.

You can take these with you wherever you want and even share them with other players or your golf coaches. Your coaches can use the cloud to access the VR videos of your game or stats uploaded in real time from your sensors and provide instant feedback, fixing your game as you go.