Two years of testing across 15 product categories. Here is the condensed verdict: what to buy, what to skip.
BUY: Garmin Approach S70 GPS Watch (£449). The clearest display in the category, the most comprehensive international course database, and the additional feature set (hazard distances, accurate green mapping, smart notifications) that makes it a worthwhile companion on every round. This is the product I recommend most consistently to golfers who travel regularly.
BUY: Arccos Caddie sensors (£199 + £99/year). The performance data dividend — understanding your real distances per club, your miss tendencies, your weaknesses under pressure — is worth the subscription within 6 months for any golfer who takes the data seriously. The only prerequisite is the willingness to look at your game objectively.
BUY: TopTracer Range session (£3–5 premium per session at equipped ranges). The data quality of a TopTracer range session — ball flight, dispersion, distance confirmation — transforms practice from ballistic exercise into structured improvement. You don't buy this, you access it. Find a range with TopTracer and use it.
BUY: Flightscope Mevo+ (£1,799) if you have a garage and want a home simulator. The combination of accuracy, software compatibility, and outdoor versatility makes it the best value serious launch monitor available. The investment pays back within two winters if it replaces even occasional visits to a commercial simulator bay.
BUY: Blast Motion Golf Sensor (£119) if you three-putt more than once per round. The impact ratio data it produces will identify the deceleration fault that affects the majority of amateur golfers' putting strokes within three practice sessions.
SKIP: Any swing analysis app that promises AI coaching without a human coach. The AI identifies faults correctly approximately 70% of the time. The remaining 30% of incorrect feedback can actively harm your swing. Use apps to create footage for a real coach, not as a replacement for one.
SKIP: Smart rangefinders with 'auto-pin detection' features priced over £500. The accuracy improvement from a £350 Bushnell Tour V6 to a £700 'premium smart rangefinder' is not measurable on the course. Save the difference.
SKIP: Autonomous golf bag unless you play 80+ rounds per year. The £1,000–1,800 cost makes sense at high usage volume. For golfers playing 25–40 rounds, a quality electric trolley at a third of the price delivers comparable benefit.
SKIP: Personalised ball fitting services at £200+. The performance difference between the right premium ball for your swing and the second-right ball is smaller than the performance difference created by a single good putting practice session. Ball fitting is marketing-adjacent. Putting practice is money.
SKIP: VR golf training systems. None of them translate adequately to real-course performance yet. The technology is impressive. The transfer learning is insufficient. Give it three more years.
Marcus Webb
Golf Travel Specialist · View profile →
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