What Will Be the Next Big Thing in Equipment?

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, nevets88 said:

Some kind of package of cameras and drones and AI in tandem to improve pace of play. 

Drones with Frick’n Lasers on them?

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, nevets88 said:

Some kind of package of cameras and drones and AI in tandem to improve pace of play. 

That's called a cattle prod.

[IowaGreg]

Interactive holographic caddy on demand that can answer questions/give advice about the course...….  Might be a couple years in the future...….

 

 

 

 

[3jacker]

Better and more affordable launch monitors can be a double-edged sword, like video cams back when it allowed folks to see their swing for the first time.

"My driver swing speed is 42? My attack angle is -8.3? What kind of a loser am I?  I'm going fishing."

Edited March 10, 2020 by 3jacker

[phillyk]

18 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

That's called a cattle prod.

I've always wanted to have a camera and microphone on the problem holes where people like to hit too many tee shots. #15 shuksan would be a good spot.

[nevets88]

On 3/8/2020 at 12:01 PM, phillyk said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9R1Zb7n65h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

This was filmed at a nearby course.  It's been circulating social media the last few days.  Gives people an almost TV like view of their own game.  I don't see club equipment changing much.  I see having more toys to make the game more interesting and fun.

I missed this post, totally agree. In the future guessing some courses might offer videos of your shots. Either via drones, or strategically placed cameras, or both or something not invented yet. 

Maybe one day there will be a launch monitor behind every tee box and you can see the numbers after your drive. Also if you lose sight of your ball in the sun, you’ll have a good idea of where it ended up. 

Another guess is someone invents something that tracks your score without you having to do a thing. Via your motions and video and all that. 

[phillyk]

1 minute ago, nevets88 said:

I missed this post, totally agree. In the future guessing some courses might offer videos of your shots. Either via drones, or strategically placed cameras, or both or something not invented yet. 

Ah, almost like the roller coaster pictures.  Take a par 3 and place a couple cameras to create video of people playing.  Not necessarily charge people the price theme parks do, but make a download available or something.

[Double Mocha Man]

11 minutes ago, phillyk said:

I've always wanted to have a camera and microphone on the problem holes where people like to hit too many tee shots. #15 shuksan would be a good spot.

The owner of the course designed and built that hole himself. Even got on the earth grader to move soil around.   It actually requires more strategy than any other hole on the course. I have a love-hate relationship with that hole.

Edited March 10, 2020 by Double Mocha Man

[Missouri Swede]

21 minutes ago, phillyk said:

I've always wanted to have a camera and microphone on the problem holes where people like to hit too many tee shots. #15 shuksan would be a good spot.

 

15 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

I missed this post, totally agree. In the future guessing some courses might offer videos of your shots. Either via drones, or strategically placed cameras, or both or something not invented yet.

I would like a video screen at the tees of #2 and #18 of my home course, linked to cameras showing the respective fairways (and nearby rough/trees), so that there is never a blind tee shot again.

"You think they've hit their approach?"  "I dunno. Group ahead of them was pretty slow, so they might still be waiting." "Hang on. Let me drive up there to see if it's clear."

The tech is already out there everywhere--even in doorbells.  I'd be surprised if this isn't already in place a bunch of places.  I'm usually about two technical generations behind, so if I can think of it ...

25 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Another guess is someone invents something that tracks your score without you having to do a thing. Via your motions and video and all that. 

Arccos is really close to this.  I've played 18 hole rounds, never touching my phone, no scorecard.  Just check my Apple Watch leaving the green to make sure it got the number of putts correct (it usually is).  Walking off the 18th green, it closes out the round.

[Bonvivant]

1 hour ago, Missouri Swede said:

 

I would like a video screen at the tees of #2 and #18 of my home course, linked to cameras showing the respective fairways (and nearby rough/trees), so that there is never a blind tee shot again.

"You think they've hit their approach?"  "I dunno. Group ahead of them was pretty slow, so they might still be waiting." "Hang on. Let me drive up there to see if it's clear."

My munis have a mirror pillar for this. They don't keep them in good repair but they used to be quite functional. 45 deree mounted at the bottom to peer into and a 45 degree mirror about 12-15 feet up so that you can see the landing area in the fairway. A very cheap and effective way to mitigate that issue. Probably could be built for less than 50 bucks and erected in an hour or two with 2 people. 

[Missouri Swede]

6 minutes ago, Bonvivant said:

My munis have a mirror pillar for this. They don't keep them in good repair but they used to be quite functional. 45 deree mounted at the bottom to peer into and a 45 degree mirror about 12-15 feet up so that you can see the landing area in the fairway. A very cheap and effective way to mitigate that issue. Probably could be built for less than 50 bucks and erected in an hour or two with 2 people. 

One of our holes has a periscope at the tee, but it's not high enough to see into the valley we're hitting into.   Since the thread is about tech and equipment, my point was that it seems unusual not to have video available to prevent injury in a situation where it could be anticipated (given the design of the hole), since video has become common in other areas of our lives.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Missouri Swede said:

 

I would like a video screen at the tees of #2 and #18 of my home course, linked to cameras showing the respective fairways (and nearby rough/trees), so that there is never a blind tee shot again.

"You think they've hit their approach?"  "I dunno. Group ahead of them was pretty slow, so they might still be waiting." "Hang on. Let me drive up there to see if it's clear."

 

I've played two courses that had a 20' to 30' tall periscope device on the tee for exactly that reason.

[nevets88]

When you do major bicycle rides or marathons some offer photos of you doing your thing at certain points. I guess the cameras have motion detectors or use a locator doo hickey in your bib or chip or something. That they can do this in mass scale. Like thousands or tens of thousands even I have to think there are cameras already in courses I’ve not played. 

[Bonvivant]

1 hour ago, Missouri Swede said:

One of our holes has a periscope at the tee, but it's not high enough to see into the valley we're hitting into.   Since the thread is about tech and equipment, my point was that it seems unusual not to have video available to prevent injury in a situation where it could be anticipated (given the design of the hole), since video has become common in other areas of our lives.

Sure, but seeing as golf courses are struggling financially, a 50 dollar periscope seems like a better solution than tech. I don't think that the next big tech thing in golf will come from the courses themselves or have anything to do with course enhancement. 

[IowaGreg]

Ball that can pair with your smartphone and make the ball start beeping when you get within 20 yds...……

Cost more, but will save a lot in lost balls...….. LOL

Trying to think WAYYYYYYYYYY outside the Tee box...…...

[Rkrider99]

I can't remember the name of the course we played last year. On one of the holes, as you drove up to the teeing area, there was an lcd monitor in a clear weatherproof plexiglass case. About 30 above that was a camera looking down the fairway to a blind area from the tee. You could watch golfers down there hitting their approach shots and walking away. Nice setup. Nowadays, probably not too expensive.

[ChetlovesMer]

I think a couple of things I think could loom on the horizon for golf consumers.

     1 - One would think personal launch monitors will continue to improve and come down in price. SkyTrak seems like a pretty good product allowing you to either play or practice. I would think an on-line community something like what Peloton has built would be next. So, basically I can play against other players in other parts of the world on a virtual golf course. Possibly? 

     2 - In terms of equipment, it kinda of seems like we've done all the rules of golf will allow. Drivers can only have so much COR, irons can only be so forgiving, etc... Maybe the next big thing will be personalization? So, after you get fit, you can order your clubs in the color combinations etc, that you like. I realize, of course, that this already exists to some level. But it seems they can take it a lot further. For example, it would be cool if when I order Irons from Mizuno, I could order them in Mizuno blue, or in black ion, etc... It would be cool to order them with my initials on the iron heads, or my name on the shaft rings, etc... More personalization at the same or similar price could be the next big thing. Why play the same driver head as everyone else? I'd like mine to be blue with my name running down the shaft... what ever. Maybe?

 

[Bonvivant]

Just now, ChetlovesMer said:

I think a couple of things I think could loom on the horizon for golf consumers.

     1 - One would think personal launch monitors will continue to improve and come down in price. SkyTrak seems like a pretty good product allowing you to either play or practice. I would think an on-line community something like what Peloton has built would be next. So, basically I can play against other players in other parts of the world on a virtual golf course. Possibly?

Skytrak already has this with The Golf Club 2019. It probably isn't used much because it requires a PC with gaming capabilities but it is already there and does exist. IIRC you have to upgrade your SkyTrak accout to be able to hook it up to TGC2019.