Gear: Arccos Caddie Link wearable
Price: $99.99
Since the release of its first shot-tracking system in 2014, Arccos has aspired to collect data on every shot golfers hit and then use it to help them play better. Along the way, the screw-in sensors that attached to each club got smaller, and now you can buy grips with the sensors already built into them. Arccos-powered grips became available in Cobra clubs starting in 2017, and Ping made Arccos-enabled grips available starting in 2019.
The user interface and the smartphone app that collects the data have improved too, and the addition of the Arccos Caddie feature was also a massive step forward. Using artificial intelligence, Arccos Caddie 2.0 can make club recommendations based on your tendencies and how the hole lays out, just like seasoned human caddie would.
However, for some golfers, there was a catch: Arccos required golfers to keep their smartphone in their pocket as they played. Using your smartphone’s microphone and gyroscopes, along with its GPS, allowed Arccos to detect when you hit the ball and record the location of that shot. Unfortunately, while many golfers keep their phones handy in their carts or golf bags, many do not like carrying their phones in their pockets. But with the release of the new Arccos Caddie Link, the company is eliminating that problem.
Arccos Caddie Link was first announced in February 2019, and consumers have been able to pre-order it for several months. With it available starting today, those pre-orders will be fulfilled in the order in which they were received.
The unit itself is a black device that is about the same size as a matchbook: 2.5 inches tall, 1.25 inches wide and 0.75 inches thick. It weighs 25 grams and clips onto a belt, a pocket or a waistband.
Before the start of a round, golfers press a button on the Arccos Caddie Link and start the app on their smartphone. Using Bluetooth, the two devices link. At that point, you can put your phone anywhere you like while you play. Arccos Caddie Link detects the clubs you use and your location for each shot. Pressing the button as you stand over the hole records the flag’s position on that hole for the system, allowing it to create more accurate approach and proximity statistics later.
Arccos said the Caddie Link device’s battery lasts for 10 hours. It recharges using a standard micro USB cable.
When your round is complete, Caddie Link sends all of the collected data to the app. The system can show golfers how far they typically hit each club in their bag, where they tend to miss with each club and how different aspects of their game compare to players at various levels. Arccos said that in 2019, the average Arccos Caddie user who played at least five rounds lowered his or her handicap by 4.2 shots.