The new Shot Scope X5 is a game-changer for golfers looking to improve their game and lower their handicap. This little device could be the best bang for your buck golf smart watch on the market right now and I’m 100% confident that when used to its full potential, it will make you a better golfer. Let’s dive into the major features of this golf smart watch and what it can do for you.
Major Features of Shot Scope X5
The Shot Scope X5 golf smart watch has a variety of features that will help you on the course. It will give you accurate front, middle, and back yardages to the pin. It also has the ability to quickly move the flag stick to different points on the green, so you can get the most accurate yardages to the flagstaff.
The X5 also has the ability to track your clubs and the distances that you hit them and where you hit them out on course. This is done by inserting sensors that Shot Scope includes inside of the package. You screw those into the butt end of your club and when you’re out there on course, the watch will recognize which club you’re hitting.
The Shot Scope X5 has score keeping built into it and you can easily edit your score on the Fly and on the course. When you’re done with each hole, you’ll verify the score and if you make a mistake, it’s very easy within the X5’s menu system to go change the score for that hole and get yourself back on track.
The X5 is also capable of measuring your steps and post round it’ll tell you how far you travel during that round.
X5 Materials
The X5 golf smart watch is water resistant up to 50 meters, which is enough to go swimming and not have to worry about water ingress into the system and ruining your watch. It also has a ceramic bezel which provides a good layer of scratch resistance, keeping this watch looking new and fresh for years to come.
The watch band is fixed and Shot Scope uses hex screws in order to attach the watch band to the watch. It is possible to change out the bands, but it’s not as easy as some of the Quick Change systems out on the market. That’s by design though, since the band uses RFID to ensure shot capture (more on what you can do with that later).
X5 Accuracy
Out on course, I found this watch to be accurate to within three yards maximum and often times it was accurate to only one yard and sometimes – oftentimes being spot on. So many times when I locked onto the target, looked down at my watch, this thing was right there within one yard and maximum three yards.
Shot Scope Post-Round Analysis
The post-round analysis within the Shot Scope app is where this watch really shines. You can go back and look at every shot and it’s easy to edit a shot if you missed the shot or you missed a putt for instance or even if you need to add a penalty stroke.
The stats you get from this watch are insanely in-depth. You get all the stuff you’d think of like fairways hit, greens in regulation, how far you hit the clubs, but it goes even deeper into how accurate you are with a particular club, if you tend to miss left or right, or if you are hitting greens or missing greens with certain irons. It’s legit mind-boggling.
All of this data can be modeled to track performance over time as well as compare yourself versus different handicap ranges all the way from really high handicaps to touring professionals. This will legit make you a better golfer by showing you what you need to practice on and improving your game.
What’s Missing?
The major thing that I see missing with the new Shot Scope X5 is… a subscription! Similar platforms are going to a paywall model where you have to purchase a monthly subscription in order to unlock all the features and benefits of that device. What I love about this watch is the fact there is no subscription – all of that amazing next-level data is open to you and free to use after you purchase this watch.
What Can Improve?
From an aesthetic point of view, I like the round shape of this watch, but in terms of the wristband, I think that could have been a little bit better. I would have liked to see a little taper with the band itself, give it a little bit more of an elegant look.
The other thing that I noticed out on course was that to assure that I had the right club selected, I oftentimes had to actually physically tap the club up against the watch. It would be nice if it would sense it a little bit easier, but Shot Scope assures me as long as you’re within 10 cm of the sensor, the club should be picked up by the watch. So maybe it was user-error.
Conclusion
Overall, I absolutely love my experience on course with the Shot Scope X5. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a golf smart watch and wants to analyze and improve their game.
It sits in a very nice price point for your average golfer who wants something that’s a big step up from the basic watches out there like the Bushnell Ion Elite, but who doesn’t need the virtual caddie or the advanced health and fitness features of some of the high end watches like the Garmin Epix or Garmin S62.