EQUIPMENT: Go 100% Phone-Free with Arccos Caddie Link

2020 has been a year filled with some noteworthy golf developments, especially in the technology sector. Arccos, in particular, has really made some noteworthy moves this year, starting the year off with the world’s first A.I. powered GPS Rangefinder, and then continuing by announcing a partnership with top-tier, brand-agnostic fitter Club Champion to help fitters better support golfers’ equipment needs, and most recently, releasing Strokes Gained Analytics to help see how different facets of your game compares to other handicaps.

While the software changes have certainly been drastic, arguably the biggest improvement Arccos made was the market release of its Caddie Link wearable sensor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hozel Rocket 🚀 (@hozel_rocket) on Aug 1, 2020 at 10:36am PDT

Prior to Link, Arccos users were required to keep their smartphone in their front pocket or pair their system with their Apple Watch. However, many golfers interested in stat tracking have been left wanting a truly hands and phone-free system.

The Link is Arccos’ solution to free golfers from their smartphones and any other devices by developing a small, weather-resistant and lightweight receiver that is relatively the same size as a matchbox (2.25” long by 1.25” wide by x 0.75” deep) and weighs less than 25 grams.

With the help of a molded-in clip, Link can be easily hooked onto your belt, the top of a skirt or on a side pocket to detect each shot during a round of golf (or up to 10 hours on the course with a single charge).

In brief, Link is everything it’s advertised to be: the missing link that makes Arccos, arguably, perfect. Besides my WHOOP fitness tracker, I prefer having my hands free and not carrying anything besides a few tees and a divot tool in my pocket, and with the Link I’ve been able to leave my phone in the cart and play with minimal interference.

Indeed, pre-round start-up simply requires you to pull Link out of your bag and (after easily Bluetooth pairing your Link with your phone) turning everything on. The Caddie App will display that Link is active and, when you go to start the round (after selecting the golf course and tees you’re playing), go through a quick start-up process (less than 1 minute) that optimizes the satellite connection to ensure the most accurate detection.

Once you’re playing, there’s nothing stopping you from listening to some music, taking videos, sending emails and texts, etc., because Link is now the primary shot tracking receiver instead of your phone. And while some may worry that running multiple applications—Arccos Caddie, music, video—would affect shot detection, it doesn’t.

Indeed, Link never missed a full swing, partial shot, pitch shot, bunker shot, etc., despite the fact that I had SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio playing on my Bluetooth speaker in the cart. While this sadly means you can’t hide from that punch out shot on #12 where you always pull it into the trees, it also means that Link truly allows you to leave the phone in the cart and not look at it after every shot to make sure it was recorded. And if you’re worried about putting, the Link will not only detect putts, but if you also press the power button, it’ll mark the pin and, thus, detect more accurately first, second and (but hopefully not) third putts.

Furthermore, because Link is the primary receiver, your phone will have significantly more battery life during and after the round since the GPS won’t be consistently hammering your phone’s battery for 4 hours straight.  This is a huge benefit since, as I mentioned above, you now may feel more inclined to play music, take pictures and/or videos of the course and your swing.

Link is arguably the biggest development for Arccos since it released the Caddie app function (which analyzes your shot history, along with everyone else who’s played the course, and suggests the best way to attack the hole, just like a real life caddie), which was closely followed-up by the recent release of Strokes Gained Analysis, which really helps crunch all the shot-tracking data collected into information that allows you to easily identify why—poor driving, approach shots, short game, putting—you’re struggling to break 90, 80, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hozel Rocket 🚀 (@hozel_rocket) on Sep 22, 2020 at 10:35am PDT

These high-power features that analyze golfers shot patterns and allow them to identify their strengths and weaknesses, in addition to sharing with their instructors or club fitters, are among many of the features that help separate Arccos from the pack, with, arguably, the only drawback being the annual subscription requirement: $99.99 per year. This rate excludes the additional costs if you need to pick up Caddie Sensors ($179.99) and/or Link (currently $99.99).

However, if you can get past the annual costs that come with Arccos, there is no doubt that you’ll be armed with, arguably, the most powerful, user-friendly shot tracking systems in the marketplace right now. Indeed, regardless of which alternative option you’re considering, few (if any) offer the in-depth, but easy to understand detailed analysis of all aspects of your game that Arccos can provide.  And if you’re looking to ditch the distractions or inconveniences caused by your phone (or any other device for that matter), Link is the ultimate solution, as is it easily the closest solution that will allow you to play distraction free, but with the benefit of collecting data from each and every shot you hit throughout your round.

Cover Image from Instagram