Coach Labs GEN i1 – The Kinda-Smart Golf Ball

One of the biggest attractions at the 2018 PGA Merchandise Show was smart golf balls.

OnCore golf has been making some lofty claims about their Genius golf ball, which is designed to provide golfers with Trackman-quality data.  Sadly, the Genius golf ball is still in development with no projected data release and current estimates place the cost around $50 for a 2-pack.  As a result, I’d highly recommend avoiding courses with lots of water the first time you try out the Genius.

Coach Labs’ GEN i1 was the other contender and, as of right now, it is the only smart golf ball available for purchase.  So how does the first smart golf ball stand up against the “dumb” alternatives?  Well, let’s just say that inventor Jason Koo and Gen i1’s kickstarter video got me really excited to start using a training aid that should be more helpful than the mug I’ve been putting into on my living room carpet:

Gen i1 v8 Kickstarter v5

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As the video states, the GEN i1 consists of two components, the GEN i1 golf ball and putter sensor, which you easily pair up with the smartphone app.  Once everything’s connected, you need to make sure the GEN i1 ball is properly aligned (which is easily indicated by an arrow on the equator line) before hitting any putts.

Misalignment can result inaccurate data, which kinda is the central purpose of whole GEN i1 training system.  But when you do everything as intended, the GEN i1 app provides every piece of information you could ask for: club face angle, club tempo, stroke length, ball speed, skid/skip, and distance traveled.

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And this is all incredible information that could probably help improve your putting, because this is when things got interesting… 

Contrary to the YouTube video, at no point was I provided the option to work on certain drills to improve on my weaknesses (e.g., a closed face at impact, a swing path that goes across the ball, poor tempo) or even play any games.  And that’s a BIG drawback, especially when GEN i1 is marketing the GEN i1 as the “ultimate training experience.”

But only making matters worse, the GEN i1 is currently listed for sale at $139…

Bottom line, I think the GEN i1 has LOTS of potential.  The GEN i1 system works and app displays all of the data points in a clean, easily understandable presentation.  Unfortunately, the most important feature of the GEN i1—the ability to analyze your stroke and recommend drills—is missing.

While I’m sure (hope) that it’ll be addressed in a future update, the first smartball has left a bad, dissatisfied taste in my mouth.  Making matters worse, I worry that the GEN i1’s shortcomings will cast a negative shadow over future Coach Labs products.  In fact, Coach Labs is currently developing two additional GEN products: (1) the GEN i2 ball, which will focus on full-swing and all non-putting shot data, including direction, spin rate, distance, and speed; and (2) the GEN i3 ball, which will be intended for indoor use and could be used as a self-contained golf simulator that wouldn’t require any additional launch monitor or clubhead sensors.

As a result, I hope that Coach Labs can quickly “fix” the GEN i1 to ensure that the GEN i2 and i3 become a reality.

Cover Image via YouTube