Best Golf Gadgets to Improve Your Game

Your golf experts: Jordan Fuller & John Marshall.
Updated September 18, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.

Every golfer loves a good golf gadget to help improve their game or experience on the golf course.

From improvement tools to products that assist the player, the best golf gadgets deliver outstanding results.

On our list, we’ve looked through hundreds of golf-specific items to locate the cream of the crop.

Each gadget boosts your game in either the game improvement or game satisfaction categories.

We tested and reviewed 15 gadgets that are very useful and affordable. Here’s our list of the best golf gadgets for golfers looking to add helpful tools to their game.

Sources researched
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Sources researched
Customer reviews
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Customer reviews
Hours spent testing
17
Hours spent testing
Products tested
15
Products tested

Best Golf Gadgets 2023

Collegiate Hat Clip & Ball Markers

Team Effort Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Hat Clip & 2 Ball Markers
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PROS

  • Connects securely to the bill of your hat for easy access
  • Colorful ball marker with a large logo of favorite school
  • Two interchangeable ball markers included

CONS

  • Ball markers are oversized, making them potential obstacles for other golfers
  • The markers are limited to large, recognizable colleges

For the golfer who loves their alma mater and wants to show that fandom on the golf course comes the Collegiate Hat Clip and Ball Markers.

The set comes with a sturdy hat clip that easily locks onto the bill of your hat, plus two golf ball markers emblazoned with your favorite school’s logo.

No longer will you have to worry about your lost your golf balls marker on the course because the hat clip is magnetic to lock your marker in place throughout your round.

The Collegiate Hat Clip & Ball Markers set offers a fun and playful way to celebrate your favorite college, plus help you mark your golf balls on the green.


Sport-Brella Umbrella

Sport-Brella Versa-Brella SPF 50+ Adjustable Umbrella with Universal Clamp, Regular, Black/White
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PROS

  • High-grade UPF protection
  • Easy to transport in the golf bag
  • Setup only takes a few seconds

CONS

  • Large, angular design makes it specific to golfers
  • Lightweight build makes it tough to use in windy conditions

The Sport-Brella Umbrella offers outstanding versatility with premium sun protection.

For the golfer who loves to walk the course or plays in rainy climates, the Sport-Brella offers a  360-degree hinge that allows the umbrella to spin completely around while maintaining an angle to keep the sun out of your eyes.

The umbrella has UPF 50+ protection, guaranteeing to block all harmful UV rays from your skin.

Very lightweight and simple to transport, the Sport-Brella weighs less than two pounds and folds easily after using it with your golf bag or golf cart.


Garmin Approach S10 GPS Watch

Garmin Approach S10, Lightweight GPS Golf Watch, Granite Blue
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PROS

  • Incredibly accurate for precision shotmaking
  • Auto-tracking allows you to focus solely on golf
  • Lightweight on the wrist, very comfortable to wear on the course

CONS

  • Lack of color display disappoints
  • Rather simple when compared to smartphone apps

A standout among the best golf GPS watches on the market is the Garmin Approach S10.

Not only does it offer outstanding battery life with a premium shot tracking system, but it will vastly improve your game by providing accurate yardage readings for over 41, 000 courses.

The Approach S10 is a sleek golf technology device that is a great tool to improve your ability to choose the right club on each shot.

Although it does not have a voice feature from long distances, the Garmin Approach S10 is an excellent alternative to using a GPS device with your phone.


Callaway Golf Ball Retriever

Callaway Golf Ball Retriever for Water, Telescopic with Dual-Zip Headcover, Black, 15 Feet
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PROS

  • Long extension secures previously lost golf balls
  • Locking mechanism does a great job at securing golf balls
  • Thick grip makes handling much easier when extended

CONS

  • Large grip and pole means you need room in your bag to carry comfortably
  • Needs drying time if submerged in water to assure that no rusting occurs

A top choice among amateurs for retrieving their errant shots, the Callaway Golf Balls Retriever is lightweight and very reliable. With either a 6-or 15-foot option, the retriever can cover a long distance to help reach your golf balls.

Easy to operate for golfers of all ages, the Callaway retriever is made from high-quality aluminum and comes with a cover to keep it from rusting.

Compact enough to stay in your golf bag, the well-crafted retriever is a wonderful product to save a golf ball or two on your next trip to the course.


Bushnell Phantom Golf GPS

Bushnell Phantom Golf GPS, Black
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PROS

  • Extremely accurate from anywhere on the golf course
  • Preloaded with thousands of your favorite golf courses
  • Lightweight and won’t take up room in your golf bag

CONS

  • Extremely small device needs a case and clip to help secure and protect
  • Easy-to-use device, but rather simplistic in helping you with detailed analysis

For golfers who think that a GPS rangefinder is just too expensive comes the Bushnell Phantom GPS. This tool is a terrific buy at a very affordable price. It is preloaded with 36 000 courses, an easy-to-work interface, and stores in your golf bag year-round.

Since most golfers want precise distance readings with each swing, the product offers dynamic performance with long battery life, lasting two rounds before charging.

Great for a golfer on a budget, the Bushnell Phantom GPS device is a first-rate product to help with your training on the golf course or driving range.


SKLZ Accelerator Pro Indoor Putting Green

SKLZ ACCELERATOR PRO - Indoor Golf Putting Mat with Auto-Ball Return & Behind-the-Hole Ball Collector - Putter Alignment Guides at 3, 5 & 7 Feet - Rubber-Backed Mat Provides Multi-Surface Stability
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PROS

  • Two different holes for precision practice
  • Smooth ball return makes sure you never have to stop putting
  • High-quality mat delivers realistic roll 

CONS

  • Large hole is too big to help you improve putting
  • Predictable results based on putt speed can cause boredom

Great for golfers who want to make more putts, the SKLZ Accelerator Pro Indoor Putting Green is a different way to improve your short game.

The nine-foot putting carpet comes with putting indicators on the carpet for enhancing your accuracy from a moderate distance range with a clean and reliable golf ball return.

A fun way to improve your game on the green, the SKLZ Accelerator Pro may not be the most sophisticated piece of technology, but it is excellent if you need to find more consistency with your flatstick.


Team Golf NFL Divot Tool

Team Golf NFL San Francisco 49ers Divot Tool Pack With 3 Golf Ball Markers Divot Tool with 3 Golf Ball Markers Pack, Markers are Removable Magnetic Double-Sided Enamel
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PROS

  • Large ball markers proudly display the team logo
  • Stiff tongs easily replace divot in seconds
  • Comes with two extra ball markers

CONS

  • Oversized ball markers with embossing looks large on green
  • Non-retractable tool makes it better for your bag than pocket

On the green, fixing your divots is very important. The Team Golf NFL Divot Tool allows you to replace divots on the putting surface with a better method than using a tee.

Emblazoned with the logos of your favorite NFL team, the divot tool includes three additional markers to help you line up your putts.

The NFL-licensed product is an easy choice among the best gadgets for on-course use, or while training on a practice green, the markers are high-quality and visible.


PodiuMax Pop Up Chipping Net

PodiuMax Pop Up Golf Chipping Net, Indoor/Outdoor Golfing Target Net for Accuracy and Swing Practice
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PROS

  • Five holes make chipping fun, especially in groups
  • Sturdy base with hooks keeps the net in place during practice
  • Setup and breakdown happen quickly

CONS

  • Hard to detect which hole catches a chip shot in the middle
  • To prolong life, it needs to be broken down and stored after use

The PodiuMax Pop Up Chipping Net offers a lightweight, highly portable option to improve your short game to enjoy practice time anywhere. This net offers the ability to chip in your backyard and have a blast doing it with five different compartments.

Golfers find themselves enjoying the net over large stretches of time with any chipping golf club in your set.

This chipping net is dynamic, providing durability with a wide range of games to create a better golf swing for your game around the green.

An excellent training piece, the PodiuMax Pop Up Chipping Net works from various distances and will keep you sharp during the colder months.


Callaway 4-in-1 Divot Repair Tool

Callaway 4-in-1 Golf Divot Repair Tool
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PROS

  • Groove cleaner and brush quickly refresh your grooves
  • Wide tongs effortless lifts your divot for quick replacement
  • Magnetic ball marker stays secure when carrying your pocket

CONS

  • Divot teeth do not retract, making it hard to carry in the pocket
  • Small brush alone doesn’t really help clean impacted grooves

If you are looking for a versatile divot device that offers multiple uses, then Callaway’s Divot Repair Tool is an excellent option.

With the ability to repair the green, clean the grooves of your golf clubs with the attached small brush, and hold your favorite marker with its magnetic base, this device does it all.

The device, made from high-quality stainless steel, offers a better and smarter approach to saving time on the course while you are playing your round.


Visualize Tri-Line Golf Alignment Kit

VISUALIZE Tri-Line Golf Ball Alignment Tool - Precision Marking Pens Kit for Accurate Putting & Driving
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PROS

  • Easily places straight, long putting line along the ball’s surface
  • Holder also helps create dots and dashes for easy identification
  • Comes with two markers

CONS

  • Tough to remove ball from grasp at times
  • Needs a steady hand to mark straight lines on the ball

For golfers that need a new system to accurately mark their balls for better putting, the Visualize Tri-Line Alignment Kit is a wonderful gadget.

The device locks the ball in place, allowing you to draw three separate lines with the included stencil along the top of the device.

The Tri-Line kit also has two pens to provide contrasting colors for multiple lines, an excellent way to lower your time lining up putts.

An excellent kit that’s a great buy, the Visualize Tri-Line kit can help make you a more proficient and accurate putter.


Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors

Arccos Golf Caddie Smart Sensors
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PROS

  • Accurately detected yardage with A.I. powered GPS rangefinder
  • Outstanding integration with a smartphone app for data accumulation
  • 14 sensors in each kit, giving you one for every club

CONS

  • Small and can easily become lost during play if not checked
  • Ideal for serious, frequent golfers needing more data

For improving your swing, the Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors with a golf GPS Rangefinder delivers a low-cost way to measure your statistics on an easy to use smartphone or tablet app. The sensors go into the end of the grips and don’t interfere when playing.

The Arccos Caddie fuels the GPS rangefinder that adjusts for wind, elevation, and temperature, making it one of the most intuitive rangefinders on the market.

An exceptional product that allows you a simple way to measure your performance on the course without a voice caddie.


SKLZ Smash Bag Impact Swing Trainer

SKLZ Smash Bag Golf Swing Trainer Black
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PROS

  • Made from high-grade nylon for long-lasting durability
  • Fills with leftover towels or clothes
  • Safe to use at home or anywhere indoors

CONS

  • Great for fundamental work but does little to improve your ball striking
  • Demanding equipment can make you tired after only a few swings

Golf coaches around the country rave about one of the best gadgets, the SKLZ Smash Bag Impact Swing Trainer, for increasing strength and improving the quality of your contact.

It can be used with any golf club and teaches you the feeling of hitting balls square with the correct face position.

It comes with a target that allows you to get the golf club square at address and then again at impact. If you have a junior golfer in your house, this gadget will make them stronger and more accurate with repeated use.

A great piece of golfing technology, the SKLZ Smash Bag will create the shot height and distance you want for your game.


Golf Buddy Laser 1S Rangefinder

GOLFBUDDY Laser 1S Rangefinder with Slope, Pin Finder with Vibration, 880 Yard Range Finder, Slope Adjusted Distances, Accurate Measurement, 3 Targeting Mode, 6X Magnification, Wide LCD Display
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PROS

  • Fast response delivers precise yardage to screen
  • 880 yards measuring range
  • 6x magnification with wide LCD for easy-to-see yardage reading

CONS

  • Entry-level rangefinder doesn’t have the bells and whistles of a top-tier model
  • Simplistic design, great for first-time users. Experienced golfers will want more

Even though it has an entry-level price, the next item on our list, the Golf Buddy Laser 1S Rangefinder goes beyond to provide incredibly accurate yardage readings from anywhere on the course.

From a variety of distances, the rangefinder will quickly provide a variety of distances to the green, pin, and upcoming hazards.

The laser rangefinder also measures slope with a 6x magnification range, all for less than the cost of a driver.


Bushnell Wingman GPS Speaker

Bushnell Wingman GPS Speaker , Black
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PROS

  • High-quality speaker delivers loud, clear audio
  • Strong magnet keeps the speaker tied to the cart safely and securely
  • Rechargeable battery delivers 10 hours of power

CONS

  • At times, the connection between speaker and remote does not work quickly
  • Takes a long learning curve to get the hang of the device’s benefits

The Bushnell Wingman GPS Speaker is an all-in-one gadget that provides golfers with GPS readings, an outstanding bluetooth speaker, and a voice caddie with smooth integration with the company’s app.

The GPS comes preloaded with 36 000 courses, so this GPS speaker will cover all your favorite places to play.

The product comes with a 10-hour battery for long-lasting play and pairs easily with your phone to play your favorite songs during your round.

Great for the active golfer who likes to walk the course, the Bushnell speaker attaches easily to your golf cart or pushcart.


Phigolf Mobile and Home Smart Golf Simulator

PHIGOLF Home Golf Simulator with Weighted Swing Stick, Indoor & Outdoor Use, Swing Trainer with Motion Sensor & 3D Swing Analysis, Supports Android and iOS Devices, Compatible with WGT & E6 Connect
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PROS

  • Great to use anywhere you have a TV
  • With Phigolf App, you can analyze your swing with outstanding data collection
  • Fun online community allows you to play against others around the world

CONS

  • Limited courses to play reduce long-term playability
  • Joystick doesn’t truly replicate the weight and feel of an actual club

If you are looking for a high-quality at-home golfing simulator without paying thousands of dollars, then the Phigolf Mobile and Home Smart Golf Simulator is a wonderful alternative.

The device works with a tablet or television and the company’s app provides eight free courses to play virtual golf.

The simulator comes with a club-like joystick that provides you with a real-life, although simulated, the day on the links.

The joystick registers swing speed and golf club path for accurate and realistic results that you can follow on screen. A great way to play at home, the Phigolf simulator is one fun piece of golfing equipment.


Things to Consider When Buying Golf Gadgets

Durability

Examining the durability of golf gadgets can be a tricky proposition for beginning golfers who aren’t familiar with brands and their reputations.

Therefore, when evaluating a device for possible inclusion in your bag, you should consider the product’s price, brand, and age.

Durability also comes with proper storage and maintenance of a gadget, so it’s vitally important to consider the care needed for the device concerning its lifespan.

Ease of Use

Golf gadgets range in complexity of use from easy to difficult. There’s not much extra explanation needed for products like alignment sticks or a golf glove before using it. 

But for GPS devices such as a wristwatch or rangefinder, you can expect to spend an hour or two learning the proper instructions before operating the product.

If stuck with learning how to use the gadget, online tools such as videos and manuals are readily available to smooth over any issue you may be having.

Size

Before purchasing a golf gadget, you should consider how you plan to transport, use, and store the device while on and off the course. Such items as alignment sticks and umbrellas are long but can safely be stored along with the golf clubs in the bag’s interior.

Other more expensive items such as GPS devices might need the comfort of the valuables pocket but with more padding to assure that the product does not break with unforeseen impact when traveling.

You might also want to consider wearable gadgets that you can easily bring with you.

Battery

For battery-dependent devices, such as rangefinders, you first need to make sure you understand if the product comes with rechargeable batteries or if you need regular over-the-counter batteries. 

If you can recharge the battery installed inside the product, you need to understand the battery’s lifespan so you are never caught with a dead device on the course.

The same holds for replaceable batteries, as you should carry a few extra inside your golf bag when playing for quick and painless replacement.

Accuracy

When considering the accuracy of a golf gadget, specifically a rangefinder, GPS handheld device, or watch, you should have a solid understanding of your length with each club.

Most GPS devices should maintain accuracy up to a yard or two. Still, you need to have a baseline understanding of your yardage before accurately measuring a device’s overall precision.

Skills

Every golfer can improve their skills or their golfing experience by using a well-made golf gadget.

A simple item like alignment sticks can produce better symmetry at address for a more balanced swing, for example.

For other players who like to accumulate data to help them understand their own game, a GPS device that records shot distance and additional stats can help develop skills.


Questions & Answers

The SKLZ Smash Bag Golf Swing Trainer is our top choice for the best golf gadget that can dramatically improve the shot quality of a beginning golfer. The trainer offers affordability, durability, and an easy method for increasing strength and shot accuracy.

The bag, made from high-quality nylon, offers golfers a clean, simple practice method for beginning golfers to develop a repeatable golf swing that returns the club to square at impact. 

The setup with the SKLZ is quite simple. All you need to provide is old clothing and towels, stuffing the bag’s interior before putting the device to use. On the side of the bag, SKLZ provides a target that helps beginning golfers create more consistency with each swing.

Since high handicappers struggle with consistency, the SKLZ bag provides a low-impact correction device to reduce the number of fat and thin shots on full swings, making it one of the best golf gadgets for beginners.

What golf gadgets make a good gift for a golfer?

The best golf gadgets for any level of golfer, no matter how far along they are in their golfing journey, is a first-rate GPS device.

Whether handheld or a wristwatch model, a GPS device that integrates with a smartphone or tablet app remains one of the best golf technology gifts available for the golf game lover in your inner circle.

GPS devices quickly provide data for your upcoming shot, giving you the yardage for obstacles such as water hazards and bunkers and the yardage to the pin and different areas of the green. 

Just about all of the major GPS devices come preloaded with over 30,000 courses to help any golfer immediately put their new gadget to work to help their game.

You will also have the option of downloading updates to the device to provide the layouts of any new courses that may pop up.

For any golfer that wants more information to improve the quality of their shotmaking, a GPS device is a terrific gadget, well worth the cost if you are looking for a top-tier gift for a golf lover.

What are the pros and cons of golf gadgets?

The benefits of using golf gadgets on and off the course can easily revolutionize a golfer’s game.

While some of the golf gadgets on our list offer comfort, such as a wide umbrella, other devices, such as GPS devices, can instantly provide a wealth of information that can drive a golfer to rethink their approach to the great game of golf.

Failing to combat the downside to golf gadgets can happen if the golfer is far more interested in buying the devices and not putting them to good use to develop and improve their overall game

For example, let’s say that a golfer buys a rangefinder and GPS device intending to integrate data into their overall game. But he never uses the two golf gadgets instead of continuing to rely on his instincts in the hope of lowering his scores.

Before purchasing golf gadgets, golfers should evaluate the pros and cons of the device to either boost their enjoyment or help lower their scores.


Final Thoughts

While most golf enthusiasts love to play with the latest gadgets, few know how these devices and accessories can help their overall game. 

Our choice for the best golf gadget you can add to your bag, the Golf Buddy Laser 1S Rangefinder, offers you accurate yardage readings for picking out that perfect club for your next shot. 

Like any excellent golf gadgets, the Laser 1S is easy to use and highly durable for the wear and tear it experiences during a round.

And best of all, the rangefinder’s low price won’t force you to decide between adding that new driver while improving the quality of your game.