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The Shot Scope V2 golf watch combines GPS with shot tracking and performance analysis. No need for your phone. Superior accuracy. Excellent data analysis tools.
Introduction
One of our major takeaways from this year’s PGA Show was that the shot tracking market was about to get competitive again. The biggest reason for this is the new Shot Scope V2. By adding a GPS watch to the strong fundamentals of the original Shot Scope, the company has created a legitimate alternative to Arccos 360.
Set Up & Ease of Use
Setting up any shot tracking system starts with installing the tags in your clubs. Shot Scope V2 uses extremely small tags – 3/16″ thick and 1 gram – that will not alter your clubs’ swingweight. Additionally, each tag is marked with the club name, so you don’t need to pair the tags with your device.
Step two is loading your courses onto the watch. This can be done either through the app on your phone or through your computer. The process is easy and takes about a minute: search for the course, select it, and sync it to the watch.
When you get to the course, simply turn on Shot Scope and select the mode you want to use. Shot Scope V2 offers three options: GPS, GPS + Track, and PRO Mode. GPS provides your yardages without collecting data. PRO Mode collects your shot data without giving you yardages. GPS + Track does both.
Once you’ve selected a mode, play golf. Shot Scope V2 detects each shot automatically. If you want the most precise short game data, you can use the PinCollect feature to let the system know exactly where the hole is on each green.
Strengths
- You don’t need your phone on the course.
- Dynamic GPS (see graphic above)
- PinCollect – ShotScope knows the exact location of the pin, making all other stats more accurate
- Accuracy is superior to other shot trackers – no missed shots
- Data Analysis on desktop is fantastic. You can break down stats by club or look at just your last 5 or 15 rounds. Graphic displays make the data easy to understand.
Weaknesses
- You need to wear the watch while you play. This isn’t a universal negative – plenty of people golf with a watch on – but some may find it cumbersome.
Value
Shot Scope V2 sells for approximately $110 (support PluggedInGolf, buy it HERE). This price puts it well below Arccos Caddie. The accuracy is superior, and the data allows for deeper dives into your strengths and weaknesses. The biggest difference is that you don’t need your phone, which is a huge positive for me.
Conclusion
With the addition of GPS functionality, ShotScope V2 has made itself a leader in the golf performance tracking market. It delivers on the key metrics – accuracy and data display – while speeding up your play. Equally important, it allows you to leave your phone where it belongs: in your golf bag.
Buy ShotScope V2 HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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39 Comments
Thanks for the review, Matt. I just bought a Garmin watch that also tracks shots, though not as seamlessly as this product seems to. Quick question – with the tag being on the end of the club, is there any feedback/concern about breakage when we put our clubs back in the bag? I hit 9i about 6-7 times a round and play ~75 rounds a year. The tags will hold up to being bounced off the plastic bottom of a golf bag hundreds of times a year?
Don,
Great question. The tags aren’t thick or heavy, but the plastic is very sturdy. I’d be very surprised if they could be damaged by going in and out of the bag. The only problem could be if the tag wasn’t screwed in completely and then got slammed, but that would be more operator error than bad design.
Best,
Matt
I recently purchased the Shot Scope for $159. This is an incredible deal. You get both the traditional features of a GPS enabled distance device plus shot tracking. The tracking is relatively seamless. The only thing you need to remember to do is click the # of putts you took when retrieving your ball from the hole. Reviewing and editing your round is quite simple, so if there are any issues in the data, for example, it didn’t pick up the right club, it’s quite easy to change it. As Matt notes, the stats are terrific. This is a product that anyone serious about improving their game should own.
It does miss shots during a round. They say take multiple practice swings near the ball, and then they don’t tend to get missed, but this is not always possible or desirable in a quick fourball. Having said all that, I am very pleased with the unit, and prefer it to the tagging required with Game Golf, which got tedious. Accuracy is spot on.
Hi, sounds great, is the V2 for sale in the UK yet and if not could you say when. Many thanks Clive
Clive,
I believe it is. Check out the ShotScope website.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
Thank you for the review. I’m sick of the red piece of equipment I have in my belt for Game Golf Live (GG) and I’m wondering what is a better alternative, V2 seems to be it, but:
1) do you feel the stats with V2 are comparatively better than GG’s strokes gained/lost starts to really focus on weakness relative to direct peer group?
2) for club distance, is V2 smart enough to remove outliers (like GG does to a degree), i.e., chipping with 8i on tight fairway aprons or punch outs?
I totally agree with you with not wanting to have to be tied/close to a cell phone during play.
Thanks!
Dave
David,
1) I’m not familiar with the current incarnation of GAME Golf’s stats. Shot Scope does not have anything right now that compares, say, your driving to your putting.
2) Yes, Shot Scope has something called “P-Average”.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
Love the content on the site and pods. Quick question for you on the ShotScope: does the device have to be worn on the wrist or could it be carried in the pocket or looped to a stand bag a few feet away and still work? I am one of those who find wearing a watch while I play distracting.
Brent,
I believe that it needs to be on your wrist.
Best,
Matt
Hi,
Other reviews I’ve read have said that Shot Scope has said that wearing the watch on the wrist is a requirement because it needs to be a few inches from the tag of the club that hits the ball (probably to ensure it doesn’t read your other clubs that may be right behind or laying next to you).
Can you leave it attached to the cart if you only care about yardages instead of club tracking?
Gil,
Yes, absolutely.
-Matt
Hi Matt,
Great review, much appreciated. I think my interest is the same as yours, as I do not want my cell phone near, never mind on, me when I’m playing. Does V2’s stats tell you how you are performing relative to peers, i.e., strokes lost/gained like Game Golf Live? Also, I believe I read that the V2’s software determines length of each club by average distance, but do you know if this “average distance” includes outliers (skulled/very fat) or non-full shots like punching out of chipping?
Thanks again,
Dave
DRC,
Shot Scope does not have peer comparisons, but a Leaderboard feature is rumored to be coming in September.
Regarding distances, you can see both a “complete” average and and an average that removes outliers.
Best,
Matt
Do you need to sign up or re-sign up for service each year
Tommy,
No, there’s no annual fee or need to re-sign up annually.
Best,
Matt
I have the shotscope v2 it does miss a shot or two but overall a great gadget,saves pulling your phone out every hole to mark shots and check distances.
Are all three modes (GPS, GPS + Track and Pro Mode) approved for use under USGA Rule 14-3?
Corey,
I believe that Pro is the only approved mode.
Best,
Matt
Do the tags fall apart like they do in the game golf tags.
Game golf is actually a two piece button that can and does seperate…
Also after placing clubs in the golf bag time after time the club identification disappears off the tags making it difficult if you take them off to put on another set of clubs. Then you need to mark what club they came off of to insure the right tag gets on the right club…
So… are the tags in shotscope less apt to come apart and does the club tag identifier wear off?
Thanks,
Dwight
Dwight,
I haven’t experienced either issue with the Shot Scope tags.
Best,
Matt
Can you purchase additional tags to replace lost or broken ones?
AND
How do you prevent missed shots? More practice swings?
Thanks
DZ
Doug,
I believe that you can purchase lost tags. You would need to contact Shot Scope to do so.
My Shot Scope has missed so few shots that I haven’t given any thought to how to prevent them. More practice swings seems to make sense, but I don’t know the answer with certainty.
Best,
Matt
How does shot scope cope with provisional shots or if you hit a shot out of bounds ( hopefully not to regular occurance)
Doug,
You can add penalty shots on the watch or when reviewing the round.
Best,
Matt
I’ve had ShotScope 2 for a few months. It’s worked very well for me. Picks up shots easily, and is generally very accurate. Watch is a bit bulky but I don’t notice it during a round. The statistics come up for a single round or for collective rounds. It’s been very helpful for me. I do forget to put in my putting statistics too often, but it’s great that it tracks shots automatically and no need for a phone in my pocket. The tags on the ends of the clubs seem to be fine and have stayed intact. All in all, a very good product.
How does the tag actually took distance shot? Through the swing on each iron/wood hit, then walk to our next shot with another iron/wood hit?
Does practice swing before actual shot count?
Richard,
Correct, the system marks where each swing was taken from and calculates the distance between. Practice swings are not counted.
-Matt
Hi Matt
Have you had a chance to use the garmin s60 vs the shot scope
I’m look at getting one
Stephen,
I have not, but I will reach out to them to see if they would like to participate in a review.
Best,
Matt
Thanks Matt.
I use an android phone axe there any other watches that would rival these two or any rumors of new ones coming out next year?
Stephen,
Not that I know of, but we will likely see something at the PGA Show in January.
Best,
Matt
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Matt,
Saw a similar question about not wearing G2 on wrist, but would it still work if you would attach it to your belt instead of wearing it on the wrist? Thanks.
Bryan,
I haven’t tried this myself, but my guess is that if the device is on your lead hip you should be ok. The sensor on the club needs to be close to the device, and I’m not sure what the exact range is.
Best,
Matt
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does it track your steps.
can you recharge it by plugging into the wall outlet
Richard,
I don’t believe there is a step tracker. You can plug it into the wall if you have a USB adapter.
-Matt