There’s never enough time in the day to play golf. Luckily, with the arrival of Daylight Savings Time, an extra hour of on-course time is not just something to look forward to but maybe more importantly, something to capitalize on.
How will you spend your extra hour?
Want to gain some club head speed? Want to try and squeeze in nine holes after work? Whatever it is, here are some products (and deals!) to consider before heading into those highly anticipated long days on the golf course.
Rypstick Training Package & RypRadar (Best For Golfers Who Want More Distance)
Ever feel like your swing is getting faster but you aren’t sure how much faster?
With the Rypstick Training Package & RypRadar combination, you no longer have to guess. RypRadar allows you to measure your swing speed without even practicing with a golf ball. Real-time feedback lets you know if that little extra shoulder rotation or a weight change at setup leads to extra swing speed. RypRadar can also be good for testing new equipment.
One of the unique features of the RypRadar is the optional voice feedback setting. If you want to just keep swinging, let the RypRadar tell you where you stand from a speed perspective. More than 80 Tour athletes use this tool and, without a doubt, it’s a popular gadget for long-drive competitors. The Rypstick Training Package combines a training program with instant feedback and data. (In case you haven’t noticed, we are big fans of data around here.)
Bushnell Tour V5 Shift (Best For Accurate Yardages In Low Light)
We are all for a good deal on a cheap rangefinder when you can find one—but less expensive rangefinders have their limits.
One of those limits is accuracy and functionality in low lighting (which can be a problem just after Daylight Savings Time comes into effect). The Bushnell Tour V5 Shift is a premium rangefinder. Now priced well under the $350 mark, this may be something you have been waiting for for years.
The Tour V5 Shift features PinSeeker Technology with Visual JOLT, BITE Magnetic Mount and one of the clearest pictures available.
The Bushnell Tour V5 shift is a tournament-legal model with slope functionality. Don’t give up on accurate yardage for your last few holes in the daylight. Use a Tour V5 Shift and finish the round strong.
PING G425 MAX Driver
Our 2023 Best Golf Driver test results have already been released but don’t dismiss the 2022 winners. The PING G425 had an incredible season. Thousands of golfers found the PING G425 golf driver to be a solution for distance and dispersion issues.
The G425 MAX driver comes with an adjustable hosel and the Arccos Caddie Smart Grip Program. The club features crown turbulators to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag. The club head is fast, it looks great and when you strike it in the center, you’re rewarded.
If you held out in 2022 waiting for the price of the G425 MAX to drop, now is your chance to snag one before they’re gone.
Alphard Club Booster V2
When Daylight Savings Time hits, you get one extra hour of time on the course. Depending on your pace of play, this can be four holes or maybe it can be eight. If you want to boost your speed a little, consider boosting your standard golf push cart with the Alphard Club Booster V2.
This unique gadget turns almost any golf push cart into a premium electric golf caddie.
The Alphard Club Booster V2 responds via remote, allowing for a smooth ride throughout the course.
Another great thing about Alphard: they made it really easy to convert your current golf push cart into a boosted high-speed electric cart. There is no need to be a small-engine mechanic to get this done—the directions and about 15 minutes of your time are all it should take. Pair this with the right pair of jogging shoes and you may fit in a full nine holes in that extra hour on the course.
NIKE UV Victory 1/4 Zip
Even though there is more daylight, nobody has said anything about warmer temperatures just yet. The NIKE UV Victory 1/4 Zip is a great piece to keep in the bag in case the temperature drops towards the end of your round. The 1/4 Zip’s standard fit and lightweight fabric make this a really smart layering piece for golfers. In addition, NIKE’s Dri-FIT material keeps sweat away. The NIKE UV Victory 1/4 Zip is machine washable and available in a few different colors.
Top Max LED Light For Golf Cart
Forget putting a candle in the bottom of the hole. This is 2023! If you own a golf cart, why not install a Top Max LED Light Bar to help ensure you finish that round? This LED Light Bar has high-intensity lights meant for driving safety. For us, that’s just a bonus.
These LED spotlights from Top Max have an aluminum housing and can withstand being outdoors. The lights have a life of 50,000 hours. Luckily, you won’t need that many hours before the days get a little longer. Installation isn’t overly difficult for a handy golf cart owner but the key here is the adjustable mounting bracket. Adjust the light so it shines on your line just right. Your competitors will need a spotlight of their own.
Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor
If you’re determined to make 2023 your best golf year yet, the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor can be your silent partner. If you want to spend those extra daylight hours working on the range, the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is like a golf coach in your pocket.
With the Rapsodo MLM, you can measure things like distance, smash factor, launch angle and launch direction. Using your cell phone, take videos of your swing and then get stats about that specific swing. With features like Smart Club Recognition and Satellite Range Mapping, you can learn much more about your game and how to take it to the next level.
We have tested and played with the Rapsodo. It’s one of our favorite golf gadgets.
Red Rooster The Cape
How does that old saying go? Something like “March comes in like a lion and goes out like blisters on your hands from early-season golf.” We know you probably have not played as much golf over the winter so even if wearing a glove is not your thing, Red Rooster has a solution for your tender hands during those early-season golf marathons.
The Cape is a premium cabretta leather glove with a highly responsive control and feel. It’s one of the best performance golf gloves in 2022 and has excellent moisture control and breathability.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you about what early-season rounds can do to your hands.
Skechers GO GOLF Elite 5 Slip In
If you have been wearing slippers, boots and sneakers all winter, the last thing you want now that golf season is here is to put on uncomfortable golf shoes. The new Skechers GO GOLF Elite 5 Slip-In golf shoe was recently named one of the more comfortable shoes of our 2023 best spikeless golf shoes test.
The Skechers Hands-Free Slip-Ins allow you to simply slip the shoe on and head to the course. (Don’t waste any time!) There is also a Twist Fit dial closure to ensure your shoe is on properly and provides support and stability while swinging. With the spikeless TPU outsole and tons of flexibility, you may want to wear these on and off the course. There is nothing wrong with always being ready to head to the course.
COBRA Ultralight Sunday Bag
Last, but not least, is the COBRA Ultralight Sunday Bag. We know that Daylight Savings give us 60 bonus minutes of on-course time. What if that 60 minutes is all you get? Don’t lug your large cart bag out to play a few holes. Grab the clubs you need, a golf ball (OK, maybe two?), a few tees and head to the course. The COBRA Ultralight Sunday Bag is our favorite Sunday golf bag of 2023.
When we tested the COBRA Ultralight Sunday Bag, we noted that it had great value and a smart pocket structure. You won’t feel all that restricted with what you can and can’t bring with you. In addition, the stand is strong, just like other COBRA bags.
The only negative here is the water bottle pocket. It’s not ideal but it does the job.
Final Thoughts
Daylight Savings Time is a win for golfers. As Ben Hogan said, “the only thing a golfer needs is more daylight.”
Get out there and start working on your game or squeeze in that extra few holes you’ve been missing over the last few months. An hour may not seem like much but if you are smart about it, it’s enough!
Tampon Woods
1 year ago
It’s NOT and extra hour. Early=morning players lost an hour. They enjoyed playing at the crack of dawn around 5:30am-6am, and not they’re having to wait until 6:30-7, wrecking their whole day, for the early-bed-early-riser people.
They need to cancel DST and just keep Standard time.
Daylight should always be made to fit the mornings, not afternoons.
And in a big country that occupies too much land North-South, well, DIVIDE the country like the old days into North and South, and allow States to dictate their own choice for DST. Southern states should stick to Standard time and Northern States can have whatever time they want to do with it
But hahahaha, America can’t be divided North-South any more, eh? Pathetic!!!!