iGolf let’s you swing your iPhone like a golf club and then tells you how far your shot went. It gauges how fast you swung and how far your shot traveled with the iPhone’s accelerometer. It’s like having a driving range wherever you go.

This app works on the same principal that the Wii does. Both the iPhone and the Wii motes have accelerometers, these can detect movement of the device along teh X Y Z access and determine speed of movement. Ergo, it can act as a golf club and mimic your movements in the application.

Well, if you have an iPhone then it’s lucky for that Social Gaming Network has released iGolf as a free app. What better way to practice your swing when you’re in the elevator, or waiting in line for instance.

Just for god’s sake, don’t let that phone go flying across your room, into your TV, through a window or the aquarium.

Note: This is not a training aid!

[via TechCrunch]

After several years of buzz, earlier this year the, the "System 1" from Sonic Golf was delivered. And the cost is a lot less than the original $1000 for the first seven sold to help fund this startup. The cool thing about this gadget is that it uses a unique approach to real-time audio biofeedback using musical tones that is directly applicable to a golf swing. Sonic Golf S1 uses accelerometers, wireless signals, and music processing chips to convert your swing motion to continuous musical tones.

Slow swings are low pitch, quiet tones. Swing faster and the pitch and volume gets higher. With each swing you hear your rhythm and tempo, backswing/downswing transition, and the timing and speed of your club head release.

What is included in the Sonic Golf S1 System? The Sonic Golf S1 includes the following components:

• A golf shaft insert
• A belt-worn audio processor
• Ear-bud headphones
• A 6-iron training club with a custom Golf Pride grip that holds the shaft insert
• Instructional materials

At US$129, it’s not cheap, but compared to many other training aids out there it’s not bad at all. Plus if you’re a gadget guy like myself it makes sense to try this approach.

Golf Gators is a golf shoe company that is innovating and I love that in a company. They describe themselves as a company that wants to make golf even more fun and they don’t take themselves too seriously.

They are definitely proving both points by their recent announcement of the Spackler golf sandals. So I guess hippies can now also join in the fun enjoyed by the old boy’s network for generations.

There’s two interesting things about the Spackler. It has removable/replaceable spikes. It has holes in the heel that can hold 1 or 2 tees ("Golf Gators Golf Tee Rocket Launchers"). This last would be great if you have no pockets to keep said tees.

Yes, if you get these for Christmas your golf buddies will make fun of you next Spring (it even says so in the FAQ). Seriously though, I’ll be sticking to my Footjoys, but with Spacklers wearing an MSRP tag of US$39.99 and multiple colors and sizes to choose from for both men and women, if it tickles your fancy then why not get a pair when they’re available in a few months.

Here’s an interview at the Golf Gator booth from the 2008 PGA Expo Las Vegas.

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