Whilst many middle aged me are now taking up triathlon rather than golf, the golf market is obviously big globally. Perhaps not as electronically advanced as other sports markets you might say.
The newly announced X40 is a new format of device for Garmin. Previously their APPROACH watches were in the format of SATNAVs/Bike Computers (rectangular) or running watches (circular) – eg S10 and G10. I would assume that Garmin’s development logic and learning in the golf market is applied to all formats of hardware. So we get this. Essentially a golfified activity band.
With my limited experience of golf in years gone by (I just about had a handicap) this format, being thin, looks promising compared to earlier devices. If it has the necessary TruSwing stroke dynamics working properly then it will be a useful technical addition as well.
The downside though is that some of these aids are against the rules of golf. So be warned if you are a more serious golfer wanting to compete. Check that out first. (I don’t know a definitive answer but know that TomTom are acutely aware of it in their golfer 2 watches).
PR Announcement: Approach X40
The Approach X40 is one of the smallest activity trackers with GPS capabilities. It comes preloaded with data for more than 40,000 courses around the world with no additional fees or subscriptions, and measures precise distances to the front, middle and back of the green as well as layups, doglegs and hazards like bunkers and water. Additionally, the Approach X40 features Green View, which displays the shape of the green on each hole and allows golfers to manually place the pin for more accurate yardages.
Stylish and comfortable, the Approach X40 was designed with the active golfer in mind. With daily activity tracking, the Approach X40 records daily steps, calories burned, distance, time of day, hours of sleep and reminds users to stay active throughout the day with move alerts.1 Featuring Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate technology, the X40 monitors heart rate 24/7 and gives users the freedom to exercise without a chest strap and helps quantify the intensity of fitness activities to provide users with better credit for their efforts.
On the course, the X40 acts as a digital scorecard, which can track individual stats like fairways hit, greens in regulation and putts per round. When using the AutoShot feature, X40 users can gather even more data like the average distance for each club, longest drive per round and overall. They can even see their shots3 overlaid onto one map to see their own personal trends and tendencies, so they know what to work on for the next round. It pairs seamlessly with the Garmin TruSwing golf club sensor to improve swing consistency. When paired, the X40 provides golfers with useful swing metrics in real time and 3-D animations in Garmin Connect so golfers can see how their individual mechanics affect their ball flight and shot results.
With a sunlight readable screen, the Approach X40 keeps up with users’ active lifestyles and helps keep them connected on and off the course. It can send any notification from a compatible smartphone, including incoming calls, text, emails, calendar reminders, social media alerts and more to the device with a vibration alert so users won’t miss a beat. Additionally, the X40 supports automatic uploads for golf and wellness data to the Garmin Connect Mobile app, so users can easily access all their data in one place. Within Garmin Connect, golfers can share their scorecards, and access all their stats including longest shots, average score, putts and more. Golfers can also view hole-by-hole details of their favorite courses to understand their individual trends and tendencies so they know what to work on for next time.
The Approach X40 has a sleek and unobtrusive design with a crisp 1-inch touchscreen that can be worn 24/7. It is water resistant up to 50m4 so it can withstand a rainy golf game or intense workout without fear of damage. The rechargeable Li-ion battery can get up to 10 hours in GPS mode while out on the course and up to five days in watch mode with activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate monitoring and smart notifications enabled.
The Approach X40 will begin shipping in Q2 2016 and will be available in black, white and frost blue. It will have a suggested retail price of $249.99.
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