If a golfer is only as good as their tools, it makes sense that you need a tool to track and measure your results. However, you’ll need more than just the numbers that make it to the scorecard. You’ll want the reasons why the golf ball is reacting the way it does from your swing. You’ll want data such as carry distance, club head speed, ball speed, smash, vertical launch angle, spin, height and flight time.

These are the numbers that help explain your swing and your score. After all, what gets measured gets improved.

To help identify my golf swing statistics, I recently tested the FlightScope mevo. It’s an easy to use launch monitor that provides all the swing data that could want.

With American Thanksgiving here means that Black Friday and the Holiday Season is upon us. As usual, I release a holiday gift guide based on products that I’ve personally used and recommend. In the past, this gift guide has focused on products that are under $100. However, I thought that I would change it up this year simply because there are too many gadgets that are more than $100 that I’d like to recommend.

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the offing maybe now is the time to take advantage of some sales. So without further delay here we go.

Technology… no matter where you look it’s all around us. When you really think about it… golf and technology have really come to the forefront of the golf industry. It’s not just about golf clubs, golf balls, golf shafts and materials used to manufacture these goods. It goes so much deeper than that. Technology has done a lot when it comes to golf. It’s aided golfers in becoming longer and faster.

One of the trends that I’ve noticed in Orlando, Florida at the last few PGA Merchandise Show’s is that more and more tech gadgets are rising to the surface. From GPS units to wearable technology. However, technology to help golfers become longer and faster is useless unless you can optimize your numbers. This is where launch monitors enter the fray.

For decades I’ve been saying there’s an easy way to make a million dollars. All you have to do is invent a product that will improve your golf game.

Many companies have tried but have not been able to crack that exploding bombshell of fame and profitability in the reported $7 billion golf industry, with exceptions such as “The Putting Arc” or “The Whip” or “Medicus” and more.

Now, along comes a company called Flightscope, a leader in 3D Doppler ball tracking systems designed for golfers to practice with a purpose. Flightscope is gaining popularity and earning market share because it is affordable and it works.

Mevo is one of golf’s hottest new tech items, and it gives players affordable access to TOUR-quality shot data. Plus, Tiger Woods’s golf ball release is set to hit shelves for a limited time in 2018.

This year’s biggest news is mainly technology and data.  These days nearly anything can be measured, whether you want it to be or not. But if you are someone who wants to know how much less your swing speed is than the pros so you know what to work on, there’s now a pocket-sized device that gives you stats on your swing, is 100 percent portable, and even shows you data on your phone.  You can even do it swing by swing and the device will superimpost stats over each one. What is it, you ask? That would be mevo, lower case m.

It sounds too good to be true.

For just under $500, you can get a pocket-sized launch monitor from an industry leader, pair it with a free app on your smart phone, and get accurate information on clubhead speed, ball speed, launch angle, carry yardage, and four other parameters to fine-tune your game on your own time. Indoors or out. Short game through driver.