Shot Scope V5 Golf Watch

The new Shot Scope V5 golf watch does everything the Shot Scope X5 golf watch does.

Almost.

You have a fully functional GPS golf watch.

You have a fully functional GPS golf watch with full-hole mapping.

You have a fully functional GPS golf watch with full hole mapping that also does automatic shot tracking (Shot Scope’s specialty).

And you have a fully functional GPS golf watch with full hole mapping that also does automatic shot tracking (Shot Scope’s specialty) and provides a deep dive into over 100 game performance statistics.

The Shot Scope V5 golf watch also, like its big brother the X5, gives you all this with no monthly subscription fee.

What doesn’t the V5 do that the X5 does?

First, it doesn’t have a touch screen. Second, it doesn’t cost $300.

It costs $249.

Shot Scope V5 Golf Watch

The new Shot Scope V5 golf watch is functionally equal to its older brother in every way, just without the touch screen. Instead, the V5 features four push buttons to navigate the various screens.  

That’s it. That’s the difference.

You can spend the extra 50 bucks and get the touch screen. Or you can save the 50 bucks and push some buttons.

It’s your call.

Everything else about the V5 functionality is identical. And having used the X5 for the past year, that makes this fat-fingered golfer very happy. The X5 features a touchscreen and two multi-function buttons to reach different screens. It’s handy but there can be a level of frustration for the less-than-tech-savvy fat-fingered crowd. (Editor’s Note: Insert photo of the author.)

The Shot Scope V5 push button operation is similar to that of the V3, which was released in 2020. For the record, there was no V4 watch. Instead, Shot Scope released the H4 in 2022, a pocket-sized hand-held GPS unit with shot-tracking capabilities.

Shot Scope updated the X5 with full hole mapping capabilities a month ago. The V5 will offer the same capabilities. It comes loaded with more than 36,000 courses worldwide and Shot Scope’s “Power-Sense” technology to capture shots automatically without a phone and without “tagging.” All you have to do is play golf.

The Shot Scope V5 golf watch features customizable display colors, hazard layup and carry distances and step tracking.

Shot Scope Analytics

It’s here where we remind you that Shot Scope is the official on-course data partner of MyGolfSpy. The reason? Shot Scope provides a healthy dollop of performance data with more than 100 statistics. Strokes Gained can be benchmarked to different handicaps. Shot Scope’s Performance Average (P-Avg) tells you how far you really hit each club. It removes outliers, punch-outs, duffs and other miscreants to give you an idea of what your “good” shots do. You’ll also get detailed putting analytics.

Shot Scope also offers My Strategy. It’s a mapping feature that allows you to lay out a plan for a new course using your real distances. Shot Scope has added a Course Hub feature to its app. Course Hub lets you view any of the 36,000-plus included courses to see how other Shot Scope users played each hole.

How you use these analytics is up to you but Strokes Gained is the fastest path to improvement. Let’s say your round shows 1.73 Strokes Gained off the tee, 1.65 Strokes Gained on approach shots and 2.13 Strokes Gained putting. All good but it’s the -1.5 Strokes Gained in your short game that says “work on your chipping.” You can also compare Strokes Gained round by round and season by season.

Patterns tend to emerge. This information can be shared with your instructor through Shot Scope Academy. Your instructor can sign up for free.

Shot Scope V5 Golf Watch: Final Thoughts

Shot Scope hit the scene in 2016 with its original shot-tracking band. The band had no GPS function. It was just a band with a head roughly the size of an aircraft carrier that collected your shot data.  Shot Scope introduced the V2 a year later featuring a simple GPS function. The V3, as mentioned, was introduced in 2020 as a much smaller, sleeker design. Last year, Shot Scope introduced the X5 as a full-featured GPS/shot tracker. The X5 also doubles as a regular timepiece and a step tracker.

Shot Scope has jumped into the laser rangefinder game, offering some of the best-value rangefinders in golf.

The new V5, at a retail price of $249 (with no subscription fees), might be the golf’s new best value.

Additionally, Shot Scope is partnering with the National Golf Foundation, PGA Golf Retirement+ (an incentive-based retirement program for PGA professionals) and TROON to promote its products.

Aside from the price, perhaps the biggest draw with the new Shot Scope V5 is something it doesn’t have. The X5 touchscreen is, at least to this user, kind of wonky. I get it, I’m a Boomer with the subtle touch of a blacksmith. But I am looking forward to good old-fashioned push buttons.

The Shot Scope V5 golf watch and shot-tracking system is available starting today on the Shot Scope website. It’s also available at DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, PGA TOUR Superstores and other golf retailers.