You too can now have the industry's first smart device designed to test multiple metrics on putting green conditions.
After bursting onto the scene in the golf industry a year ago, the USGA's GS3 "smart ball" is now available for purchase.
Eight years in development, the rechargeable GS3 is outfitted with sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes that collect more than 15,000 data points to provide agronomic benchmarks that superintendents and researchers can use to make agronomic decisions and predict putting surface performance. The rechargeable smart ball that is the same size and weight as a standard golf ball calculates green speed, firmness, smoothness and trueness.
Used in conjunction with the Deacon app, the GS3 provides immediate data on key surface performance metrics that superintendents can use to facilitate change more effectively on their course.
Since announcing the product last year, the USGA has focused on quality testing and data validation. The GS3 was used at USGA championships throughout 2022 and 2023 and has been in use in real world conditions by some university researchers and at select golf courses, including Atlanta Athletic Club, Bel-Air Country Club, Longboat Key Club, Merion Golf Club and Pinehurst Resort.
Priced at $2,750, the GS3 Starter Kit includes the GS3 ball and charger, a Deacon subscription, Stimpmeter, drop fixture, an enkamat and capture tray, clipping yield volume bucket and USGA agronomic support.
