CANNON SHOT GPS TRACKS BLUETOOTH
“The world’s first attachment-free smart basketball tracks makes, misses and shot range when paired with the app via Bluetooth and any regulation 10-foot hoop.” I don’t lose many basketballs, so I was able to resist Wilson’s pitch. “If they’ve got any kind of game-and an iPhone-they’ll want this ball,” the ad boasted. Then I saw a Christmas ad for the Wilson X Connected basketball. NEWSLETTERS: Sign up for latest golf news, tips and insider analysis
And why a sleeve? Shouldn’t one ball be enough? “Save time, save shots, save money-and play golf with a smile!” I was already smiling, but I wasn’t quite ready to fork over $399 for the Prazza handset or $30 for a sleeve of balls. “Effective within 100m, your Prazza Golf Ball Finder will find your high performance Prazza ball every time,” the ad concludes. “On average, most golfers lose four balls per round, adding a total of 20 minutes of play just searching for their ball.” To combat this injustice and to keep play moving, the good folks at Prazza-a Dutch company with roots in the lucrative field of commercial-vehicle tracking-devised a ball containing a miniature radio transmitter that sends a beeping sound to your handset. “Losing your ball is an unwanted hassle,” the ad continued. I was only a few days removed from a round at Clover Hills Country Club, where I had donated two sleeves to the tree-and-rough gods. The ad copy caught my eye: YES, IT WORKS! TEE OFF WITH PRAZZA AND WALK STRAIGHT TO YOUR BALL EVERY TIME!