
Golf tech has made some pretty big strides over the past few years, one of which being shot trackers. You can now attach sensors to your clubs and they’ll track pretty much everything about your game.
You’ll be able to see how far you hit each of your clubs. You’ll get stats like greens and fairways in regulation. It’ll show you where your common misses are and what areas of your game needs improved.
Three of the most popular performance trackers come from Arccos, Garmin, and Shot Scope. Each of them are similar in terms of what they track. That said, they offer them in different ways, with different price points, and with different pros and cons.
I’ve used each of them over the years and I’ll be breaking down what you need to know about them, what I like and dislike about them, and which one will be the best for you.
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Arccos Caddie | Garmin CT10 | Shot Scope | Which To Buy?
Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors

This is probably the most well-known performance tracker and is the best option if you want features, accuracy, and ease of use. I think their software is the best, which is important for reading your stats.
Performance tracking is all this company does so they offer more features than the other 2 options. Their app is very easy to use and the data seems to be the most accurate.
What I like about Arccos is that you’ll get an interactive map that shows you the distance to any part of the course. You’ll also get elevation adjusted and wind adjusted distances.
The main downside to the Arccos system is that it doesn’t come with a watch or handheld device. To use the Arccos sensors, you’ll need to have a smartphone or smartwatch.
Apple products seem to work better than Android (hopefully this will get fixed soon).
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be on my phone when I’m playing. I think it’s a good idea to take a break when you can. If you already have a smartwatch, this won’t be an issue.
Also, if you’re using your phone, you’ll need to keep it in your front pocket when you’re hitting. I found this a bit annoying, but they do have a product you can buy (Arccos Link) that solves this.
The other downside to Arccos is that you’ll have to buy the sensors and then pay an annual fee to keep your subscription (first year is free). In the long run, this will be the most expensive option.
More Info: Arccos Caddie Sensors Review
What I like:
- Arccos has the best app
- It requires the least amount of editing and fixing errors
- The data is the most accurate
What I don’t like:
- You need to have your own watch or phone
- If you’re using your phone, you have to keep it in your pocket (without Arccos Link)
- You need to pay an annual fee to keep using it
Garmin Approach CT10

If you already have a Garmin watch or want something you can use off the course, the CT10 could be the way to go. You’ll need to buy the watch and sensors separately, so the intial cost is quite high.
Not all Garmin watches are compatible so you’ll want to double check first. With the CT10 sensors, you can buy a pack of 14 or you can buy a pack of 3.
Some of the higher end Garmin watches have some basic shot tracking built in. Where they fall short is with the short game tracking, so you could get a pack of 3 and use them on your putter and wedges.
What I like about the Garmin watches is that they’re the most well-built. The hardwear itself is durable and using the watch on the course rarely gives you problems.
Certain Garmin watches can be used off the course as well. The amount of non-golf features that Garmin offers blows Shot Scope away. That may or may not be important though.
Where it falls short again is with the app. Both the Arccos and Shot Scope app are better. They’re easier to use, they offer more data, and they’re being updated for often than the Garmin app.
More Info: Garmin CT10 Sensors Review
What I like:
- Garmin makes some of the best watches
- You don’t have to pay an annual fee
- The GPS data is as good as any
What I don’t like:
- The initial setup can be the most expensive
- The app is the worst of the 3 options
Shot Scope Sensors

If you don’t want to pay an annual fee and you don’t already have a Garmin watch, Shot Scope could be the way to go. You have a few different options to pick from based on what you prefer.
Shot Scope offers a GPS watch with shot tracking tags, a handheld GPS with shot tracking tags, or shot tracking tags you can pair with your phone.
I prefer using a watch because I don’t have to mess around with a handheld device and it’s the most automatic option.
With the GPS, you’ll get the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green. You’ll get the distance to doglegs and hazards. It’s pretty much the same as the Garmin and Arccos GPS.
Compared to the Garmin watches, Shot Scope is a step behind in terms of quality. Not that it’s bad or anything, it’s just not quite up to par.
The differences comes when you compare the apps. The Shot Scope app is nicer to use and offers better data than the Garmin app. It also seems to be updated more often, which is a big plus.
The Shot Scope app is still a step or two behind the Arccos app. It does a pretty good job but it’s not as seamless, it doesn’t offer quite the same data, and it’s not as good at recommending things based on your stats.
What I like:
- It comes with a watch or handheld unit
- You don’t have to pay an annual fee
- The app is better than Garmin
What I don’t like:
- The watch/handheld isn’t as good as Garmin
- The app could use a bit of fine-tuning
Which Option Is Best For You?
After using each of these for a good amount of time, I think they’re all solid options and I don’t think you could go wrong with any. It mainly comes down to what you already have or what you’re needs are.
In summary, Arccos has the best app but doesn’t come with any hardware. Garmin has the best hardware but has the worst app. Shot Scope is somewhere in the middle.
The Arccos sensors will be perfect if:
- You don’t care about the annual fee
- You don’t want to wear a watch
- You already have a smartwatch
- You want the best user experience and data
The Garmin system will be perfect if:
- You already have a Garmin watch
- You want a watch for features off the course
- You don’t want to pay an annual fee
- You prefer a higher quality watch over a better app
The Shot Scope system will be perfect if:
- You don’t want to pay an annual fee
- You don’t already have a Garmin or other smartwatch
- You prefer a functional app over higher watch quality
- You want the cheapest option
If you’re curious what I’m using, I use Shot Scope. I don’t use Arccos because I don’t want to pay an annual fee and I don’t want to carry my phone on the course. I don’t use Garmin because I don’t wear a smartwatch off the course and I prefer the Shot Scope app.
If you have any questions about the different shot trackers, let me know in the comments below. I’m also curious about the setup you use and why?
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