Heading out to Washtenaw Golf Club this chilly morning, I realized a significant part of my prep time involved making sure all my gadgets were charged and ready to go.
My trusty MGI electric trolley, a real workhorse, has a hefty lithium battery. Its remote operates on the same power source. Though the cart’s battery can power through two rounds even if left uncharged, I prefer not to push its limits. As for the remote, I’ve never tested its endurance since I always recharge it with the trolley battery.
Equally vital on chilly days are my two lithium battery-powered hand warmers—the two blue tubes you can see on the left. Regrettably, one of them was out of juice today, so the other became my lifeline, moving from one pocket to the next.
My Garmin GPS golf watch barely gets a thought; it can run for over a week on a single charge. It’s practically glued to my wrist, and I give it a quick glance each night to see how it’s doing. The charger sits handy right on my nightstand.
Then there are my cameras, all running on lithium power. Today, I packed my Sony; it’s much more portable compared to my bulky Canon 80D.
Of course, my phone’s battery is crucial, especially since it also powers my earbuds. I enjoy a good soundtrack while playing but make sure the volume doesn’t intrude on others’ peace.
Reflecting on all this, I couldn’t help but think of the other battery-operated gear I nearly lugged along, like a laser range finder, a portable launch monitor, and even a backup battery for my main batteries.
When you strip it down, most of these are just nice-to-haves. My push cart is perfectly adequate without all the tech. Those battery hand warmers? They’re fun, but my trusty Zippo hand warmers use good old-fashioned lighter fluid. Having played Washtenaw many times, I hardly need the GPS watch—I know the yardages by heart. Playing without music wouldn’t be the end of the world either.
But when it comes to my camera? That’s a must-have. You never know when the perfect photo opportunity will present itself.
