On a warm August evening, the No Bad Days Golf Society hosted our first-ever live Q&A, and we could not have asked for better guests to kick things off. Joining us from Shot Scope were Gavin Dear, the company’s Head of Sales and former touring pro, and Jennifer Saxton, the marketing manager and Scottish women’s national team player. If you know golf tech, you know Shot Scope is more than just a GPS and rangefinder brand. They are also a goldmine of player data and insights.

The call had the feel of old friends catching up. We swapped weather complaints from heatwaves in Switzerland and Scotland, poked fun at our games, and dove into equipment trends, product tech, and surprising data points from Shot Scope’s vast player database.

Trends in the bag: five and seven woods on the rise

Gavin and Jen shared that while mini drivers are still more of a tour curiosity, the real shift they have seen is amateurs, even lower handicaps, replacing hybrids and long irons with more lofted fairway woods. Thanks to advances in shaft and club head technology, a five or seven wood can match or nearly match a three wood for distance while offering better playability from light rough and tight lies.

Simple advice that works for almost everyone

Despite all the data Shot Scope collects, Gavin stressed that some tips are nearly universal:

Hit driver more often
Use more lower-lofted clubs around the greens
Think “middle of the green” on approaches, especially to avoid the trouble that is often short

It is not about overcomplicating things. It is about making decisions that keep you in play and give you more chances to score.

The Pro L5 rangefinder: clarity and color

We talked tech as well. The Pro L5 rangefinder, with its bright red OLED reticle, earned high praise for visibility in early morning light. Yes, it is a little longer than some models, but that is simply the nature of OLED tech. The Pro X rangefinder also got attention for its customizable magnetic side plates, perfect for team logos, events, or even Ryder Cup-themed designs.

Watches, battery life, and real-world use

Shot Scope’s watch lineup, especially the V5 (shot tracking) and G6 (standalone GPS), sparked plenty of discussion. Battery life came up, as it always does. Gavin explained that it is a balancing act. GPS, tracking technology, backlighting, and player habits all draw power differently. A player who constantly checks hole maps will burn through a battery faster than someone who glances at front-middle-back yardages and moves on.

Data surprises: wedges are not automatic

Jennifer found one stat caught everyone off guard. Even players shooting in the 70s miss the green twice per round from inside 70 yards. It is a good reminder to manage expectations and keep working on those scoring shots.

Greens in regulation also emerged as the biggest differentiator between low and high handicaps. Distance plays a role but it does not tell the whole story.

No subscriptions, by design

One of the most popular talking points was Shot Scope’s no-subscription model. Gavin explained it comes down to ownership. They create and maintain all their own course maps in-house, making updates to about 200 courses each week without paying licensing fees. That control allows them to keep the app and updates free, which is rare in the golf tech space.

A peek into the future

While they could not spill details, Jen and Gavin hinted at two new products launching early next year. These will step into categories Shot Scope has not touched before, with a special focus on the North American market. Beyond hardware, the company is building deeper ways to slice and present player data, from comparing different types of 10-handicaps to finding performance patterns that help amateurs get better.

Closing on a high note

Like any good golf chat, the conversation wandered from mapping quirky backyard courses to debating whether Gavin or Jen would swap partners if they repeated their on-course challenge with Frank and Mike from Golficity. Both said they would stick with the same partners.

As we wrapped up, it was clear this will not be the last time we bring Shot Scope into a No Bad Days live session. Whether it is talking tech, sharing laughs, or digging into the numbers that shape the game, Gavin and Jen brought the perfect mix of expertise and personality.

Stay tuned, and next time join us live. You never know where the conversation will go.

No Bad Days Live Q&A Recap: A Night with Shot Scope’s Gavin Dear and Jennifer Saxton