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The New Year is upon us and for many golfers the months of January and February are lost to winter weather that shuts down courses and driving ranges. Not only battling weather this year, players in many areas are also dealing with COVID-19 related lockdowns, which have closed or restricted indoor practice centers and made it more difficult to keep your golf game sharp heading into the Spring.

However, innovative companies have come to the rescue and are making it easier than ever to create a useful practice space that is affordable and attainable for a variety of families. Having a dedicated space to work on your game isn’t just useful during winter months, but also for rainy days, nighttime practice sessions or for when you can’t make it to the course.

One of the pioneers in the category is Rain or Shine Golf (www.rainorshingolf.com), a great company founded by two high-school golf teammates who set out to create a brand that helps any player find their dream at-home simulator, regardless of budget or space restrictions. The company’s talented  team works with potential customers to find the components that best work for their homes. Options include nets, swing bays, hitting mats, simulators and more, which can be mixed-and-matched and packaged together. They offer a great service for anyone who isn’t quite sure what they need or can afford, as they have many options to choose from that range in price and size. Check out more at www.rainorshinegolf.com.

Among the brands carried by Rain or Shine Golf is FlightScope. You may have seen their advertisements with PGA TOUR Superstars Bryson DeChambeau and Bubba Watson, two bombers who rely heavily on data to gauge the effectiveness of swing or equipment changes. The company offers two products perfectly suited for the amateur crowd, the Mevo and its big brother Mevo+.

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Mevo is among the most popular portable launch monitors on the market. At just $500, it is packed with technology that will help players of all skill levels dial in their distances, track progress and ultimately take their game to the next level. As a 3D Doppler radar-based launch monitor with the ability to be used indoors and outdoors, Mevo spits out data on: carry distance, ball and club speed, spin rate, smash factor, vertical launch angle, apex height and flight time. Users can practice without interruption using the Mevo app on their mobile phone or tablet to automatically record, clip and save each video with data overlay. All videos and data are captured and stored automatically, allowing players to review each session or share with their coach.

If you’re looking for more bells and whistles, the recently unveiled Mevo+ might be the answer. Purposefully-engineered for avid golfers, Mevo+ also works both indoors and outdoors, but beyond tracking 15 data parameters it also provides simulations of golf courses and other gamification elements, including skills combines and customizable challenges.  The ultimate practice and entertainment experience, Mevo+ runs $1,999. To learn more about the Mevo family of products, please visit www.flightscopemevo.com.

Remember, winter days or rainy weather don’t have to mean you can’t get in some practice. Just a few years ago at-home simulators were only marketed to the ultra-wealthy, but that has changed dramatically and companies like Rain or Shine Golf and FlightScope are helping to bring solutions to everyone.