Shot Scope V5 Review: A Solid Budget Golf Shot Tracker

Shot Scope is one of those golf brands that people either love or they feel doesn’t quite deliver enough. And their V5 golf watch is the perfect case study for those differing opinions.

“Value” and “Quality” are the two overarching considerations, it seems, for golfers who find themselves on either side of the Shot Scope debate.

Those who love Shot Scope proclaim its value as exceptional, unparalleled, the best in golf. And, as we’ll get into in this review, there’s a definite strong value case to be made for the V5.

And those who aren’t quite onboard with Shot Scope sometimes complain that the products just feel a bit, well, budget and find the user experience to be a tad clunky. Once again, the V5 serves as a perfect example.

Where do I stand on Shot Scope? I see it both ways. In the case of the V5, I think there’s some pretty overwhelming evidence that this watch offers too good a value to ignore.

Shot tracking included? No subscription fee? A round strategizing tool that’s actually really useful and innovative? A price of just $249.99 (and possibly for less than $200 when you apply our BREAKINGEIGHTY coupon code to a Shot Scope sale)? I mean, come on, this thing is the poster child of value.

But… It comes with some frustrations. Quality, you see, just isn’t quite up to the level of the top brands in either the golf watch or shot tracking spaces. And the user experience? Yeah, I’m afraid it does lag behind the leaders at least a bit.

It all makes the Shot Scope V5 a very interesting product. For the right golfer, I think they’re going to have a hard time finding a golf watch that they like (or at least like paying for) more than this.

But for a different type of golfer, I think a V5 purchase is going to lead to buyer’s remorse.

So let’s sort it out. I’m going to help you figure out if you’ll love this golf watch or wish you had bought something different.

Shot Scope V5 First Impressions

Out of the box, the Shot Scope V5 is fairly straightforward. It’s clear from the start that Shot Scope is more about delivering value than flash.

The box and its contents don’t really lack anything. All of the important stuff is there. But there’s nothing overboard. Nothing sexy or luxurious.

Inside, you’ve got the watch, a proprietary charger, and 16 shot-tracking tags.

If you’re not familiar with shot-tracking or a system like Arccos, these are tags that screw into the butt end of each of your golf clubs. Then, when you play, the tags and watch work in tandem to keep track of where you’re hitting each one of your shots. We’ll get into it more below.

The watch itself feels lightweight, and I have to say, I think it’s very comfortable. And while I can’t put it on the same level as the top-of-the-line from Garmin (or even their mid range), I’d rate the build quality and aesthetics as overall quite solid.

But… There’s the same weird issue as with the other Shot Scope watches I’ve reviewed. And that is that the watch clasp is backward from what you’d find with a traditional watch.

I gotta say, this is a funky and frustrating design quirk. Apparently, this backward design has to do with the watchband’s built-in RFID shot-tracking technology. Although, I really can’t understand why that makes it so that it has to be backwards. All I know is that I don’t like it.

But, again, once it’s on the wrist, it’s a nice-feeling and looking golf watch. It’s a round 1.2-inch face. And while the display isn’t on the level of a top-end AMOLED Garmin or Apple Watch model, it’s actually clear and bright, even in direct sunlight.

As I’ve said before about the Shot Scope X5, if your display standard is an Apple Watch, you’re going to be disappointed. But, compared to all but the highest end of other golf watches, the V5 looks just fine.

Button Navigation a Big V5 Plus for Me

One thing that jumped out to me right away was that this watch features exclusive button navigation. Personally, I really like that.

I know a lot of golfers prefer touchscreen navigation. And the best of the best—something like the Garmin Approach S70—includes both buttons and touchscreen.

But if I’m having to choose between the two, I’m a button guy. I just find that, often, out in the elements, sometimes with fingers that might include sweat and sunscreen, buttons provide a more reliable way to navigate through the watch’s menu options.

So, for me, the four buttons on the V5 immediately make me like it better than the Shot Scope X5, which is designed for primarily touchscreen navigation. I found using the touchscreen on the X5 to be a little tricky at times. It was often a problem to accurately tap the specific thing I wanted.

If you also love buttons, this is one reason you may love the V5. And if you’re definitely a touchscreen person, well, then this might be what disqualifies it from your list.

How Smart Is the Shot Scope V5?

If you’re looking for a golf watch that you’re going to wear around the clock to track fitness, sleep, and all of your activities, the V5 isn’t it.

It has a step counter, which is nice And I love that it actually shows the time even when you’re in golf mode. Surprisingly, that’s a very rare feature even for the most expensive golf watches.

But this isn’t the watch that’s going to track your stress, or give you a sleep score, or keep track of your hydration, or monitor your blood oxygen saturation. It’s also not a watch that you can use to receive texts, phone calls, or emails.

Then again, did you really expect all of that for a $249.99 price that includes shot-tracking tags?

If you do want all of that on a budget, the closest you’ll get is the new Garmin S50.

I do think that the Shot Scope V5 is nice enough looking and comfortable enough that if you wanted to wear it as your all-day timepiece, you certainly could. But I think most people are going to use this watch just on the golf course. That’s really where it’s designed to deliver all of its value.

Playing Golf and Tracking Shots With the Shot Scope V5

Here’s where we unlock all of the serious bang for the buck that the V5 delivers.

A reminder: We’re talking about a watch that includes shot tracking but doesn’t include a subscription.

You compare that to what you have to pay if you want to use a system like Arccos or if you want to pair a Garmin golf watch with their shot-tracking sensors, and the Shot Scope solution is by far the least expensive.

But this is also where we unlock some of the frustrations. To put it bluntly, using the V5 to track shots on the course and to edit them afterwards is not as seamless of an experience as with Arccos (my favorite, by far) and even Garmin.

So, there’s a little bit of “you get what you pay for.” But, considering you’re not paying much, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

First of all, I found the V5’s GPS yardages to be very accurate. I also thought that the full-color hole maps looked really good, and the shape of the holes and greens, as well as the hazard placements, were all spot-on.

And as I mentioned, I really like the four-button layout on the V5. It took me a few holes to become completely familiar with what each button does and how to navigate intuitively, but that’s the same with most new products when I first test them out. Once I got the hang of it, navigation was simple.

The watch gives you front, middle, and back distances, hazard distances, and layup yardages. However, this watch does not include slope-adjusted yardages. That’s another feature you’re leaving on the table in exchange for the attractive price.

Shot tracking for no additional fee is, of course, where the V5 truly differentiates itself. The system automatically registers shots without the need for manual tagging.

Shot Scope’s Shot Tracking Analysis

While I found that most shots using the V5 and the Shot Scope club tags were accurately recorded, I did experience a few missed shots and phantom reads. To be fair, that happens with both Arccos and Garmin as well. But, to be honest, it happened a bit more frequently with Shot Scope.

But when it gets it right, which is definitely the majority of the time, the game-improvement insights available to view in the Shot Scope app are fantastic.

There’s a ton of really useful information, including things like club distances, strokes gained analysis, approach shot accuracy, putting performance, short game stats, tee shot analysis, percentage of greens hit, and a lot more.

Again, is the overall experience of reviewing all of this information as fluid and well designed as with Arccos? No, it’s not.

But, especially for the money, Shot Scope’s solution isn’t at all bad. And I think any golfer who’s serious about improvement stands to gain a lot by using some kind of shot-measuring system, including this one.

But that leads me to one of my biggest struggles with the V5.

What I Don’t Like About the V5

My biggest issue with this watch and the Shot Scope shot-tracking feature is when it comes to editing your shots. Unlike Arccos, where you can correct mistakes on the fly, Shot Scope requires post-round editing in the app, which can be cumbersome.

That means that if a shot is missed or mistakenly added, you have to remember that detail and manually edit it after the round.

But what if you stop for drinks or dinner? Or you don’t remember to get to the editing until a few days later? Are you really going to always accurately remember all of those details?

That editing limitation is my biggest concern with using a Shot Scope watch to track your golf game. That said, you’re not going to find a more economical way to do it. So maybe the answer is to just accept that limitation and remind yourself to be diligent about timely editing.

I also think the overall Shot Scope user interface could be a bit smoother. While functional, the app isn’t as polished as competitors like Arccos. Syncing rounds sometimes takes longer than expected, and making adjustments post-round isn’t as seamless as it could be.

Beyond that, as I mentioned, I find the reverse clasp design to be annoying. And, of course, off-the-course features are very limited.

But, generally speaking, the pros outweigh the cons with the V5.

Why I Think the V5 Offers Great Value for the Right User

Despite whatever its limitations, the Shot Scope V5 shines in terms of value. Here’s why I think it’s a great fit for a lot of golfers:

• No Subscription Fees. This is a major selling point. To get shot tracking tags included with the golf watch AND not have to pay an ongoing subscription… That’s a pretty killer deal.

• Accurate GPS and Shot Tracking. While not flawless, the V5 provides reliable GPS yardages and accurate shot tracking with a lot of really useful information.

• Straightforward Button Navigation. Maybe it’s not for everybody, but personally, I prefer buttons over touchscreens.

• Discount Code. With the 15% off BREAKINGEIGHTY code, the V5 becomes an even better deal. And, considering that Shot Scope will often leave that code active even when they’re running sales, that means that you could potentially pick this watch up for under $200. At that price, this becomes one of the best golf deals available.

There’s another feature that I really like and that I think adds interesting value. And that is the MyStrategy feature in the Shot Scope app. It allows you to add your personal shot data to any golf course.

Where this can be really cool is for planning a round. Maybe you’re not familiar with the course you’re going to play. Using this feature, you can see ahead of time how your dispersion patterns are going to play out on each hole map. So you can plan to adjust your target lines and club selections accordingly to stay away from trouble spots.

For someone that’s going to take the time to prepare like this, I think this feature is pretty cool and potentially adds a lot of value.

Comparing the V5 and X5

There are a few different reasons that I think the Shot Scope V5 is a better overall option for most golfers than the X5 model, which I’ve reviewed previously.

First of all, the X5 is designed to be the more premium watch and is priced $50 higher. But, to me, “premium” and “Shot Scope” aren’t really synonymous. They make great products, no question. But they aren’t luxurious. And I just don’t find their attempts at high end to be that compelling.

For me, the more interesting angle with Shot Scope is the value that they deliver. I’d rather lean into that if I’m shopping their line.

Feature-wise, these watches are almost identical. They offer the same GPS yardages, the same shot-tracking tag compatibility, and the same off-course limitations. The X5 does allow you to overlay your own data onto the hole maps on the watch. But the V5 also gives you more colors to choose from for your yardage readouts.

The main differences are in the aesthetics and the navigation.

The X5 has a ceramic bezel compared to the V5’s plastic bezel. That is a more premium touch, but it’s just not enough to sway me.

Also, as I’ve noted, I prefer the button navigation on the V5 to the mostly touchscreen navigation with the X5.

The X5 is a bit more customizable with different band colors available, while the V5 only comes in black.

So I do think that you can legitimately call the X5 the better-looking watch.

But if it’s me, I’m taking the savings and the buttons. Especially in a watch that doesn’t have the advanced lifestyle features I’d want if I was going to wear it off the golf course.

Shot Scope H4: A Better Option for Users Who Want to Track Fitness Separately

Some golfers are going to want to track their golf activity using their smartwatch. And unless they’re going to wear multiple watches at the same time, that scenario disqualifies the V5 as a good option because of its fitness and lifestyle tracking limitations.

If that’s you, but you still like the idea of affordable shot tracking with no subscriptions, the Shot Scope H4 Golf GPS Handheld, for $149.99, might be the way to go.

Instead of getting your yardages from your wrist, you can get most of the same information from this small device that you can easily fit in your pocket or clip to your belt. And, like with the V5, the H4 comes with 16 shot-tracking tags and no ongoing subscription fee.

Just be aware, that with the H4 you’ll need to manually tap the device before each shot to get them to register. Whereas the V5 system is automatic.

Final Thoughts on the Shot Scope V5

I find myself in the same spot I often do when reviewing Shot Scope products. The company delivers a product with undeniable value, yet one that still leaves a little to be desired in certain areas.

And I don’t see that as a bad thing at all. In fact, I think it’s a very good thing. Not every golf product has to be of the absolute best quality or include all of the most cutting-edge features.

When you consider all that the Shot Scope V5 includes—shot tracking, accurate yardages, easy navigation—for a price of $249.99 with no subscription fees added, it is unquestionably a great value product.

Throw in the 15% off BREAKINGEIGHTY code (which is usually still active when Shot Scope runs sales), and it might be a no brainer.

No, you’re not getting the highest-end golf watch with the V5. Or the best off-course option. Or the very best shot tracking. But you’re also not paying for those things. And for the right golfer, I think that’s a very attractive tradeoff.

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Shot tracking included with no subscriptions? There's a lot to like, but...

8.0 Solid

The Shot Scope V5, while limited in some ways, provides outstanding value. Shot tracking and no subscriptions are just a couple of the selling points. For the right golfer, it's going to be tough to beat.

The Good

1. Shot tracking included with no subscription fees
2. Reliable button navigation
3. Accurate GPS distances
4. MyStrategy tool
5. BREAKINGEIGHTY discount code = even cheaper

The Bad

1. Cumbersome post-round editing
2. Limited non-golf features
3. Backward clasp design
4. Lacks premium polish

• Presentation 7
• Performance 8
• Features and Quality 8
• Price 9
• Personal Affinity 8