Technology for a better putt

To many golfers, slow play kills the game. One company is trying to help speed up the process with a handheld Global Positioning System device, enabling golfers to gauge distances on any course in every corner of the world.

The SureShotGPS lets users glean real-time distances to hazards and the green, telling you how far you are from a particular point. As Simon Webb of creator Tee2Green Technologies explains, unlike many competitors, it can be applied to any number of golf courses.

Course details can be downloaded from a database of more than 100, or in the space of just one round of golf, the GPS can map the course for you.

'If it's not already mapped, you just walk the course once, then upload it,' Mr Webb said.

'You could walk around Fanling golf course, zoom around, and record it. You've probably recorded the whole thing in a short period of time.'

The device also records lengths of shots, letting golfers build up their own profile. It can record scores and a personal recommendation can be given for each shot.