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Microsoft Band
June 18, 2015

Microsoft and TaylorMade: the greatest golf tech for your best game

Summer is here, and for golf enthusiasts, that means time to dust off the clubs and hit the links!



Summer is here, and for golf enthusiasts, that means time to dust off the clubs and hit the links!

This year, more than 80 million golfers will spend their summer on the course,* chasing birdies and hoping to perfect that fade. There’s a lot of thought that goes into the game of golf–from finding a course, maintaining focus on your shot, selecting the right club, even to keeping score. But as anyone who steps onto the course with a club knows, it’s all about being able to focus on the game.

Professional golfers lean on their caddy, but not all of us are able to have a world class adviser to follow us around the course, measure our distance to the pin, give us a layout of the hole or even track our score. Today, Microsoft is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with TaylorMade®, bringing an entirely new golf experience to Microsoft Health and Microsoft Band.

golf-band-900

Available in the coming weeks, the golf experience on Microsoft Health and Microsoft Band provides unprecedented shot tracking and analysis capabilities whether you’re a casual golfer, or a scratch player.

Before you play

Take advantage of TaylorMade’s comprehensive course finder on your mobile Microsoft Health app to quickly find the courses near you, and once you’re on the green, the tees you are playing from.

During your round

As you step onto the tee box, our on-board GPS sensor will automatically detect the hole you are on and display your score for the hole you just completed. A simple press of the Microsoft Band action button, whether on the fairway or off in the deep rough, will give you accurate distance to the front, middle and back of the green.

The Microsoft Band keeps track of your score with its automatic shot detection and simple swipe interface for those gimmies or occasional mulligan. There may never be a need to carry a paper scorecard again. Meanwhile, advanced sensors track not only your strokes but also your steps, heart rate and calorie burn, seamlessly adding a round of golf into your fitness routine.

golf-band-stats

After your round

Afterwards, dig into the data behind your performance on the Microsoft Health phone application (iOS, Android and Windows Phone) or web dashboard. Check your score, longest drive, number of pars or better per round, pace of play and by signing into TaylorMade’s myRoundPro, view your shots plotted on a map of each hole on the course.

You can also view how your heart rate and calorie burn varied during your game – hole by hole – and analyze how it affected your performance. Your golf rounds will be accessible to you via Microsoft Health, allowing you to look back at your prior performance without needing those old scorecards.

Coming soon, TaylorMade’s myRoundPro will provide more detailed statistical analysis of your game including classic golf statistics, such as fairways hit and greens in regulation, proximity to the hole, strokes gained and much more; all developed to help you adapt and improve your game.

Guided Workouts

It’s important to us at Microsoft to help golfers make the most of their time by helping them train both on and off the course. Today, we’re excited to introduce new Guided Workouts for golf! While the guided, 5 minute warm-up will get you ready for the course, you can choose from four full body workouts that will help you build strength, stability and stamina – all important fitness benefits that will see you through a full 18 holes all season long. Here’s a quick snapshot of what to expect:

  • 5-Minute Golf Warmup
  • Gold’s Gym Golf Workout
  • Beginner Golf Workout
  • Intermediate Golf Workout
  • Advanced Golf Workout

Observations

In addition to the new golf observations that will be available on Microsoft Health, we continue to listen to our customers and partners to provide the best experience possible for Microsoft Band, updating our device and service regularly. Responding to customer requests, we are also announcing new bike and Guided Workout observations available on the Microsoft Health web dashboard. Now, you can analyze your biking and Guided Workout performance and fitness level with performance summaries that include your improvement over time.

There’s a lot to be excited about with this new update for Microsoft Health and Microsoft Band. And I’m really excited to say that all of these updates are free to those Microsoft Band owners and Microsoft Health users in the U.S. and UK.

The Microsoft Band is available in the U.S. at Microsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy and Target, and online at microsoftstore.com for $199.** It is available in the UK for £169, also at Microsoft Store, microsoftstore.com, and at UK retailers including Amazon, Curry’s PC World, Dixons Travel, Harrods, and O2.

We hope you enjoy the update and look forward to sharing more in the coming months. Play Well!

*Source: HSBC, “Golf’s 2020 Vision: The HSBC Report,” 2012

**Actual retail prices may vary