Edinburgh-based golf technology startup Shot Scope has secured $8.5m (£6.6m) in funding as it aims to improve the skills of more than 60 million golfers worldwide.
Founded in 2014 by David Hunter in the “home of golf”, Shot Scope offers subscription-free technology such as GPS wearables, laser rangefinders, and shot-tracking devices to provide in-depth performance analytics.
Its app features aerial GPS maps of over 36,000 courses worldwide, more than 100 tour-level performance statistics, and MyStrategy – a data-driven strategy builder.
Guinness Ventures, which invested $4m, led the funding round.
The round also included investment from Scottish Enterprise, Growthdeck, The SideBySide Partnership, and Edinburgh-based Equity Gap.
Virgin Money also provided $1.9m in debt finance.
As part of its growth plans, the business is relocating to new headquarters just outside of Edinburgh to accommodate a growing team of marketing, sales, and customer service experts.
Hunter said: “This investment accelerates our mission to deliver game improvement technology to 60 million golfers around the world. Throughout 2024, we plan to invest in infrastructure across the USA to support our retail and distribution partners.”
The startup, which can also be found in Dick’s Sporting Goods and PGA Tour Superstore, claims to have already sold its products in 162 different countries to more than 100,000 people.
Modern golf is thought to have its origins in Scotland, where the first-ever major tournament took place in 1860.
Today, it is an industry worth billions, with the revenue of Callaway Golf – one of the leading manufacturers of golf equipment – exceeding $3bn in 2021.