Cost: Subscription: $634 upfront (24-month membership), $379 upfront (12-month membership), $44 monthly ($528 per annum).
Tested by: Callum Hill, Golf Australia writer
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The time had probably come for this scribbler to be held accountable for his actions. So, the WHOOP arriving at Golf Australia magazine HQ for me to test was one of the great blessings.
A simple-looking unit which is light; the only time you really notice the device on your body is when you have to charge it. Even then it doesn’t look too dissimilar to a watch.
The WHOOP 4.0 differs from most of the equipment we test in this section, but I had only heard good things and was pumped to put it to the test.
HOW IT PERFORMED: I am fairly old-school; I have an analogue watch. I love to train, but I don’t necessarily have any way of measuring my output or performance, apart from how cooked I feel afterwards. WHOOP’s recovery metric has been great for me; knowing exactly how I have recovered now determines how I will attack the next day. I can increase my strain levels if I am in the green (good recovery). If I am in the yellow (average recovery), I tend to just moderate my strain. Red (poor recovery), trust me, comes to the forefront if you happened to have treated yourself to a few too many schooners the night before.
That goes for strolling the fairways, too; a rangefinder is the most technically advanced item in my bag, and it technically still is because the WHOOP is attached to my wrist … However, with the WHOOP, I could track how far I walked, the calories I burnt, and strain levels, which had previously never crossed my mind while playing. It was interesting to see the in-depth stats of my physical output. It illustrates just how beneficial walking 18 holes can be for your fitness and wellbeing.
The setup was simple: get some charge in the WHOOP, download the app, pair your device, punch in what subscription you’d like, and enter your metrics. The first few days, I saw a bit of fluctuation in stats, but that was just the WHOOP collecting data and understanding my body.
WHOOP’s sleep stats is my favourite aspect of this gadget, which I am now obsessed with. It doesn’t just track how you sleep, but how long you spend awake, and in light, deep, and REM sleep. You will get an array of metrics, including a percentage for your sleep efficiency, wake events and respiratory rate and it will compare your nightly statistics against your 30-day average.
WHOOP has undoubtedly exceeded my lofty expectations; I love the device and its benefits for my health and fitness. Accountability is critical, and I have that in spades with the WHOOP 4.0.
WHOOP SAYS: WHOOP has been designed to help people improve their overall wellness, allowing you to track and improve sleep, recovery, training and strain with personalised data analysis and recommendations. WHOOP focuses on Recovery, using biometric data points including HRV (heart rate variability) to help you understand when your body is ready to perform and when to focus on rest and recovery.
All WHOOP memberships include access to the new WHOOP Coach, which uses generative AI to provide personalised, highly specific recommendations and guidance.
Every WHOOP 4.0 comes with an onyx band and a battery, plus unlimited access to the WHOOP app. All WHOOP devices are covered under a lifetime warranty.
What you’ll receive:
- WHOOP 4.0 sensor.
- 1 ultra-durable SuperKnit band.
- Battery and charging cord.
- 12-month WHOOP membership.
- Access to the personalised app with actionable feedback, and recommendations across recovery, sleep, training, and health. Golf-specific features include:
- Train like Rory McIlroy with his Strength Day training regime in the “Strength Trainer” feature.
- Golf is an activity in our activity feature, allowing you to track your live heart rate, strain level, duration and speed.
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