Not to start this dispatch on a dour note, but as I inch toward the half-century mark of my journey on this beautiful planet, my motivation to exercise has been driven less by wanting to “look good” or “feel good” than a desire to merely survive. A little jogging here, a little weightlifting there, maybe some impromptu stretching as I talk to my wife in the kitchen. You fit it in where you can.

Or at least that’s been my blasé approach to fitness, which has me thinking it might be time to get more serious on this front, perhaps by way of a performance coach — and if I can strap that coach to my wrist, all the better.

With Father’s Day on the horizon (hint hint, honey), I have my eye on one of the leaders in the wearable-fitness-tracking-and-health-optimizing space: Whoop. You’ve probably seen the device on the wrists of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas or Nelly Korda, who use it to monitor such vitals as their heart and respiratory rates, along with how effectively their bodies recover from physical and mental strain, or how well they’re sleeping. (To wit: In the wake of McIlroy’s 2026 Masters win, Whoop shared some of his performance data, which showed that after he blew his tee shot into the trees on the 72nd hole, his heart rate jumped to 135 beats per minute, but then dropped to 121 BPM on the recovery shot, a sign, Whoop said, of “rapid composure.”)

WHOOP Peak – 12-Month Membership – 5.0 Health and Fitness Wearable

Extend your prime for years to come with WHOOP—the only wearable that turns comprehensive health insights into daily action. There’s a WHOOP membership for every goal. On WHOOP Peak, get health and longevity insights to help you perform at your peak for longer. With 24/7 data collection and 14+ days of battery life, WHOOP continuously monitors your metrics, then customizes coaching based on your unique physiology. Quantify the impact of 160+ behaviors, monitor your key vitals, pinpoint your stressors, and slow your Pace of Aging with Healthspan.* Align your daily habits with your long-term health goals on WHOOP Peak. EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS INCLUDED: Your WHOOP purchase includes a 12-month WHOOP Peak membership, a WHOOP 5.0 device, a SuperKnit band, and a waterproof* Wireless PowerPack for continuous data collection. CONTINUOUS MONITORING: WHOOP monitors your most important metrics, including sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, menstrual cycle, VO2 max, and Pace of Aging*–providing 24/7 insights to optimize fitness, recovery, and overall health. A HOLISTIC VIEW OF YOUR HEALTH: Understand your baseline vitals like heart rate and skin temperature with Health Monitor, pinpoint your stressors with Stress Monitor, and get daily recommendations for sleep, strain, and recovery. BUILD YOUR BEST ROUTINE: Get insights and guidance on how your daily habits impact your long-term health with Healthspan—a powerful new way to quantify your physiological age and slow your Pace of Aging. STAY CHARGED FOR 14+ DAYS: With up to 14+ days of battery life and wireless charging for 24/7 wearability, WHOOP lets you stay focused on what matters most. Power up on-the-go with the Wireless PowerPack. WHOOP is not a medical device and should not be used to diagnose, cure, mitigate, manage, treat, or prevent any condition or disease. WHOOP should not be used in place of a medical device. WHOOP does not provide medical advice and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or other medical professionals. If you have any health-related questions, please see your healthcare provider. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking medical advice because of information from WHOOP. All content is for general informational purposes. *Healthspan: This feature is not available for users under the age of 18. This feature is for wellness purposes only and not for medical use. *Waterproof: IP68 water-resistant up to 10 meters for 2 hours.

$239.00 from PGA TOUR Superstore

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This kind of data matters a lot to world-class athletes, but I’m pretty sure it can and should matter to suburban dads, too. I may not need to know my BPM when I burn toast or leave behind my phone on the train, but I can most certainly benefit from better understanding my sleep needs or tracking my blood pressure or even knowing my heart’s health by way of electrocardiogram readings, all of which Whoop can provide.    

I think what most appeals to me, though, about Whoop’s capabilities is the Strength Trainer function, which computes the stress you put on your muscles, bones and joints during strength training. The trainer also will help you build a custom workout that caters to your specific fitness needs and goals. I also like that Whoop syncs with Strava, a running app I’m fond of.

All this tracking doesn’t come cheap. The straps start at $199/year for the base package and scale up to $359/year if you’re seeking the blood pressure and ECG readings. But if you’re committed to using the tech to improve your well-being, it’s money well spent. Or, better yet on Father’s Day, your kids’ (or partner’s) money well spent.

The post I’m getting old. This wearable health tracker promises to keep me (and my game) young appeared first on Golf.