Ping iPhone cradle can lower your handicap, but you're still on your own with the gophers (video)

Finally, a reason to use your cellphone on the course that won't earn you icy stares around the old clubhouse. Golfing accessory manufacture Ping this week announced an iPhone / iPod touch cradle that clips onto your putter, using the company's iPing app to quantify your putting handicap number. The system measures your stroke type, impact angle, and tempo, comparing them against your friends and some pre-entered golfing pros. Al Czervik would be proud. The app itself is free, but the cradle will run you $30 -- both will be available online, later this month. It's certainly cheaper and a lot less bulky than systems we've seen, but don't take it from us -- listen to teaching professional Jeff Ritter in the clip below.