Are We There Yet? (GPS watches)

[Slab]

The tech already exists to allow a course to physically set its pin positions first thing in the morning. Upload those GPS positions to the cloud, allowing any player teeing off after that update to lock onto the latest version of the data once they've 'syncd' onto the GPS with their watch?
So the GPS watch no longer just shows front, middle, back, (with manual pin dropping on newer models) it shows distance to pin

We know the tech is there already because any course with GPS screens in the buggys will already show distance to each pin and it'll update/change every time the pin is moved. So its already uploaded to someones software. I wonder why garmin et al aren't putting this onto their products

So why isn't it widely used and how long do you reckon before it will be?

 

[GB72]

The tech already exists to allow a course to physically set its pin positions first thing in the morning. Upload those GPS positions to the cloud, allowing any player teeing off after that update to lock onto the latest version of the data once they've 'syncd' onto the GPS with their watch?
So the GPS watch no longer just shows front, middle, back, (with manual pin dropping on newer models) it shows distance to pin

We know the tech is there already because any course with GPS screens in the buggys will already show distance to each pin and it'll update/change every time the pin is moved. So its already uploaded to someones software. I wonder why garmin et al aren't putting this onto their products

So why isn't it widely used and how long do you reckon before it will be?

I am guessing that the various software and hardware options do not talk to each other and so it would need to be specifically updated for each brand and even model of watch. Now it, lets say, garmin, gave the clubs the software free as part of being an exclusive garmin stockist, the club would have a marketing tool to seel the product and garmin could increase their market share. That could work.

 

[Orikoru]

What percentage of golfers are actually good enough to need the pin yardage that accurately?? My club like a lot of clubs has the colour codes flags for front, middle & back of the green and that's more than good enough.

 

[GB72]

What percentage of golfers are actually good enough to need the pin yardage that accurately?? My club like a lot of clubs has the colour codes flags for front, middle & back of the green and that's more than good enough.

This is golfers we are talking about, just because they cannot hit the ball that accurately, does not mean they don't want to know how far it is withing a couple of millimeters. I do have a GPS but only a cheap one that gives me basic yardages to the green and a couple of hazards and that is fine for my level of golf (though being honest, the coloured flags and the yardage poles are really probably enough).

 

[Slab]

What percentage of golfers are actually good enough to need the pin yardage that accurately?? My club like a lot of clubs has the colour codes flags for front, middle & back of the green and that's more than good enough.

I agree I’m not good enough to ‘need’ an exact yardage on each occasion, but since I already have it every round I use a buggy (whether I play off scratch or 54) I’m really asking why its not already used by the companies selling golf GPS watches

I am guessing that the various software and hardware options do not talk to each other and so it would need to be specifically updated for each brand and even model of watch. Now it, lets say, garmin, gave the clubs the software free as part of being an exclusive garmin stockist, the club would have a marketing tool to seel the product and garmin could increase their market share. That could work.

I wondered that but unless garmin etc actually have their own 'exclusive' global positioning satellites or whats more likely is they and the other manufactures are already sharing the gps portion of the data from the same source anyway, they just need to update/refresh their library of courses more frequently (same as if a water hazard or new bunker was added to a course)

 

[Orikoru]

I agree I’m not good enough to ‘need’ an exact yardage on each occasion, but since I already have it every round I use a buggy (whether I play off scratch or 54) I’m really asking why its not already used by the companies selling golf GPS watches

Well, I suppose my implied answer to that was, a lot of extra work and faff for very little benefit for most people.

 

[Slab]

Well, I suppose my implied answer to that was, a lot of extra work and faff for very little benefit for most people.

Maybe, although if abc company is trying to be the number 1 name in golf gps watches I guess faff comes with the job so to speak
(i.e 'photoshop' had a helluva lot of faff adding countless features to their software that hardly anyone used but we all got them anyway )

And if we (the market) really doesn't need it why go to the faff of adding the pin 'drag & drop' feature to the latest watches? Faff sells I guess

 

[Orikoru]

Maybe, although if abc company is trying to be the number 1 name in golf gps watches I guess faff comes with the job so to speak
(i.e 'photoshop' had a helluva lot of faff adding countless features to their software that hardly anyone used but we all got them anyway )

And if we (the market) really doesn't need it why go to the faff of adding the pin 'drag & drop' feature to the latest watches? Faff sells I guess

All of that is stuff they can implement themselves though. From you were saying would require cooperation from someone in every golf club (to input those pin positions) wouldn't it? Once you start relying on other people that's when it falls down.

 

[Pants]

Was it Arnie or more probably Jack who reckoned that they often went distance wise to about the middle of the green (OK allowing a bit left or right as necessary)? That way they were at most rarely much more than 10 yds or so away - whatever the pin position.

 

[Backache]

This is golfers we are talking about, just because they cannot hit the ball that accurately, does not mean they don't want to know how far it is withing a couple of millimeters. I do have a GPS but only a cheap one that gives me basic yardages to the green and a couple of hazards and that is fine for my level of golf (though being honest, the coloured flags and the yardage poles are really probably enough).

The biggest surprise I had after getting GPS was how bad I was at estimating yardages even with distance poles(which are often just to the front).

I'm not really bothered about yardages to the pin as I'm usually going for the middle or back but basic GPS has been a real boon to my golf.

 

[Springveldt]

GPS still isn't accurate enough for this to be any use really if your course already has a flag colour system. Front. middle, back is enough in most cases.

I'll use a range finder under 100 yards, even if my watch had a yardage to the pin through GPS the range find will still be more accurate.

 

[Smiffy]

GPS still isn't accurate enough for this to be any use really if your course already has a flag colour system. Front. middle, back is enough in most cases.

I'll use a range finder under 100 yards, even if my watch had a yardage to the pin through GPS the range find will still be more accurate.

Is the correct answer.
You could sit 10 GPS watches down together in the middle of any fairway and would get 10 different yardages shown.

 

[greenone]

What percentage of golfers are actually good enough to need the pin yardage that accurately?? My club like a lot of clubs has the colour codes flags for front, middle & back of the green and that's more than good enough.

Its not good enough if you have big greens. Longest at ours is 90yds (double green) but the majority are 30-50 yds long.

 

[Imurg]

IMO....if youre accurate enough to hit the ball to an area 1/3 of the size of the green then you need to know how far it is to the flag because you're accurate enough to get it there....

 

[CliveW]

My club like a lot of clubs has the colour codes flags for front, middle & back of the green and that's more than good enough.

Not if you’re colour blind it isn’t!

 

[chrisd]

I bought a range finder before they ever become legal in comps and I'd use it in practice rounds. Several people poo poo'd it in the " I can guess the yardage well enough without one of those" I'd ask them to tell me how far away (say) a tree was in the distance, usually about 150 yards. Hardly anyone got within 15 to 20 yards, long or short, so were probably 1 to 2 club lengths out with their estimate. I was on committee when they had to be allowed with a local rule in comps - my hand was first up when voted on!

I alway blip the flag and do my calculations accordingly.

 

[Neilds]

I expect it would mean quite a bit of extra work for the green keepers every morning to accurately measure where each hole is and then update the computer before the first groups go out. And they has better do it right as us golfers will blame them if we leave our approach short ?

 

[Robster59]

To me, that would be a gimmick rather than a benefit for the vast majority of golfers. It's not something I would use. Front, middle and back and distance to hazards is more than adequate for me.

 

[garyinderry]

Played away at my mates course today. First time there. When I got to the first tee I realised I had left my laser on my carry bag.

Found it really difficult to confidently pick lines off the tee. I like to laser certain trees and know I can't reach them or take on some corners.

Also found it difficult getting yardages off my mates watch , shouting over " what is it from there?"

It was a little bit of a blast from the past type of golf. Reliant on laser, yes. Wont be leaving it at home again any time soon.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Got an email from the club on Friday, our pin positions now available daily in the Clere Golf app on our phone
apparently we had them drone mapped by Clere Golf. I’m not sure of the value of this personally. Seems an awful lot of expense, usually just zap with a laser or pace from nearest sprinkler head to middle of the green.