Shot Trackers
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If the world was perfect, you would have your swing trainer on the course watching you play every shot. Your swing trainer would record the location, club used and the ball flight. He or she would then follow you to the green and count the number of putts before you sink your ball.
Having data recorded on your round is the next step to playing a quality round. We all wonder where we are losing strokes or what we are doing wrong. We use our score to judge how well or how poorly we played. We examine our scorecard at the end of the round and see why we bogeyed the hole or worst, double or triple bogeyed it. We rely on our memories on where we were hitting and with what club.
Imagine having a tracking system that records data as you play. Four companies provide the technology to track every shot you make. Arcos, Garmin, Golf Pad and Shot Scope all provide GPS trackers that install on each club in your bag. Before hitting your shot, you tap the end of your club to a device to register it. You hit the ball and that's it. The device keeps track of the club used and its location. When you hit the next shot, the device calculates the distance of your last shot to the new location. To check the statistics, an app is provided for post-game analysis.
Having data recorded on your round is the next step to playing a quality round. We all wonder where we are losing strokes or what we are doing wrong. We use our score to judge how well or how poorly we played. We examine our scorecard at the end of the round and see why we bogeyed the hole or worst, double or triple bogeyed it. We rely on our memories on where we were hitting and with what club.
Imagine having a tracking system that records data as you play. Four companies provide the technology to track every shot you make. Arcos, Garmin, Golf Pad and Shot Scope all provide GPS trackers that install on each club in your bag. Before hitting your shot, you tap the end of your club to a device to register it. You hit the ball and that's it. The device keeps track of the club used and its location. When you hit the next shot, the device calculates the distance of your last shot to the new location. To check the statistics, an app is provided for post-game analysis.
Product Review: Golf Pad tags
Golf Pad tags have changed my golf life. First of, I don't keep paper scorecards anymore. Instead I depend on the Golf Pad app to keep score. Since using golf tags, I use my phone a lot more. I used to put away my phone at the start of my round and not look at it until I made my last putt. Now I have it in my front pocket and is constantly fidgeting with it throughout my round. People playing with me on a round must think I am rude because I am constantly on the phone instead of engaging with them on conversation.
Here's my routine at the tee box. I check the golf pad app to make sure I am on the right hole. If I am hitting my driver, I tap my phone on the butt end of the driver (where the golf tag is secured to). The phone beeps back and lets me know that my club has been registered. Next, I hit my shot and go towards the ball. When I get to my ball, I check my phone and see what the distance is to the hole. The golf pad app is like a golf gps unit on the course. I decide on the club to use and tap the butt end of the club to my phone. Again, the phone beeps at me. Sometimes on low battery, the phone/ golf pad app doesn't register. That's when I have to enter the club manually. I tap the 'Track Shot' button and choose the club I am using. If the golf tags work properly, you don't need to enter the club manually but I've found I have to enter clubs manually several times a round. Battery level is one reason but I don't know what else happens when the phone can't detect the golf tag.
When I get to the green, I tap the putter end with the phone where my approach shot landed. This is very important because the app determines if you hit the green in regulation and how well you hit your last shot. On the green, I don't use the golf tags repeatedly. It's too much work. I just record the number of putts by entering it manually.
At the end of the round, I finish the round and submit the stats to the server. This closes off the app and completes my round. When I get home, I run the Golf Pad app and view my round by map. The app gives you an aerial view and superimposes your shots on it. Previously registered clubs, all the distances and locations will appear. If any shot is incorrect, you can edit your score and set the club used, set the position, add a penalty or delete the shot altogether. It lets me review my round and see what club I used and how far it went.
Here's my routine at the tee box. I check the golf pad app to make sure I am on the right hole. If I am hitting my driver, I tap my phone on the butt end of the driver (where the golf tag is secured to). The phone beeps back and lets me know that my club has been registered. Next, I hit my shot and go towards the ball. When I get to my ball, I check my phone and see what the distance is to the hole. The golf pad app is like a golf gps unit on the course. I decide on the club to use and tap the butt end of the club to my phone. Again, the phone beeps at me. Sometimes on low battery, the phone/ golf pad app doesn't register. That's when I have to enter the club manually. I tap the 'Track Shot' button and choose the club I am using. If the golf tags work properly, you don't need to enter the club manually but I've found I have to enter clubs manually several times a round. Battery level is one reason but I don't know what else happens when the phone can't detect the golf tag.
When I get to the green, I tap the putter end with the phone where my approach shot landed. This is very important because the app determines if you hit the green in regulation and how well you hit your last shot. On the green, I don't use the golf tags repeatedly. It's too much work. I just record the number of putts by entering it manually.
At the end of the round, I finish the round and submit the stats to the server. This closes off the app and completes my round. When I get home, I run the Golf Pad app and view my round by map. The app gives you an aerial view and superimposes your shots on it. Previously registered clubs, all the distances and locations will appear. If any shot is incorrect, you can edit your score and set the club used, set the position, add a penalty or delete the shot altogether. It lets me review my round and see what club I used and how far it went.
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