There are a number of devices out there and recently I have been experimenting with quite a few of them (reviews coming). Arccos, Shot Scope and others are designed to give you the data you want, without really interrupting your round of golf.
Post round, there can be a lot or a little to dive into, completely based on what you are looking for. From what clubs you are efficient with, to where you are losing strokes and need more practice.
My question is, do you want to know? Are you ready for data that is designed to help you get better and choose clubs appropriately?
Then I had Arccos which I had to carry the phone in my front pocket. I lost my phone on the first outing. So that went bye bye.
So I went back to pencil and paper.
Arccos makes a unit that clips on your belt so you don’t have to use your phone but they never have it in stock… and they charge a bundle for the product + $99/yr subscription. Yeesh. I don’t play enough rounds a year to make it worth my while.
These things will improve your game about 2-3 strokes over 30 rounds. So will that dirty eight letter word…. p r a c t i c e.
The disadvantage of these things is that they don’t understand the times when you’ve had such a blow up hole you said f-it – you know when you’re lying 8 and still not on the green. ? Then you have to go edit your round on your PC and make up stuff to "finish" the hole (that was a great shot that went in from behind that tree from 150 yds… 7 iron… 7 iron).
I enjoy the quick post round summary arccos provides. Fun feature, and helps me a lot figuring out correct strategies on tricky holes.
I go through every round afterwards and note the skills I succeeded and failed, every stroke examined, I target the skills that cost me the most on the scorecard and attack them with practice, that’s it, keep it simple.
I purchased the Garmin S62, and it has been incredible to use during a round, as the caddie feature helps with club selection. Also after a round I can go back through and look at each shot, by hole by club. Has been a huge help.
I broke down and bought an s62 as well on Sunday (too impatient to wait and see how the SS v3 is). Tagged 2 rounds so far, so easy. Thought about buying the club sensors, but really don’t need them.
This watch has soooo much data I really don’t know what to do with it all.
Garmin S62 has;
-Autoshot- detect your shots and keep score
-Heart rate monitor
-virtual caddie after 5 rounds it will know your distances.
-battery life +++ done 2 rounds, charged on sunday and still at 70%
-custom watch faces- some with some stats on them
-quick change bands for color or style (with this and the custom faces, you really could have a different watch each day of the week if you want)
-pin pointer- in bush and can’t see pin, pin pointer will point to the pin
-wind direction, and taken with altitude has the "plays like" feature
-sleep monitor- wow I don’t get enough rem sleep
-stress monitor- can see when you are stressed and what causes stress on course.
-garmin pay- can tap your debit/credit card through Garmin pay
-steps
-can cycle through hazards, or zoom to anywhere on course for distance
-other sports supported
-swing tempo- gives 6 or 7 different tempos with 3 vibrations for timing your swing to the tempo being practiced, then look at your watch and see how you did for each swing. I’ve done this a few times now, and really seen the difference in my swing, as I found out my backswing was just a little bit too slow.
For sure this watch has a premium price, but is so much more than just a golf watch. And really was only double what my GG pro cost. I cannot stand having my phone in my pocket, and Tags on clubs have been a problem for me in the past as I’m moving my clubs in and out of my bag a lot as I play sim golf as well as outside golf. And have lost a few tags in the past. And I’ve been known to play in the rain from time to time. Really happy so far with this watch.
Dave
The difference in approach shots is meaningful at times but sometimes it’s just a few clubs. If my 54* wedge and my 7 iron both have similar GIR%, I have to take the extra fairways.
Data is changing the world – let it change your game too.
Doesn’t put me in that frame of mind. I don’t pay attention to the data when I’m playing other than to let it inform me of how best to approach each shot. I don’t care at all how a shot is going to ‘show up’ in the stats. The shot just is and the data analysis comes after. That’s the only way it’s useful, imo.