Considering a move from Swing by Swing to Game Golf

[x3nt0n]

I started using swing by swing quiet soon after I started playing golf, free GPS distances and course layouts, it was a no brainer. Now I'm wanting to track shots and it's not cutting it.

You can pull your phone out of your pocket and tell it that you're hitting club x, but this is too much faffing. You can use a smart watch, but the smart watch app doesn't remain full screen, so the process becomes: tap watch to activate screen --> dismiss any notifications by swiping each one away --> Get to the main screen--> tap on the swing by swing notification --> tap to continue round-->tap to track a shot---> scroll down to club and select. Takes too long, if it had an option to keep the app full screen on the watch, this would be much better (such an option works well for Google maps navigation).

Then there was the option of NFC tags, which at first seemed promising, but ultimately doesn't work well enough. tags are cheap at about 60p each. However the phones screen has to be on for the phone to read an NFC tag (essential security feature) but the app is devoid of ability to keep the screen on. This means you have to use a third party app to keep the screen on. Also if you accidentally move off the main SBS screen scanning an NFC tag does nothing. The sensible behaviour would be to switch back to the correct screen and start tracking a shot.

Also no way to edit shots after entering them. You can view them all, but you can't edit. I know some have found the Game Golf editing tedious, but it's better than not being able to edit at all.

So I'm probably leaning towards game golf.

I am right in thinking the live version will function as the classic when not connected to a smartphone, and therefore still allowed in competition?

Can the game golf android app give me distance to the green on my android wear watch?

Is there a subscription in addition to purchasing the device?

 

Thanks for your help.

[x3nt0n]

Also, scorecard functionality, SBS enable me to score everyone else who is playing as well as score and track myself. I am correct in thinking GG doesn't have this feature?

[Club Rat]

3 hours ago, x3nt0n said:

I am right in thinking the live version will function as the classic when not connected to a smartphone, and therefore still allowed in competition?

Can the game golf android app give me distance to the green on my android wear watch?

Is there a subscription in addition to purchasing the device?

3 hours ago, x3nt0n said:

Also, scorecard functionality, SBS enable me to score everyone else who is playing as well as score and track myself. I am correct in thinking GG doesn't have this feature?

 

I think the live version is allowed in competition.

Not sure about android watch details.

No subscription.

No scorecard.

Also, there are threads for Game Golf. A Mod may move this to one of these threads.

http://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/76544-tst-explores-game-golf/?page=1

 

[x3nt0n]

Ops, I did a search before I made a new post, but now realise the date is if the first post, so I thought I'd be resurrecting an old post. I'll be sure to click through and check the latest post in future. Sorry about that. 

[iacas]

This thread is fine. It's specific to a certain thing (switching from one to the other).

At this point, @x3nt0n, I have two questions for you:

• What questions do you still have about switching to a GAME GOLF?
• What are you going to choose as your avatar?

[Lihu]

21 hours ago, x3nt0n said:

I started using swing by swing quiet soon after I started playing golf, free GPS distances and course layouts, it was a no brainer. Now I'm wanting to track shots and it's not cutting it.

You can pull your phone out of your pocket and tell it that you're hitting club x, but this is too much faffing. You can use a smart watch, but the smart watch app doesn't remain full screen, so the process becomes: tap watch to activate screen --> dismiss any notifications by swiping each one away --> Get to the main screen--> tap on the swing by swing notification --> tap to continue round-->tap to track a shot---> scroll down to club and select. Takes too long, if it had an option to keep the app full screen on the watch, this would be much better (such an option works well for Google maps navigation).

Then there was the option of NFC tags, which at first seemed promising, but ultimately doesn't work well enough. tags are cheap at about 60p each. However the phones screen has to be on for the phone to read an NFC tag (essential security feature) but the app is devoid of ability to keep the screen on. This means you have to use a third party app to keep the screen on. Also if you accidentally move off the main SBS screen scanning an NFC tag does nothing. The sensible behaviour would be to switch back to the correct screen and start tracking a shot.

Thanks for your help.

The Swing by swing NFC tag interface works, but you need to mount the tags in a manner that doesn't not interfere with their operation. That is, they are H-field (magnetic 13.56MHz signals) antenna. You can't put them directly onto the shaft without some issues. The NFC reading SW in Android play store does not require the screen to be on, but not sure about the swing by swing app responding correctly. That might be a bug?

[Lihu]

I'm actually thinking of doing this for fun, since I have a 3D printer.

This will embed the NFC tag into a plastic part and I can strengthen the print or just use TPE to embed it under the butt of the grip or something like that.

[dsc123]

I tried swing by swing years back and thought it required way too much fiddling between shots.  The ease of tagging in GG is what sets it apart. 

 

I'd highly recommend GG Live.  Its got a passable GPS mapping feature and lets you verify the score as you go along. 

[x3nt0n]

46 minutes ago, Lihu said:

The Swing by swing NFC tag interface works, but you need to mount the tags in a manner that doesn't not interfere with their operation. That is, they are H-field (magnetic 13.56MHz signals) antenna. You can't put them directly onto the shaft without some issues. The NFC reading SW in Android play store does not require the screen to be on, but not sure about the swing by swing app responding correctly. That might be a bug?

I used these NFC tags: http://rapidnfc.com/item/404/on_metal_nfc_tags_19_x_19mm_micro_white_ntag213

They have a layer of shielding between the adhesive and the NFC and can be placed on metal and work without issue. It's interesting that you say "The NFC reading SW in Android play store does not require the screen to be on" What software is it that can use the NFC reader with the screen off (so I can try it). The developers of swing by swing informed me that it wasn't possible, but if another app can do it, they should be able to do it. 

Those 3d printed NFC tag holders look awesome, be sure to get some pics up once you've made one. If you can make them to screw into the end of the clubs they would be in demand as the closest you can by off the shelf is a plastic disc that is slightly too big, or self adhesive stickers.

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, x3nt0n said:

I used these NFC tags: http://rapidnfc.com/item/404/on_metal_nfc_tags_19_x_19mm_micro_white_ntag213

They have a layer of shielding between the adhesive and the NFC and can be placed on metal and work without issue. It's interesting that you say "The NFC reading SW in Android play store does not require the screen to be on" What software is it that can use the NFC reader with the screen off (so I can try it). The developers of swing by swing informed me that it wasn't possible, but if another app can do it, they should be able to do it. 

Those 3d printed NFC tag holders look awesome, be sure to get some pics up once you've made one. If you can make them to screw into the end of the clubs they would be in demand as the closest you can by off the shelf is a plastic disc that is slightly too big, or self adhesive stickers.

"NFC Tools" by "Wakdev". It reads NFC tags even when in my pocket, but they are loose. I can try them on my golf shaft directly, but steel (ferro-magnetic) tends to pull energy from the tag so it won't reliably operate.

[x3nt0n]

30 minutes ago, Lihu said:

"NFC Tools" by "Wakdev". It reads NFC tags even when in my pocket, but they are loose. I can try them on my golf shaft directly, but steel (ferro-magnetic) tends to pull energy from the tag so it won't reliably operate.

Hey thanks for that, I'm installing the app now. Those NFC tags I linked to have been on my steel shafted irons and I can read them and write to them even with my phone in my pocket. You can probably find them more local to you.

Hey, unfortunately same story with that app. It won't read an NFC tag while the screen is off. I've read up on it a bit. The phone actually turns off the NFC when the screen is locked, the only way around it is to root the phone .

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, x3nt0n said:

Hey thanks for that, I'm installing the app now. Those NFC tags I linked to have been on my steel shafted irons and I can read them and write to them even with my phone in my pocket. You can probably find them more local to you.

Hey, unfortunately same story with that app. It won't read an NFC tag while the screen is off. I've read up on it a bit. The phone actually turns off the NFC when the screen is locked, the only way around it is to root the phone .

Interesting. My phone is a really old Galaxy s3, probably before they realized that battery usage is important. I'll try on my new iPhone. . .probably the same as yours?

[x3nt0n]

9 hours ago, Lihu said:

Interesting. My phone is a really old Galaxy s3, probably before they realized that battery usage is important. I'll try on my new iPhone. . .probably the same as yours?

I've got a Sony Xperia Z5. Has your s3 been rooted at any point? 

[Lihu]

6 hours ago, x3nt0n said:

I've got a Sony Xperia Z5. Has your s3 been rooted at any point? 

Yes, because I run a program called Octave on it and I needed to be able to build some libraries.

[x3nt0n]

Ah that'll explain it then. Rooting isn't an option for me, as in still within warranty.