Garmin S20 Approach - questions on data

[WillieT]

Got the Garmin S20 Approach for Christmas.  Have only played a couple of rounds with it.  Its fun to see how "accurate" I am at eyeballing versus using the GPS. Big question for me is this - does anyone use this "club performance" feature to see how they are doing on their yardages?  And does that become the "gospel" on how you are gapping your clubs?  I know it is really tracking total distance and not carry so I guess it can be misleading.  Also if you use an 8i to pitch onto a green the reduced yardage would definitely drive the "average" down where as if you only track "full swings" would you get a better picture.  I know the proper thing to do would be to get on a Trackman or similar device but I am wondering if this could be a poor-man's way of seeing how far one is really hitting the ball.  I am no long distance hitter by any means, but what I have found is that there is some overlap to where I could pull a club or two and based on the numbers would not miss a beat in terms of how I play.    

[Double Mocha Man]

16 minutes ago, WillieT said:

Big question for me is this - does anyone use this "club performance" feature to see how they are doing on their yardages?  And does that become the "gospel" on how you are gapping your clubs? 

You almost have to exclusively determine your yardages on the course... so many ranges have limited flight balls.  And, of course, you don't want to measure total/roll out distance.  You measure, for your approaches, to the point where it lands.  Then, when on the course, you make a whole 'nother determination on how much your ball will check or roll out on the green based on firmness of the green, softness of ball, temperature/humidity, club loft, wind, curvature.  It gives you a headache.

[Darkfrog]

56 minutes ago, WillieT said:

Big question for me is this - does anyone use this "club performance" feature to see how they are doing on their yardages?  And does that become the "gospel" on how you are gapping your clubs?

I used to use an S20 and I found the distances to be useful estimates rather than gospel since it obviously doesn’t account for roll, elevation changes, temperature, strike quality, etc. Overall it’s a solid tool if you don’t have access to launch a monitor, or don’t have time to be on course when it’s empty and to hit multiple balls with each club and measure carry with a range finder. 

[WillieT]

20 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

You almost have to exclusively determine your yardages on the course... so many ranges have limited flight balls.  And, of course, you don't want to measure total/roll out distance.  You measure, for your approaches, to the point where it lands.  Then, when on the course, you make a whole 'nother determination on how much your ball will check or roll out on the green based on firmness of the green, softness of ball, temperature/humidity, club loft, wind, curvature.  It gives you a headache.

Very true and the distances I have "recorded" thus far are from playing rounds (2 to date).  I don't want it to become a headache but certainly can see how it can be such one gets too bogged down in the "devil of details".    

 

20 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

I used to use an S20 and I found the distances to be useful estimates rather than gospel since it obviously doesn’t account for roll, elevation changes, temperature, strike quality, etc. Overall it’s a solid tool if you don’t have access to launch a monitor, or don’t have time to be on course when it’s empty and to hit multiple balls with each club and measure carry with a range finder. 

Interestingly enough prior to the S20 I was carrying my Bushnell range finder.  On the course I usually play, I have time to "measure" where shots land on drives as well as approaches to get a better feel for carry.  The Bushnell may come out on my next round to help me grasp a better feel for carry vs total on respective clubs.