DaveP043 and GAME Golf Pro

[DaveP043]

I’m sure many of you have read about the Game Golf Pro giveaway, and I hope y’all have signed up for it.  If you haven't, take a look at the offer here:

If you read all the way to the end of the announcement, you’ve noticed that I’ll also be doing a review of Game Golf Pro. Although I’ll be posting a complete review in the blog page, I wanted to open this thread to keep everyone updated with my impressions as I go through the process. This is also a great place for anyone to ask questions, or to suggest a specific aspect that they’d like to see me evaluate.

I can see this proceeding in several stages, and I’ll try to post a little something at each stage. First will be my initial impressions, including the installation of the sensors, and any software set-up I need to do. My package is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, and I hope to have that set-up done by the weekend, including posting my comments here.

Second stage will be what I’d call “data collection”. I’ll be paying attention as I play to the consistency of the capture of each shot, to the accuracy of the GPS, any other factors I notice. I’ll also be checking out the same information on my home computer, I find it much easier to see things on a larger screen.

Third will be evaluations of the data analysis done by Game Golf, including shot zones and Strokes Gained analysis. It seems to me that I’ll need to have a reasonable number of rounds before I’ll have enough data to be meaningful, but I’ll be looking at it all along.

Last will be a final evaluation, with the big question being whether I believe that the value of the statistics is worth the cost and the effort required to collect the data.

So now I wait, a couple of days before I can start my journey with Game Golf Pro. Please feel free to provide comments, questions, advice.

[Zippo]

Thanks, @DaveP043. I look forward to reading your ongoing review. You're going to have to work pretty hard to get me to give up my Arccos but I am going to be reading your posts on GGP with a truly open mind and appreciate your taking the time to do this.

[DaveP043]

12 minutes ago, Zippo said:

Thanks, @DaveP043. I look forward to reading your ongoing review. You're going to have to work pretty hard to get me to give up my Arccos but I am going to be reading your posts on GGP with a truly open mind and appreciate your taking the time to do this.

My goal isn't going to be to persuade anyone to make a change, its to give my honest reactions and opinions.  I know there will be a temptation to be really positive, after all I'm being gifted a fairly expensive set of equipment, but I'm going to resist that temptation as much as I can.  I've never used any shot-tracking system before, so I'm coming into this with a pretty open mind.  

[DaveP043]

OK, I just got the notification from FedEx that my package has been delivered, can't wait to get home from work and get started.  And for those of you who, like me, have never tried tracking your shots, be sure to sign up for the giveaway, the link is in my first post here.

[StuM]

Thx for taking on this endeavor.  I know you will get to it, but my primary questions lie in reliably detecting a shot and specifically I am concerned on Putts being detected.  There is often little "Swing" in a putt to be detected and I fear they would be missed with some frequency and the opposite if they are "Too" sensitive and keep registering putts as I wait on the green for my turn to putt.  Looking forward to your insight.

[iacas]

27 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

OK, I just got the notification from FedEx that my package has been delivered, can't wait to get home from work and get started.  And for those of you who, like me, have never tried tracking your shots, be sure to sign up for the giveaway, the link is in my first post here.

@billchao has one too and may be helping you a little bit.

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

@billchao has one too and may be helping you a little bit.

Thanks, I'll be sure to reach out if I need anything.  I'll try to figure it all out on my own, or with the help available from GAME Golf, to me that's the best way to evaluate ease (or difficulty) of using the system.  

[iacas]

I mean, to be clear, I just gave him one. So he's as new at it as you will be. And he plays a lot more infrequently. 😄

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

I mean, to be clear, I just gave him one. So he's as new at it as you will be. And he plays a lot more infrequently. 😄

Aaahhh, gotcha.  I knew he'd used the original system, that should make his transition a little easier than mine.  Maybe.

[DaveP043]

Well so far so good.  The package arrived, and at this point it seems like I have everything installed and ready to go.  The medallion is charging, the 14 sensors screw easily into the butt end of the grips, the medallion is charging, and the sensors are paired with each club.  It was all pretty seamless, except for a tiny detail.  The medallion has to be turned on to pair the sensors, but it won't turn on while its charging.  After a few failed attempts and a little frustration, I figured it out and the rest was smooth.  

The next step will be a round of golf, hopefully on Friday.  

[jlbos83]

If it works as it is supposed to, it will be a snap.  I will be interested to hear how it goes.  I had some experience with it previously, hopefully they have ironed out the bugs!

[boogielicious]

18 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

OK, I just got the notification from FedEx that my package has been delivered, can't wait to get home from work and get started.  And for those of you who, like me, have never tried tracking your shots, be sure to sign up for the giveaway, the link is in my first post here.

It’s like Christmas in June!🎄

[Club Rat]

19 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

the 14 sensors screw easily into the butt end of the grips

Hi Dave, just a note about the sensors.
Several users, including myself, would have the sensors will "pop out" from the grip on occasions.  
There were posts about users applying a small adhesive to the sensors upon installing.

Also, sensors are a plastic object and subjective to breaking if a club is dropped into the golf bag.
They will take a small impact, but my wife had two sensors separate and I had to dig the RFI tags out of the 
bottom of her golf bag. 
Just keep in mind to slide the clubs into your bag.
It's more common when bags are on a golf cart upright and when released when the club is only inserted 
slightly and then released or dropped from this position.
 

[billchao]

2 hours ago, Club Rat said:

Just keep in mind to slide the clubs into your bag.
It's more common when bags are on a golf cart upright and when released when the club is only inserted 
slightly and then released or dropped from this position.

Yea that’s something to keep in mind, thanks. For those people who have a tendency to slam the clubs back in the bag after a bad shot, that is 

[RFKFREAK]

Good luck with GGP, @DaveP043.  I don't see myself dropping any cash on anymore GG products myself.  They've been too inconsistent for my comfort level.

[DaveP043]

Okay, I got in 9 holes yesterday, and the GGPro worked pretty well.  I purposely left my phone in my golf bag most of the time, once I determined that everything was connected and data was being collected.  I did need to edit the round this morning.  One full-swing shot was missed, a wedge on #9, and maybe 3 short putts were omitted.  I also had to edit the hole location on most of the holes, which I think is to be expected.  Today I'll be playing an interclub match, so I'll do the same as yesterday, turn it on and ignore it until I get home.

[StuM]

On 6/19/2021 at 7:45 AM, DaveP043 said:

I also had to edit the hole location on most of the holes, which I think is to be expected.

I think that is a common issue with GPS.  I'm not sure about GGP but I believe GPS in general is only accurate within a few feet either direction.  Combine that with the fact that it only knows where your last putt originated form it can only approximate where the pin is.  I think they use something like 2 feet from last putt but I may be wrong there.  I've never worried about the putting distances, just the number of putts.  

I've also seen issues with "Tap-in".  Basically I tap in, pickup and move away so quickly that the GPS does not always "Lock-In" near the ball, it registers closer to where I stand to watch the next person putt after I tap-in.  All I need to do to fix that is stand by the hole a little longer to let it "Lock-In" on my location but that would just slow the pace.

Edited June 21, 2021 by StuM
Added part about "Tap-In"

[billchao]

44 minutes ago, StuM said:

I've never worried about the putting distances, just the number of putts.

You’re doing that wrong, mate. The number of putts to hole out from a certain distance is all strokes gained putting is.