Suunto G6 "Watch"

[DavidNJ]

So, I just finished reading Tour Tempo and went to their website. Other than a very expensive metronome ($100), one of the products was a watch, the Sunnto G6 , that claims to measure swing speed and tempo. Not only does it claim to measure tempo, but it says it can divide the tempo into backswing and downswing and report their time and ratio. That ratio is at the core of Tour Tempo .

The technology seems to come from a company (Dynastream, www.dynastream.com ) that builds motion sensors for various purposes including running where it models the entire stride and not just the pace. Apparently included in products from Nike and Polar among others.

A computer interface allows you to provide it with parameters, such as club length, and upload results.

However, I am sceptical about getting this information accurately from a watch, even a $400-500 watch.

Has anyone here used it, seen it used, or have other first or second person experience with it?

Thanks,

David

[iacas]

I've not used it, but the technology certainly exists to measure this sort of thing accurately.

[Rafcin]

I'm a gadget-junkie...
I think I just found my next christmas gift
(* forwarding link to wife * )

[Maverick]

..that thing is just TOO BIG to wear on your wrist when you play.

[allin]

I am skeptical, that many $ buys a lot of lessons. Metronomes can be purchased at many music and instrument stores for modest prices. The watch is probably not leagal for competition?

[DavidNJ]

The watch is not a metronome. It has a tri-axial strain gauge accelerometer. Using that it should be pretty accurate in timing the backswing and downswing. The angle of the backswing will represent the forearm, not the wrist or club.

And that is my concern on the club speed. It has to integrate to determine the velocity, which it probably does accurately. However, I don't see how it can allow for the release at all, and the velocity calculation is extrapolated to the club head (based on club lengths you enter). However, it can't determine the angle of your wrist, and so couild have an error there.

I will call them tomorrow. However, finding someone who actually has it would be nice.

David

[DavidNJ]

I'm a gadget-junkie...

If you like that, try StarCaddy . I have that one and it works. Next software update should even be better.

[Rafcin]

...tri-axial strain gauge accelerometer...

geez Doc, is that serious? Sounds like a terminal disease to me

[Rafcin]

If you like that, try

$19.95 per map???? Wow. That's crazy. I prefer the skygolf GPS and Intelligolf Eagle Edition over this one - simply because maps are free and users upload their maps to create pretty good selection. skygolf has also 'professional maps', with more details - for 2.99 to 4.99...

Paying $20 each time I'll play new course is nuts IMHO.

[DavidNJ]

$19.95 per map???? Wow. That's crazy. I prefer the skygolf GPS and Intelligolf Eagle Edition over this one - simply because maps are free and users upload their maps to create pretty good selection. skygolf has also 'professional maps', with more details - for 2.99 to 4.99...

If any of those actually had a course map it wouild be an interesting comparison. Intelligolf is probably better at keeping score.

However StarCaddy shows you the whole hole--fairway, rough, hazards, trees, green. You can use its measuring tool to get distances between any two points are between your location and a point with the distance from that point to the green. Maps are pretty accurate and they fix errors. Assuming you already have the Pockt PC, for the cost of StarCaddy, not counting the subscription, you could buy a GPS and the software with maps for 16 courses. How many do you play? The $20 is so small compared to the cost of playing golf I can't see it as an issue. The Intelligolf score keeping is interesting. Like StarCaddy it runs on a Pocket PC. You could run both, although only one could access the GPS.

[Rafcin]

If any of those actually had a course map it would be an interesting comparison. Intelligolf is probably better at keeping score.

IMHO having the full map vs. marking points (bunkers, trees, water, etc) doesn't have too much advantage... Most courses will give you layout of the holes or yardage book with pictures ( $2 - $5 ). I wasn't trying to compare anything by they way - I haven't used the Startcaddy, so I can't say nothing about it. I did use SkyCaddie and it was more than enough for me with maps free(99% of them) or almost free... but again - it is subjective I guess.

However StarCaddy shows you the whole hole--fairway, rough, hazards, trees, green. You can use its measuring tool to get distances between any two points are between your location and a point with the distance from that point to the green. Maps are pretty accurate and they fix errors.

again - I don't see much value in it and I personally wouldn't want to pay for it. It's enough to know "carry bunker", "front-middle-back green", "carry water", "end of fwy". Is it important to know that fairway gets tighter at 260yds away? I guess. Is it worth the money? I don't think so.

Assuming you already have the Pockt PC, for the cost of StarCaddy, not counting the subscription, you could buy a GPS and the software with maps for 16 courses. How many do you play? The $20 is so small compared to the cost of playing golf I can't see it as an issue.

I played over 100 rounds this year and at least 30 of them on new/relatively new courses where I could use the GPS. 30x20 = $600. That's pretty much a trend for me (my 4th case with logo balls from each club I played at is almost full

). $600 ? There is a new set of irons

The Intelligolf score keeping is interesting. Like StarCaddy it runs on a Pocket PC. You could run both, although only one could access the GPS.

to be honest I never used Intelligolf as GPS device (except for measuring my shots). "Maps" with GPS coordinates are not too popular. Indeed - for stats keeping - I haven't find nothing better.

[DavidNJ]

Well, you play at lot more than me. Five or so courses handles 90+% of my needs.

I find the map very usefully, using the Pocket PC pointer I can move around and determine my drop zones for each club, how they relate to hazards and bounds, etc. It does what I was looking for: give me the information to club the next shot. The only thing better would be elevation; but apparently accurate topographical maps with sufficient detail are available.

I'm not sure how you gain access to 30+ courses. Around here that gets expensive. Just the travel would be more than the $20 map cost. Courses without membership here will set you back the better part of $100 or more. If you are spending $10k playing, $500 (there is a discount) does not seem out of line.

The new courses may be problem for StarCaddy though. They use satelite photos to map the course. Generally, they are at least 2-3 years old. So a brand new course may not be available.

Anyway, it is 80-90% of what I was looking for in course management. The other GPSes and rangefinders were not above 50%.

[Rafcin]

..Around here that gets expensive. Just the travel would be more than the $20 map cost. Courses without membership here will set you back the better part of $100 or more. If you are spending $10k playing, $500 (there is a discount) does not seem out of line.

if the "NJ" in your handle stands for New Jersey... I'm here too

Indeed, it's expensive, but using weekdays + afternoons - one can get by. It's easier to explain to wife to spend $80 than $100...

[DavidNJ]

I like doing the $10 M-Th twilight at some Somerset County courses, which is now at 4pm.

To me, the equipment and range time (also not cheap) is to make the expensive course time more productive.

David

[Diggitydog]

SUUNTO G6 Watch.

I read this thread and I'm wondering if anybody owns one of these units. This thread was a year old so I'm thinking somebody must have come across one of these G6 units in the last year.
Is this gadget helpful at all?