Prove Your Drives- GPS

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by ColeMc

I think I said this in another thread somewhere, bloke above is correct in saying that GPS isn't a perfect measurement tool without some kind of adjustment.  But it is however better than +/-15 metres.  Most handheld GPS units will get down around <+/-2 metres.

Using a basic GPS to measure against the quoted distance from tee to pin would probably put you somewhere within 15m from quoted as you would need to know the methods used to achieve the original measurement to get any better.

Using it to measure from where you hit the ball to where the ball stops would be within roughly a couple of metres as it's independent of the course and based purely on the difference in lat and long on a global scale.

Elevation can play a part in the difference between GPS and what you would get from a laser but you gotta be a fair way above sea level for it to really matter in terms of a golf shot and you'd have to be hitting the ball a hell of a long way too.

Originally Posted by CR McDivot

The best accuracy you can expect to attain with any GPS receiver without a correction method applied is within 15 meters (2D RMS) for the horizontal measurement. Vertical accuracy is within 25 meters. This is typically true for any commercial GPS receiver from any vendor.

http://www.spatial-ed.com/gps/gps-basics/135-differential-correction-methods.html

The GPS accuracy of less than a 1m is military band, but many commercial units can get that accuracy if it is held still enough for a couple minutes. We used a differential GPS and got some pretty good accuracy with the commercial band.

A few of my colleagues used to work for Magellen, and saw the comments above.

[poser]

GPS doesn't work where I hit my drives

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by poser

GPS doesn't work where I hit my drives

GPS works just about anywhere - not so well in a deep canyon or on the street among tall skyscrapers, but I've never seen a golf course in those locations - most anyplace without a line of sight to the target, it's better than a laser.

[Jeremie Boop]

I keep forgetting to do this, didn't have a chance last night anyway since I was playing a short inside 9 and never used a driver. Longest hole is only like 360, just hit my 3 hybrid from the tee. Actually, the way it worked out I may just do that on most of the par 4 holes in league anyway rofl. I'm really eyeballing a nike vr pro 3 hybrid at this point because the one I have is a golden bear with regular flex shaft and is pretty inconsistent with the weak shaft.

[ghalfaire]

Sure are a lot of thread on this forum related to driving distance.  Must be Testosterone poisoning as driving distance is probably the statistic least related to final score.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

Sure are a lot of thread on this forum related to driving distance.  Must be Testosterone poisoning as driving distance is probably the statistic least related to final score.

It's basically a way to "call out" those that constantly say they have consistently long drives without providing proof.

[dsc123]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

It's basically a way to "call out" those that constantly say they have consistently long drives without providing proof.

except that anybody could simply walk 50 yards further than their ball and mark that spot on their gps.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by dsc123

except that anybody could simply walk 50 yards further than their ball and mark that spot on their gps.

Yeah, there is no way to be sure that people are being honest for sure. Relying on someone's honor to post true and accurate results can be tricky at best.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Wont happen with me.  I don't own a smartphone, and my Garmin doesn't do screenshots.

Oh, come on, how hard can it be?  Just bring an instant camera to the course with you.  Take a snapshot of your Garmin at each location.  Then after the round, drop the film off at a fotomat.** Pick the prints up the next day and take them over to Kinko's to have them scan them onto a disk for you.  Then load those pictures onto your computer, and while they are on the screen, borrow your friends smartphone and take photos of your computer.  Then, simply upload those photos here.  Piece of cake!!

**How many people on this forum don't have a clue what a fotomat is?  For that matter, I wonder how many are confused by the idea of cameras with film. ;)

Originally Posted by Fourputt

I know that many real life distances don't match the card for the course, and for those which do match, the way the course is measured is rarely the route that a golfer plays.

Hey, I resemble that remark!!!  ;)

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EDIT:  In the spirit of this thread (ok, not really, I'm totally breaking the rules) I have a couple of drives to post.  I have no photos because it was a tournament and smartphones are off limits so you have to take my word for it. ;)

8th hole is a virtually straight 485 yard par 5, and I hit the best drive I can remember ever hitting (straight, high, dead center face contact) and I had 183 remaining to the hole. :)

18th hole is also a fairly straight par 5, but is 645 yards long.  After my drive, I was 333 out, and after my 3 wood 2nd shot I was 72 yards out.  (This hole plays downhill and downwind)

[dsc123]

Do they even make cell phones without cameras?

[460CompMark]

is that a free app?  it should be.

[muttbag]

Sure are a lot of thread on this forum related to driving distance.  Must be Testosterone poisoning as driving distance is probably the statistic least related to final score.

Yeah. Although the driver is a key part of the golf game, it apparently indicates a testosterone inbalance for those who want to discuss it. Next time someone talks about sinking a 25 ft putt... blatant bragging. Or that comment about hitting your 7 iron 180 yards and sticking it a foot from the hole... that's clearly someone with short-man syndrome. Right? The stigma attached to driver discussion on this forum is getting weird.

[muttbag]

Interesting field test. I've finally managed to drive the fairway somewhat consistently with a few changes to my swing. I wanted to compare my new swing to the balls out, swing out of your shoes, clubhead speed demon Bubba Watson swing. I was stuck behind a group and hit an extra ball off the tee. New and improved swing: Bubba Watson grip and rip swing: I felt both were crushed. My normal swing carried further. The 'big swing' had the classic long ball lift, where it seemed to slowly elevate. Granted, this hole is slightly uphill, but the ground was pretty dry so I got some roll. I certainly don't average 280 off the tee, but most of the drives I keep in the fairway are 260+. My game off the tee is getting much better, my irons are coming along, and my chipping is excellent as usual.. but my putting is way below average. I'm going to continue spending time at the range to keep my swing consistent, but the putting green is where I'll be spending my time until I can break 80.

[Maddog10]

I'll post mine when I play this afternoon if I can remember. I've never been one to lead people to believe that I'm a long hitter though, because I'm not. A well struck drive for me usually ends up being around 260 yards. I can go farther than that but my accuracy suffers as a result. If I really got ahold of one on a strong swing and was able to keep it straight, I might could stretch it out to 280. 300 is out of the question for me without an elevated tee or strong wind.

[phillyk]

Would that I could post pictures of the distances I hit.  I don't understand why people think hitting 300yds is out of the question.  Solid contact in the middle of the face, full swing, torque it up, should be easier then it seems for most people.  I am by no means a strong guy at all, but I have flexibility and a swing I know will hit the center of the face most of the time, so I can swing away when I want.  My last round was 14GIR and 7FIR, 72. I used Driver I think 5 or 6 times. Most of them going for greens on shorter holes, and although they weren't in the fairway, they were within 10yds of the green.

[rustyredcab]

What is the obsession with driving distance? Why do so many of you need to prove something/anything?

[muttbag]

What is the obsession with driving distance? Why do so many of you need to prove something/anything?

Why discuss distance on any clubs then? There was much ado about driver distance perception vs reality in the forum, so I thought it would be a nice exercise. Many people take exception to the fact that driver distances are discussed in detail, for whatever reason. Seems simple to me. If you're not interested in the exercise or discussion, move on to another thread. There are plenty.

[AntiTankNinja]

The obsession with driver distances is pure testosterone. The ones who understand the game walk onto the tee box, picking a spot for a good play and use a consistent, repeatable swing. Most amateurs reach for the driver and turn into a chest beating alpha male. Then you got joe schmo, who practices 3 times a week and plays 8-10 rounds a month, that can't stand the fact that he can't hit it as far as Jim Bob, who only plays a handful of times a year. But the GPS thing is a really good idea....but anyone who would lie about their driver distances could cheat the system. Personally, I would rather not know. Being subconscious about short driver distances is an unnecessary mental block. If the ball is in play and you hit it longer than your 3 wood, you are doing good!