TST Explores GAME Golf

[saevel25]

Do it today and post up the proof or we'll make you ineligible for any Member of the _____ awards for a full year. ;)

BTW, any serious golfers on this forum who has ever worked with Mike or I should seriously consider getting this and telling us your username so we can see your rounds.

Look at my rounds - you can see things where I goofed, or things I did well, etc.

By the end of next week I plan on getting one

[RandallT]

I'm buying stock in Game Golf tomorrow. Sheesh.

[mvmac]

Yep I'm now following @mchepp and @tristanhilton85

[tristanhilton85]

Yep I'm now following @mchepp and @tristanhilton85

Cool... I'll probably get a round in tomorrow afternoon and/or Friday morning.

Just curious, my home course has 2 course, but currently the front nine of both are closed and the backs are being played... Any idea how it would handle this? I'm assuming as two separate nines.

[mvmac]

Cool... I'll probably get a round in tomorrow afternoon and/or Friday morning.

Just curious, my home course has 2 course, but currently the front nine of both are closed and the backs are being played... Any idea how it would handle this? I'm assuming as two separate nines.

It will probably just identify it as you playing two nine hole "rounds".

[Clambake]

You can "fake" what GAME Golf does with a free app (it's probably crap - why would someone put out a free app that costs them money and time?), but it would require more effort on your part to enter the club, your position on the course, etc. Additionally, it'd drain your battery quickly leaving GPS on that long in addition to normal cell functions.

Erik, don't discount an app as crap just because it is free. There are a lot of ways to monetize a free app, and many will make far more money for the developer than if they sold the app. For example, Angry Birds is free but a hidden part of that app does geo tracking and sends data back on everywhere your cell phone has gone, tied to the mobile number. Data miners pay a lot for this type of info, and the Angry Bird developers have made a lot of money even without having to sell extra levels and features to the user. Other free apps have hidden pieces that track who you call, where you go, where you stop, what you browse, etc. All very valuable info and very profitable for the developer. Although Game Golf costs money, I'll bet they are also monetizing the data they get from each user as well, and it wouldn't surprise me if the hardware is break even for them but data is where their profit goes. By having the account, they know who you are, how well you play golf, where you golf, and who some of your friends are. Pretty valuable marketing data!

[iacas]

Erik, don't discount an app as crap just because it is free.

I know. You're right. At the end of the day, though, they're getting their money in some way or another. Maybe it's advertising.

But that isn't what I call a "free" app. And the point I was trying to make was more related to the added hassle. Even if it was a great app that cost you $1.99 or $19.99, it will still take you several seconds each time, will chew through your battery with GPS active (and you using and touching the screen 75 times or so) during a round, etc.

Even using my own Scorecard software on the iPhone was a bigger hassle and it didn't track GPS or anything: you only had to enter stats at the end of a hole, one time, and it took ten or fifteen seconds.

For example, Angry Birds is free but a hidden part of that app does geo tracking and sends data back on everywhere your cell phone has gone, tied to the mobile number. Data miners pay a lot for this type of info, and the Angry Bird developers have made a lot of money even without having to sell extra levels and features to the user. Other free apps have hidden pieces that track who you call, where you go, where you stop, what you browse, etc. All very valuable info and very profitable for the developer.

That's interesting enough on its own that you should start a thread on that. Yes, that stuff happens… I think my point was more about the "time" but you're right; I overstated the "crap" aspect. :)

Although Game Golf costs money, I'll bet they are also monetizing the data they get from each user as well, and it wouldn't surprise me if the hardware is break even for them but data is where their profit goes. By having the account, they know who you are, how well you play golf, where you golf, and who some of your friends are. Pretty valuable marketing data!

I'll tell you what: I'll ask them what they think of this and will share their response.

It's only somewhat related, but I have asked about the privacy controls on the site: anyone can follow anyone right now and there's no approval process or blocking process, etc. That is going to change, they've said. I wish it had been done already; it's a bit weird to have people (probably just TST members, but how do I know?) following me and I don't have a clue who they are (if it's a TST member, it may only be because I know their screen name, not their real name).

[Divotmaker77]

OK, played 9 with this today and just went through my round on the computer.  I forgot to tag one shot and was easy to fix once I played with the program some.  That said, its a little confusing on the course to remember if you tagged or not but I will take others info and figure that it will take  a few rounds to get used to it.  I did notice that on the map some of the tagged shots were not in the correct spot.  Also, not a fan of fixing the tags on the greens.  Its a cluttered look on the overview green and is hard to place the shot exactly where it was on the green.

Overall, for now, just think I need to get some more rounds to really see what this thing can do but it is pretty cool to see your shots over a map to see exactly where you are hitting the ball and the distances.

[iacas]

OK, played 9 with this today and just went through my round on the computer.  I forgot to tag one shot and was easy to fix once I played with the program some.  That said, its a little confusing on the course to remember if you tagged or not but I will take others info and figure that it will take  a few rounds to get used to it.  I did notice that on the map some of the tagged shots were not in the correct spot.  Also, not a fan of fixing the tags on the greens.  Its a cluttered look on the overview green and is hard to place the shot exactly where it was on the green.

The light blinks green or something for 60 seconds. If you're not sure, tag it again. It's easy enough to delete it when you get home (easier than remembering what club you hit and from where).

Also, don't be too anal about the position of the ball on the green. It's not like the thing is tracking how many putts you make from 6-8 feet or anything. It's just the number of putts, mostly. Get it close and move on.

Overall, for now, just think I need to get some more rounds to really see what this thing can do but it is pretty cool to see your shots over a map to see exactly where you are hitting the ball and the distances.

Look at my "My Swing" thread too for a look at what I did with a recent round.

[tristanhilton85]

Gathered up all of my GC's - and I have $275 worth - and tried to call them so I could combine them, but their customer service hours are only until 6pm EDT.  I'll try and do it at lunch tomorrow. :)

Did you get it?

[Golfingdad]

Did you get it?

No, I went to the range at lunch today and their customer service is closed at 3p our time. I'll do it tomorrow. :)

[Golfingdad]

No, I went to the range at lunch today and their customer service is closed at 3p our time. I'll do it tomorrow. :)

Screw Golf Galaxy!!  I called them twice today and both times they've been closed.  "Our normal business hours are between 9am and 6pm Monday through Friday."  It IS between 9 and 6 Monday through Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WTF?!?!

It's like they are intentionally avoiding me to try and get me to spend more money.  "Fine, I'll just buy the Game Golf with a 100 gift card and pay for the rest and use all of the other cards for balls and things."  But then I would feel like the guy buying the car from William H. Macy at the beginning of Fargo.  Don't want to be that guy.

[Missouri Swede]

I can't watch it .. without a tear coming to my eye (sob).  Yust makes me so homesick, I vant to moof up nord again.

[tefunk]

I'm usually able to stay pretty chill about stuff and easily resist any temptation to purchase new things... New clubs, new cars, etc. But this thread is really making me want to go pick up a Game Golf unit

[tefunk]

Screw Golf Galaxy!!  I called them twice today and both times they've been closed.  "Our normal business hours are between 9am and 6pm Monday through Friday."  It IS between 9 and 6 Monday through Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WTF?!?! It's like they are intentionally avoiding me to try and get me to spend more money.  "Fine, I'll just buy the Game Golf with a 100 gift card and pay for the rest and use all of the other cards for balls and things."  But then I would feel like the guy buying the car from William H. Macy at the beginning of Fargo.  Don't want to be that guy.

I wonder how much any of this has to do with Dicks/Golf Galaxy's recent decisions about their involvement in the golf industry.

[Golfingdad]

Still don't have mine yet, but gonna try tomorrow.  Gonna be near a Golf Galaxy in SD so I'm going to stop in (with low hopes because I called today and the lady said they don't carry it - I'm not sure she even knew what I was talking about though) and HOPEFULLY pick one up.

In the meantime, I did make my account already and am following all of the guys I know.  Should be fun to be able to snoop through everybody's rounds as they play them.

@tristanhilton85 ... I am impressed that you managed a routine par on PGA West #17!!  Well done!!

[tristanhilton85]

@tristanhilton85 ... I am impressed that you managed a routine par on PGA West #17!!  Well done!! :beer:

Thanks.

[Valleygolfer]

Man that was good marketing for them to float you guys a couple of these. They look pretty nice with the shot by shot map.