Arccos Caddie

[inthecup]

I thought I would start a discussion on Arccos Caddie.  I would like to hear the input of users with more rounds than me.

I recently got Arccos and have been enjoying it.  I have 5 rounds in 3 of them were in 20+ MPH winds so the data is not great yet but the possibility of the data is very interesting.  They just launched Arccos Caddie in Beta and it is free for now.

I have not had a chance to play with it but it will allow you to walk through courses and see it suggestions.  it takes wind and I believe temperature into account when suggests clubs.  It takes your misses and calculates the odds for the best score.  All of this you would think you intuitively know but I find some of the club choices interesting.   

Some observations:

It tends to pick longer clubs for distances than I might.  The greens on my home course and difficult and being below the hole is critical.  With that in mind for the rounds I have played I have come up short according to the stats.

For many holes it is suggesting 3 hybrid or 2 hybrid off the tee instead of driver leaving a longer shot in.  In some cases there is trouble in driver range as you would expect.  You can switch the tee club and see the projected score change.  After I get more rounds into the data I think I will follow its suggestions for an entire round and see what happens.

My index is a 13 right now, with the rounds it has seen it says my index is 17.  The expected score is always bogey or worse!  Imagine if thats what your caddie was telling you!

 

Does anyone have any more insight into this?  It has only been out for a couple days.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2017 by inthecup

[inthecup]

I have played a couple rounds with Arccos Caddie.  One odd thing is that it is not accessible after you tee off?   So there is no suggestion on your second shot.  

Seeing the wind direction was interesting and accurate.   It has some odd suggestions like hit 3h and 3h on a hole with water at the front of the green?  I'd like a shorter shot going to the green over water.  

 

Its beta software, hopefully it gets better.  

[FrankfurtDave]

I have seen a few oddities for which I have contacted Arccos. For instance it recommends clubs and distances that are longer than my averages by up to 20-30m and sometimes suggests taking a PW off the tee on a Par 5.

As said before it is a beta version currently but with work could be very interesting.

[inthecup]

I have had more time to use Arcco's Caddie.  I used it on some very windy days.  It actually was very helpful with the wind.  It gives you speed and direction on the hole you are playing.  I found the direction to be accurate, I could only guess at the speed.  I assume it also suggest clubs based on that wind.  It falls short in not being able to recognize subtleties of the course. On certain holes for example long is death and it does not adjust for that.  I played a short par 4 and it advised to hit driver over the green and play it back.  Interesting idea but a ball played over this particular green is gone 95% of the time.  It of course can not see the lie so any suggestion without seeing the lie is suspect.

As a side note, my home course has heather.  The spring has been great heather growing weather, awesome.  I was reminded last night how difficult it is to read a lie.  I drove into the heather on a par 5.  The rule of thumb with heather especially when it is growing and lush is wedge out and take your lumps.  Well I had a great lie,  I figure I am going to smooth a 4 hybrid down the fairway and not loose a stroke.  Who could have known that the heather would grab the club and shaft close the head and rocket one into a worse lie than I started with...... who could have known!  Certainly not someone programming logic with a Satellite photo for reference.  Any idiot (but me) would also know from experience.

Right now on the tee it makes suggestions.  After that you are on your own.  If they added all shots to the program it might be interesting but it can't be within the rules of golf so I don't see it surviving Beta.  We will see.

[dzclarkcpa]

I have it, used it several times in the last month. I have used both Game Golf and Arccos, using Arccos for the last 2 years. In fact, I was about to ditch Arccos when they made the announcement about Arccos Caddie. I had such high hopes, and to some extent, I have been really let down. 

Pitching wedges off the tee on par 5's, and some other "interesting" suggestions show me this technology is not there yet. I do have interest when they roll out the version that continues to offer advice down the fairway, but for now, I think I may just unplug my sensors and enjoy golf for awhile.

 

 

[Zippo]

I know I'm resurrecting a zombie thread but figured this is probably the correct place to continue the discussion on Arccos Caddie. I've been using it a couple of years now and wondering if anyone else is using it frequently. I know the following isn't super coherent but just some musings I have about using Arccos currently.

I notice the Arccos dashboard has a Beta section now with lots of good looking data on strokes gained that I think is going to be very helpful when they get it finished and when I start recording rounds again. It looks great even now.

I have deleted all my rounds from last year because I wanted to start this year fresh with Arccos. Right now, as I can't post scores for handicap, I've mostly been using Arccos to track a round to see how my distances and accuracy are improving.

I haven't actually used the Caddie portion of Arccos much. Until I get some place on my cart or bag where I can mount my phone for easy access I haven't found it very useful and takes more time to use than I want to spend at this time especially as I am so familiar with my home course.

The Caddie link device works great but I have noted that with my remote cart I can get the cart, with my phone in the pocket, too far away such that the Caddie Link on my belt loses Bluetooth connection with the phone. Now that I am aware of that possibility it's not much of an issue.

Also, leaving my phone in the bag, I've noted that the Arccos app on the phone does not update your strokes and location until you actually open the phone and access the app again. For example, I start a round with Arccos and then put the phone in a bag pocket. I play three or four holes and pull the phone out of the pocket and wake it up. The Arccos app will take a couple minutes to log all my strokes and get my current location. This will probably be less of a problem when I have a phone mount that I can use on my cart to more easily access my phone and app.

[ChetlovesMer]

I used Arccos caddie from 2017 through 2019. 

I never liked it. 

Which is not to say I didn't like Arccos, because I liked Arccos a lot. 
The Caddie always seemed to suggest the club I was going to pick anyway. I honestly cannot remember a time it said hit X club and it wasn't the club I was going to pick. 

I like the stats gathering aspects of Arccos. I like the ability to got back through the history of how you've played different holes. I also had really good luck in that for me Arccos almost never "missed" a shot. I loved Arccos as a tool to know what to work on in your game. 

But the Caddie, for me, was just a big old waste of time and a hundred bucks a year. 
The last year I used Arccos I did so without the Caddie feature. It was cheaper and for me actually better. 

Incidentally, I stopped using Arccos. Because I've gone to Pure grips. I had Arccos grips. I intended at the time to get Arccos sensors. Of course, I would consider using it again. But I truly think it's one of those things you need to use a bunch to really get good stuff out of it. Considering, I plaid fewer than a half dozen rounds last season. ... Well?

[Zippo]

10 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I used Arccos caddie from 2017 through 2019. 

I never liked it. 

Which is not to say I didn't like Arccos, because I liked Arccos a lot. 
The Caddie always seemed to suggest the club I was going to pick anyway. I honestly cannot remember a time it said hit X club and it wasn't the club I was going to pick. 

I like the stats gathering aspects of Arccos. I like the ability to got back through the history of how you've played different holes. I also had really good luck in that for me Arccos almost never "missed" a shot. I loved Arccos as a tool to know what to work on in your game. 

But the Caddie, for me, was just a big old waste of time and a hundred bucks a year. 
The last year I used Arccos I did so without the Caddie feature. It was cheaper and for me actually better. 

Incidentally, I stopped using Arccos. Because I've gone to Pure grips. I had Arccos grips. I intended at the time to get Arccos sensors. Of course, I would consider using it again. But I truly think it's one of those things you need to use a bunch to really get good stuff out of it. Considering, I plaid fewer than a half dozen rounds last season. ... Well?

Hmmm. I wasn't aware that you could separate Caddy from Arccos. I can relate, though. I haven't really used the Caddy portion of the app for a couple of reasons. One, it's a pain to have to wake the phone up and then wait for Arccos to update it's GPS to your current location. Two, I don't wear glasses when I golf but to really see the app well enough to use the Caddy portion I'd probably need to put on a pair of cheaters or my progressives - too much work.

However, the stats are great and, from the looks of the Beta Dashboard, they're going to get even better.

I use the Arccos sensors that screw into the end of the grips. I've noticed lately that the sensors are looking a bit worn. I think it's from rattling around in the bottom of the bag for uncounted rounds. I'm thinking about maybe stuffing a bit of foam down into the bottom of the bag in each club location to see if I can slow the wear a bit.

[Missouri Swede]

I use Arccos every round.  Switched over from GameGolf in 2019. I use it with my Apple Watch, so the yardage is right there on my wrist.  I don’t pay too much attention to the Caddie function and only keep it only to keep the distance from last shot active—really finding errant shots, because I usually know how far a shot would go.

Haven’t looked much at stats recently, because winter golf is so different from the way I play in the summer. Really hope they include the usual stats again (easily found fairways hit, GIR) in addition to SG.

I’ve got the 2nd generation screw in sensors, so I’m grandfathered in to non-subscription while they last. (I think after you replace 3 or 4 sensors to 3rd generation, they move you to the annual subscription plan.) Maybe by the time my sensors fail something new will be developed.  If not, I’ll decide then if it’s worth the subscription.

[Zippo]

36 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

I use Arccos every round.  Switched over from GameGolf in 2019. I use it with my Apple Watch, so the yardage is right there on my wrist.  I don’t pay too much attention to the Caddie function and only keep it only to keep the distance from last shot active—really finding errant shots, because I usually know how far a shot would go.

Haven’t looked much at stats recently, because winter golf is so different from the way I play in the summer. Really hope they include the usual stats again (easily found fairways hit, GIR) in addition to SG.

I’ve got the 2nd generation screw in sensors, so I’m grandfathered in to non-subscription while they last. (I think after you replace 3 or 4 sensors to 3rd generation, they move you to the annual subscription plan.) Maybe by the time my sensors fail something new will be developed.  If not, I’ll decide then if it’s worth the subscription.

When you get a chance, log into the Dashboard and check out the "Beta" link in the upper right corner and see what you think.

[Zippo]

Arccos now has a new putter sensor that fits perfectly on my pistol grip putter. The old sensor protruded a bit beyond the grip and sometimes got pulled off in the bag. This one is great.

Arccos Caddie Single Smart Sensor

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*Our new P3 putter sensor created specifically with smaller pistol grips in mind, fits most standard grips for a seamless shot-tracking experience on the greens. Arccos Caddie Single Smart Sensors are compatible with all Arccos...

 

[StuM]

I am curios, does Arccos Caddie need to be in "Tournament Mode" if you are posting the score for HCP?  I understand that is required to comply with ROG in competitive play but not sure if that applies to posting for HCP from a non-tournament round.

[Missouri Swede]

On 5/13/2022 at 10:49 AM, StuM said:

I am curios, does Arccos Caddie need to be in "Tournament Mode" if you are posting the score for HCP?  I understand that is required to comply with ROG in competitive play but not sure if that applies to posting for HCP from a non-tournament round.

Yes, it needs to be in tournament mode.

This question came up on the Facebook user group a year ago. I didn’t think it was a difficult question, but I emailed USGA about it. They replied that use of a device that provides the information of the type in caddie mode is not permissible under the RoG and renders the score unacceptable for handicap posting purposes. 

[Chris Brooks]

1 hour ago, Missouri Swede said:

Yes, it needs to be in tournament mode.

Wow, that's crazy. Hadn't even thought to consider this. I've probably posted 50 rounds with Arccos in regular mode. 

[Zippo]

48 minutes ago, Chris Brooks said:

Wow, that's crazy. Hadn't even thought to consider this. I've probably posted 50 rounds with Arccos in regular mode. 

Hmmmm. I wouldn't know what mode I'm in as I sleep the display on the phone and don't look at it again until I finish the round. I use it just to record shot data.

[Chris Brooks]

I use the Apple Watch app for front / back of green numbers, and I double check the tracking after each hole to make sure things look right. 

[iacas]

On 5/14/2022 at 2:17 PM, Chris Brooks said:

I use the Apple Watch app for front / back of green numbers, and I double check the tracking after each hole to make sure things look right. 

What makes that illegal for posting to handicap?

[Chris Brooks]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

What makes that illegal for posting to handicap?

I'm not saying it does, just stating how I use it. I'm going to turn on tournament mode when I play tomorrow and see how it changes the info I see.