Wrist devices that are manual (NOT auto-detect) GPS shot tracking?

[Celeras]

Right now I use Hole19 on my smart phone, but im looking to ditch carrying it around on the course. It's great because you just walk off your shots and hit a button, then they're marked via GPS. For some reason their smartwatch app doesn't allow you to use shot-by-shot.

 

Garmin devices seem to be good, but I hate "auto-detect". They inevitably miss shots. Or record practice swings. And post-round editing is a pain in the butt (and with Garmin I don't even think you can do anything but delete cos their app sucks).

 

I'm just looking for something on my wrist, that uses GPS, that let's me press a button when I'm at my ball to indicate that's where it went. Does this device exist?

[sirparalot]

The Linx GT by sky golf is close. You have to put tags on your clubs and you tag the clubs to the watch. It does have an auto detect feature as well that you can turn off and just go 100% tagging(sounds like this is what you want). If you didn't care about club specifics and just want distance shot to shot you could just program 1 tag, keep it in your pocket and tag it to watch at every shot (they actually sell a divot tool with a tag in it for 19.99 that could be used the same way, comes in the upgraded game tracking unit which is $50 more than the standard unit and includes 14 tags as well).

[Celeras]

Decent alternative, hate those tags though haha. For no other reason than watching a friend dig through the bottom of his bag trying to find one that fell off

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Anyone else, or is that the best we can do?

[sirparalot]

The Skygolf watches (Linx GT and LX3) both offer a mark option as well without tags. You hit the top left button before you hit and then again at your ball and it will tell you distance for that shot (no tags needed). The watch does not however save this individually marked shot data for the entire round like the game tracking mode with tags but it will give you distance shot to shot on the watch at the time you use the mark feature on the watch. Now the other piece is are you willing to pay for the sky golf subscription?? I am a fan of Skygolf and I use several of their products so having all of my golf data perfectly tracked in one location is great and more than worth the fee.

[Celeras]

The Garmins have that measure feature as well, but ideally I'd like something that saves the data.

 

I wouldn't get a subscription though no.

[nupezb]

I would recommend looking at the Garmin S20 (currently $129). I personally like the auto-detect and keeping score on my watch, but you can turn them both off. Just my two cents.

[Celeras]

I would recommend looking at the Garmin S20 (currently $129). I personally like the auto-detect and keeping score on my watch, but you can turn them both off. Just my two cents.

 

But if you turn it off I don't think you can manually track shot locations?

[nupezb]

Yes you can manually track shot locations but I believe that would become problematic after a while. Inevitably, you will for get to track your shot.

 

The auto detect feature isn’t bad at all. You will have to initially let the watch know which club you used. Afterward, it will learn your usual distance and club data and then on your next shot it will ask if you used “X Club” for your shot. If so, you select yes or choose which club you used. After your round all of you club distances will be displayed in the app.

[Celeras]

Wait, are you really sure the Garmin devices let's you manually tag a shot for the GPS map?

 

Because that'd be perfect, but I was pretty positive that it was only auto detect or "measure" (which just measures that one shot but doesn't put it on the map or track it to keep score).

[Stuart_G]

You can always manually track distances - but it's a separate function from the shot tracker. It wont be remembered and you can't manually add a shot to the tracker while on the course. At least not on my x40 or s60.

[nupezb]

Ok this isn’t my best hole but, if you set your watch to keep score and auto detection (confirm which club). Afterwards, you can review your shots.

[Stuart_G]

Auto-detect is different from manual tracking that the OP is asking about.

 

And I find Garmin's auto-detect very problematic - lots of both missed shots and false detection. Almost useless w/o a lot of post round editing. They really do need to have a manual shot entry mode.

[nupezb]

Got it.

[Celeras]

Thanks anyway :) I don't think the device I am looking for exists!

[Stuart_G]

Thanks anyway :) I don't think the device I am looking for exists!

 

https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq

 

Maybe you could develop your own app.

[Celeras]

Thanks anyway :) I don't think the device I am looking for exists!

 

https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq

 

Maybe you could develop your own app.

 

Is it piracy if I just steal their own app and change "auto-detect=on" to "button-press(down)=true"?! Because that's seriously all I want haha.

[Celeras]

Stumbled across the MyRoundPro website and saw the following image:

 

 

 

Looks to do exactly what I want but only with Samsung devices. However, last I checked this app was a piece of crap and the reviews don't inspire much confidence. Anyone use this setup?

[nupezb]

Have you looked at shot scope v2 https://shotscope.com/?

[Duke of Hazards]

That appears to be the only 'Watch only' (without phone in your pocket) shot tracking solution with 'manual' shot tagging. Anecdotally, it appears to be a decent app. The strokes gained information appears to be quite good for myRoundPro from what people have said. The downside is that they have eliminated PC round editing, which sucks, since editing is far easier with a computer monitor and mouse vs your fingers on a phone screen. Also, recent app reviews for myRoundPro suggest that the app was 'broken' for many users recently and the developers haven't made efforts to address the complaints.

 

Some other options for you are Golfpad GPS, GameGolf (yes, you can use it with a phone and watch combo without buying the tags), Golfshot Pro. <<<<With all of these, you'll manually tag your shots on the watch, but you'll need to have your phone in your pocket, since the phone just acts as a 'go-between', sending data to the phone.

 

I've used manual watch tagging with both Golfpad and Game Golf with a Pebble Time Round (now obsolete). The Game Golf watch app was buggy and would freeze up sometimes, but it had PC/web editing, which made it really nice. The Golfpad watch app (for Pebble) was much more solid, but I had to edit shots later on the phone, which was kind of a pain.

 

I like that both had true strokes gained stats (Mark Broadie's stats) rather than the proprietary 'knockoff' that both Arccos and ShotScope seem to use. As with any of these devices, stats for short game and putting are to be taken with a grain of salt, since GPS measurements at short range are a bit iffy.

 

Taylormade myRound Pro

+ watch only (no phone in your pocket required)

+ nice stats, including true strokes gained

+ limited to Samsung Gear S3 watch

- no PC/web for editing

- buggy app and poor response/customer service

 

 

Based on all, you might try Golfpad GPS - you can manually tag shots with your watch (need the phone in your pocket). It supports nearly all smartwatches (Magellan, Pebble, Android wear, Samsung, Apple watch, etc.) You 'tag' all shots while on the hole (with my Pebble, I would just push one button on the side of the watch as I was addressing the ball, was pretty incognito, noone even knows your tagging), then whip out the phone once off the green to enter your club selections (or you could manually write it on a paper score card.) In use, I actually preferred a generic button press 'tag' while playing and entering the club information later, since it detracted from game play less by not scrolling through club selections after entering every shot.

 

The app is well laid out and has been through many many updates (Golfpad GPS is by far the most 'updated' golf app I've had, and I've installed and deleted nearly every golf shot tracking app that exists). The developers are responsive and are constantly fixing/tinkering with things to make sure that it works correctly all the time.

 

The only think missing is PC round editing. If it had PC round editing like GameGolf, it'd be perfect.

[Celeras]

Thanks for the write-up! I didn't realize Golfpad had smartwatch tracking because it is hidden behind "premium". 19.99/year is worth considering though. To be honest I never liked their tracker with the phone because you couldn't tag while in "map" view and I was annoyed by having to go back and forth. But with a watch I wouldn't be using map view anyway.