GPS phone app vs. dedicated GPS device

[chas521]

I have a GPS app on my phone that I would only use as a back up to my dedicated Garmin G5 in case it didn't work anymore. My G5 works great with fast yardage updates but I've noticed that my friends who have their apps on the phone don't get those fast yardage updates and their numbers bounce around for a good 10-15 seconds until it settles in. Is that normal?

 

Also, last weekend I played Bethpage with a person who had a Skycaddie GPS. On a par-3, his device showed 155 to the center of the green and mine showed 176. It's all carry so I used a 5 wood. I nailed my shot and landed on the green. There is absolutely no way that his 155 was correct but my 176 was correct. Have you run across something like this before?

[phil75070]

For GPS accuracy I think you have to go with a dedicated device. There is room in such a device (not necessarily the "watch" types) for GPS devices that are WAAS enabled and tend to be accurate to 2-3 yards.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

[quote name='chas521' timestamp='1441200048' post='12250494']
I have a GPS app on my phone that I would only use as a back up to my dedicated Garmin G5 in case it didn't work anymore. My G5 works great with fast yardage updates but I've noticed that my friends who have their apps on the phone don't get those fast yardage updates and their numbers bounce around for a good 10-15 seconds until it settles in. Is that normal?

Also, last weekend I played Bethpage with a person who had a Skycaddie GPS. On a par-3, his device showed 155 to the center of the green and mine showed 176. It's all carry so I used a 5 wood. I nailed my shot and landed on the green. There is absolutely no way that his 155 was correct but my 176 was correct. Have you run across something like this before?
[/quote]

While Apps are by comparison often feature rich, the speed and accuracy is at the mercy of the phone. Newer phones should be much faster and accurate than an old phone. Also not all apps are created equal and some could settle yardages faster than other apps. Your dedicated device should be more accurate and settle on yardage faster yet with a better/simpler user experience.

As for the discrepancy you experienced at Beth Page between your garmin and the skycaddie, it could be that the green was moved since it was last mapped by skygolf. Another possible root cause is that once in a while a GPS device gets confused due to loss of signal or being recently power cycled. For example one time on the first hole my Neo-X watch was off by 30 yards compared to the markers and by the time I was on my way to the green it was fine with no further issues that day.

[matchavez]

If you use a laser in tandem with a Phone GPS, you'll be fine. If you're relying on a phone GPS for your second shot, you're probably not much better off than if you'd eyeballed it from a sprinkler head.

[chas521]

[quote name='Andy L' timestamp='1441241367' post='12254406']
[quote name='chas521' timestamp='1441200048' post='12250494']
I have a GPS app on my phone that I would only use as a back up to my dedicated Garmin G5 in case it didn't work anymore. My G5 works great with fast yardage updates but I've noticed that my friends who have their apps on the phone don't get those fast yardage updates and their numbers bounce around for a good 10-15 seconds until it settles in. Is that normal?

Also, last weekend I played Bethpage with a person who had a Skycaddie GPS. On a par-3, his device showed 155 to the center of the green and mine showed 176. It's all carry so I used a 5 wood. I nailed my shot and landed on the green. There is absolutely no way that his 155 was correct but my 176 was correct. Have you run across something like this before?
[/quote]

While Apps are by comparison often feature rich, the speed and accuracy is at the mercy of the phone. Newer phones should be much faster and accurate than an old phone. Also not all apps are created equal and some could settle yardages faster than other apps. Your dedicated device should be more accurate and settle on yardage faster yet with a better/simpler user experience.

[b]As for the discrepancy you experienced at Beth Page between your garmin and the skycaddie, it could be that the green was moved since it was last mapped by skygolf. [/b]Another possible root cause is that once in a while a GPS device gets confused due to loss of signal or being recently power cycled. For example one time on the first hole my Neo-X watch was off by 30 yards compared to the markers and by the time I was on my way to the green it was fine with no further issues that day.
[/quote]

Many thanks for your reply. I've been playing Bethpage for years and the green is in the exact place it always was. I think your second reason makes more sense. When dealing with technology, I guess that anything might happen.

[stryper]

FWIW, a friend if mine recently acquired a dedicated SkyCaddie device. Comparing it on-course with my SkyCaddie app on iPhone 6+, the results are within a yard or two in every case. Good enough for me. Other GPS apps I've tried never seemed to agree with SkyCaddie.