Best technology for driving range game?

trees_are_80%_air · May 18, 2016

I am exploring an idea that turns any driving range into a mobile golf simulator.

For example, when a golfer hits a 270 yard drive on the range, the shot's ball flight and distance would be "simulated" on a golf course displayed on their mobile phone. Assuming the hole was 350 yards long, the golfer would then hit a wedge with their next shot on the range, which would be captured on the mobile phone. The video below gives a rudimentary example of what I mean...

https://vimeo.com/167110209/c914c8ed67

Would appreciate feedback on the following:

Would you play this?
How could I pull this off, technology wise?*

*Specifically around capturing accurate ball flight/path and distance data. I've done a lot of research on different launch monitors, but curious if there are other ways to do this.

Thanks

puttin4dough · May 19, 2016

I am exploring an idea that turns any driving range into a mobile golf simulator.

For example, when a golfer hits a 270 yard drive on the range, the shot's ball flight and distance would be "simulated" on a golf course displayed on their mobile phone. Assuming the hole was 350 yards long, the golfer would then hit a wedge with their next shot on the range, which would be captured on the mobile phone. The video below gives a rudimentary example of what I mean...

https://vimeo.com/167110209/c914c8ed67

Would appreciate feedback on the following:
Would you play this?
How could I pull this off, technology wise?*
*Specifically around capturing accurate ball flight/path and distance data. I've done a lot of research on different launch monitors, but curious if there are other ways to do this.

Thanks

One way to do this is have the app sync up with a track man, This will give spin, ball speed, everything you are looking for. If you want to make this work with out a trackman I would think you would need to have some sort of setup similar to the Game Golf system or the other products like that. You will need to have something that will attach to the club to give some sort of reading of the path of the swing and swing speed and then code it to equal a ball speed off the club face.

Sounds neat, I would code a way to "replay" a shot. Me personally I go to the range to work on the swing itself, if I would do something like this, I would want to be able to hit multiple shots from one location. I think the biggest issue you are going to run into is that on the actual range, a golfer wont be hitting to any specific target. They are just hitting balls to an empty space, which may not give them the visual feedback they would need for on the golf course. IE, on the course I know about what 160 yards looks like, and at the range I pick a flag that is about that distance and that's what I aim for.

Just me, may get other opinions, but since I own a keyboard I figured I'd throw my 2 cents in the bucket.

ParHunter · May 19, 2016

I guess you have 3 options for the Launch monitor part

a) You take a real LM like TM, Flightscope, GC2 or cheaper the SkyTrak. This will give you the most accurate data. Not sure how easy it would be to interface with them. But the cost of those is the main problem I guess.

b) You interface with ProTracer range (http://www.protracer.se/experience/protracer-range/). Disadvantage here is that it would only work on driving ranges that have protracer installed. But you could play with your mate on the next bay.

c) You use something like SkyPro, SwingByte etc to 'guestimate' the shot. But the result would be not very good as you don't have enough information (e.g. launch angle, spin) and the impact data you get is either missing (SkyPro won't give you path and face at impact because they know they can't reliably do that) or pretty random (SwingByte gives you data but I would not trust it).

Hope that helps. I take 10% for my consultancy work ;-)

3leggedpony · May 19, 2016

doesn't skyTrak already do this albeit on an ipad rather than a phone?

sherwin1987 · May 19, 2016

So basically a simulator where the image is displayed on your phone instead of projected on the screen?

Poser · May 19, 2016

I have a gc2 in the basement and I play against people online all the time on TGC software or Perfect Golf. We can even talk to each other and play as a 4 some. So yea this has been done. Some people are using SKytrak now as well to do it.

trees_are_80%_air · May 19, 2016

I am exploring an idea that turns any driving range into a mobile golf simulator.

For example, when a golfer hits a 270 yard drive on the range, the shot's ball flight and distance would be "simulated" on a golf course displayed on their mobile phone. Assuming the hole was 350 yards long, the golfer would then hit a wedge with their next shot on the range, which would be captured on the mobile phone. The video below gives a rudimentary example of what I mean...

https://vimeo.com/167110209/c914c8ed67

Would appreciate feedback on the following:
Would you play this?
How could I pull this off, technology wise?*
*Specifically around capturing accurate ball flight/path and distance data. I've done a lot of research on different launch monitors, but curious if there are other ways to do this.

Thanks

One way to do this is have the app sync up with a track man, This will give spin, ball speed, everything you are looking for. If you want to make this work with out a trackman I would think you would need to have some sort of setup similar to the Game Golf system or the other products like that. You will need to have something that will attach to the club to give some sort of reading of the path of the swing and swing speed and then code it to equal a ball speed off the club face.

Sounds neat, I would code a way to "replay" a shot. Me personally I go to the range to work on the swing itself, if I would do something like this, I would want to be able to hit multiple shots from one location. I think the biggest issue you are going to run into is that on the actual range, a golfer wont be hitting to any specific target. They are just hitting balls to an empty space, which may not give them the visual feedback they would need for on the golf course. IE, on the course I know about what 160 yards looks like, and at the range I pick a flag that is about that distance and that's what I aim for.
Just me, may get other opinions, but since I own a keyboard I figured I'd throw my 2 cents in the bucket.

Appreciate the response!

The idea is to have golfers compete against each other by playing a "virtual round" on any driving range. For the idea to work, there would have to be a cost effective way for any golfer to measure the ball flight and distance. That's obviously not a possibility with trackman, as it wouldn't be a very good business model putting a trackman in every driving range stall.

I like your "replay idea". You also have a point regarding the visual feedback. Not sure there is a way around that...but the intent isn't necessarily to recreate or replace a round of golf, its to connect driving ranges around the country through a competitive game. Thanks for your 2 cents.

Dan

trees_are_80%_air · May 19, 2016

I guess you have 3 options for the Launch monitor part
a) You take a real LM like TM, Flightscope, GC2 or cheaper the SkyTrak. This will give you the most accurate data. Not sure how easy it would be to interface with them. But the cost of those is the main problem I guess.
b) You interface with ProTracer range (http://www.protracer...rotracer-range/). Disadvantage here is that it would only work on driving ranges that have protracer installed. But you could play with your mate on the next bay.
c) You use something like SkyPro, SwingByte etc to 'guestimate' the shot. But the result would be not very good as you don't have enough information (e.g. launch angle, spin) and the impact data you get is either missing (SkyPro won't give you path and face at impact because they know they can't reliably do that) or pretty random (SwingByte gives you data but I would not trust it).

Hope that helps. I take 10% for my consultancy work ;-)

Thanks for the response ParHunter.

I hadn't come across Protracer Range system yet, seems interesting. Looks like a very similar concept to what I am exploring. Have you been to a range that has this system installed?

trees_are_80%_air · May 19, 2016

doesn't skyTrak already do this albeit on an ipad rather than a phone?

Based off reviews, I've read that Skytrak doesn't work great outside. Also, at a price of $2,000, and a few hundred more a year for the courses, it isn't really affordable for most people.

What I am exploring is a way for any golfer to go to a range and challenge a friend on another driving range in a cost effective way. The tech may not yet exist, but figured I'd throw the idea out there and see what came back.

Appreciate the response,

Dan

trees_are_80%_air · May 19, 2016

So basically a simulator where the image is displayed on your phone instead of projected on the screen?

Basically, but that also allows me to challenge golfers from other driving ranges.

trees_are_80%_air · May 19, 2016

I have a gc2 in the basement and I play against people online all the time on TGC software or Perfect Golf. We can even talk to each other and play as a 4 some. So yea this has been done. Some people are using SKytrak now as well to do it.

The idea of competition on golf simulators is definitely being done. I basically want to make this competition available to any golfer at the driving range...as most people don't have the space or money to have a golf room in their house. Especially people who live in urban areas.

Thanks

ParHunter · May 20, 2016

I guess you have 3 options for the Launch monitor part
a) You take a real LM like TM, Flightscope, GC2 or cheaper the SkyTrak. This will give you the most accurate data. Not sure how easy it would be to interface with them. But the cost of those is the main problem I guess.
b) You interface with ProTracer range (http://www.protracer...rotracer-range/). Disadvantage here is that it would only work on driving ranges that have protracer installed. But you could play with your mate on the next bay.
c) You use something like SkyPro, SwingByte etc to 'guestimate' the shot. But the result would be not very good as you don't have enough information (e.g. launch angle, spin) and the impact data you get is either missing (SkyPro won't give you path and face at impact because they know they can't reliably do that) or pretty random (SwingByte gives you data but I would not trust it).

Hope that helps. I take 10% for my consultancy work ;-)

Thanks for the response ParHunter.

I hadn't come across Protracer Range system yet, seems interesting. Looks like a very similar concept to what I am exploring. Have you been to a range that has this system installed?

No sorry. There are two about 30 min away from me but I couldn't be bothered yet. You can download your own app and then connect to the system on the range.