GPS vs Phone App

[magnito1969]

Has anyone recently compared distances between GPS units vs Phone apps?   (Does phone apps access the same satellites as GPS apps?)

[chasethebirdie]

I personally use a phone app and when compared to someone who’s shot the distance with a range finder I haven’t found then to be substantially off to the point of we messing up the distance 

[WasatchBogey]

I use Golfshot on my Iphone, was joined up with 3 gentleman using various gps watches, distances were within a yard or two. 

[magnito1969]

18 hours ago, WasatchBogey said:

I use Golfshot on my Iphone, was joined up with 3 gentleman using various gps watches, distances were within a yard or two. 

 

Thanks for the reply.  I've always used a laser but just recently started testing out a few phone apps... i'm testing out Hole19 and MyRoundPro.

 

 

[LeoLeo99]

14 minutes ago, magnito1969 said:

 

Thanks for the reply.  I've always used a laser but just recently started testing out a few phone apps... i'm testing out Hole19 and MyRoundPro.

 

 

Have you tested 18birdies?

[magnito1969]

4 hours ago, LeoLeo99 said:

Have you tested 18birdies?

 

Haven't tried it yet.  myRoundPro is kind of cool because it has shot tracking, i just need to remember to log in my shots when i hit them!

 

Does 18birdies have shot tracking?  (manually of course)

[denismcg]

I was using a Garmin G6, then G30.  Sold those and decided to try some of the apps.  To be honest, I didn't like any of them.  I found them clunky, didn't like the advertisements and just the general ease of use.  I ended up getting a SkyCaddie SX400.  I hate the idea of paying for a subscription but I do like the ease of use and the accuracy.

 

I didn't pay for any of the apps, so that may be the reason that I found them a bit clunky.

[sshadow2]

I primarily use TheGrint Iphone app. Sometimes I switch to use either Swing U, or even Golfnow app depending on who I'm playing with and who is registered with whom.

 

All are accurate for my needs and only pull out the laser when I can't determine the pin location.

 

I pay for TheGrint annually which gives me, shot tracking, detailed metrics (though not strokes gained), and finally an official handicap and printable card that I can use in tourneys.

Edited April 16, 2021 by sshadow2

[ChronicSlicer]

Been using the Golfpad GPS app for 8 years, accurate numbers and plenty of stat tracking, handicap and all.

[brew4eagle]

Guy I play with uses a phone app.  I've gone back and forth between a GPS unit and laser, his #s are always spot on with mine.  Not sure about the way the phone app gets #s vs a dedicated GPS unit, but doesn't seem to matter from what I've seen.

[magnito1969]

9 hours ago, brew4eagle said:

Guy I play with uses a phone app.  I've gone back and forth between a GPS unit and laser, his #s are always spot on with mine.  Not sure about the way the phone app gets #s vs a dedicated GPS unit, but doesn't seem to matter from what I've seen.

 

Thanks to everyone!   I won't get out on the course for a while but i'll stick to my phone app and laser. 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

On 4/19/2021 at 4:49 PM, magnito1969 said:

 

Thanks to everyone!   I won't get out on the course for a while but i'll stick to my phone app and laser. 

While I use a watch and laser I don't think you can go wrong with the phone app and laser combo. 

[Itsjustagame]

I use a Garmin gps watch just to save time looking for/at my phone for each shot. Having it on my wrist at all times just makes it more convenient.

[tastywaves]

On 4/22/2021 at 8:19 AM, Itsjustagame said:

I use a Garmin gps watch just to save time looking for/at my phone for each shot. Having it on my wrist at all times just makes it more convenient.

Yeah I tried the phone gps thing for a bit. They're decently accurate, but I hate having the phone in my pocket or having the app drain my battery. Bought a garmin vivoactive 4 last fall and it's perfect for my needs and the garmin golf stats tracking has actually been pretty helpful. Nice to have multiple options nowadays that are relatively cheap

[North Butte]

4 minutes ago, tastywaves said:

Yeah I tried the phone gps thing for a bit. They're decently accurate, but I hate having the phone in my pocket or having the app drain my battery. Bought a garmin vivoactive 4 last fall and it's perfect for my needs and the garmin golf stats tracking has actually been pretty helpful. Nice to have multiple options nowadays that are relatively cheap

I'd worry that using an app on my phone like that 150+ times a year to play golf would wear the battery out pretty fast. I only get 2-3 years out of an iPhone battery anyway. Having to buy a new phone six months earlier because I wore out the battery would end up costing more than a basic standalone GPS device.

[tastywaves]

13 minutes ago, North Butte said:

I'd worry that using an app on my phone like that 150+ times a year to play golf would wear the battery out pretty fast. I only get 2-3 years out of an iPhone battery anyway. Having to buy a new phone six months earlier because I wore out the battery would end up costing more than a basic standalone GPS device.

At the current rate of phone price increases, you could get yourself a solid indoor simulator for the price of a few iphones! 

[North Butte]

7 minutes ago, tastywaves said:

At the current rate of phone price increases, you could get yourself a solid indoor simulator for the price of a few iphones! 

Yeah, I've had my current one a year and a half and I'm already dreading what I'll end up paying some time in late 2022 for the next one.