Topic: Hand held GPS

Disclaimer: I AM NOT in any way affiliated with Wegolf – Simply an opinionated new owner of a GPS enabled phone.

I’ve just downloaded the full version and have found it to be pretty good so far.

For Nokia N97 users, I can say it works with the internal GPS (note: i also have Nokia Maps installed so I don’t know if this helps or not), and was accurate to 2-5 meters with full GPS signal.

• Download / and or Map and upload your local course.
• Set the “My Bag” options to reflect your shot length with each club
• Add any missing clubs to “My Bag” prior to commencing a round – putter, lob wedge blah, blah
• Add any new players to application prior to round.
• Re-Map any inaccuracies in your local course by plotting the new “points-of-intrest”. For example the download for Roseville is preconfigured to mark distances from the competition tee’s by default. This interferes with length measurements for some holes, where the comp tee box is not physically located close to the social tees. Re-Mapping the course should correct any issues. (Same applies for new features not yet updated on Google Maps or plotted into the ‘downloadable’ courses.)

The on course entry of data isn’t really an issue unless the your playing comp or it’s busy.

The data uploads in real-time to the servers, so when you get home, your round is pre-cooked on a Google Maps mash-up, showing where all ya shots landed, distances, scorecard, clubs used etc. etc. (Ya can even setup a secondary login to the website, so ya can tease ya mates in real-time with the scorecard and overlays [or ‘Distances’ in Wegolf terminology]).

Pros: Once purchased, data charges don’t seem to be to unreasonable (Note: subject to your phones GPS settings/Internet settings etc.), Accuracy to within 2-5 metres on average, Map overlays work well when data entered correctly, Supports about a zillion phones from most “smartphone” manufactures (Java support required – EG: Not for iPhone – lol – the Jesus phone doesn’t support Java …. ROFL …. or Flash etc, etc. – sorry [nah not really – Apple iPwned you !])

Cons: My only complaint so far is that the Google Maps image of my local course is outdated – but that is Googles problem, and not really Wegolfs fault I guess …. Documentation seems to be a bit lacking, and so far i’ve only been able to find “online help” which is also a current frustration.

Conclusion: Takes a few rounds to get used to, but an excelent tool for the novice getting used to judging distances by eye, and perfect for serious post game analysis via the map overlays and the stoke/club/distance measurements.

The fact all the statistics are updated to the Wegolf website in real-time while your still playing just makes life even easier – get home and login to the Wegolf website and the full statistics of the round are waiting for you !!!

A very cool use of “mash-up” technology.

Cheers
Mothy

Topic: Mscorecard

If anyone’s after just the basic GPS side of things, there’s a program for windows mobile called freecaddie. freecaddie It gives you front middle and back measurements for nothing. For a one off US$24 you get the scoring and stats as well as bunker and hazard measurements. I just mapped my course on their website and going to check for accuracy after work.
Doogs

Hi Doogs,

yes Freecaddie has been mentioned over in the main GPS threads. They do not yet have a Symbian OS system version but they are building one (I have an early non working beta version). Nokia phones are Symbian only so Freecadie is not currently an option, but I am keeping an eye on their beta progress.

Topic: Mscorecard

If anyone’s after just the basic GPS side of things, there’s a program for windows mobile called freecaddie. freecaddie It gives you front middle and back measurements for nothing. For a one off US$24 you get the scoring and stats as well as bunker and hazard measurements. I just mapped my course on their website and going to check for accuracy after work.
Doogs

Topic: Mscorecard

Absolutely Dave…..loved it at the weekend and twice made me re-think my club selection…..but only a guide until its pinpoint!

Topic: Mscorecard

I used Mscorecard for teh first time today since I ‘finally’ worked out the GPS feature…..worked a treat and found it a very usefull guide although until I map it on a non playing day to try and get it more precise it will just be a guide…..That said I checked it on a couple of 100 M markers and it was spot on!

The difference between golf and the government is that in
golf you can’t improve your lie!

Ah progress Walrus,

won’t be long and you will have it running at 100%!.

Topic: Mscorecard

I used Mscorecard for teh first time today since I ‘finally’ worked out the GPS feature…..worked a treat and found it a very usefull guide although until I map it on a non playing day to try and get it more precise it will just be a guide…..That said I checked it on a couple of 100 M markers and it was spot on!

Topic: Mscorecard

If I follow Daves suggestion of adding/updating with precise or exact information of f m b when walking the course I will have the exact information correct everytime?

No, because on-course mapping isn’t exact information. GPS doesn’t exactly know where you are within say a 10m diameter circle (±5m).

Later on when playing the course, you’ll be comparing your position (which is also somewhere within ±5m ) with a reference point you mapped earlier that was ±5m – you now could be up to 10m from where GPS thinks you are.

Mapping via an accurate map means the reference points are accurate and you only have the error whilst playing to deal with.

Professionally walk-mapped courses (as you’ll see some devices boast), are done with more accurate equipment rather than the device they’re doing the course for (for this reason).

So, if you have a nice clear Google map of your course, I’d suggest mapping via Google and seeing how you go over a few rounds. You might notice that East-West holes seem inaccurate but North-South are good. You’ll get a feel after a while how much the Google map is shifted, and in what direction.

Alternatively, map whilst on-course, play a few rounds and holes which are continually inaccurate, map again on-course and play again. Eventually you’ll nail it when GPS thinks you are exactly where you are.

Topic: Mscorecard

In other words relying on on GPS but not on Google maps?

Topic: Mscorecard

So like I said Steb

If I follow Daves suggestion of adding/updating with precise or exact information of f m b when walking the course I will have the exact information correct everytime?

Topic: Mscorecard

So you just walk it when not playing and map it exactly! Then you avoid the problems outlined by Dave?

The difference between golf and the government is that in
golf you can’t improve your lie!

Yeah, you avoid those problems but you double the inaccuracy of GPS when mapping whilst on-course. And GPS accuracy here sux to start with.

If you get fed up with your GPS saying it’s 10m to the front of the green when you’re standing right on it, you may wish to find out how inaccurate Google is and do adjustments like Dave mentioned.

Topic: Mscorecard

Cheers GG

As you can see I finally worked out the problem….it was a technical one….I was technically pretty stupid! Thanks for your help….

Topic: Mscorecard

So you just walk it when not playing and map it exactly! Then you avoid the problems outlined by Dave?

Topic: Mscorecard

If I can’t walk the course I use google Walrus.

Topic: Mscorecard

Thanks boys….so do you use Google Franky or Nokia maps?

Topic: Mscorecard

Hope you like it now mate, just remap the greens as you go, I went out and played by myself to do this, a little bit of stuffing around but worth it. enjoy.

http://www.bunburygolfclub….

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

Did the same too, like Dave I found a 10 metre or so discrepancy in the course I google mapped.
It’s a bit fiddly a first but once you get the hang of it, it’s a snap to make the adjustments.

Topic: Mscorecard

Hope you like it now mate, just remap the greens as you go, I went out and played by myself to do this, a little bit of stuffing around but worth it. enjoy.

Topic: Mscorecard

So would it be better to just use Nokia maps or is it much the same?

The difference between golf and the government is that in
golf you can’t improve your lie!

Have not used Nokia Maps, so can’t say sorry.

Topic: Mscorecard

So would it be better to just use Nokia maps or is it much the same?

Topic: Mscorecard

Hi Walrus,

when you finally get to use GPS on the Merewether course, remember that Google Earth won’t necessarily be 100% accurate. In my case it was out by about 10 metres to the East. This is because of small errors in positioning the photo overlays that Google uses.

Not a big issue, but be aware of it. The error, if there is one, will very likely be exactly the same for every position you have marked via Google Maps.

Easy to fix by just remarking the positions when you are playing, or adjusting via Google Earth once you know there is a erro and how much its is.

Cheers

Dave

Topic: Mscorecard

I should add that there is a full User Guide (48 pages) for Mscorecard that you can download from the website once you are a registered user.

Topic: Mscorecard

Thanks mate…..hard work but looking forward to giving it a go!

Topic: Mscorecard

well done Walrus
let me know how you find Mscorecard

Topic: Mscorecard

Indeed….only so it can tell me I’m a loooong way from the green! lol

Thanks again mate

Topic: Mscorecard

One consolation for all that hassle is that it kept me away from the classifieds and Ebay!! lol….

LOL, well yes there is that.

Good news, now all you have to do is get back onto the course!

Cheers

Dave

Topic: Mscorecard

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