Arccos – Official MGS Forum Review by Paul Hedrick
Intro. -I am just an average guy in his middle 60’s that started playing golf seriously about 4 years ago. Currently I am able to play about once a week.
The Personal Questions:
What region do you play out of? - I live in Virginia,USA, so it looks like I am in Mid-Atlantic region
How long have you been golfing? - I have been attempting to golf for approximately four years.
What kind of golfer are you? - I would consider myself a golf enthusiast. Knowing I will never be great, I strive to be OK.
The Golf Questions:
Handicap? (Or average score)
My current handicap is 12.7
Strengths/Weaknesses of your game? - I can hit my driver well, short but well. My weakest part of my game is most certainly my short game; I struggle with my wedges
What is in your bag and how did you choose them? Touch quickly but try not to dwell on each club since this review isn’t about them - My driver, fairways and hybrid are Callaway, and my irons and wedges are Cleveland. Seemore putter
**Do you consider yourself to be tech savvy?** Good devices should work well for Fred Flintstone as well as George Jetson. - I am reasonably tech savvy, though as I age I do notice a definite change in this area. I spent the first part of my career as an IT Director.
**How do you currently get your yardages?** -I currently get my yardages in two ways: an app on my iPhone called The Grint and guesswork.
First Impressions -The package arrived and I saw that it came with all the necessary parts:
Installing the sensors was very easy, and looked good for all my clubs except my putter: I have a SeeMore Putter and the grip made the Sensor set oddly on it, but it seems to work fine. I can always regrip to something more standard if I find this too much an annoyance:
Downloading the app, setting up an account and parinig my clubs was simple and straightforward. Downloading the course map I was going to play was likewise, simple and straightforward. Where I struggled just a little bit was with my apple watch. It seems you need to make some adjustments to the settings on the watch, which I was unaware of until setting up at the first tee. However, once I accomplished that, the operation went smoothly.
During my first round, there was a period of adjustment on my part; learning how to get the most out of the systems. One thing I was unable to do was measure the distance between my ball and some place along the fairway, such as a bunker or a tree I wished to avoid. It is my understanding that this is a feature, so I will have to do some more research to understand that function.
As for the accuracy of my shots, I have this photo from the first tee. I know I usually hit the green on my second shot of this par four, but never really had much of an idea how long my tee shot was. On my second round yesterday, the Arccos Caddie did not record my tee shot off the same hole. That was very frustrating in that I adjusted my number of putts to give me the correct score (3 putts! &*^%$!)
The conclusion of my first impression is I believe this will be a valuable tool for me to get a better idea of my game and help me make wise decisions. However I would have hoped it would have been either more intuitive in its operation or have more detailed, written instructions; I am not one that enjoys spending endless time ‘online’ searching for answers.
10/02/2021 update
I just completed my third round using the Arccos system. I cannot say I experienced any issues with it today. At the course I downloaded the layout, synced up the Arccos Caddie Link and used my Apple watch for shot detection. As I have previously mentioned I do not have a concrete way of comparing distances, but from what I can determine they appear accurate. One thing I have noticed is everyone thinks their device is the most accurate. Should you come up with a distance that differs from theirs, the natural assumption on their part is that your device is inaccurate. My goal for my next round is to play close attention to yardage distances.
10/05/2021 update
I played an unexpected round yesterday discovered something. There are three ways of shot tracking with the Arccos system; 1) with you phone and you must leave the phone in your pocket when you play 2) with the Arccos Link, where you clip it to your pocket, or 3) on your Apple watch. I never really wanted to try option one; I like to leave my pockets as empty as possible. I have tried the Arccos Link. I did experience missed shots and questionable distances. For me option 3, the Apple watch, is the way forward. I had nearly seamless performance yesterday using my watch. No missed shots, yardages seemed reasonable to me, and I didn't have to carry anything extra as I am always wearing my watch.
10/09/2021 update
Yesterday I completed my fifth round of golf using the Arccos. Using only my Apple Watch for shot detection it went nearly perfectly. I did run into a slight problem on the back nine when my watch was not showing the yardage to the hole. After a bit of fussing with it, I discovered how to get that back. Again, I believe that if the documentation was more instructive I would not have had this difficulty. I noticed on my latest round I am getting recomendations on which club to use, based on what I have done with that club, not necessarily what I 'feel' I should use. That can be a bit depressing: in my head, I always play better! LOL I was playing alone and there was not many on the course so I could take my time and consider the yardages presented. I used my laser rangefinder and measured to several features on the fairway and compared it to what Arccos indicated what the distance to be. They were very close. I would estimate between 1 and 2 percent of each other. This brings up something else that has always come to my mind; how would I know which is more accurate? Whats to say my rangefinder is rubbish? The way I look at it is as long as I use one 'yardstick' to measure, and stick with it, I will become accustomed to it and that will become my normal.
Up until now I have only been concentrating on how to use the Arccos, and not paid any attention to post round. I will continue to hone the operation of the system, however I will begin to look at and consider the post round statistics moving forward.
10/11/2021 Update
Yesterday completed my 6th round using Arccos. I am still struggling with shot detection. It was lightly raining yesterday, I do not let that stop me from playing, and was wearing a light outer jacket. Using my apple watch for shot detection, everything seemed find until on the back 9. I noticed that on a couple of holes my driver was not detected. Fussing around a bit on my phone I found that I had covered the watch face and that is something you cannot do. Taking of my jacket everything started working fine again. While I find that the systems 'works', it seems to me it is very 'fussy'; will only work under ideal conditions.
This round I spent a bit of time post round, reviewing my clubs. Since I did not know for certain my average yardages per club, it was a revelation to me, and will provide a good foundation moving forward with club selection.
10/30/2021 Final Wrap Up
Grading
Looks & Feel (9 out of 10 points)
Describe the following for the device:
General Shape / Size / Fit - All the pieces fit together well with the exception of the sensor on my putter. This isn't a deal breaker, but it is a little disappointing.
Customization (if any) - As far as I can tell no customization was necessary
Durability or build quality (with a prediction on the long-term) - The sensors appear of quality build.That they have a rubber outside is a plus in my estimation, but is really too soon to determine the durability
Storage cases - For the most part there is no need for storage cases. The one exception would be the Link. I would like to have seen something more robust than a little bag.
Setup (11 out of 15 points)
Are the instructions clear and easy to understand? - Other than the installation instructions, there are no instructions. In my opinion this is a major shortcoming. As mentioned above, I would like to have seen a detailed operations manual, even if I had to download and print it
How quickly does it charge / how long does the battery last? Is the cable proprietary? - The cable to charge the link looks like a standard USB C. One was provided, but if you needed you can easily find a replacement. It charges fully overnight.
Did you need to ask for help or search online for an answer during setup? - No. The setup itself was fairly straightforward. The only issue I did run into was when on the course for the first time, I had to adjust the setting on my Apple Watch. I would have preferred to have known this ahead of time so I could just play.
Talk about any Customer Service interactions you’ve had - I have had only one issue where I contacted Customer Service. On my second round using the Arccos, it failed to record my tee shot off two separate holes. As of now, I still have not had a response.
Most/least useful metric presented? - I find the club recommendation, based on my history, to be the most useful. If I am vacillating between two clubs, I take a look and see what Arccos recommends, and it usually turns out well.
Accuracy (13 out of 15 points)
Are the yardages accurate? (compare to another method if possible) - Compared to my laser rangefinder and The Grint GPS app on my phone, the yardages and the Arccos system seem to be within 1% of the other readings. That always gets back to ‘how do you know the others are accurate’?
Do the calculation or “plays like” distances match up with what you would’ve come up with? - Again, yes, within a very small variation.
Are there any intermediate targets you have trouble getting distances for? - No. I simply used my finger on the phone face and could determine distances to various locations on the fairway
On-Course (28 out of 30 points)
Did you have to think about or remember anything to use the product? - Yes I did. I had to make sure that whichever shot detection device I was using had a clear screen to the club swing.
Did it interfere with your normal golfing routine? - Yes, it did interfere with my normal golfing routine. If I neglected to keep the shot detection method clear to the club swing, I would have shots not recorded, and therefore would give me a false score at the end of the round.
How intuitive was using it on the course? - When it was working as it should, it was great. However if something went wrong, it could take a few holes to get it back to working properly.
Did you like using it? - Again, when it was working as it should, I did enjoy it. I did not enjoy it when I had to figure out what went wrong and correct it. That can take some time, and holding the game up.
Compare and contrast to what you are currently using or have used in the past. -in the past I have used The Grint app on my iPhone, and before that a laser rangefinder. As far as I can tell, it is as accurate as either, and when it is working properly, results in so much more data.
Do you play better or worse now that you’ve got a new method for yardages? - I have been playing better since I started using Arccos, but I cannot really say why. I do not know, yet, if the data provided helps, or the fact that it is ‘New’ and interesting. I will have a better handle on that in the next 6 months.
Miscellaneous (9 out of 10 points)
It seems to me that the package arrived very soon after I was informed it shipped; no real complaints here. As I have mentioned before, I would like to have more complete operating instructions.
Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points)
I will use the Arccos systems for the year that has been included. I will have to wait until that time to decide if I want to continue with it. Generally I do not believe this to be a product for me, as it requires too much ‘fussing’ with. Perhaps it is my age, but I would just rather focus on the Game, and not the technology. This could be a better fit for a younger person with my patience than I have.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, this is a good system. Perfect? In no way. It requires way too much ‘fussing’ in my opinion. I liken it to BMW Automobiles. I have owned two BMW’s, and when they were running as they should, they were AWESOME. However I was always having to fuss with them; this sensor went out, this needed adjustment, etc. The Arccos system, again in my opinion, requires way too much fussing on the course and takes away from the pleasure of the game. Additionally the amount of data provided is a bit too overwhelming to me. I would have preferred shot distances, club remondation only. Finally, perhaps I just expect too much from technology. Knowing what I know not, I would not purchase this system
Final Score: 88 (Add up all categories and present a total score out of 100)
Arccos Smart Sensors
Posted
The Review 09/26/2021
Arccos – Official MGS Forum Review by Paul Hedrick
Intro. -I am just an average guy in his middle 60’s that started playing golf seriously about 4 years ago. Currently I am able to play about once a week.
The Personal Questions:
What region do you play out of? - I live in Virginia,USA, so it looks like I am in Mid-Atlantic region
How long have you been golfing? - I have been attempting to golf for approximately four years.
What kind of golfer are you? - I would consider myself a golf enthusiast. Knowing I will never be great, I strive to be OK.
The Golf Questions:
Handicap? (Or average score)
My current handicap is 12.7
Strengths/Weaknesses of your game? - I can hit my driver well, short but well. My weakest part of my game is most certainly my short game; I struggle with my wedges
What is in your bag and how did you choose them? Touch quickly but try not to dwell on each club since this review isn’t about them - My driver, fairways and hybrid are Callaway, and my irons and wedges are Cleveland. Seemore putter
**Do you consider yourself to be tech savvy?** Good devices should work well for Fred Flintstone as well as George Jetson. - I am reasonably tech savvy, though as I age I do notice a definite change in this area. I spent the first part of my career as an IT Director.
**How do you currently get your yardages?** -I currently get my yardages in two ways: an app on my iPhone called The Grint and guesswork.
First Impressions -The package arrived and I saw that it came with all the necessary parts:
Installing the sensors was very easy, and looked good for all my clubs except my putter: I have a SeeMore Putter and the grip made the Sensor set oddly on it, but it seems to work fine. I can always regrip to something more standard if I find this too much an annoyance:
Downloading the app, setting up an account and parinig my clubs was simple and straightforward. Downloading the course map I was going to play was likewise, simple and straightforward. Where I struggled just a little bit was with my apple watch. It seems you need to make some adjustments to the settings on the watch, which I was unaware of until setting up at the first tee. However, once I accomplished that, the operation went smoothly.
During my first round, there was a period of adjustment on my part; learning how to get the most out of the systems. One thing I was unable to do was measure the distance between my ball and some place along the fairway, such as a bunker or a tree I wished to avoid. It is my understanding that this is a feature, so I will have to do some more research to understand that function.
As for the accuracy of my shots, I have this photo from the first tee. I know I usually hit the green on my second shot of this par four, but never really had much of an idea how long my tee shot was. On my second round yesterday, the Arccos Caddie did not record my tee shot off the same hole. That was very frustrating in that I adjusted my number of putts to give me the correct score (3 putts! &*^%$!)
The conclusion of my first impression is I believe this will be a valuable tool for me to get a better idea of my game and help me make wise decisions. However I would have hoped it would have been either more intuitive in its operation or have more detailed, written instructions; I am not one that enjoys spending endless time ‘online’ searching for answers.
10/02/2021 update
I just completed my third round using the Arccos system. I cannot say I experienced any issues with it today. At the course I downloaded the layout, synced up the Arccos Caddie Link and used my Apple watch for shot detection. As I have previously mentioned I do not have a concrete way of comparing distances, but from what I can determine they appear accurate. One thing I have noticed is everyone thinks their device is the most accurate. Should you come up with a distance that differs from theirs, the natural assumption on their part is that your device is inaccurate. My goal for my next round is to play close attention to yardage distances.
10/05/2021 update
I played an unexpected round yesterday discovered something. There are three ways of shot tracking with the Arccos system; 1) with you phone and you must leave the phone in your pocket when you play 2) with the Arccos Link, where you clip it to your pocket, or 3) on your Apple watch. I never really wanted to try option one; I like to leave my pockets as empty as possible. I have tried the Arccos Link. I did experience missed shots and questionable distances. For me option 3, the Apple watch, is the way forward. I had nearly seamless performance yesterday using my watch. No missed shots, yardages seemed reasonable to me, and I didn't have to carry anything extra as I am always wearing my watch.
10/09/2021 update
Yesterday I completed my fifth round of golf using the Arccos. Using only my Apple Watch for shot detection it went nearly perfectly. I did run into a slight problem on the back nine when my watch was not showing the yardage to the hole. After a bit of fussing with it, I discovered how to get that back. Again, I believe that if the documentation was more instructive I would not have had this difficulty. I noticed on my latest round I am getting recomendations on which club to use, based on what I have done with that club, not necessarily what I 'feel' I should use. That can be a bit depressing: in my head, I always play better! LOL I was playing alone and there was not many on the course so I could take my time and consider the yardages presented. I used my laser rangefinder and measured to several features on the fairway and compared it to what Arccos indicated what the distance to be. They were very close. I would estimate between 1 and 2 percent of each other. This brings up something else that has always come to my mind; how would I know which is more accurate? Whats to say my rangefinder is rubbish? The way I look at it is as long as I use one 'yardstick' to measure, and stick with it, I will become accustomed to it and that will become my normal.
Up until now I have only been concentrating on how to use the Arccos, and not paid any attention to post round. I will continue to hone the operation of the system, however I will begin to look at and consider the post round statistics moving forward.
10/11/2021 Update
Yesterday completed my 6th round using Arccos. I am still struggling with shot detection. It was lightly raining yesterday, I do not let that stop me from playing, and was wearing a light outer jacket. Using my apple watch for shot detection, everything seemed find until on the back 9. I noticed that on a couple of holes my driver was not detected. Fussing around a bit on my phone I found that I had covered the watch face and that is something you cannot do. Taking of my jacket everything started working fine again. While I find that the systems 'works', it seems to me it is very 'fussy'; will only work under ideal conditions.
This round I spent a bit of time post round, reviewing my clubs. Since I did not know for certain my average yardages per club, it was a revelation to me, and will provide a good foundation moving forward with club selection.
10/30/2021 Final Wrap Up
Grading
Looks & Feel (9 out of 10 points)
Describe the following for the device:
General Shape / Size / Fit - All the pieces fit together well with the exception of the sensor on my putter. This isn't a deal breaker, but it is a little disappointing.
Customization (if any) - As far as I can tell no customization was necessary
Durability or build quality (with a prediction on the long-term) - The sensors appear of quality build.That they have a rubber outside is a plus in my estimation, but is really too soon to determine the durability
Storage cases - For the most part there is no need for storage cases. The one exception would be the Link. I would like to have seen something more robust than a little bag.
Setup (11 out of 15 points)
Are the instructions clear and easy to understand? - Other than the installation instructions, there are no instructions. In my opinion this is a major shortcoming. As mentioned above, I would like to have seen a detailed operations manual, even if I had to download and print it
How quickly does it charge / how long does the battery last? Is the cable proprietary? - The cable to charge the link looks like a standard USB C. One was provided, but if you needed you can easily find a replacement. It charges fully overnight.
Did you need to ask for help or search online for an answer during setup? - No. The setup itself was fairly straightforward. The only issue I did run into was when on the course for the first time, I had to adjust the setting on my Apple Watch. I would have preferred to have known this ahead of time so I could just play.
Talk about any Customer Service interactions you’ve had - I have had only one issue where I contacted Customer Service. On my second round using the Arccos, it failed to record my tee shot off two separate holes. As of now, I still have not had a response.
Most/least useful metric presented? - I find the club recommendation, based on my history, to be the most useful. If I am vacillating between two clubs, I take a look and see what Arccos recommends, and it usually turns out well.
Accuracy (13 out of 15 points)
Are the yardages accurate? (compare to another method if possible) - Compared to my laser rangefinder and The Grint GPS app on my phone, the yardages and the Arccos system seem to be within 1% of the other readings. That always gets back to ‘how do you know the others are accurate’?
Do the calculation or “plays like” distances match up with what you would’ve come up with? - Again, yes, within a very small variation.
Are there any intermediate targets you have trouble getting distances for? - No. I simply used my finger on the phone face and could determine distances to various locations on the fairway
On-Course (28 out of 30 points)
Did you have to think about or remember anything to use the product? - Yes I did. I had to make sure that whichever shot detection device I was using had a clear screen to the club swing.
Did it interfere with your normal golfing routine? - Yes, it did interfere with my normal golfing routine. If I neglected to keep the shot detection method clear to the club swing, I would have shots not recorded, and therefore would give me a false score at the end of the round.
How intuitive was using it on the course? - When it was working as it should, it was great. However if something went wrong, it could take a few holes to get it back to working properly.
Did you like using it? - Again, when it was working as it should, I did enjoy it. I did not enjoy it when I had to figure out what went wrong and correct it. That can take some time, and holding the game up.
Compare and contrast to what you are currently using or have used in the past. -in the past I have used The Grint app on my iPhone, and before that a laser rangefinder. As far as I can tell, it is as accurate as either, and when it is working properly, results in so much more data.
Do you play better or worse now that you’ve got a new method for yardages? - I have been playing better since I started using Arccos, but I cannot really say why. I do not know, yet, if the data provided helps, or the fact that it is ‘New’ and interesting. I will have a better handle on that in the next 6 months.
Miscellaneous (9 out of 10 points)
It seems to me that the package arrived very soon after I was informed it shipped; no real complaints here. As I have mentioned before, I would like to have more complete operating instructions.
Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points)
I will use the Arccos systems for the year that has been included. I will have to wait until that time to decide if I want to continue with it. Generally I do not believe this to be a product for me, as it requires too much ‘fussing’ with. Perhaps it is my age, but I would just rather focus on the Game, and not the technology. This could be a better fit for a younger person with my patience than I have.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, this is a good system. Perfect? In no way. It requires way too much ‘fussing’ in my opinion. I liken it to BMW Automobiles. I have owned two BMW’s, and when they were running as they should, they were AWESOME. However I was always having to fuss with them; this sensor went out, this needed adjustment, etc. The Arccos system, again in my opinion, requires way too much fussing on the course and takes away from the pleasure of the game. Additionally the amount of data provided is a bit too overwhelming to me. I would have preferred shot distances, club remondation only. Finally, perhaps I just expect too much from technology. Knowing what I know not, I would not purchase this system
Final Score: 88 (Add up all categories and present a total score out of 100)