Smart sensors like Arccos or golf pad tags -- what would you recommend?

[minnmdz 3]

You can now purchase the Golf Pad Tags for $99 for a set of 15 sensors. Are these any good?

What sensors do you use and do you like them? Do they work well or not worth it?

Interested in your user experience with any of these smart sensor type of products.

[tommc23 13,584]

I had them at one point, my phone did not like to sync the clubs but this was when they first came out. I haven’t tried them since.

[GolfSpy_BOS 15,525]

Hey, Welcome to the forums!  

I'm not familiar with those sensors, but the bigger part of the equation is the software that they run on.  Companies like Arccos and Shot Scope continue to innovate and add new things to the software which really increased the value of the sensors.  With Arccos having a lot of OEM integrations now I feel comfortable that they will continue to develop the software which will make it even better in the future.  

From the amazon reviews of the Golf Pad Tags I wouldn't be expecting much in support with the software if it wasn't working well, or draining your battery quickly.

Of course this is just my opinion.  For $99 and with amazon's return policy's it might be worth a try to see if it gives you what you're looking for in shot tracking.

[M. Parsons 1,287]

Yes, welcome to the forums!  I'm not sure what clubs you are hitting, but if you have any PING club from 2017 and newer (I think G400 & newer) you might be able to contact PING and ask about getting the Arccos sensors.  That's what I did, because I had PING irons and the G400 driver at the time when PING announced that they were going to start putting Arccos in their clubs.  I have a buddy that uses Shot Scope and he held one of my irons the last time we played and he said he didn't like the way the Arccos sensors felt, but I don't have a problem with them, I just have to keep making sure they stay screwed into the grips.  I do know that the Shot Scope sensors are a lot thinner and may not get in your way as much.  Also, before I got my Arccos sensors, I was using Game Golf, which is an app, and you can buy sensors or go with no sensors and just tell the app which club you're about to hit.

[Albatrossx3 4]

I like the shot scope, the tags work without having to tap them on anything, just pull the club and hit the ball

the V2 watch is $99 and comes with the tags and gps so you can use it for yardages and track you game

[ChiefMikeOfficer 664]

I've tried a few, but have no experience with Golf Pad. I am tempted to try Garmin now that I have a compatible watch, but right now just have a 3pack trial that I haven't tested yet. Of the ones I've tried:

• Shot Scope: would be my top choice if they had a Garmin watch app instead of their own hardware. I found this to be very successful, but hated the watch - I have not tried the newer model that has a watch that looks way more comfortable. Customer service was good in my limited interaction.
• Arccos: my current system (with Link). Going reasonably well. Misses shots here and there, but easy to correct within the app. Most common miss is number of putts, but that's true of others (Shot Scope has you tell it number of putts when you finish the hole; Arccos tries to automate it, and each round I have a handful of holes that are off in each direction). Customer service has been great. 
• Game Golf Pro: unless they've made a ton of progress since release, avoid it. Didn't work at all for me (some rounds only picking up 5-6 shots total). Customer service seemed stretched thin and was not able to help much (back in 2019). 

 

[Cfhandyman 0]

Currently using Arccos with link. Overall, excellent system particularly with the data it provides you to improve your game. It will miss the odd shot, but is easy to correct. The link is okay, but I got used to having phone in front pocket. Link does not work well when wearing a jacket or coat in colder weather as it can’t be covered up. Shotscope is another good alternative. 

[ckeller52 41]

I started out with Game Golf Live and I loved it's software for sharing your round live and using satellite graphics for the holes. Then the Beta for Game Golf Pro came and I was invited to beta test that. I liked the idea of not having to "tag" a sensor to the sending unit but the hardware was awful. So I sold all of it and bought a Garmin S62 and 14 (now 20) of the C-10 sensors. While this is pricy it works great. Now to track shots I only have to remember to start the round on my watch and the rest takes care of it's self. Golf is hard enough and not having to mess with your tracking equipment is worth a lot. Also and being able to see the yardage as I walk to my ball. Why is that important? If you have your clubs gapped and you hit a shot and don't know where it's gone you look at your watch and when you get to that yardage you go left and right until you find your ball. But as always YMMV. 

[Romanite 0]

I received a free set of Arccos sensors for my clubs but have not been able to utilize them yet... hand surgery, don't ask!!!

I will start using them this weekend. Any hints to ensuring that they work properly, sync properly, etc...? Also, my putter has the Super Stroke with counter-balance, so I will need to purchase the putter sensor separately. Is it worth using a putter sensor, other than having data points for putts per round?

 

[Silverhorn43 112]

I am currently using the Shot Scope V3 ($199 on sale now) and am liking it for the tracking and data it provides.  The V3 watch is much smaller than the V2 as ChiefMikeOfficer noted, and is comfortable to wear.   Tracking Tabs are small and don't interfere off the edge of the grip.  You do have to edit your round at the end, as it does miss a couple shots, but overall I think it's a great app.  I used Hole19 and my phone before, and it was a PIA having to input everything on the phone during the round.  Shot Scope takes care of everything, you just play. 

Good luck in your search!

Edited June 10, 2021 by Silverhorn43

[Tlb34 5]

The shotscope v3 is small and does not get in the way. It also has gps features on the watch which arccos would have to use the phone. I like it doesn't require a subscription either unlike some other brands. They have been really good at updating the app and have seen a lot of advancements in last year. It's been very accurate and only requires mild edits (less than 5 min usually) at the end of the round (only issues I notice are having to modify distances on green). Highly would recommend the v3.

[M. Parsons 1,287]

19 minutes ago, Tlb34 said:

The shotscope v3 is small and does not get in the way. It also has gps features on the watch which arccos would have to use the phone. I like it doesn't require a subscription either unlike some other brands. They have been really good at updating the app and have seen a lot of advancements in last year. It's been very accurate and only requires mild edits (less than 5 min usually) at the end of the round (only issues I notice are having to modify distances on green). Highly would recommend the v3.

Arccos does have the GPS option on the Apple Watch, and maybe the other watches too, but I don't have those so I don't know for sure.  Honestly, I have only used it on my Apple Watch once, but I'm the guy that just starts the round on my phone and then leaves it in my pocket the entire round, and then make edits (if needed) after the round in the comfort of my home.

[Finky999 59]

I used shotscope V3 for the first time last season. Like @Tlb34 mentioned, it did miss an occasional shot, but I bought the upgraded watch band (~$35.00) and now it captures nearly 100% of my shots.  I’m now learning how to mark “Positional” shots, so they do not count against the full-swing average.  For example punching out below some branches with a 7-iron is a a “positional shot.”  You were simply trying to punch out 30yards to the fairway. This way the 30-yard shot does not count in my stats

The V3 watch isn’t a pain to wear. You get used to it quickly. It’s nice that the watch, and not the phone or belt device captures each shot

 

 

[Mark Ceder 0]

I've been using Arccos for a couple of years and I'm a fan.  It did take a little learning to get started, but I've had very few issues using both an iphone and the link.  I've only used an apple watch once and have not learned how to use that within the flow of the round.  My son uses a samsung phone and definitely has ore missed shots and shots on the incorrect holes, but I've never had that issue with an iphone. I typically check my phone between holes, mostly to adjust pin placements and add correct number of putts.  It is not accurate with putts for me (sometimes too few, sometimes too many).  I'm definitely a better player because of the data.  Now you don't just feel like you were driving is better a few weeks ago, you have data to support your hunch.

[DechamBRO 207]

I am using arccos and really like it, especially since switching to an iPhone. With Android I definitely had more issues, and there are some features not available on Android (such as the ability to follow friends, see their rounds, etc). I also have the link, so I don’t have to keep my phone in my pocket, which also works so much better with the iPhone. I am a data guy, so I love being able to look back over a round, see my stats, what I did well, what I am improving on, etc. 

[shankapotomus 2]

14 minutes ago, Mark Ceder said:

I've been using Arccos for a couple of years and I'm a fan.  It did take a little learning to get started, but I've had very few issues using both an iphone and the link.  I've only used an apple watch once and have not learned how to use that within the flow of the round.  My son uses a samsung phone and definitely has ore missed shots and shots on the incorrect holes, but I've never had that issue with an iphone. I typically check my phone between holes, mostly to adjust pin placements and add correct number of putts.  It is not accurate with putts for me (sometimes too few, sometimes too many).  I'm definitely a better player because of the data.  Now you don't just feel like you were driving is better a few weeks ago, you have data to support your hunch.

Did you notice a significant improvement in reducing the missed shot rate with the Link? I used arccos with my phone and it felt like it missed nearly 50% of shots at times.

[DechamBRO 207]

Also, I got arccos when I bought a used club that came with it…so I downloaded the app and scanned it. When you do, they send you a free set of sensors (14 total) for all your clubs with a 3 month trial. After that it is $119 a year.

[shankapotomus 2]

I've used Arccos before and Garmin now (no tags). I honestly wish I could combine the two. I don't mind the manually club selection after every shot on my watch, and it never misses a shot. However, the interface and software for Garmin is super disappointing. Arccos though, I had trouble with missed shots and the sensors on the ends of clubs are kind of big, but their app and software is amazing. Their strokes gained calculations are so insightful and they use actual GPS images of the holes for the shot mapping, where as Garmin has a Microsoft Paint rendering of the hole. Honestly I'd pay the $100 a year subscription if to Arccos  to just ingest the data from my watch and provide their software interface for it.

[GolfDad57 1]

As a new customer of Arccos and long time user of Golf pad app ( with out sensors ) and user of Sky Caddie. I have been blown away by ease of use for Arccos. I love the tech side of golf and the idea of looking inside my numbers for how to improve my handicap. ( currently a 12 handicap ) Arccos is not the cheap answer but the information and game improvement has blown me away. I bought the link belt clip $ 150.00 so I don't have to keep my bulky phone in my lead pocket, and after 3 rounds wearing the belt clip i forgot I had it on. the post game review of my club distance and GIR and putts is short of outstanding. After a small learning curve and the price point I feel this could help any player understand where their game is and where they need to work to improve. I'm excited to unlock the caddie A.I feature that can be used before you play a course and during. assisting you in club selection and taking into account where you miss the most.

[HDTVMAN 162]

I tried the Arccos twice, first with a Cobra driver which came with the sensor, second when Ping sent me sensors for all my clubs. First experience never happened because Arccos doesn't work with all phones. You need a gyroscope and accelerometer built into your phone or it won't work. My first phone didn't have the accelerometer. My new phone has both and I set up the sensors. I would rate them ZERO! First, they fell off the clubs. Second, the distances measured were way off...if they registered at all. Third, having to have the phone in my front pocket to properly register a shot, was a pain. My personal opinion of Arccos...DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!