Any good tips for scanning Golf Tags on the course?

Posted almost 10 years ago by Bobby R.

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Bobby R.

I absolutely love the golf tags with Golf Pad, but hate how I look on the Tee box, sticking my club out perpindicular from my body, rubbing the butt of my club on my pocket, trying to find the NFC sweet spot.

I understand the difficulties with NFC as a technology in general, but I was wondering if anyone found a good way to get the tags to scan without looking so silly, or them being so fussy?

The worst is on the tee box when everyone is standing around watching. I've considered taking my driver golf tag off, and keeping it in the pocket opposite my phone so I can pull it out and tap it, instead of doing the club rub, golf tag dance.

1 Votes

36 Comments

Ralf Taus posted almost 9 years ago

I played some rounds on charted courses now and I´m happy to have the tags.
After I did the shot I put my phone out of my pocket, hold it over the tag (club vertical) and put the phone back. That need no time and I get a good feedback from the vibration, that my shot was tagged.
This routine became so natural that I sometime had to watch at my phone to check if I did the tagging. Every time all right. I don´t have to think about it.
The pitty is, that 2 of the tags seem to be broken. I can´t tag them, even with other NFC-apps the can´t be read. They are not damaged, as I can see. Let´s see hao long the other last.

0 Votes

Bill Ogden posted about 9 years ago

I don't care what I look like (to an extent) touching my club to my pocket, but after the first couple rounds playing with the Golf Tags and only having an occasional problem of finding the sweet spot, now, on my last round (on a new course) I had A LOT of problems getting the tag to register, even with the phone out of my pocket. I'd kept getting these high pitched beeps before finally getting the confirmation sound. Anyone know what's up with that? Are there settings or environmental factors in play? I'll definitely stop using the tracking feature if I have to try moving the club over the phone again and again to get it to register... THAT looks ridiculous.

0 Votes

Douglas Smith posted about 9 years ago

I like the look and feel of the new design of tag. Not sure if tagging from a smartwatch is a doable option, My plans are to get the Link device when available and use that, making tagging much smoother. If it is anything like Game Golf's unit tagging clubs should be easy as pie and first touch always a good tag. Also using the Golfpad Link will save my phone battery and allow for the possibility of playing multiple rounds without a recharge.

0 Votes

Spencer Braun posted about 9 years ago

I've had the tags for some time. I was an early adopter and the original tags were 'taller' (the height of the tag from where it screws into the grip to the 'tagging surface' was thicker). These original tags allowed me to tag my cased, pocketed phone at much more of an angle than the newer, slimline tags (I've received some replacements for lost tags). While the new slim ones are nicer from an aesthetic standpoint, and likely less prone to wear from faulty grip, bag wear, etc, they do require that you hold the club handle much more 'perpendicular' to the body in order to get a flush tag.

Does anyone know if they have plans to be able to scan the tags from a smartwatch?

0 Votes

bob posted about 9 years ago

I have attached my phone to the golf cart on the top strap works great , the only downfall is you can't go on the tee with your golf cart so I use my watch off the tee.

0 Votes

Douglas Smith posted about 9 years ago

I have been using Tags for awhile now and find that they can be a little touchy from time to time tagging my clubs. Granted I do have an Otter box case on my phone, I too simply take my phone out of my pocket and tap it a few times on the end of my club which is vertical club head down. I can usually get the software to recognize my club with very little effort even with my case on. I have tried tagging without the case and it is much easier, but I just prefer the added protection of the case on my phone so I elect to keep it on since I have been able to complete my round with 90% effectiveness of tagging. When I just can't get the sweet spot on my phone and need to quickly move along I just use my smart watch and tag my club and just go in and identify the club selection with the phone later. I will definitely get the Link when it is made available, just because tagging will be soooooo much easier and I will be able to keep my phone on the cart and just use my smart watch for distances, etc.

0 Votes

sgbani posted about 9 years ago

First, I do not keep my phone in my pocket anyway when I swing, I have it out or in my bag when swinging. I do use it to see how far I am hitting and such, so I find it is easy enough to have the club vertical, grip up (clubhead on ground) and tap the phone on the top. Works easily, quick, and does not look weird.

0 Votes

Jpwozoo posted about 9 years ago

First off, I can't believe how many of you care what you look like when your scanning your club. Are you playing in front of a large gallery? My friends have a lot more things to make fun of me with then scanning my club. You really think other golfers are playing any attention to you? Get over it. I've only used my tags 3 rounds and I think they're great. Phone in my pocket, I found the sweet spot on my phone and 1 scan, done. If you have to enter a code to unlock your phone, turn that feature off. These things are so easy to use I can't believe there are so many winers.

2 Votes

Ralf Taus posted about 9 years ago

I used the app for 1,5 years without tags. I had no routine in tagging the shot. Sometimes I took my phnoe out of the pocket before the shot sometimes after. Every time I had to unlok the screen, press for shot, press for club selection, select the club und press for return. That needed time.
Now I played 1 round with the tags, unchartet. Playing unchartet you dont have the "black screen". So I had to take out my phone again.
It loocked like
taking phone out of the pocket
pressing home button (unlook the screen)
tagging club
pressing on/off
putting phone in pocket
All this I did after the shot in less than 4 seconds, no influence in the pro-shot-routine,
Most of my flight didn´t recognize what I did.
The first 2 holes I had to think of doing this, later I did it automatically.

I can imagine, that playing a mapped course I would look at the screen, checking distance, choose my club, tagging it and than starting the pre-shot-routine. If distance does no matter (green far away) I would like my after-shot-routine.

I will see.

0 Votes

Jpwozoo posted over 9 years ago

Just started using the tags and also having issues scanning a club. Another way I found to stop holding up play is to hit your shot first then scan your club as you're putting it away. This way the other players can resume their play while you finish messing with your app.

0 Votes

Bobby R. posted over 9 years ago

I haven't given up but I don't agree with paul and peter. If I wanted to take my phone out I would have never even got the tags. I also use a smart watch to link up to the app, so thats another variable that makes this more frustrating. I don't mind having data on my wrist or even tapping a club to my pants - but needing to pull out my phone is unacceptable.

I've got a good pre-shot routine down that doesnt detract from the game itself, and scans accurately, but it does still look ridiculous.

0 Votes

jeff hunter posted over 9 years ago

Despite the work arounds in this post, I am disappointed with the gap in the actual user experience versus what is depicted in the marketing material... kind of like what a Big Mac looks like on TV versus what it actually looks like at a MacDonald's. Even with my cell phone out of pocket, it can take a few attempts to log a shot. Consequently, I've disabled my tags and will continue to use the app without them. I guess that is the risk you take with Kick Starter projects.

0 Votes

Paul Fiddler posted over 9 years ago

I agree with Peter. Make it part of your pre-shot routine and have a clear gap between messing with your toys and striking the ball. Mine:

Stand over the ball, take out my phone and check distance.
Get my club stand back over the ball tag the club, put the phone away
Take 2 steps back, get my grip, aim point etc
Step up to the ball and swing away...

You could also tag after your shot but I found I forgot and there is nothing more time wasting than going back to where you just played from and playing with your phone.

2 Votes

Peter Rainbow posted over 9 years ago

I found the NFC doesn't work well with a cargo short, so now I pull out my phone, confirm distance, chose my club, tap it to the phone, then hit my shot. Much smoother timing and doesn't slow anyone down or look silly. Plus I don't want to be focusing on that tap immediately before hitting my shot.

0 Votes

Bruce DeLucenay posted over 9 years ago

I agree with Cody. Taking out your phone, and tapping it on your club is the quickest and least stupid looking way to get it done quickly.

0 Votes