What are PLAYS LIKE distances in Golf Pad?

Modified on Wed, 02 Aug 2023 at 11:49 AM

Golf Pad Premium is required for PLAYS LIKE distances and club recommendations.

What are PLAYS LIKE distances? What does PLAYS LIKE mean?

PLAYS LIKE distances help you make critical decisions on the golf course and lower your scores. The feature is available on Android and iPhone. The enhanced data is also available on the golfer's smartwatch.

In addition to GPS range, Golf Pad now displays PLAYS LIKE distance. PLAYS LIKE refers to the distance you would normally need to hit to reach the target under 'regular conditions' at your home course. This gives golfers critical data to improve club selection.

PLAYS LIKE distances are based on:

Elevation change to target
Temperature
Barometric pressure
Humidity
Altitude, compared to your home course
Wind

Example

If you are playing golf on a hot day or at a higher altitude above the sea level, the ball travels longer than it normally would. So, your PLAYS LIKE distance will be lower than the actual GPS distance, meaning you can use less club to reach the green. On the other hand, if you play on a cold humid day or if the green is elevated, the PLAYS LIKE distance will be greater than GPS distance, so you need more club.

PLAYS LIKE distance and golf club recommendations are displayed next to the GPS distance in the Golf Pad scorecard view:

How do I know which factors are impacting the PLAYS LIKE distance?

Tap the PLAYS LIKE distance to see details about how it's calculated. You will see a screen that looks like this:

It includes the detailed effect of each variable and information about how the recommended club is picked. Tap the gear icon in the lower right to set or update your home course for the PLAYS LIKE feature.

Does PLAYS LIKE feature require my phone data to be "on" or can I use it when offline?

You can use PLAYS LIKE even when your phone is offline. We update weather information every hour. As a result, if you are using the app without a connection, the recommendations may not be as accurate.

What if the PLAYS LIKE distance seems off? How do I give feedback?

We hope you find the feature useful. If you notice the data doesn't look right, please tap 'Feedback' on the detail screen. Then proceed to send the report and include a brief note on what was wrong. This helps us continue to fine tune the algorithms and improve accuracy.

NOTE: If playing a conforming round, be sure to enable the Regulation Mode. PLAYS LIKE distances and club recommendations can't be used in conforming rounds per the USGA rules.