The Golf Club 2019

[J_Cauthen]

TGC19 Finally released for SkyTrak simulator. Soooo tempted to pull the trigger.

I'd love to try this out one day, but one thing about it that makes me wonder is the four to six second delay between the time the ball is struck, and the actual animation of the ball flight on the screen. I would think that would negatively impact the real time immersion of the 'simulation'. It's something I wouldn't know for sure until I tried it.

[J_Cauthen]

Kudos to Leadfoot on his Masters win yesterday. I tried to make a run at him, but didn't have enough in my tank to do it.

Did anyone playing this tournament EVER hit the 4th green from the tee? I know I never did, and it seemed like the ghost balls I was playing with didn't either. Most of the time I was 50 to 75 yards short of the green, after having my shot knocked down by the bleeping trees that hung over the tee.

In in last round, we had a right to left wind of 12 mph there. The trees, hanging over from the right, were blocking off any direct shot to the green. I had to aim way out to the left so as to try to avoid hitting the trees, but then had to put great deal of sidespin on it to bring it back against the wind. I still hit the trees and fell 72 yards short, along with two others. I just about rage quit at that point, but managed to knock my pitch close enough to save par.

I have to wonder if this was one of those courses that was created on a PC, and the tree placement didn't get properly translated to the XBox One. I know that happened with a few other courses over the years. I ask this because the narrowness of the fairway tree lines on 7, 9, 10, 11, in particular, were beyond extreme.

[J_Cauthen]

Since I overlooked the par 3 tournament at the Masters on Wednesday, I've set one up for today on the theclv24's splendid recreation of the course. The course is called Magnolia National Par 3, but it's unmistakenly Augusta National Par 3.

[10spro]

Kudos to Leadfoot on his Masters win yesterday. I tried to make a run at him, but didn't have enough in my tank to do it.

Did anyone playing this tournament EVER hit the 4th green from the tee? I know I never did, and it seemed like the ghost balls I was playing with didn't either. Most of the time I was 50 to 75 yards short of the green, after having my shot knocked down by the bleeping trees that hung over the tee.

In in last round, we had a right to left wind of 12 mph there. The trees, hanging over from the right, were blocking off any direct shot to the green. I had to aim way out to the left so as to try to avoid hitting the trees, but then had to put great deal of sidespin on it to bring it back against the wind. I still hit the trees and fell 72 yards short, along with two others. I just about rage quit at that point, but managed to knock my pitch close enough to save par.

I have to wonder if this was one of those courses that was created on a PC, and the tree placement didn't get properly translated to the XBox One. I know that happened with a few other courses over the years. I ask this because the narrowness of the fairway tree lines on 7, 9, 10, 11, in particular, were beyond extreme.

As I was pointing earlier, I thought this was the toughest Augusta recreation yet personally speaking. The fairways were more narrow than in real life in my opinion and those trees did affect my shots in several occasions. Imagine with my already inconsistent slow downswing, (very slow a couple of times, my sticks are just too loose ) I found myself hitting from the pine straws many times. Pitching from 50-70 yards was an issue for me, but I found putting was rather fair.

Congrats Lead, you made it look easy.

[Danimal]

Nice Win Lead, that is a great score for that course.

[J_Cauthen]

Up for play today is the Los Angeles Country Club. It's based on LiDAR data and has 4 1/2 stars over 70 plays. Tomorrow's tournament will be at the LiDAR version of Bethpage Black, which is also getting a lot of acclaim.

[Danimal]

My PhiGolf stick came today, I'm hearing mixed reports but will try it out tonight.

[J_Cauthen]

My PhiGolf stick came today, I'm hearing mixed reports but will try it out tonight.

Cool... I was wondering if you may had already gotten it and not commented on it. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on it later.

[Diablo25]

TGC19 Finally released for SkyTrak simulator. Soooo tempted to pull the trigger.

I'd love to try this out one day, but one thing about it that makes me wonder is the four to six second delay between the time the ball is struck, and the actual animation of the ball flight on the screen. I would think that would negatively impact the real time immersion of the 'simulation'. It's something I wouldn't know for sure until I tried it.

The delay is about 2 seconds and it doesn’t bother me at all...in fact I like it. I don’t hit into a screen projecting the software (too much $$)...I hit into a NetReturn and have my laptop projecting to an HDTV adjacent to me. While at address Im facing it. The delay lets me finish my swing then turn and watch the results.

[Danimal]

Well I would love to do a video but since I can't figure out a way to mirror my iPhone to my Samsung or TCL TV without buying an Apple TV I'm not sure the solution. Someone said a Fire stick works but I Googled it and don't see anywhere saying that. I guess I need to buy a lightning to HDMI adapter but I don't think that work for mirroring so I don't know. Maybe DB has a solution.

So the package comes with a sensor, a swing stick with weighted head and a charger. The WGT app integration isn't functional yet so you need to download their app. The graphics on their app are Wi quality. In the app you can play stroke play, go to the driving or putting range, play target games and join online tournament. The weighted stick itself is really good quality and works fine indoors. I actually think it is a great tool if you're like me and always trying to build more lag in your swing to increase swing speed at impact. It feels like a weighted donut on an actual club. You can also connect the sensor into an actual club as it just goes into the hole on the top of the grip.

I first went to the practice range to hit some balls and see the accuracy. Much of this has to be taken with a grain of slat as it is a short weighted swing stick. I choose driver and hit some balls. Over all it was pretty accurate, my swing speed was at times 5-15 mph more then it normally is, only reason I know that is my track man but considering what I'm swinging it makes sense. What I was impressed with was taking 75% swings etc did reduce the swing speed as expected. What the sensor really picked up was my back swing, follow through and club rotation. I purposely tried to hit draws, fades ect and it all registered. So full swings were good.

Now I took it out on the 18 hole course it comes with, there are like 6 or 7 others to download for free. Around the green chipping etc, well it's not a real chip shot. Putting also registers to hard, a nice easy stroke often sends the ball off far distances. However for game play you get it figured out so if you want to swing a club and play golf it works. Considering it connects via Bluetooth a game like TGC could easily implement this on the console or PC.

So initial impressions as a tool for real golf it will do what I want allow me to work on my game in the winter. I'm going to take it to the range tomorrow and match the distances on the sensor to my trackman while swinging a real club. For game play it was a lot of fun being able to swing, I had a sweat going after 18 holes. The app itself for playing rounds is basic so I don't know how much I'll use it for that, if it had implementation on a HD game I would play that way.

Anyway if someone can help me figure out how to mirror my phone to my TV I will take a video.

[Leadfoot5]

Kudos to Leadfoot on his Masters win yesterday.

Thanks John and everyone else, I'm happy to hear that I ended up winning! I was out of town for the weekend, so had to play all four rounds in one sitting on Thursday night. I think I went -2, E, -8, -9.... ?

It took two rounds for me to figure out the greens, but I really enjoyed that course.

[J_Cauthen]

Well I would love to do a video but since I can't figure out a way to mirror my iPhone to my Samsung or TCL TV without buying an Apple TV I'm not sure the solution. Someone said a Fire stick works but I Googled it and don't see anywhere saying that. I guess I need to buy a lightning to HDMI adapter but I don't think that work for mirroring so I don't know. Maybe DB has a solution.

So the package comes with a sensor, a swing stick with weighted head and a charger. The WGT app integration isn't functional yet so you need to download their app. The graphics on their app are Wi quality. In the app you can play stroke play, go to the driving or putting range, play target games and join online tournament. The weighted stick itself is really good quality and works fine indoors. I actually think it is a great tool if you're like me and always trying to build more lag in your swing to increase swing speed at impact. It feels like a weighted donut on an actual club. You can also connect the sensor into an actual club as it just goes into the hole on the top of the grip.

I first went to the practice range to hit some balls and see the accuracy. Much of this has to be taken with a grain of slat as it is a short weighted swing stick. I choose driver and hit some balls. Over all it was pretty accurate, my swing speed was at times 5-15 mph more then it normally is, only reason I know that is my track man but considering what I'm swinging it makes sense. What I was impressed with was taking 75% swings etc did reduce the swing speed as expected. What the sensor really picked up was my back swing, follow through and club rotation. I purposely tried to hit draws, fades ect and it all registered. So full swings were good.

Now I took it out on the 18 hole course it comes with, there are like 6 or 7 others to download for free. Around the green chipping etc, well it's not a real chip shot. Putting also registers to hard, a nice easy stroke often sends the ball off far distances. However for game play you get it figured out so if you want to swing a club and play golf it works. Considering it connects via Bluetooth a game like TGC could easily implement this on the console or PC.

So initial impressions as a tool for real golf it will do what I want allow me to work on my game in the winter. I'm going to take it to the range tomorrow and match the distances on the sensor to my trackman while swinging a real club. For game play it was a lot of fun being able to swing, I had a sweat going after 18 holes. The app itself for playing rounds is basic so I don't know how much I'll use it for that, if it had implementation on a HD game I would play that way.

Anyway if someone can help me figure out how to mirror my phone to my TV I will take a video.

Thanks for the report... it sounds like it might have some potential. Does the animation not present the chip shot properly, or is the physics associated with it inaccurate? How do the course graphics compare with, say, TGC 2019?

[J_Cauthen]

I wanted to post a thought on today's Daily at Bethpage Black - 19, which is a LiDAR generated map. I wasn't terribly impressed with the level of detail in the LiDAR mapping. The topography doesn't seem to be as nuanced as I thought it would be. I guess there are variable levels or degrees of detail in LiDAR data and that might have something to do with the overly smooth topography I saw on this course.

The overall elevations seem right and all of the major topographical features are there, it just seemed to be lacking some character. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

[J_Cauthen]

Just played my first round of the Harbor Town tournament last night. It was one of the more bizarre rounds I've played recently. I was 3 under par after 6 holes, and had 6, 10 foot or less birdie putt attempts and not so much as one of them even grazed the hole. Two of them were inside of 5 feet

Meanwwhile, Vader was saving himself the agony of putting by holing out long approach shots for eagle, on his way to a 61, I believe? I finished at -3, a mere 7 shots behind our leader, Mr. Vader

[Danimal]

Thanks for the report... it sounds like it might have some potential. Does the animation not present the chip shot properly, or is the physics associated with it inaccurate? How do the course graphics compare with, say, TGC 2019?

Sorry for the delayed response. There is no animated player it is first person perspective with the phigolf app, when the WGT version launches I assume there will be a 3rd person view. The problem with chip shots is your not really taking an actual chip motion with the real mini stick.

Graphics are like Wi quality with phigolf app, WGT graphics are great but again not available yet.

[Danimal]

Well I believe i didn't finish last for once so that is a bright spot.

[J_Cauthen]

Well I believe i didn't finish last for once so that is a bright spot.

I was having to binge play my final three rounds last night, after not realizing how much of my day and evening were going to be usurped by Easter activities. I switched over to watch some of the Portland OKC NBA game after round 3, fell asleep, and woke up at 4 AM. That's twice this has happened to me in the last three weeks.

You would have beat me anyway I'd wager. We were tied after round 3, but I was losing my swing the more I played, getting a lot of the "Fast" downswing tempo results. I had to scramble to shoot a 70 in round 3, after shooting a 65 in round 2. I played with your ghost ball in round 2 and noticed you were hitting a lot of fairways in some very high wind.

Today's tournament is at another LiDAR based course, Itasca Country Club, by one of the top designers, friendBOMBER. It's not a real tough layout, but it's such a believable landscape that it makes for a fun play. It's not a pushover, but you can post a good score here.

[Danimal]

Today's tournament is at another LiDAR based course, Itasca Country Club, by one of the top designers, friendBOMBER. It's not a real tough layout, but it's such a believable landscape that it makes for a fun play. It's not a pushover, but you can post a good score here.

If this is based off the course in Illinois I have played it in real life.

[J_Cauthen]

If this is based off the course in Illinois I have played it in real life.

It is... just checked.

[J_Cauthen]

Sorry for the delayed response. There is no animated player it is first person perspective with the phigolf app, when the WGT version launches I assume there will be a 3rd person view. The problem with chip shots is your not really taking an actual chip motion with the real mini stick.

Graphics are like Wi quality with phigolf app, WGT graphics are great but again not available yet.

I see your point about the chip shots. I guess the real test of this, for the gaming aspect of it anyway, is how well it's going to work with WGT. The thing that's always bothered my about WGT is the variable positioning of your golfer in the screen shot. Sometimes it's so far away that I feel like I'm playing remote control golf.

[Danimal]

I see your point about the chip shots. I guess the real test of this, for the gaming aspect of it anyway, is how well it's going to work with WGT. The thing that's always bothered my about WGT is the variable positioning of your golfer in the screen shot. Sometimes it's so far away that I feel like I'm playing remote control golf.

This gadget could easily be incorporated into TGC, the two companies would just need to talk to each other.

[Danimal]

If this is based off the course in Illinois I have played it in real life.

It is... just checked.

If i had the time and knew how to do this LIDAR stuff I would do a creation of my country club.

[J_Cauthen]

I see your point about the chip shots. I guess the real test of this, for the gaming aspect of it anyway, is how well it's going to work with WGT. The thing that's always bothered my about WGT is the variable positioning of your golfer in the screen shot. Sometimes it's so far away that I feel like I'm playing remote control golf.

This gadget could easily be incorporated into TGC, the two companies would just need to talk to each other.

Yeah, TGC 2019 now works with Pro Tee, so they would have the golferless interface down already. There would have to be enough of the swing stick hardware sold to entice HB Studios/2K for this to happen. I'd like to see it happen, but I don't hold out much hope for it.

[J_Cauthen]

If this is based off the course in Illinois I have played it in real life.

It is... just checked.

If i had the time and knew how to do this LIDAR stuff I would do a creation of my country club.

I'm reading from people who don't do course design how easy this LiDAR tool is to use. My attempts at course design have all been frustrating for me due to my inability to get a believable looking topography. I'm going to have a go at it, but it's going to be a process.

I'm anxious now to read your reaction to Itasca CC once you've played it. It looks like friendBOMBER how to cut out details beyond maybe 100 yards around the course. There's a larger barren area between the tree planting and the background panorama than I'm used to seeing. You don't notice it a whole lot, but if you look for it... it's there.

[JOZ]

Man has my putting become awful. According to the stats, I was one of the lower guys when it comes to putting anyway. But it has really fell off lately. I feel completely clueless on any break on the green. At this point I am hoping to hit it within 4 feet of the hole. I'm embarrassed to admit how many 5 footers I have missed.