50 Words or Less
The Shot Scope stat tracking system is easy to use, reliable, and accurate. A viable competitor to GAME Golf and Arccos.
Introduction
At the 2016 PGA Show, I saw Shot Scope for the first time. As a fan of shot tracking, I was immediately intrigued to see what this newcomer would bring to the table. Shot Scope is now available at retail, and in this review I’ll let you know how it compares to the established players in this market.
Set-Up/Ease of Use
The first step to setting up Shot Scope is installing the tags in your clubs. Shot Scope comes with 20 tags, so you’ll be able to tag some alternate clubs if you like. From that point, just turn on the wristband and play. It is worth noting that the wristband takes a few minutes to get a GPS signal, so you’ll want to turn it on as soon as you arrive at the course.
On the course, you don’t need to do anything. However, if you want more precise data you can use the PinCollect feature. This requires standing at the cup and pushing the button that corresponds with the number of putts you took on that hole.
After the round, you upload your data to your phone or to your computer. To do the former, open the app, connect your phone to the wristband via Bluetooth, and push sync. This takes about a minute total. If you want to upload to your computer, you can do so via USB. Now all your stats are viewable on the online dashboard.
Strengths
The most important strength of Shot Scope is PinCollect. As it stands right now, Shot Scope is the only system that knows where the hole is, and that allows it to produce stats other systems can’t.
You don’t need your phone on the course.
No tagging.
Uploading the data to your phone is fast and easy. The value of not having to plug your device into your computer cannot be overstated.
The data presentation is quite good and has some features that are unique. My favorites are the ones that leverage PinCollect, such as showing your make percentage on putts of different distances.
Weaknesses
The wristband. It’s not small (approx 2.25″ X 1.25″) or particularly light, and you need to make sure it’s charged.
Editing your round can be a hassle. I didn’t need to do much of this, but when I did, I felt like I had to use a desktop.
As of this writing, your data is available only through the web, not in the app. Shot Scope is planning an update for January 2017 that will fix this for both iOS and Android.
Value
For $280, Shot Scope gives you the wristband and 20 tags. This is higher than Arccos 360 ($250), Arccos ($200), and GAME Golf Live ($200), but not prohibitively so. If you like Shot Scope’s approach to gathering and presenting your data, it’s a great addition to your kit.
Conclusion
Overall, I’m really impressed with Shot Scope. I’m particularly high on PinCollect and the stats that it creates, which are currently unique to Shot Scope. If you want shot tracking but don’t want to have your phone on the course, Shot Scope is my current recommendation.
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Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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Hi Matt:
As always enjoy all reviews by you and the team.
Have you had the chance to review GolfPadGPS with golf tags? I use this app and the tags and really like what it does. I have read your reviews on GameGolf and Arcos and GolfPadGPS seems similar to both of those.
App is free and can be used as a GPS or you can pair it with the Golf tags.
Yes you do have to tap your phone with the butt of the club since it uses NFC (near field communication). I know you really were not a fan of this feature with GameGolf.
14 tags costs $99 and on special for $79. Lots of great stat tracking and capabilities to track stats on all rounds, or by course, by date range for a course, even provides strokes gained stats. App is free and they offer a premium subscription for $20/year. You get real time info for course, maps, hole fly over view, club recommendations based on previous data gathered, handicap, etc., auto upload with ability to view a player dashboard on both phone or PC. There are tons of features. The fly over view is great for courses/holes you are not very familiar with.
Get a new phone no problem, just add/transfer the app to the new phone log in to your account and info stored in the cloud is synched to new phone.
If you do check it out perhaps it might be a review you would want to do. The price point beats all the others. Thanks.
Mark,
I have not heard of GolfPad, but I will check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.
Best,
Matt
This doesn’t sound like a marketing pitch at all……
Enjoyed this review.
I unfortunately recently purchased Skygolf Gametracker prior to reading this review. I think I may have possibly bought this instead. I find it a bit of a pain to have to manually tag before every shot. I also find the putting statistics and pin position much better than what Gametracker does.
Have you used Gametracker. If so what would you say is the better of the two?
Stephen,
If you don’t like tagging, I would suggest Arccos 360 or Shot Scope.
I don’t have much experience with Gametracker, but what I’ve seen did not impress me.
Best,
Matt
Thanks Matt. I find Gametracker makes quite a few mistakes if you drift off (like I do as a 20 handicapper) from the straight and narrow. If you go onto an adjacent fairway it gets completely confused. I have about 10 rounds on it now and each round took me about an hour to sort out the shots when I got home. Probably a lot easier if you’re a low handicap golfer of course. Also if you don’t get a good mobile signal it struggles big time. It also is a pain if it loses signal for a time as it then locks up sending all the information to Skygolf and is useless until it has finished.
Another slight problem is I’m Scottish. Lol!! Not the nationality itself of course but the fact that I may have to play in the rain oftenish. I cannot use my iPhone directly in the rain so it makes it more problematic.
I think on your advice I’ll just revert back to my Skycaddie Touch and get the Shot Scope and put Gametracker down to experience and stupidity.
I have the shotscope and it is excellent also now come down in price and you do not have to tag anything just remember to click the number of putts next to pin.
I think the editing of a lost ball or penalty shot would be handy to have so you pressed a but rather then edit it at end of round as you then have to log it on your card.
It does once in a while not know you have take a shot but every rare.
highly recommend this over other tracking devices
I’m glad I found this blog post. I’ve been looking for a good review of a shot scope for a while now.