Equipment
Arccos: The real time shot-tracking system for your phone
Professional golfers have all kinds of systems and tools for tracking their performance so they can identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on improvements. For the amateur golfer, there really was no such tool a few months ago. First came Game Golf’s introduction of a shot-tracking system, and it appears that there could be several companies competing for market share in that space.
One newcomer is Arccos, a Stamford, Connecticut-based company founded in 2012 that created a GPS golf shot tracking system that automatically tracks your round and gives real-time feedback as you make your way around the course.
[quote_box_center]“If you want to get better, you need to know what to work on to improve,” said Sal Syed, who co-founded the company with friend Ammad Faisal. “Arccos is revealing your game to you, so you can see what to do to refine your game. If you just love golf, now you can track all your rounds in one place, share your stats and connect to other golfers: all without having to do anything differently.”[/quote_box_center]
While tracking golf stats is certainly not a new thing, having the ability to do it instantly and automatically is something that up to now wasn’t possible. That’s what makes Arccos unique; its real-time tracking system enables golfers to get immediate data and feedback right out on the course.
[quote_box_center]”Arccos is also the only system that is fully automatic; no need for additional devices or additional actions,” said Syed. “Once the sensors are on your clubs, all you need to do is swing and Arccos will track everything automatically. And with our Tour Analytics platform, everything that is tracked is also analyzed, giving meaning to each part of your game.”[/quote_box_center]
Here’s how it works.
Arccos consists of a set of 14 intelligent sensors that attach to the grip-end of your club. A player pairs the sensors once with their iPhone so that Arccos knows which sensor is attached to which club. After that, when a shot is taken, Arccos automatically detects when you hit a shot while also intelligently filtering out practice swings.
When the sensor detects that you have taken a shot, it sends a Bluetooth message to the iPhone telling it what club was hit allowing the iPhone to record the location of each shot hit. Arccos calculates the distance of the shot by comparing where a player teed off to where they took the next shot.
[quote_box_center]“Arccos both tracks your stats and analyzes them, making sure you have the numbers you want to see with the context to understand what they mean for your game,” Syed said. “Arccos gives you data in real time as you play. We also give you deep analysis post round.”[/quote_box_center]
Starting with standard stats like GIRs, fairways hit, putts per hole, Arccos then goes deeper using the company’s proprietary tour analytics platform to break down each aspect of your game (driving, approach, chipping, sand game, putting) by handicap and then quantifies your strengths and weaknesses. For example, a 10-handicap golfer might drive like a 15-handicapper while putting like a 2-handicapper, Syed said. Arccos enables golfers to identify their top improvement priorities.
The original technology for Arccos was born in Callaway Research and Development. Syed had met Alan Hocknell, Callaway’s senior vice president of research and development, at the Yale Golf Summit at Bandon Dunes earlier in 2012 and the two developed a friendship. Late in 2012, when the opportunity arose to license the shot-tracking technology developed by Callaway and take it to the market, Syed and Faisal, seeing a much-desired opportunity to work in the golf industry, jumped right in.
Across the board, the demand for golf apps and software is booming.
[quote_box_center]“It is definitely a growing market,” Faisal said. “This tells us there is real demand for golf tracking systems and that the golfer community is ready to welcome technology into the game. We’re excited about this as we know this is just the beginning for golf technology to truly enhance the game we all love.”[/quote_box_center]
Arccos is currently available for pre-order for $299 for iPhone, but Android and Windows Phone versions are on the way. The units are expected to ship in the late summer.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Ken ROBBINS
Oct 29, 2015 at 7:27 am
the largest problem is keeping the sensors tight. I try not to grip on them but I’m constantly tightening them. I think the holes in my new grips may be larger then normal. How can I tighten them up?
Beforeitsnews.com
Mar 31, 2015 at 1:07 pm
I’ve loaded your blog in 3 various internet browsers and I should state this blog
site loads a great deal quicker in comparison to the majority of websites.
Many thanks, I value it!
Chan
Jul 29, 2014 at 3:34 pm
It’s funny that callaway is pulling out of upro gps(web support) at the end of 2014 in order to focus on the clubs and balls(says on upro website), but involved in this kind of business again. Make up your mind callaway and show some respect for your current customers. It’s very disappointing.
jarod
Jul 9, 2014 at 7:53 pm
I don’t know if this has been answered but what about the situation with penalty shot? How do you count this as shot taken?
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 14, 2014 at 5:12 pm
There isn’t any way for the sensors to know that you’ve made a penalty, so penalty shots must be manually entered. We’ve done our best to make it as simple and painless as possible.
myron miller
Jul 9, 2014 at 12:25 pm
From what I’ve read, instantaneous feedback on club usage is not legal according to the USGA. That would make this illegal for any GHIN posting or any event at all. Maybe for only practice rounds but other than that, technically it can’t be used.
Or is there something about this I’m missing?
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 9, 2014 at 4:27 pm
We are working directly with the USGA and seeking a ruling that our product conforms to the rules of golf. When any such ruling is issued we will let everyone know.
Brian Dowling
Jul 11, 2014 at 3:22 pm
Yeah, there’s no way they are getting USGA approval and for this reason I’m going to invest in the GAME GOLF system. Their tags are as light a paper clips so I’m not putting a ‘computer’ on the end of my clubs because there is no way it won’t affect the weight of my clubs, we’re talking 12 grams here. Like the concept but this is a major flaw and must be a huge concern for the makers
Mat
Jul 9, 2014 at 11:14 am
How much do the sensors weigh? This adjusts swing weight, so it would be helpful to know by how much.
John Lahtinen
Jul 9, 2014 at 11:28 am
Hi Mat. Great question. Arccos says the sensors weigh less than 12 grams and that they have no impact on the golf swing.
DC
Jul 9, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Standard conversions used by many clubmakers on this site – including Joe Kwok – state that adding 5 g in the grip alters your SW by 1 point.
So adding 12 g would alter it by almost 2.5 SW points.
Hold a 10g Tour Lock weight in your hand – hard to argue that putting that in the butt end of every club would have absolutely no impact.
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 9, 2014 at 4:05 pm
It’s not our intent to create a debate about swingweight — it’s been discussed here in great detail in the past, as in this thread (http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/820731-how-is-counterbalancing-irons-really-affecting-swingweight/) and different people will have different opinions.
I will say that personally, it had very little effect on the feel of my clubs, and I got used to it almost immediately. That is also the feedback we’ve received from all levels of players, from tour pros to novices.
In all of the feedback we’ve gotten from extensive testing of the product, change in swingweight has essentially been a non-issue.
We offer a 30-day unconditional guarantee on our product. If you order a set and find that you don’t like the way they feel, you can send them back to us for a full refund.
DC
Jul 10, 2014 at 10:20 am
Sorry I was just trying to answer Mat’s question. He asked how much it would change the SW and the answers were that it wont have an impact and dont worry, its a non-issue.
Its fine to say you don’t think its affected your feel or you think the change in SW will be a non issue for people. Those are qualitative measures and are subject to opinion. Which I agree, this is not meant to be a debate on.
But adding 12g of weight to the grip of the club *does* change the SW – and that was Mat’s original question. Adding 12g of weight to a grip changes the SW of the club. How noticeable it is or isnt can be debated elsewhere.
Nagar
Jul 9, 2014 at 8:19 am
In Australia during competition rounds you are not allowed to have a cell phone/mobile device turned on at all.
Pingback: Arccos: The real time shot-tracking system for your phone | Spacetimeandi.com
bombonera
Jul 9, 2014 at 4:51 am
will this device be making its way to japan anytime soon??
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 9, 2014 at 10:06 am
Our current focus is the North American market. We plan to eventually sell everywhere and cover all courses in the world, but we do not have an official timetable at this time for when we will be in specific countries. When we launch international sales, we will definitely do our best to let the world know.
Erik
Jul 9, 2014 at 4:16 am
The “Swing by swing” app uses nfc tags which are WAY cheaper.
Bob
Jul 8, 2014 at 10:23 pm
Sounds good in theory. However, battery life, having to worry about where or if the connection is working, the so so GPS tracking and the expensive price tag no thanks another poc to waste $ on. Not to mention I’m not wearing my phone when I play. Spend the $ on extra lessons or extra rounds of golf. Not worth my time or money.
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 8, 2014 at 4:52 pm
To answer a few questions:
Yes, the iPhone does need to be on your person. It takes GPS readings at the time you hit your shot. If the phone is too far away, it is not going to give you an accurate location reading, plus beyond a certain distance the bluetooth connection to the club sensors might not work. Having the iPhone in your pocket (or in your golf bag if you’re walking, or clipped to your belt or something) works perfectly.
Battery life should be approximately 50 rounds. They are standard batteries that are easily purchased at retail.
You do not need a cellular signal at the course to use the device. You can set everything up when you do have a signal and then bring your phone to the course ready to play. (GPS signals and cellular data signals are different. Even if you don’t have a cellular signal, the GPS on the phone should work.)
The system is completely seamless. No tapping. Just pull a club from your bag, hit the ball, and the system will know what club you hit and where/when you hit it.
ca1879
Jul 8, 2014 at 5:22 pm
You’ve addressed all of the issues I had with the Game Golf system. You can count on a Windows Phone version sale as soon as you release it.
Philip
Jul 8, 2014 at 10:59 pm
On my golf course we have to use a golf cart. Did you test whether the adapter will handle the extra abuse of bouncing around in a bag on a golf cart?
Philip
Jul 8, 2014 at 11:04 pm
I checked your website and it just says a standard battery, can you just state the battery they use?
50 rounds is barely a season of 5 months.
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 14, 2014 at 5:09 pm
CR2032
Paul
Jul 8, 2014 at 11:21 pm
Does the iphone need to be unlocked whilst you’re playing your round?
or can it remain locked and using virtually no battery?
my iphone only lasts about 9 holes if i run a gps program on it, if it’s locked it lasts much longer
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 14, 2014 at 5:07 pm
I have played a round where I left my phone locked in my pocket for the full 18 holes and never looked at the screen once and it works just fine.
I find that I like to open up the app and check things out every so often to make any necessary edits during my round rather than after. Things like adding a penalty shot if I hit into a hazard, etc.
But yes, you can leave your phone dark during your round and the system keeps working in the background. You just need to open the app and tap a button to start your round on the first tee. You can leave it in your pocket and ignore it after that.
I have a 3 year old 4s that works just fine. I can play a full 18 hole round with charge to spare.
DJ
Jul 9, 2014 at 2:03 am
I’d like to know the range of your LE Bluetooth signal. There are many courses that have holes and bunkers a good distance from where you park your cart and areas with no cart access. What is the max range between your sensor and Iphone? I read that typical BLE range is around 100 feet. I hope that’s not the case because I’d hate to have to remember to not only grab the right club or clubs, but my phone too. Thank for any info you can provide.
DJ
Jul 14, 2014 at 11:58 am
Radio silence! Way to take care of your most important and influential customer’s questions! Glad to know I’ll be using my $300 for anything other than this!
Arccos Customer Service
Jul 14, 2014 at 5:03 pm
Sorry for the slow response. The range of the bluetooth transmitter is relatively immaterial in that you need to have the iPhone on your person to get accurate GPS readings.
The Arccos system utilizes the GPS functionality of the iPhone to record location data. The Arccos sensors themselves are not GPS enabled. So if you left your iPhone in your cart and walked 20 yards to where your ball is and then took a shot, Arccos would record a shot taken at the location of your phone/cart.
Accurate use of the Arccos system requires that your iPhone be on your person. It can be in your pocket or clipped to your belt. If you walk and carry your bag, you could leave it in your golf bag.
DJ
Jul 14, 2014 at 6:01 pm
I truly appreciate your response. We may be small, but we are loud. Best of luck with your business!
Jamie
Jul 8, 2014 at 4:38 pm
…and if you use grip weights you can forget about using this product, too.
DC
Jul 8, 2014 at 3:37 pm
1 – Did I read an earlier review correctly that you have to keep your phone in your pocket for this to work? iPhones may be different but I definitely cant see playing with the Galaxy S5 in my pocket the entire round.
2 – How often – after how many rounds – are the batteries in these sensors going to need to be replaced and how much is each one? Are these generic $5 watch type batteries or are they more specialized?
Mike Howard
Jul 8, 2014 at 3:32 pm
My brother-in-law is a VP of this company so I can offer some answers:
1. Yes, it does use the GPS on your phone.
2. An Android version is coming, the lack of reliable Bluetooth LE drivers is an issue there.
3. Sorry, but I doubt we’ll ever see a Windows Phone version. However, it will work with an iPod touch 5 with some caveats. (I am also a WP user, but my daughter has the iPod touch 5 so I just use that.)
J.U.
Jul 10, 2014 at 10:48 pm
Why do you doubt a windows phone version will ever be developed? The website and copy above say a windows version is in the works. Would hate to know that the company is telling lies even before a product reaches the market.
Isaac
Jul 8, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Does it track the distances itself or does it use gps from my iphone? I do not have reliable service at a few of the courses where I play, if it takes signal it may not be for me.
rgb
Jul 8, 2014 at 3:05 pm
1. Thank god one doesn’t have to tap the club before swinging. Game Golf is a PITA.
2. Get a Windows Phone version then call me.
Nick Chertock
Jul 11, 2014 at 3:16 pm
I just don’t see what’s so difficult about tagging. I actually rather enjoy the ritual.
Joel
Jul 8, 2014 at 2:41 pm
I was a little excited until I read that they don’t have an android version yet.
Bryan
Jul 10, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Would you be willing to get on here again when the android version is released? I’d love to have this once available in android.