Golf App/Firmware update coming soon?

[anon(8555314)]

Link

 

[mkg3]

Really???

MS needs to give credit to some of us on the forum for this exact idea 2~3 months ago...

http://forums.windowscentral.com/microsoft-band/349811-golf-app.html

 

[kenjancef]

Really???

MS needs to give credit to some of us on the forum for this exact idea 2~3 months ago...

http://forums.windowscentral.com/microsoft-band/349811-golf-app.html

Was thinking the same thing... I was saying... "Hmmm... where have I heard that before???"

 

[ritojr]

Literally was the only reason I bought the band assuming something like this would eventually come out (didnt want to buy a $400 garmin gps watch). Glad my assumption was right (and this is even better than I imagined...as long as it works)

 

[ChemEngr]

so excited!

 

[gadgetrants]

I realize golf and walking are two somewhat different activities...but I'm thinking, "Sheesh if they can retune the firmware to do all that (e.g., tell you the distance to the green), SURELY they could create a 'Walk' mode...in other words, identical to 'Run' except called 'Walk'!" LOL

​-Matt

 

[DroidUser42]

Ummmm. How does it tell the difference between a practice swing and the real thing? I suppose to tee-off it could (shock), but putting would be hard.

 

[DrFix82]

Nice that they've spent all their energy in creating a golf app instead of solving the list of features/requests/bugs that came out in last months....

 

[infinidim]

I realize golf and walking are two somewhat different activities...but I'm thinking, "Sheesh if they can retune the firmware to do all that (e.g., tell you the distance to the green), SURELY they could create a 'Walk' mode...in other words, identical to 'Run' except called 'Walk'!" LOL

​-Matt

Matt, I completely agree with the need for a "Walk" option. I do a lot of walking, both in town and across country, and having the capability to monitor similar to the "Run" would be great.

Regards

Infinidim

 

[mkg3]

I realize golf and walking are two somewhat different activities...but I'm thinking, "Sheesh if they can retune the firmware to do all that (e.g., tell you the distance to the green), SURELY they could create a 'Walk' mode...in other words, identical to 'Run' except called 'Walk'!" LOL

​-Matt

Don't quite understand the subtleties you are mentioning. MSB already tracks steps, and if you put it in the run mode, w/GPS on, it will track your walking distance and location.

It may be just psychological acceptance that you're using run tile for walk. Would it be better if it simply said run/walk tile??

Am I missing something?

 

[mkg3]

Ummmm. How does it tell the difference between a practice swing and the real thing? I suppose to tee-off it could (shock), but putting would be hard.

Good question. Clearly hitting the ball from the tee or on the fairway, there is a vibration from impact that the MSB can sense.

The putting is another question as you note. Perhaps it has to do with frequency and motion rate. In other words, most people take couple, three practice swings rather rapidly. Once real shot/stroke is made, players tend to hold the finishing position longer than practice swings. Its that pause period that may distinguish the difference, in addition to vibration feedback. Also, there is a sound associated with hitting the ball, including putting. Microphone could pick up that sound...

Just rationalizing.

 

[gadgetrants]

It may be just psychological acceptance that you're using run tile for walk. Would it be better if it simply said run/walk tile??

Am I missing something?

You're almost there...what I mean is that since runs and walks are treated the same, the data are combined. To me they are separate activities, so for example it would be great to know my average HR while running separate from walking, my average mile pace while running vs. walking, etc. I could use the Exercise mode for walking and just leave the Run mode for running, but then I'd miss out on the walk side with GPS turned off.

My apologies! Didn't mean to hijack the thread (which sounds pretty cool no matter how you SLICE it! LOL).

I hope that all makes sense. :smile:

-Matt

 

[mkg3]

Matt, its a backend thing. So it just needs Health app to separate the two. That's really easy right? Walk <4mph, run>4+ mph, then its book kept differently.

 

[gadgetrants]

I totally agree. There are several ways to skin that cat, including a speed threshold that does it automatically. I'd almost prefer a tile, so they're labeled right from the start and avoid any ambiguities (e.g., I have a friend who does cross-country hikes that are a mixture of running and walking depending on the hill).

A workaround for now is to look at my data at mapmyrun -- the website has a nice course/route feature that allows me to see improvement over repeated runs or walks. In that case, each workout can be relabeled with a simple pulldown activity menu so after a week or two I just sort by pace, pick anything over 10 min/mile, and relabel as walk. The problem with mapmyrun is it lacks some of the features on the MS Health Dashboard (e.g., the "fitness benefit" feature, VO2 max, e.g.). Even if MS did something similar where activities could be recategorized on the Health app I'd be good with that!

-Matt

 

[poit57]

I'm not much of a golfer, but I'm just curious about the distance measuring would work. I get how the Band's GPS can tell where the player is, but how does it know where the green is located? I just looked at a satellite image of a course I've played before, but just knowing where the greens are doesn't really give much information about the correct order of the greens (i.e. which green the golfer is currently shooting at).

With me being inexperienced at this, is there an easy way Microsoft/Taylormade will be able to determine this information that I don't know about, or is this something where they will have to work with the golf courses individually to accurately provide this information to the golfer?

 

[gadgetrants]

Given the "leak" write-up:

Microsoft announced today that golfers will soon be able to track swings and scores with the Microsoft Band. The fitness tracker and companion health app will use course data from golf club maker TaylorMade to track each stroke.

I pictured that "course data" includes not only strokes but also the GPS coordinates for each hole. Wouldn't surprise me (given GPS golf watches have been around for a while) that there's already some kind of national registry for courses with GPS data embedded. Maybe something like these (though they look proprietary):

https://www.skydroid.net/courses.php
https://www.igolf.com/home
http://golfshot.com/GolfCourses

​-Matt

 

[gadgetrants]

The answers to ALL our questions. And I mean all of them:

http://m.winsupersite.com/microsoft-band/how-golf-will-work-microsoft-band

- preload course info before playing
- GPS autodetects the hole you're playing
- autodetects practice vs. real swings with (ahem) "manual" stroke correction

It looks by far to be the most sophisticated use of the Band's computing abilities. I wonder how much resource it takes up, i.e., whether using it may exclude other functions?

The demo notes, "Now that your round is over, open up the Microsoft Health app on your mobile phone..." Although it looks like a WinPhone in the demo, I assume then that "mobile" means the big three platforms.

Finally, there's mention of TaylorMade's "myRoundPro" which probably means lots of sexy additional features are available for a subscription.

I think this bodes very well for the future of the Band. :smile:

-Matt

 

[littlebib]

The answers to ALL our questions. And I mean all of them: http://m.winsupersite.com/microsoft-...microsoft-band

Oh man...that looks fantastic. I just wish I played more golf (2 kids does not help one's golf game)

 

[gadgetrants]

David, I have to beg your pardon -- I posted the video link the other day, thinking that it was adding something. When I first saw the geekwire link that you posted in the OP, I must have totally missed the same video. My bad for not checking before posting!

-Matt

 

[X54TH]

Does anyone know when is the Golf App being added?