PhiGolf WGT Edition

[GustinBeaverton]

Anyone seen this? https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...t&term=PhiGolf

I know a couple guys who bought the original PhiGolf Club Sensor off Kickstarter last year. It works pretty well, gives a good display of club path, both backswing and through swing. Build quality was really good too. Their App had a cool clubface alignment thing as well; you can see the club face moving open or closed at address on screen before you swing. I’ve played WGT many times, the graphics are really good and I’ve talked to a few guys who play WGT using their SkyTrak launch monitors and they told me it’s good. $2000+ is too rich for my blood right now so SkyTrak is out for me...I wonder if this would be a good setup for significantly less? I’m thinking WGT app mirrored to a big screen with a solid club sensor could make for a pretty good setup, especially considering the price. If anyone has any info on PhiGolf or WGT as a sim, please give me your thoughts! Thanks!

[JCauthen]

In response to Chuck's comment: "I agree 100% with you. I would love to see a Phigolf on TGC2019 or one of the other SIM packages. I'm not a fan of WGT either for the very reasons you mention; flat, static, and annoying. I like their home-brew android sim. Perhaps it's the game engine, but if the did the sim with a game engine like "Urho3d" then maybe able to get good realist landscapes"

I sort of get the feeling that Phigolf is taking a lower profile with this product, based on their limited participation in this thread, but then again, this thread doesn't seem to get much traffic so maybe they think it's not worth their effort. I don't know how common our thoughts are on the presentation style of WGT, but I can't help but think that anyone who would do an A/B comparison between the direct swing camera style of TGC 2019 and the up to 30 feet removed camera perspective of WGT would come away feeling more immersed in the perspective of TGC 2019. I really don't know why TGC 2019 couldn't have an option to remove the golfer entirely, and put the Phigolf equipped player right up to the ball, like Pro Tee and other launch simulators do with TGC 2019.

The bottom line though is that both Phigolf and HB Studios would have to be convinced they'd be getting a target return on investment to make this become a reality. It might be too late in the life cycle of TGC 2019 for either party to think there'd be enough demand for it. If TGC 2020 or 2021 is looming on the horizon, it would probably be more fruitful for them to wait on that.

[cueman8]

Hi need some help I have a phigolf system plays great until I get on the green after that it locks up an won’t let me putt. Phigolf replaced the sensor but it still stops on the green an no putting.
wondering if anyone else is or has had this problem an how it was fixed.
The system seems to be good as far as ball distance.
Thx Tom

[Johnny]

I was considering getting this since its listed as a top 5 simulator according to this site. However one of the cons to this is that it's not suitable for left-hand people. Does anyone have any experience with that?

[Chuck]

Being a geek garage golfer there is a lot I can tell you about the Phi-golf device. Hardware-wise, it's the only 9-DOF club tracking device's I'm aware of. That is a full +/- (X/Y/Z, Rho/Theta/Phi, X/Y/Z) Gyroscope, Accelerometer, and Magnetometer. Strap it to a club and you have tracking that can rival any camera system, even exceed most of them. I don't like how it mounts to the top of the club through the grip hole because it makes moving the device from club to club a challenge. A challenge in that the on-off button is on top of the Phi devive, and pulling the device out of one club, and pushing it into another will almost always result in accidentally turning the device off, breaking the BT connection, and requiring the software to be reset (ARGHH!!). I've never made it through a WGT game using real clubs because of that design. If I stick with the swing stick, it's not bad but ... I like Phi's home-made sim software, it's cheesy but it works well on an Android (as limited as it is). But that makes it worth it. The whole WGT android experience, however, is slow as crap due to all of the pre-game downloads. Even with fiber and 802.11ac speeds, it takes a while to get started (and forget doing anything stand-alone). WGT is like I've said in other forums; it's just a delivery tool for in-app purchases. It's as frustrating as being dropped into hell with a hot cup of coffee on a hot summer day in a hot car. Still, some people like that kind of thing.

It's very different compared to R-motion (and TGC) or Tittle--X (and Trugolf/E6) that actually are full simulators. I would love to see Phigolf show up on E6, TGC or others on a PC/linux box or Apple/BSD thing. That would be awsome.

[natural320]

hey y'all, I just noticed my poor Phi sitting in a drawer, unused, ever since I had my frustrating experience with it months ago. Has the software been updated? I kinda wanna break it out and see if things have changed, but it's freaking freezing here in TX!

[Kelly Ahlers]

Hey all, I recently picked up the PhiGolf WGT before the COVID-19 quarantine and I have a few thoughts and concerns to add.
1. I think most of the pairing issues have been resolved, I used it with my Samsung Galaxy S9 and my wife's Huawei phone without issue.
2. I do believe they have some issues with their measurements and calculations. I normally hit about 220-240 with my driver with a slight fade. With the Phigolf app, I'm hitting ridiculous 20-30yd draws now.

I spent some time on the driving range and here are some of the things I'm not sure about:
Head speed 92.1MPH
Club path is outside to in -2.6 degrees
Face angle is open -4.8 degrees

I hit a 249yd draw. Now from experience that should get me more of a fade.

These numbers are pretty consistent from what I would see normally in my day to day swing. Normally as I had stated that would be a fade.

I opened a ticket with their engineering team and what they told me was this:

You will get a hook shot if the face angle is greater than swing path (IE FA>Path -7>-9 ). If Swing Path is greater than face angle, you will get slice (IE FA<Path -9<-7)

That doesn't add up in my mind, any thoughts?

[fashaan]

Thoughts:

as far as i have understood it, the numbers are just presented a bit weirdly.

negative club path means outside in, while negative face means closed club head. Meaning:

-2.6 path (outside in) and -4.8 face (closed) gives you a draw that starts left and continues spinning left.

make sense? It’s just weirdly presented imo

[Sweatyslouch]

I know this is an old thread but one thing that needs pointing out after watching a lot of YouTube reviews of this product and after using it myself is that a lot of YouTuber don't understand how the tech works.
What you need to understand about this product is that your face angle at address is also your ball to target line.
On a Skytrak your ball to target line and face angle at address are 2 seperate things.
This is a critical distinction to understand if comparing the results of shots simultaneously when using both products (as I have seen some popular YouTubers do).
I've used the Phigolf extensively and quite truthfully am very pleased with the accuracy. Draws are draws, fades are fades, hooks are hooks and slices are slices and my distances with every club are within 5 yards or so of real life assuming centre face contact (which the Phigolf does assume on every shot).
A little tip if using the phistick is to set the device type to real clubs... Results are more accurate for some reason. If you place a ball on the ground and an alignment stick along your imaginary ball to target line (remembering to make sure that your club face is perfectly lined up with the target line, you'll get plenty of accurate data with regards to your face angle, club path and swing speed (verified using a skycaddie swingPro). WGT projected onto a white wall using foam balls is far more fun than I ever expected it to be for £200 to be fair.