SkyTrak and The Golf Club (TGC) Simulation Software

[soccerdude]

Hi Seth. I'm new to this forum but have been reading as much as I can about SkyTrak on this and other forums. It seems that many experienced sim users think that The Golf Club game is the best simulator software out there right now. In fact, if I'm understanding and remembering things correctly, Bubba22 and Zmax were instrumental (please correct me if I'm wrong) in getting ProTee to integrate their sim hardware (and gc2) with The Golf Club software. So my question to you/SkyTrak is simply this: Has there been any thought to integrating SkyTrak with The Golf Club? And if so, what are the odds that this might happen? And if so, when?

[liturbo]

I have a general question regarding ghost players--I am assuming the numbers you see below the ghost's ball is the remaining distance the ghost player has to the pin--is that correct? Also, I asked this in a different post--are the boxes that comprise the grid on the green a standard size, for example are they always 3' x 3' (or some other distance) or do they change from green to green?

[Ironstrokes]

More questions:

Shot Registration (If anyone can confirm that this is TGC software related and not hardware related, I would be curious to hear that.): I have been playing around with my light source and ball position (on the SkyTrak range), and while I have yet to get every shot to register, I have found that a halogen table lamp set up just behind (with regard to ball flight) and about an inch above the top of the SkyTrak seems to work the best for me. I initially put the lamp in front but that did not seem to work well. Also, using multiple light sources did not work as well as the single source. What have others found? Would it make sense to use a DC light source?

SkyTrak putting green: Perhaps not an issue for those with TGC software, but does it make sense to add it to the standard SkyTrak package?

TGC putting: I notice people "aligning" putts with the mouse pointer. Why not just putt to the left or right of the center line if you want to play break?

TGC tournaments: Are these just for people using SkyTrak? I assume not, which makes me wonder how it's equal for all. Though I have yet to play with it, I can set the elevation and temperature on the SkyTrak. Have no idea if an elevation of 2000m and 40C will give me 300+m drives, but I do recall reading that "someone" :-) was PMing people a way to set some sort of hyper mode. So, someone make me sleep easy.

Local tournaments: I wanted to have a few guys come by for some fun. How do I get 12 guys (in one location with one SIM) playing to the same conditions without having to wait for the first four to play all 18 holes?

TGC tee and pin locations: Do these ever change? If so, how and when?

SkyTrak bubble gauge: Mine is not accurate. That is, I had to mark it so that it would always be set up the same way on top of the SkyTrak. Since I have no idea what my "centered" bubble means, I have had to be creative with screen/net to see if real life straight is SIM straight. Wondering if there is a better way.

SkyTrak flight algorithm: I'm not convinced that it all works perfectly yet. I can hit much bigger SkyTrak pull-hooks than range pull-hooks and I can't get any real Skytrak slices, though I have yet to try push-slices. This is with range balls on the range, clearly, and ProV1, TM Tour Preferred, and range balls with the SkyTrak. I know, you say "user error" but I am not so sure because my shanks go dead straight (granted at about 30 degrees off the target line) on the range and they almost curve back on target on the SkyTrak range (also with a range ball). Yes, BIG curves. I'm a righty, if that matters.

In regards to the aligning of putts with the mouse pointer im with you, if feels much more realistic and natural just aiming off to the side and i usually just do that whenever i can. The only issues is on the putts that break a little bit more that usual, ive tried aiming like 7 or 8 feet off to the left or right and either the skytrak doesnt read it of it only shows up like i aimed 4 or so feet to the left or right when it actually shows up on the screen. Not sure if this is similar with others but just my experience so far. Wish i never had to move the pointer but will do it when I have to on big breakers. Ive just started testing with light sources as well so ill let you know if anything works best for me as well

[Smudge_si]

I do the same thing with putting , the putts with big breaks I have to use the mouse pointer to aim I'd prefer not too but if I don't the skytrak defiantly doesn't start them as wide as I'm aiming

[keither5150]

I have a GSA system and I do the same thing. Small breaks I just aim slightly off of center. I can only putt so far off of center so bigger breaks I have to move the cursor. GSA allows you to set a maximum off center setting to help stop accidental launches. During tournaments I mostly move the cursor outside of 12 feet.

[Vincent_Vega]

Got my TGC setup tonight with my Skytrak... Played 27 holes and I have to say, I'm thrilled overall. I was shocked how good the putting was. Out of 27 holes, I didn't have a single 3 putt. Then again, I've been playing the console version of TGC since it came out, so I'm pretty comfortable reading the break on TGC. 6 ft gimmies certainly don't hurt. I had 2 putts not register, both were 8 ft putts. I had 1 chip shot and 2 iron shots not register. I can definitely live with that. The shot delay is about a second longer than E6 and Skytrak range for me, but doesn't really take away from the experience. After 9 holes to get accustom to everything I went ahead and played my first round of Q school. Scored pretty well, looking forward to getting my handicap established. Protee was extremely quick about getting my liscense key to me as well. Great customer service. Very pleased with my first impressions.

[Bubba22]

Good to hear Vincent. Yes practice on TGC putting makes it easier. Once done Q school, join us on tour.

[Mike80]

Vincent_Vega Welcome to TGC. For a good driving range, check out the ProTee Distance Range. Then go to settings and turn off Follow Ball. Then click Menu and Enable Auto Rewind. Also turn off the Shot Analysis screen so you don't have to keep clicking Enter after each shot. Then if you want to view all your shot data click the Shot Analysis button on the TGC Remote Keyboard. I told you that you would love TGC! Finish Q School and come join the tour!

[Vincent_Vega]

Vincent_Vega Welcome to TGC. For a good driving range, check out the ProTee Distance Range. Then go to settings and turn off Follow Ball. Then click Menu and Enable Auto Rewind. Also turn off the Shot Analysis screen so you don't have to keep clicking Enter after each shot. Then if you want to view all your shot data click the Shot Analysis button on the TGC Remote Keyboard. I told you that you would love TGC! Finish Q School and come join the tour!

Thanks buddy. We're living high on the hog now compared to the good old days in the Optishot league. Haha. Hope to be done with Q School this weekend.

[Vincent_Vega]

Also just a heads up to anyone about to purchase TGC for Skytrak. If you aren't too keen on the idea of dishing out a one time payment of $995, the TGC software qualifies for the 6 months 0% interest promotion on PayPal. If you're like me, it's an easier pill to swallow if you break it down in to 6 monthly payments of $165 instead of one lump sum. I have to trick my brain sometimes in to making costlier purchases like that. A bargain when compared to the cost of Foresight or E6 software, even more so with the current rebate from ProTee.

[wbond]

That's a great idea on the paypal payment. Wish i would've done that. TGC has driven me to remodel my garage AGAIN, get a new projector and screen.

[Brettster]

Great idea, that makes perfect sense! Split it up into 6 payments....

[bodie1204]

I played one round then jumped into Q school. First two rounds of Q school done and I shot +13 and +15. All in all I have to say I am very impressed with the integration. I don't have too many complaints here. Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in the mix. Also, I was having issues with integration. Got ahold of protee and they screen shared with me and fixed the issue, great customer service there.

[Bubba22]

Awesome bodie. Get cracking at the Tour events.

[Vincent_Vega]

That's a great idea on the paypal payment. Wish i would've done that. TGC has driven me to remodel my garage AGAIN, get a new projector and screen.

It really is a pretty sweet deal (as long as you do pay it off within the 6 month period obviously). I really hope PayPal continues to do it permanently, I bought my Skytrak back in October using this method as well.

[Schlueter]

Hi all.. I can't believe how much fun I am having in my garage these days.. my wife isn't as happy or the muscles I haven't used since December but wow..I am loving it ..
I have to say ProTee has fantastic customer service it's been a real pleasure
I have 2 rounds left of questions school can't wait to meet up with some of you on tour

[Bubba22]

Join us! We are close to announcing the Spring Tour events!

[jchi18]

Did anyone else have trouble connecting skytrak when trying to play TGC? I connect skytrak using a USB cable and press connect on TGC. I just get an error message stating that no box is found. I tried searching around but did not find this specific problem. Can someone help?

[bodie1204]

Hey JC,

The best advice I can give is to reach out to Protee, I had some issues initially and they fixed me up very quickly. If it ends up being a Skytrak issue they will let you know and you will then know where to go for tech help.

[ProTee United]

I recommend to try another USB cable. You could have a bad cable. Also make sure its properly connected.

[hberger]

Hi
I acquired TGC with SkyTrak.
I have few questions :
1- is it possible to add some boost to a player : the distance are very short with TCG (about 20% for me on each club and in my garage, I can't play woods ....). And, I do have a kid playing, same 20% shorter, very frustating, even on pitch and putts.
2- is it possible to have gimmes or set auto-putt feature. Putting is better then e6 demo, but still, very hard to feel distance ingame.
3- we can't select tees ? each courses come with their tee-box, right ?

I didn't see any of the adjustement possibilities in settings ...

thanks for any reply

[KJZ78701]

I too am all set up. Great fun after quite a bit of initial frustration. I had set my SkyTrak to 7000 ft, 10% humidity and 82 degrees, and with these settings (or maybe it's something else) I had some drives (driver in my hand and Driver selected in TGC) fail to clear the tee box, even though they were launched nicely into the net. I also could not hit any short shots in TGC. With sand wedge selected, a 52 degree in my hand and a swing with contact that would get me 40 yards IRL, I ended up way over the green in the trees. When I finally got just off the back of the green, a shot that gets me about 10 yards IRL, launched me way over the green and back into the fairway. Always selected the correct club (though I really don't see that we should need to do that since the SkyTrak is sending data). I did take screen shots, btw. My solution was to exit TGC, open the SkyTrak range, reset to 1000 ft and then try again. That did it.

hberger 20% seems like a lot. You might want to double check carry distance SkyTrak v IRL rather than total distance. Anyway, here is a little cheat (or setup change) that you can make. Lift the rear of the Skytrak and your launch angle will increase giving you more yardage. You might need to set it flat again for putting.

I also have a few more questions:

What is the trick to chipping less than 10 yards, from just off the green or in the fringe? When I attempt to putt, the ball goes nowhere (with putter selected). When I attempt a chip with lob wedge selected, I can't get anything less than about 15 yards. When I make the mistake of not selecting a club and the driver pops up by default, that chip that went 15 yards with the lob wedge selected, goes about two inches.

Am I the only one who would like to see the need to select a club in TGC go away? Isn't this the point of the SkyTrak? TGC is clearly not just using the data from the SkyTrak.

Do the courses used tor handicapping have slope and course ratings? OMG, there is one course that looks like it's in Hawaii that has traps in all the landing areas, long carries with OB right in front of the green or landing area, and crazy greens/pin placements on some holes. 63 after 9???

[KJZ78701]

Thanks. I also have a ticket open btw. I still struggle with "on the fringe" or just off the green. Putter does not get me more than a couple of inches (with putter selected) and wedges go too far in the sim compared to what my net sees. Suggestions? I did find an option to "punch" in the club selection widow, but it seems like you are telling us, "that won't do anything for SkyTrak users." Is that correct? Suggestions?

[aja]

Not quite sure if this is relevant but the TGC cloud shot data will be more useful if you select the club that is used. Otherwise the saved shot data can't be related back to a club.

[KJZ78701]

Thanks again. Played two rounds of Q school without touching the club selection, other than one putt from just off the fringe and it all worked great. Non of the issues from before. Now Vincent. How have you managed four rounds with only one three putt? Break I can figure out, but distance is frustrating. Downhill putts that come up short and uphill putts that go flying by. Help?

[ProTee United]

Give your course design a finishing touch by adding a complete resort (helicopter not included)