Arccos Golf Caddie
The Arccos Golf Caddie is a fully automatic GPS and Shot Tracking System that captures a golfer’s shots and statistics in real-time as you play. During a round, the Caddie performs as an advanced GPS and also as an artificial intelligence caddie. After a round, the Arccos analytics platform assists you in analyzing your playing stats and helps you break down the strengths and weaknesses of your game. The Arccos Caddie is three electronic performance aids in one.
Arccos currently offers two generations — “2nd Generation” and “3rd Generation”. The major difference between the generations is that the 3rd Generation has a smaller up front cost and a significant annual subscription fee after that. We strongly prefer the 2nd Generation. Arccos will continue to sell 2nd Generation model until supplies are gone.
- First, Arccos is a highly advanced GPS for on course management. The Caddie covers over 40,000 courses worldwide and is accurate within a few feet. It gives excellent course visualization on Apple and Android smartphones showing distances to the front, back, and middle of the green. Also, golfers can determine point to point distance. And, the Arccos caddie will give adjusted distances for wind, slope, temperature, humidity, and altitude.
- Second, as mentioned, the Arccos System functions as an on-course, artificial intelligence Caddie. After five rounds of data collection, the Caddie can “understand” how far a golfer typically hits a club. It can then make recommendations, based on actual data, on club selection and hole strategy. This “knowledge” and the strength of the recommendations improves over time.
- Lastly, Arccos is a data-filled golf improvement system that helps golfers understand the strengths and weaknesses of their games as opposed to just going by the gut. After a round, a golfer can sit down and look at highly detailed playing stats for the round or passed rounds, either on a smartphone or computer. The analytics will enable the golfer to rethink strategy and to understand areas of improvement based on data
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What are the actual components of the Arccos Golf Caddie system?
With each purchase, golfers receive:
- Fourteen ultra-lightweight smart sensors: 13 for woods or irons and one designed specifically for the putter. The sensors are 1/2 the size and weight of the original Arccos models
- iOS and Android app for both on-course data collection and GPS / rangefinder use and for off the course data and analytics reviews
- In the 3rd Generation model, the first year subscription is included for free
Installation of the system is easier than one might think. Essentially golfers will screw a smart sensor into the grip end of each club and then pair the club to the Arccos application that they have downloaded onto their smartphone device. While this set up might sound like a hassle, the entire process will take between 5 – 10 minutes to perform. Once installed and paired, Arccos is good to go and ready to track your shots and stats starting with your next round.
GPS Feature:
The Arccos Golf Caddie’s GPS offers over 40,000 courses spanning the globe, viewable on Apple and Android smartphones. The GPS tracker provides accurate distances to the front, center, and back of the green. In addition, with a touch of a finger, a golfer can determine the distance to any point on the course. This feature enables accurate distances to hazards, doglegs, and layup positions. And, the Arccos Golf Caddie will give adjusted distances for wind, slope, temperature, humidity, and altitude.
Club Tracking:
Through intelligent proprietary algorithms, the Arccos tracking system will measure the distance you hit the ball and the club that you have used. For those needing the details, the technology works as follows:
- As an example, when a golfer hits his driver on the first tee, the tracking sensor on the driver silently signals the impact of the club on the ball to the tracking app using Bluetooth technology. This signal will also indicate the golfer’s exact location on the golf course. On impact, Arccos electronically logs the “starting” point for the shot
- The golfer then proceeds to the location of his drive to hit his second shot. Once the golfer makes his second shot, the application “closes out” the initial drive while “starting” to track the second shot
- By sequentially starting and then closing each golf shot, Arccos can record the distance of the shots, the clubs that were used, as well as the GPS location of the shots as they were played All of this tracking, is accomplished seamlessly without golfer involvement
Through repeated use, Arccos can develop a detailed profile of your club striking. Arccos measures distance, longest hits, the standard deviation in yards, among other data points.
Arccos Golf Analytics Platform
Taking a step beyond just club data and GPS functionality, the Arccos Caddie sets itself apart in its ability to improve a player’s game once the round is done. The amount of detailed data is beyond comparison to any other performance system on the consumer market
The Analytics platform:
- Breaks down a player’s handicap into five key elements: Driving, Approach, Chipping, Sand and Putting
- Offers comparative data from each of the five elements to players with similar handicaps
- Evaluates playing patterns that help you refine on-course tactics
- Can playback the prior round so that golfers can determine what they did right and wrong
Pros and Cons of the Arccos Golf Caddie
PROS:
- Easy to set up
- Set it and forget it use. No need to “click” clubs before shots. Just go to the course and play
- Advanced GPS with front, back and middle distances to the green
- Adjusted distances for on course conditions (wind, slope, etc.)
- Accurate data on average club distances and variability
- Robust game improvement data tracking and analysis
- Can “playback” every hole after the round
- Breaks down handicap by shot type enabling focus on actual weaknesses
CONS:
- You need to carry your smartphone in your pocket for the Bluetooth signal and shot tracking to work properly
- Not an inexpensive product
Conclusion
The Arccos Caddie is a huge technological step forward in bringing real-time data to the average golfer. We particularly appreciate Arccos’ ability to defog our memories in terms of how far we really hit the ball. Arccos is a must-have technology for folks who are committed to improving their golf games.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Do you have to carry your smartphone on you, or can you leave it in your cart?
Answer: Yes, your phone should be in your pocket. Arccos is introducing a sensor clip (to be purchased separately), which would allow you to leave your phone in your cart, but by doing this, you would not be able to check the visuals and data on your phone as you are standing over the ball.
Question: How long do the batteries last in the club sensors?
Answer: The batteries last two years. They are not removable nor replaceable.
Question: How does Arccos tell a practice swing from a real swing?
Answer: The sensors have been upgraded and now sense the impact of a swing both physically and in terms of sound.
Question: What is the difference between Arccos Caddie 2nd and 3rd Generations?
Answer: There is no feature or technology difference between the two generations. The only difference is that the 3rd generation requires an annual $99 subscription with the first year included in the purchase price. The current 2nd Generation price has become prohibitive, so we recommend the 3rd Generation model.
For those folks who want accurate on-course distances without the full technology system offered in Arccos Golf Caddie, we recommend two great GPS watches from Garmin. Click here for our Garmin golf GPS watch review.