It's time to move on from Arccos... Other options for tracking rounds?

[Yrrdead]

Similar boat, started with Game Golf, then to Arccos, now on ShotScope. 

 

I still feel that Arccos gives us the best front end and most actionable data of any of the shot tracking platforms. But I hate the subscription (I even have a Gen 2 account), I really really hate sensors with batteries (why not use NFC like every other company). So ShotScope is really it unless you are already deep into a Garmin ecosystem. 

 

Shotscope is fine, products are good (don't get an X5 imo, stay with the V series). Data portal is fine and slowly improving over the years(emphasis on slowly). 

 

 

 

[hunterdog]

I used Arccos for awhile; never really got comfortable with the sensors on the grips. I have used Tangent for 10 - 15 rounds. The GPS on the watch seems accurate. I have to review every round on the app and edit club choices. The option to add penalty strokes is not intuitive. I think Tangent is more of a content creator app than a real tool for golf performance. I’ll play with it some more - I also don’t play well with YouTube instruction and prefer written instruction.

[TonyRo]

I ended up just going back to Arccos, which for the most part, works great and with very minimal interaction whilst playing. Works exactly as it should.

 

The Tangent UI is kind of a mess. Way too many features and options for most people, and required way too much interaction per hole to get everything situated. Between fixing clubs, adding and removing shots, entering putts, moving shot sequences, etc. It honestly required so much editing that my friends were commenting on how much I was on my phone, and this is with Apple Watch shot tracking. Eep! Arccos probably has a missed shot per round, and requires 20 seconds to enter putts. 

 

I do think some of the ideas the developer has are really promising, and I liked the community and drills features too.

 

 

[Amarsuperstar]

I used Arccos for two years. The reasons I stopped: cost, the rare bug would completely ruin a tracked round, and editing rounds was a pain. Lacks manual entry for the times I missed tracking a round or when the course wouldn't load. I really would like a desktop app. Loved the data it provided. If the subscription was under $100 I would be sticking with it. Also for a premium subscription their customer service stinks.

 

I've compiled a list of options for strokes gained tracking

 

Device Based

• Arccos - Reasons stated.
• Garmin - App doesn't look like it provides the insights I'm looking for, and it's expensive. 
• Shot Scope - Seems to be the most popular for ex-Arccos users. Desktop app. Very reasonable device prices and no subscription. I've been thinking of getting a device like the H4 anyhow. Having to click the tag to a device was a real pain when I used GameGolf. 
• Gametrax - Price is so high I'm not even going to look further. 

 

App Only

• DECADE - Good insights and a lot of value. Text only round entry? That would be an absolute grind. Most expensive of the apps but if you play tournaments and use the yardage books it might be worth it. I also refuse to support Scott Fawcett. 
• GolfMetrics - From the OG himself. Looks like fantastic data. Never used but the new app looks like a big improvement. It's unclear to me whether you can input rounds on the web app. EDIT: App Store reviews on stability are not great. 
• Tangent, Circles, The Grint, 18 Birdies, Golfpad - Just not what I'm looking for. I think they would be a good fit for some people. They are all different but worth looking at to see if they fit what you want. 
• Shot Pattern -  Really slick. Somewhere in between the other best options. If they had a web app or I had an iPad I would probably use them. 
• Golfity, others - Text only entry.

 

So for me I'm considering Shot Scope, GolfMetrics, and Shot Pattern. I'm going to be trying the GolfMetrics and Shot Pattern 1 week trials. I just wanted to share what I've found so far for any others looking. 

 

 

Edited July 8 by Amarsuperstar
Updating with GolfMetrics app store reviews.

[Yrrdead]

2 hours ago, Amarsuperstar said:

I used Arccos for two years. The reasons I stopped: cost, the rare bug would completely ruin a tracked round, and editing rounds was a pain. Lacks manual entry for the times I missed tracking a round or when the course wouldn't load. I really would like a desktop app. Loved the data it provided. If the subscription was under $100 I would be sticking with it. Also for a premium subscription their customer service stinks.

 

I've compiled a list of options for strokes gained tracking

 

Device Based

• Arccos - Reasons stated.
• Garmin - App doesn't look like it provides the insights I'm looking for, and it's expensive. 
• Shot Scope - Seems to be the most popular for ex-Arccos users. Desktop app. Very reasonable device prices and no subscription. I've been thinking of getting a device like the H4 anyhow. Having to click the tag to a device was a real pain when I used GameGolf. 
• Gametrax - Price is so high I'm not even going to look further. 

 

App Only

• DECADE - Good insights and a lot of value. Text only round entry? That would be an absolute grind. Most expensive of the apps but if you play tournaments and use the yardage books it might be worth it. I also refuse to support Scott Fawcett. 
• GolfMetrics - From the OG himself. Looks like fantastic data. Never used but the new app looks like a big improvement. It's unclear to me whether you can input rounds on the web app. EDIT: App Store reviews on stability are not great. 
• Tangent, Circles, The Grint, 18 Birdies, Golfpad - Just not what I'm looking for. I think they would be a good fit for some people. They are all different but worth looking at to see if they fit what you want. 
• Shot Pattern -  Really slick. Somewhere in between the other best options. If they had a web app or I had an iPad I would probably use them. 
• Golfity, others - Text only entry.

 

So for me I'm considering Shot Scope, GolfMetrics, and Shot Pattern. I'm going to be trying the GolfMetrics and Shot Pattern 1 week trials. I just wanted to share what I've found so far for any others looking. 

 

 

Its funny this thread actually got me interested in going back to Arccos since I really don't like wearing a watch. Found some good deals on ebay for sensors and a link pro. Asked customer support about my Gen 2 account and I was told that if I used any Gen 3 sensors I would have to move to a subscription model 😞 .

 

Bought a Shotscope H4 instead.

[Arlin964]

1 hour ago, Yrrdead said:

Its funny this thread actually got me interested in going back to Arccos since I really don't like wearing a watch. Found some good deals on ebay for sensors and a link pro. Asked customer support about my Gen 2 account and I was told that if I used any Gen 3 sensors I would have to move to a subscription model 😞 .

 

Bought a Shotscope H4 instead.

Let us know how shotscope works for you. I was one of the ones that came back to Arccos after a brief break. On course usability is much easier than the one or two other tracking apps I’ve tried. 

[Yrrdead]

7 hours ago, Arlin964 said:

Let us know how shotscope works for you. I was one of the ones that came back to Arccos after a brief break. On course usability is much easier than the one or two other tracking apps I’ve tried. 

I mean I've had shotscope since being picked for testing for the v2.  Was pretty good about using it for about 18months 2023-2024 with the X5 watch. This year though I kind of stopped after having a battery warranty issue and just didn't want to wear a watch on the course. We'll see how seamless the H4 is, kind of reminds me of OG Game Golf, tap tagging. I'll test it out with 4 rounds this weekend.

 

Worst case it is a decent little GPS with a built in magnet/belt clip,carabiner. Going to have to get some retro reflective tape though as I have lost black items before....(looking at you Alphard V2 remote)

Edited July 9 by Yrrdead

[Peter_b]

Tangent looks nice will try it if I find that 30% discount mentioned in the thread. Tried shotscope connex and dont like the club registration each time. 

Edit AYGOLF30 is the Tangent discount from Adam Young podcast. Thank you. 

Edited July 13 by Peter_b

[MauiMax]

On 7/8/2025 at 3:18 PM, Yrrdead said:

I mean I've had shotscope since being picked for testing for the v2.  Was pretty good about using it for about 18months 2023-2024 with the X5 watch. This year though I kind of stopped after having a battery warranty issue and just didn't want to wear a watch on the course. We'll see how seamless the H4 is, kind of reminds me of OG Game Golf, tap tagging. I'll test it out with 4 rounds this weekend.

 

Worst case it is a decent little GPS with a built in magnet/belt clip,carabiner. Going to have to get some retro reflective tape though as I have lost black items before....(looking at you Alphard V2 remote)

Be careful with the h4. Maybe put a little rubber band around it or something. I have had the unit itself fall out of the belt clip but found it. I noticed before i walked off the green. I decided to get rid of it cause i couldnt remember to tap the sensors every time. 

[Peter_b]

Used Tangent on my first round. Its a great app tracking without a sensor on the club, working perfectly but damn the user interface is a mess. Clutter is the biggest issue of Tangent.

 

Best example is I accidentally ended my round, no idea how and I could not find the resume so at the end of the round at hole 14 I had to start a new one. Did not have the time to find the resume button had to move and play. Resume is under data/round history/tap on the round/review, yes it is review/ no wait resume was there, let me look for it again. No sorry can not find it, no joke. Maybe its not there as its the next day, I dont know. There is also no way of merging rounds. You can only do so for 9 hole rounds so my first Tangent round is 1-14 and 15-18. Nice. 

 

Ads in the app although I purchased it? Not nice. You should be able to disable. Cluttered user interface plus ads feels psychadelic.   

 

Big clutter also by mixing up community and practice with round play. Should be well and completely separated.

 

You can not disable the Google map background. If the images are old on a club that exists for less than 10 years as my course. The image you see is super cluttered as in my case the background is pure forest. You can disable layers, the background is no layer in Tangent. If it would use apple maps the images would be up to date, like in Arccos, but unfortunatedly its only good very old Google. An app far from cheap with over a hundred bucks per year should be able to use both.

 

Advertizing and clutter, I am unsure if I can stay with Tangent although its really deep and great its, just so annoying.

Super app, 80s look, submenu mess. Love and hate. Would be easy to make me love it only but the app makes some big mistakes in my opinion.

 

edit: today tourney again on the round I edited the pin position, knob says ok and exit. I press it and Tangent exits the round. Uninstalled the app and stopped subscription.

Edited July 19 by Peter_b