Hey guys I posted this on WRX and figured I'd post it here as well. Sorta like an iGolf FAQ for all their units.
* Mappings
Bunkers are mapped to the center of the bunker, or bunker cluster.
Front green mapping - based on the fairway leading to the green.
Center - What you'd expect.
Back - based on the fairway leading to the green.
Mapped points are based on Google. They can be up to 5 years old, so if the course has had 'Green' changes, the points could be off. Google maps can also be slightly off as well, so the entire file's yardage might be consistently wrong.
Don't trust those fairway or tee box markers. I've found more wrong than right. When you reach the questionable point (Front center back "bunker center"), if it's shows you're within a yard or two on the gps, the mapping was correct.
* Abbreviations
I don't know if you've seen all their abbreviations but it follows this format. Although they can use 6 characters, they usually only use 3.
Character 1, usually general side of mapping. Such as L left, M middle, or right.
Character 2, shows where. Such as F fairway, G green.
Character 3, usually what. Such as B bunker, W water.
Character 4, so far only the carry distance. C carry.
So you end up with :
RFW - Right side, fairway, water.
RFWC - Right side, fairway, water, carry.
The only 2 abbreviations that do not follow this format are CRK for creek, and EOF for end of fairway on a dog leg. That's for iGolf created files. On the unit there are other choices such as LAYUP.
* File Management
Changing the name of the file on your computer will not affect the displayed name on the unit. So you can append a date (if you modify a file) to differentiate between originals and modified files.
I actually end up keeping multiple copies of the files from them. They're only 7k each so you shouldn't have any file size issues, only the management of them. Here's how I store mine.
'From iGolf' - all original files and from them.
'MeModified or Created' - as the folder name states, where I'll put files from them that I modified (mapped extra points), or created from scratch.
'Backups' - Where files are moved back from unit to computer.
And finally 'on the unit' where I'll keep a copy of files that are currently on the unit.
The backups folder is usually kept empty, and only used as a temporary area until the file is either deleted by me, or moved to the 'modified' folder.
I copy my files from the iGolf or Modified folder into the 'on the unit' folder. And then upload everything from that folder back onto the unit. So I essentially end up with all unique files stored once, except for the 10 duplicates that are in the 'on the unit' folder.
* File Downloads for paid members
Courses with multiple nines cause you to download each one separately, hence a 3 nine course counts as 3 downloads not 1.5.
You can re-download any courses you already have without affecting your available credits. Good idea is to do a mass download shortly before your membership expires. Max of around 25 in a 24 hour period, or your downloading priviliges gets locked for 24 hours. You can check this by looking at your profile before and after downloading a file you've already done before.
* Membership - Paid or Free ?
Free allows you to download 'scorecards' for the course if it's in their system. Scorecards are copies of their gps files without the lat/longs but all the custom points they mapped if a 'gps' version is available, otherwise just all blanks, with Front Center and Back for each hole.
You can sign up as a paid member allowing 100 downloads in a year. Download 'em all or lose the credits within that time period. Your membership will revert to a free membership afterward.
* Settings
I've had great success with WAAS ON, and stabilizer off.
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) allows for more precise location.
Wide Area Augmentation System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stabilizer means the unit will continually update your distance once you stop walking. I normally carry mine in my pocket so I figure when I reach my ball and yank it out it'll get a better GPS signal.
* Miscellaneous
I have found that v3 of the sync software (Java based) sometimes will only upload/display the first NINE holes of a course. You can check this when up upload a file to the unit, by just using the arrows on the unit used to go from hole to hole. If you hit the up arrow and only see hole 9, you know the back nine will not be displayed.
v1 of the Neo firmware will show yardages up to 9999. v2 will only show 999. So if you're on the way to the course and the unit is on, it won't count down your yardage to the hole till you're really close.
There's no use in comparing any company's GPS yardage to another. Each company will map independently, so mappings can be different.
Hope this is of some benefit to you iGolf GPS users.
* Mappings
Bunkers are mapped to the center of the bunker, or bunker cluster.
Front green mapping - based on the fairway leading to the green.
Center - What you'd expect.
Back - based on the fairway leading to the green.
Mapped points are based on Google. They can be up to 5 years old, so if the course has had 'Green' changes, the points could be off. Google maps can also be slightly off as well, so the entire file's yardage might be consistently wrong.
Don't trust those fairway or tee box markers. I've found more wrong than right. When you reach the questionable point (Front center back "bunker center"), if it's shows you're within a yard or two on the gps, the mapping was correct.
* Abbreviations
I don't know if you've seen all their abbreviations but it follows this format. Although they can use 6 characters, they usually only use 3.
Character 1, usually general side of mapping. Such as L left, M middle, or right.
Character 2, shows where. Such as F fairway, G green.
Character 3, usually what. Such as B bunker, W water.
Character 4, so far only the carry distance. C carry.
So you end up with :
RFW - Right side, fairway, water.
RFWC - Right side, fairway, water, carry.
The only 2 abbreviations that do not follow this format are CRK for creek, and EOF for end of fairway on a dog leg. That's for iGolf created files. On the unit there are other choices such as LAYUP.
* File Management
Changing the name of the file on your computer will not affect the displayed name on the unit. So you can append a date (if you modify a file) to differentiate between originals and modified files.
I actually end up keeping multiple copies of the files from them. They're only 7k each so you shouldn't have any file size issues, only the management of them. Here's how I store mine.
'From iGolf' - all original files and from them.
'MeModified or Created' - as the folder name states, where I'll put files from them that I modified (mapped extra points), or created from scratch.
'Backups' - Where files are moved back from unit to computer.
And finally 'on the unit' where I'll keep a copy of files that are currently on the unit.
The backups folder is usually kept empty, and only used as a temporary area until the file is either deleted by me, or moved to the 'modified' folder.
I copy my files from the iGolf or Modified folder into the 'on the unit' folder. And then upload everything from that folder back onto the unit. So I essentially end up with all unique files stored once, except for the 10 duplicates that are in the 'on the unit' folder.
* File Downloads for paid members
Courses with multiple nines cause you to download each one separately, hence a 3 nine course counts as 3 downloads not 1.5.
You can re-download any courses you already have without affecting your available credits. Good idea is to do a mass download shortly before your membership expires. Max of around 25 in a 24 hour period, or your downloading priviliges gets locked for 24 hours. You can check this by looking at your profile before and after downloading a file you've already done before.
* Membership - Paid or Free ?
Free allows you to download 'scorecards' for the course if it's in their system. Scorecards are copies of their gps files without the lat/longs but all the custom points they mapped if a 'gps' version is available, otherwise just all blanks, with Front Center and Back for each hole.
You can sign up as a paid member allowing 100 downloads in a year. Download 'em all or lose the credits within that time period. Your membership will revert to a free membership afterward.
* Settings
I've had great success with WAAS ON, and stabilizer off.
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) allows for more precise location.
Wide Area Augmentation System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stabilizer means the unit will continually update your distance once you stop walking. I normally carry mine in my pocket so I figure when I reach my ball and yank it out it'll get a better GPS signal.
* Miscellaneous
I have found that v3 of the sync software (Java based) sometimes will only upload/display the first NINE holes of a course. You can check this when up upload a file to the unit, by just using the arrows on the unit used to go from hole to hole. If you hit the up arrow and only see hole 9, you know the back nine will not be displayed.
v1 of the Neo firmware will show yardages up to 9999. v2 will only show 999. So if you're on the way to the course and the unit is on, it won't count down your yardage to the hole till you're really close.
There's no use in comparing any company's GPS yardage to another. Each company will map independently, so mappings can be different.
Hope this is of some benefit to you iGolf GPS users.
United States
