Front/Back display of Z30

I currently have the Epix Gen 2, and I am interested in getting the Z30 as it looks like a great way to supplement the watch GPS.

I have a question regarding the front/back yardage display of the Z30.  If I am on the left side of a narrow long green (front back 30 yards, left right 10 yards), and pin is in the middle of the green.  If I shoot with Z30, would the front back be showing pin distance +/-5 (which would be ideal, as it would be the "front/back" relative to my current position) or would the front/back be showing it +15/-15 (the front back of the green, which would actually be left/right from my vantage point, less useful)?

I have a feeling it will show the true front / back of the green (in which case, it would be a left/right distance of the green from my relative position).  It's not a deal breaker as I am sure I can still pull up the green from my watch to get the vantage point "front/back" distance.

Thanks,

Albert

  • I've used mine only twice and don't remember exactly your scenario but as I understand it you can shoot the flag from anywhere on the hole and it will position the flag on the green view on the watch (that's my actual experience). The Z30 will then display the distance to the flag and on the left side of the display it will display the position of the flag relative to the F/B - as expected. I'd 'guess' that each time you shoot the flag it will update the position of the flag relative to F/B from the position that you are at the time of shooting. i.e. I'm hoping that the shooting position does indeed give the relative F/B distances rather that the absolute F/B distances, else it isn't as useful as expected.

    Another very useful feature would be to have the F/B graphic as per the Z30 displayed on the watch, then it really is shoot once from anywhere.

    I like the S70 Z30 combo, I really feel it adds a valuable layer of data. But, I'm only two rounds in and so I'm REALLY hoping that the F/B distances are relative and not absolute.

    Good question, I await a formal answer too.

  • One very interesting possibility would be for the Z30 and Garmin watch to work together.  Once you are able to shoot the pin 2x from sufficiently different location, you can effectively position the pin accurately on a 2D map (sure the “circle” would cross on 2 points, but obviously we can ignore the 1 point that’s not on the green).  

    This would be the assumption that you are shooting from a sufficiently left and right (relative to the hole’s fairway).  So it may not technically work if you are walking (relatively) straight in relation to the pin as there could be 2 points in which the circle would overlap on the green surface.  However, if you shoot at the pin from 3 separate points, that would hypothetically allow the watch/Z30 to triangulate the exact point even if you are walking in a straight line.  (300yd, 200yd, 150yds away).  That would have 3 circles with a point that triangulate the exact location of pin.  

    Would be cool to develop in the firmware update into either the watch or if z30 has an APU/GPU to do the triangulation.  Anything to automate the pin position recording would be a big plus.  This would benefit people and lock people further into the Garmin ecosystem (which I am a big fan of Slight smile) and be really able to differentiate the Garmin watches and laser rangefinders.