Two Issues with Golf App

Hi All,

I just wanted to inform you all of two issues with the golf app that I've raised with Garmin Support. If you're experiencing them, then I urge you to report them as well as it may help bump them up the priority list. I own the flagship 5+ running software version 11.

Issue 1: AutoShot not tracking most driver tee shots

I've been experiencing this for two years now, and the problem is that the watch rarely detects driver shots that I hit off a tee. 

I'm following all of the recommendations (wear on lead wrist, 'settle' hands and club before starting swing, etc.), my swing speed averages over 100mph and I've swapped devices but the problem still persists. According to Garmin, this is a known issue that they thought they had addressed in a service pack last year, and I am the first to report a new instance of this problem. If you're a golfer, I urge you to test this out and log an issue if you can reproduce it.

Issue 2: Golf app crashes if you exit during active round and launch GPS widget

During an active golf round, if you back out to the watch face and open a widget that uses GPS, then the golf app seems to crash as hitting enter does not take you back into the app. The only way to recover is to reboot the watch. The problem does not occur if you access non-GPS widgets and I've confirmed that it's not specific to one widget as I have been able to reproduce with at least three different ones, including My Places, GPSMetrics, and Golf Distance Measurement. I also tested this use case with a different GPS app (hiking) and it worked fine, so this problem seems to be confined to golf. This issue is also known to Garmin as I am the third user to report this.

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  • Update: Garmin Support has indicated that they will be adding a manual shot tracking feature, to account for situations where Auto Shot fails. No timeline but here's to hoping it makes it in for the 2020 golf season.

  • I have the two very same issues, i flagged them constantly to Garmin over 1.5 years, and no luck. I lost cound how many times i sent the log files, i had my watch replaced....Nothing, zero.
    Sometimes i think they made fun of me.... Telling that the issue couldn't be reproduced and they didn't have time to go on the course to try (?!?!?!)

    Then i trioed to overcome the issue with a distance widget but everything crashes when you use it.

    It's 2 years i suggest to add the manual measurement and they simply ignored the issue.

    any more recent news on the manual shot detection

    Today, 18 holes, ONE shot detected....

  • Hi all,

    thank you for telling your expieriences.

    I can confirm that tee shots are mostly not detected, even if I follow the Garmin instructions.

    Another issue is that my 5 plus has errors in switching to the next fairway. It switches early or not at all and you can imagine, that distances are misleading (however correct but to the wrong hole) and the auto shot result includes shots from other fairways. These shots are missing on the other fairways of course. You can forget any post analysis with these data.

    The newest issue is that the shots are counted reverse, beginning with the green. Must have come with the latest software update.

    And last but not least it is more than disappointing that errors but no new functions are implemented with software updates. There is stableford counting, a better interface and other nice improvements on fenix 6 that might be implemented. I am sure the hardware could support it or it can be implemented in the Garmin app. There are apps with no costs that are better. They call it Rolex of smart watches, but there is no after sale support. 

    Sorry for my English, I am not a native speaker.

  • I upgraded to the 6 Pro and the golf app works flawlessly on that device. 

  • Same here, i had to spend $$$ out of frustration to switch to the Fenix 6, which works ok.
    But it's pretty much a joke what happened on the 5.

  • It's a shame about the poor performance of the golf app on the 5 Plus, but I'd say the golf app on the Fenix 6 is much better than just 'ok'. It runs the same software as Garmin's premium dedicated golf watches and it's worked flawlessly for me. In particular I'm very happy with AutoShot, full color hole maps with touch targeting, the ability to save custom locations, and Pin Pointer features. 

  • Hi

    I've got a Fenix 5 and my wife has a Fenix 5s. We've had them for 2 years or so.  When we first used them for golf they worked flawlessly, now however they both crash regularly,  mine at least once a round but my wife's is worse. I've restored the factory settings etc etc but the problems still persistRageRageRage

  • had the same issue and i'm sorry to say me and other ownerd HAD to switch to Fenix 6 in order to have something remotely usable in golf...

  • Just wanna chime in and add my voice to the list.

    I had a va3 which never recorded shot distance. Garmin started helping them stopped replying to my emails.

    So I sold it and got a fenix 5 which is a way better device all around except for golf. It crashes every single time I play. Several times a round.

    The option to resume is there but I lose shot tracking which really is the best thing about a gps watch. I can record my own score thanks but getting shot distance data is what is really useful.

    Software version 21.

    Come on Garmin. This is not good enough for a premium device that cost a lot.

    Sorry just realised this is in the 5 plus forum. I'll leave this hear anyway as it appears to be a problem that spans many devices

  • Hi Guys, 

    I am having both of these problems, but also am shocked to just confirm that the yardages I am getting are more like meterages!? Litterally. My friend just bought an S40, and his yardages are spot on with our course markers. Mine are approx 10% out, the whole round.

    Anyone else experiencing this frustration?

    Thanks,

    Greg