My Optishot at last.....

[Andegoulding]

Well, after being sent a dodgy Optishot unit a week or two back from Amazon, my replacement turned up yesterday. Set it up, spent a while inputting club data then I gave it a whirl. Initially I was a bit miffed as it kept on telling me that the face was closed. Quite severely at times. I put it down to the lighting and vowed to sort it out for the better today. Went to the range for the first time ever today and guess what? I discovered that I am hitting the ball with a closed face . So a big hats off to the Optishot for being spot on. Tried it again today. It really is replicating things spot on. I can see, as the club face sweeps the unit, that I have an outside/in problem as well as rotating my wrists to keep closing the face.

I should explain that I am new to golf. I have just completed a short "introduction to golf" type course, hence today being the first outing at the range. I bought the Optishot as a way of helping me improve and have to say that I am very pleased with the feedback it is providing me so far. Even though it just reiterates how absolutely e I am at the game. For such a small outlay (comparatively) it is a remarkable device.

I have cheated a little by having the sim "boost" my slow and ineffective swing, so that I can just about achieve the average distances per club that a good player can expect. The plan being that as I improve (hopefully), and the distances start to stretch, I shall dial the settings down to keep things in check. If I were to set it to realistically mirror my current capabilities I would get down-hearted with 60-yard drives and par 5's becoming par 12's

I know that the Optishot is old hat to a lot of you, and there are much more sophisticated offerings out there, but I don't think I could be more pleased for the bang-per-buck that my little gizmo is affording me. Well happy. Until I can afford a Protee that is, lol.

[CPA]

Now you know why you were 2 fairways accross!

Can you test something for me. When you swing just have 1 thought. When you get to top of swing pull grip end DOWN whith left hand only. Tell me the results of swing path.

[Andegoulding]

Now you know why you were 2 fairways accross!

Can you test something for me. When you swing just have 1 thought. When you get to top of swing pull grip end DOWN whith left hand only. Tell me the results of swing path.

Haha. Yes it's certainly starting to make sense now, lol. I shall try your advice in the morning. The gf's just gone to bed so I'm not allowed to start swinging clubs while she snores. Will report back with results asap

[CPA]

Now I really think you should ditch the GF.

Try getting limited flight balls, not so much noise.

[Andegoulding]

Now I really think you should ditch the GF.

Try getting limited flight balls, not so much noise.

Still a bit tricky when the sim's set up in the bedroom . Anyhow, I tried the pulling of the left arm (as my pro had mentioned on day one ) and the problem has certainly lessened. My swing is still nowhere near consistent as yet so I am still getting a variety of mishaps, but things are certainly for the better. A lot of my swing problem emanates from the fact that I am swinging in a fairly confined space. There is just enough room to swing a 7-iron with some vigour, but because it feels confined it somehow stops my arms coming through nicely and I end up all chicken-winged. I've already managed to twat the light twice. I'll have it down yet, lol. Gonna have words with the gf and see if I can't knock up a sim-shack in the back garden. Would certainly make it better.

Spent some time on the DD practice range, and the shot dispersion for each club is certainly a little tighter already so I am well happy that things are headed in the right direction. I still can't help but smile when I play a bad shot and instantly think "open face, and toed", then I look at the screen to find that Optishot is bang on and confirming what I thought. A cracking little device. Also couldn't resist on treating myself to a "premium course". Settled on Carolina Ocean Course after much deliberation. And I'm really happy with it. Cracking visuals. I might go mad and add Atlanta Highlands some time next week if I have an ebay session first to raise some much needed dosh

I couldn't help but think, as I played earlier, that it would be a wonderful addition to the setup if you could save your played rounds including all shot data. Then, when next you come to play the same course, you could load your best round to date and play against the "old you". A great way to inject some fun and pressure, and to see where (if) improvements are being made to your game. Files could also be swapped online so that you could effectively play against others. I don't think, from a coding point of view, it would be an enormous undertaking for DD. I'm not talking animated virtual golfers, just seeing the ball fly as you do during your shot or via the replay option. And it would be certainly be another selling point for DD. I used to do a lot of sim car racing a few years back, and it was probably the best way to learn new tracks and bring your lap times down. No reason why it couldn't be applied to golf sims. Here's hoping

[GMR]

I couldn't help but think, as I played earlier, that it would be a wonderful addition to the setup if you could save your played rounds including all shot data. Then, when next you come to play the same course, you could load your best round to date and play against the "old you". A great way to inject some fun and pressure, and to see where (if) improvements are being made to your game. Files could also be swapped online so that you could effectively play against others. I don't think, from a coding point of view, it would be an enormous undertaking for DD. I'm not talking animated virtual golfers, just seeing the ball fly as you do during your shot or via the replay option. And it would be certainly be another selling point for DD. I used to do a lot of sim car racing a few years back, and it was probably the best way to learn new tracks and bring your lap times down. No reason why it couldn't be applied to golf sims. Here's hoping

That's a brilliant idea. Very nice thought. All the sims should have this function. And you're right, it really shouldn't be all that hard to implement.

[wbealsd]

Great idea!!!

[goatbarn]

I really like that idea. I'd like all online/multi player to work like this too. I'd also like the option of playing all at the same time, meaning all players/cpu bots shoot whenever theyre ready and you just see their ball flights represented by different colors per player/cpu. Tiger Woods golf online worked like this back when I played it on ps3 and it made the rounds much more enjoyable and wayyyy faster. If you finish before others on a hole you just wait until they finish and you move on. A lot of fun.

Around the 2:25 mark of this video you can see what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntlh5SyR7eM

[Andegoulding]

I've got to be honest, I was absolutely gob-smacked when I discovered that it wasn't already in there. I truly thought that it would be pretty much a bog-standard feature throughout sim-world. And, yes, I remember the simultaneous online shot mode of TW. From an online point of view that was pretty much perfection.

On a brighter note - I re-visited the range today and the Optishot is already paying dividends. I was managing to hit longer and straighter than the last outing. Ok, so still quite unimpressive distances, but definitely an improvement. However, I was catching nearly every ball a little thin. I think the Opti' has made me a little shy of taking a divot. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, lol......

[wbealsd]

You may want to check out the Divot Action mats, here's a discussion about them here - http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthre...n-Mat&p=456081

[Andegoulding]

You may want to check out the Divot Action mats, here's a discussion about them here - http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthre...n-Mat&p=456081

I have looked at these before but I'm based in the uk. Will see how prohibitive postage would be.

[Andegoulding]

I see that the divot mats are available on eBay. With shipping they come in at around £180. I cannot justify that so will look at something a bit more "home brew". Time to look at carpet underlay samples methinks....

[Buz]

Just ordered the whole setup. Optishot, hitting mat, projector, net surround, screen. Really can't wait to get going with it. Will take a few days to get here since I ordered everything online. Hopefully 9 ft 2 in ceiling will be good enough to swing driver. Looking forward to playing all winter. Can finally work on my swing. I will post my setup soon as I get it all together. Anything I should know about the optishot when I first start using it? I was reading a lot of the posts already, maybe something new popped up. Thanks to all for the posted info.

[Buz]

I was looking at those, seems expensive for a 6 x 6 inch piece of fake grass. I am a flooring installer so you can actually find green carpet/synthetic turf with a rubber back on it that would feel like grass,.... sort of.... or astroturf and if your good with a knife can cut yourself some replacement's. Just glue it on, or find some double faced tape. You can maybe find a remnant and you should have enough replacement turf to last a lifetime.... Or lifetime of optishot that is.

[bubba22]

Welcom Buz. There have been some attempts over the years to make some replacement turfs. There are a lot of aftermarket options out there. The divot action surfaces are nice. Good luck and keep us posted.