PDGA iPhone app

[Cgkdisc]

They have to officially declare that the Rules Q&As are part of the Rules before making that effort...

Actually why wouldn't it be better to just have the rules downloaded into your device as a PDF that can be read by another app running in the background? That way you can toggle to the rules as needed rather than jumping around screens in the scoring app.

 

[bunchofstring]

@horsmanm, is there another Discasaurus? I ask because every "fact" you stated about it was incorrect. In fact, Discasaurus can score for multiple players at a time and that's where it's much faster than the competition. Also, we have a nationwide course database that includes different layouts for the various tee and basket positions. I could go on, but probably the best thing is to just ask that you actually use the app, THEN let us all know what you think

FYI, this is the Discasaurus that I'm talking about: http://www.discasaurus.com/blog/iphone-app-walkthrough

 

[Cgkdisc]

What's the source of the Discasaurus course data?

 

[Darth Anovin]

i reviewed the app quite intensively while sitting in a meeting today. I'm curious as to why the PDGA rules manual wasn't embedded in the app. If it supported a search function, the PDGA app could save TDs and players time from reviewing the rulebook for answers.

mike

Very good idea for future versions.

 

[Horsman]

@horsmanm, is there another Discasaurus? I ask because every "fact" you stated about it was incorrect. In fact, Discasaurus can score for multiple players at a time and that's where it's much faster than the competition. Also, we have a nationwide course database that includes different layouts for the various tee and basket positions. I could go on, but probably the best thing is to just ask that you actually use the app, THEN let us all know what you think

FYI, this is the Discasaurus that I'm talking about: http://www.discasaurus.com/blog/iphone-app-walkthrough

FYI I have used the app extensively but I cannot figure out for the life of me how to get more then one player on it and from my experiences with the app the course info may be somewhat correct but my issue with it is that I have a course here in Milwaukee where there is 18 holes and a 9 hole course and the 9 hole is a little bit half way through the 18 and what I would like to be able to do is decide before hand which way Im going to be playing the course so that I can keep track accurately. I want to be able to put the course info in myself not have someone else tell me how the course is. From my use this app could be good if they added more features. And every "fact" that I stated I believe to be true. These are my opinions of the of the apps they are not hardcore facts that every single person in the world agrees with. These are my opinions of my experiences. And just to let you know Discasaurus is not the worst app out there for keeping score. That honor goes to Disc Golf Tracker and in my opinion has so much wrong with it I didn't even want to add it to my comparison.

 

[tpozzy]

i reviewed the app quite intensively while sitting in a meeting today. I'm curious as to why the PDGA rules manual wasn't embedded in the app. If it supported a search function, the PDGA app could save TDs and players time from reviewing the rulebook for answers.

mike

Mike,

It was just a matter of priorities. It's definitely on the list for a future version. However, we really felt we needed to get the core course directory and scorecard features out there. And we really need to generate revenue to continue development. The BoD only approved a fixed budget, and we're almost done spending it. We're hoping for good sales, so we appreciate your feedback - especially about the things you like!

-Theo

 

[jenb]

OMG it's teh Pozzy! "DGCR CONSULTANT" status incoming.

 

[Darth Anovin]

Mike,

It was just a matter of priorities. It's definitely on the list for a future version. However, we really felt we needed to get the core course directory and scorecard features out there. And we really need to generate revenue to continue development. The BoD only approved a fixed budget, and we're almost done spending it. We're hoping for good sales, so we appreciate your feedback - especially about the things you like!

-Theo

Thus, you all need to purchase this app if you haven't done so yet!

 

[mike]

Thus, you all need to purchase this app if you haven't done so yet!

This...support the PDGA!

 

[keith johnson]

All of you DGCR people talking about the app are welcome!

 

[Danger]

La Mirada Regional Park in La Mirada, CA, is two separate courses. "Lake 18," and "Back 18"

 

[Darth Anovin]

i reviewed the app quite intensively while sitting in a meeting today. I'm curious as to why the PDGA rules manual wasn't embedded in the app. If it supported a search function, the PDGA app could save TDs and players time from reviewing the rulebook for answers.

mike

Just thought I'd like to add that, even though there isn't a search feature, you could just as easily add the PDF file of the rulebook to your home page on your iPhone.

 

[Darth Anovin]

This is the first I have heard of any issues with emailing the round results. Please let me know if this is reproducible after your next round.

Thanks,
-Theo

I played in a tourney today and the same thing happened when trying to email both rounds.

 

[tpozzy]

La Mirada Regional Park in La Mirada, CA, is two separate courses. "Lake 18," and "Back 18"

Cliff Towne and Chuck Kennedy are working to identify directory updates that are needed. I know Chuck is actively monitoring this forum, so we'll add this one to the list of key courses (I have fond memories of playing La Mirada in a major event a few years ago!) that need revisions in the directory.

In addition to posting here, if you know the course designer or club that maintains the course, please communicate to them that the PDGA course directory should be updated.

Thanks,
-Theo

 

[Darth Anovin]

Also, I think I may have found a flaw with the projected rating feature. The course I played in a tournament at yesterday is at Monroe Community Park in Monroe Oh. It is a 24 hole course. My first round was an 81,+9. My second round was a 79,+7. According to the PDGA's results page for the event, my round ratings were 851 and 872 respectively. However, according to the app, my ratings were 630 and 660. I know that it's only supposed to be an approximation, but that seems way off. It almost seems as though it estimated the round rating as though the course was 18 holes instead of 24, even though it has Monroe listed at 24 in the course info page.

 

[BradC]

Cliff Towne and Chuck Kennedy are working to identify directory updates that are needed. I know Chuck is actively monitoring this forum, so we'll add this one to the list of key courses (I have fond memories of playing La Mirada in a major event a few years ago!) that need revisions in the directory.

In addition to posting here, if you know the course designer or club that maintains the course, please communicate to them that the PDGA course directory should be updated.

Thanks,
-Theo

Theo,

I had a similar issue with Codorus this weekend. (Codorus State Park, Hanover PA).

It wanted to put all 54 holes as one round, and would not let me break it up among the four courses.

Thank you.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Darth Anovin - It almost seems as though it estimated the round rating as though the course was 18 holes instead of 24, even though it has Monroe listed at 24 in the course info page.

The factor to adjust the round rating for a course with a number of holes different from 18 was missed in the first release. That has been fixed along with a few other items in V1.03 which might be available for download possibly this week depending on Apple.

 

[forehandfranz]

Big thanks to all the work that PDGA developers have put in so far....

Two courses I just played are listed incorrectly in the PDGA database;

Maple Hill in Leicester, MA
Borderlands State Park in Easton, MA

Maple Hill has just added their Gold Course to the arsenal to now make it 72 holes. Borderland has always (to my experience) been an 18 hole course (not 36 as the PDGA states). It does have 2 tees and 2 pins per hole (giving it a possibility of 72 holes) totaling 4-18 hole layouts.

The biggest improvement- by far- that the app could use: Actually list each layout such as "Maple Hill - Blue" with the actual par of 60 set in the scorecard instead of just all par 3's.

All the updates are on the Hole info pages here at DGCR - which is the only site I use (sorry PDGA), as they are much, much more up to date.

 

[Cgkdisc]

The PDGA and DGCR Directories rely on players to update them. Hopefully, those using the app will proceed to submit corrections as needed or seek those with the information to correct them.

 

[the_lung]

The PDGA and DGCR Directories rely on players to update them. Hopefully, those using the app will proceed to submit corrections as needed or seek those with the information to correct them.

Indeed, it is neither the fault of the PDGA iPhone app nor the app designers that data from the PDGA Course Directory may be faulty.

But while hindsight is 20/20, I think that members of the PDGA IT team, in conjuction with the release of this app, should have had the foresight to call on folks to update the data in the PDGA Course Directory. This has been done several times in the past decade by Cliffe Towne and company in preparation for the hard copy printings of the PDGA Course Directory. When I was PDGA state coordinator of Pennsylvania 3 years ago, I remember a similar drive and I sent out e-mails to every single course contact in my state to either update the directory, or send me the information and I would do it for them. Pleasantly, I heard back from several dozen people and was confident that the info for my state in the hard copy was mostly up-to-date. It should not have taken much labor or effort to initiate a similar drive; one e-mail to all 50 State Coordinators may have been all that was necessary.

But then again, even such a simple effort may have been all for naught if, due to the slowness of the PDGA website, it took people so long to load the PDGA Course Directory that they gave up on updating the information. As unfair as it may be, folks are going to continue to judge the PDGA iPhone app by the quality of the data it accesses. Sadly, I think that until the PDGA website is fixed and folks can access it in an expedient manner, and until a majority of the PDGA Course Directory is updated with current information, the PDGA iPhone app may continue to yield unpleasant experiences and garner negative reviews.