GPS Course Setup

Add GPS coordinates to your course to enable free rangefinder functionality for all players.

Overview

GPS-enabled courses provide players with real-time distance information during their round. As a course administrator, you’ll need to add coordinates for each hole’s key features.

What You’ll Need

Equipment

• Smartphone with GPS (for collecting coordinates)
• Computer (for entering data into the system)
• Access to Google Maps or similar mapping tool (alternative method)

Time Investment

• On-course method: 2-3 hours to walk and record all 18 holes
• Mapping tool method: 1-2 hours using satellite imagery

Coordinate Types

Required Coordinates

For each hole, you need at minimum:

Optional Coordinates

Enhanced data for better player experience:

Method 1: On-Course Collection

The most accurate method is walking the course with a GPS device.

Step 1: Prepare Your Device

1. Open Google Maps on your smartphone
2. Ensure location services are enabled with high accuracy mode
3. Test that GPS is working (your blue dot should be precise)

Step 2: Collect Green Coordinates

For each hole:

1. Walk to the center of the green
2. Stand still for 10 seconds (allows GPS to stabilize)
3. Drop a pin in Google Maps at your location
4. Tap the pin to view coordinates (latitude, longitude)
5. Record the coordinates with the hole number

Example format:

Hole 1 Green Center: 36.5672, -121.9511

Step 3: Collect Pin Positions

For tournament-specific pin positions:

1. Walk to the actual hole location
2. Stand directly over the cup
3. Record coordinates as above

Note: Pin positions change daily. Record them the morning of your event for maximum accuracy.

Step 4: Collect Hazard Coordinates (Optional)

For each significant hazard:

1. Walk to the front edge of the hazard (closest to tee)
2. Record coordinates with a descriptive name
3. Include hazard type (bunker, water, tree, other)

Example format:

Hole 1 Fairway Bunker (right): 36.5668, -121.9508, bunker
Hole 1 Creek: 36.5665, -121.9505, water

Method 2: Satellite Imagery

Use Google Maps or Google Earth to extract coordinates from satellite images.

Step 1: Open Google Maps

1. Go to Google Maps 
2. Search for your golf course by name
3. Switch to Satellite view
4. Zoom in until greens are clearly visible

Step 2: Identify Greens

1. Locate the green for each hole
2. Greens appear as distinct light-colored ovals
3. Confirm by counting hole numbers from the clubhouse

Step 3: Get Coordinates

For each green:

1. Right-click (or long-press on mobile) on the center of the green
2. Select “What’s here?” or similar option
3. Copy the latitude and longitude that appears
4. Record with the hole number

Step 4: Repeat for Hazards

1. Identify bunkers (light tan spots near greens and fairways)
2. Identify water hazards (blue areas)
3. Get coordinates for front edge of each hazard

Entering Coordinates

Access Course Settings

1. Log in to your administrator dashboard
2. Navigate to Course Management
3. Select your course
4. Click GPS Settings or Hole Details

Add Hole Coordinates

For each hole:

1. Select the hole number
2. Enter the Green Center coordinates:
   • Latitude: 36.5672
   • Longitude: -121.9511
3. Enter the Pin Position coordinates (if different from center)
4. Save changes

Add Hazard Coordinates

1. Click Add Hazard for the hole
2. Enter hazard details:
   • Name: “Right fairway bunker”
   • Type: Select from bunker, water, tree, other
   • Latitude: 36.5668
   • Longitude: -121.9508
3. Repeat for each hazard
4. Save changes

Best Practices

Coordinate Accuracy

• Green coordinates: Should be within 5 meters of actual center
• Pin positions: Update before tournaments for accuracy
• Hazards: Mark front edge (carry distance) rather than center

Pin Position Management

For courses hosting multiple events:

1. Create a “default” pin position at green center
2. Update to actual pin positions on event day
3. Revert to default after the event

This ensures GPS always shows useful data, even between tournaments.

Testing Your Data

After entering coordinates:

1. Open the scoring interface on your phone
2. Walk the first few holes
3. Compare displayed distances to known yardage markers
4. Adjust coordinates if consistently off by more than 10 yards

Common Errors to Avoid

Coordinate Format

Decimal Degrees (Required)

Enter coordinates in decimal degree format:

Correct: 36.5672, -121.9511

Converting from Other Formats

If your GPS provides degrees/minutes/seconds:

Input: 36 34’ 1.92” N, 121 57’ 3.96” W

Conversion:

• Degrees + (Minutes/60) + (Seconds/3600)
• 36 + (34/60) + (1.92/3600) = 36.5672
• Add negative sign for West longitude: -121.9511

Online Converters

Use FCC DMS Converter  or similar tools for quick conversion.

Hazard Types

Bunkers

Include all bunkers that players need to know about:

• Fairway bunkers (affect tee shots)
• Greenside bunkers (affect approach shots)
• Waste bunkers (large sandy areas)

Water Hazards

• Ponds and lakes
• Creeks and streams
• Ditches (if in play)

Trees

Include significant trees that:

• Block common shot paths
• Mark dogleg corners
• Define layup positions

Other

• Out of bounds markers
• Cart path crossings
• Distinctive landmarks

Updating Coordinates

Regular Maintenance

Review GPS data seasonally:

• Pin positions shift as greens are aerated
• Hazards may be modified or added
• New construction may affect coordinates

Event-Day Updates

For tournaments with defined pin sheets:

1. Review the pin sheet the morning of the event
2. Update pin coordinates for each hole
3. Verify changes are saved before players start

Troubleshooting

Players Report Inaccurate Distances

1. Test coordinates yourself with a smartphone
2. Compare to known yardage markers
3. Verify no data entry errors
4. Re-collect coordinates if necessary

GPS Shows “No Data” for Some Holes

1. Check that all 18 holes have coordinates entered
2. Verify coordinates are saved (not just entered)
3. Check for missing required fields

Hazards Not Appearing

1. Confirm hazards are saved for the correct hole
2. Check that hazard type is selected
3. Verify hazard coordinates are valid

Example Course Data

Here’s sample data for a three-hole course:

Hole 1 (Par 4, 385 yards)

Green Center: 36.5672, -121.9511
Pin Position: 36.5673, -121.9510 (front right)
Tee Box: 36.5632, -121.9548

Hazards:
- Right fairway bunker: 36.5655, -121.9530, bunker
- Left greenside bunker: 36.5674, -121.9513, bunker

Hole 2 (Par 3, 165 yards)

Green Center: 36.5688, -121.9502
Pin Position: 36.5687, -121.9501 (back left)
Tee Box: 36.5675, -121.9510

Hazards:
- Front bunker: 36.5685, -121.9503, bunker
- Pond (left): 36.5690, -121.9508, water

Hole 3 (Par 5, 525 yards)

Green Center: 36.5735, -121.9485
Pin Position: 36.5736, -121.9486 (center)
Tee Box: 36.5692, -121.9500

Hazards:
- Fairway bunker: 36.5710, -121.9492, bunker
- Creek crossing: 36.5718, -121.9490, water
- Right greenside bunker: 36.5734, -121.9482, bunker

Need Help?

If you need assistance setting up GPS for your course:

1. Contact our support team for guidance
2. Request a setup consultation
3. See our FAQ for common questions

Well-configured GPS data significantly improves the player experience and is a competitive advantage for your events.