Handy Cap - Check your handicap history on Android... and now iOS!

[Rod Morri]

I do think they will be listening, yes, and their Facebook page and Twitter feed are legitimate places to make your feelings known. I'm simply pointing out that Jed Morgan and Charlotte Heath are celebrating the best day of their golf lives and it would be a shame for them to be caught in the crossfire of an issue that has nothing to do with them.

[markTHEblake]

Do you really think they spent millions on golf link mates? That�d be malpractice considering how shit it was.

No i never said they spent millions on golf link mates.

[markTHEblake]

Defending the indefensible.The Golf Australia handicap tool and website could not be shitter if they tried

what did i defend? Yes GA website is terrible, i made no comment about that. I dont know what that has to do with my suggestion to ask Barry before making a lot of noise about his app. He may really not want anyone to do that.

[BUSHY]

I dont know why its so difficult for GA to create something similar to Handycap? Being able to keep a list of your regular golf buddies is so much easier.

Yeah they need/want to sell advertising space but geez their new webpage for caps is an abomination. I went to it last night again and the 2 rounds from the weekend weren’t showing even though the HC adjustment had been made.

Of course I had to scroll through the offensive Orange Mavrik ads just to get there.

[WBennett]

I dont know what that has to do with my suggestion to ask Barry before making a lot of noise about his app. He may really not want anyone to do that.

Perhaps, but if this thread has shown anything, there is a market for this product.

Why does the product succeed? Its almost perfect - its simple, it loads quickly, it doesn't drain your data, it isn't full of superfluous crap, its tailorable to user requirements.

Everything the awful GA page isn't.

No wonder they wanted it to go away.

[Webster]

The app is/was excellent and used by many members of my Club. It�s a shame it has come to this, but perhaps if the app owner had sought permission from the data owners (GA) early on this may not have happened.

The GA handicap page is terrible, not just the ads either. Really poorly built and displayed. Is golflink mates still a thing?

[thecollective]

I dont know why its so difficult for GA to create something similar to Handycap? Being able to keep a list of your regular golf buddies is so much easier.

Yeah they need/want to sell advertising space but geez their new webpage for caps is an abomination. I went to it last night again and the 2 rounds from the weekend weren’t showing even though the HC adjustment had been made.

Of course I had to scroll through the offensive Orange Mavrik ads just to get there.

A complete waste of money for GA to build an app. from scratch. Im sure Bradley would charge a reasonable fee and then everyone would be happy and GA would save serious $$$

[Scottt]

The app is/was excellent and used by many members of my Club. It’s a shame it has come to this, but perhaps if the app owner had sought permission from the data owners (GA) early on this may not have happened.

The GA handicap page is terrible, not just the ads either. Really poorly built and displayed. Is golflink mates still a thing?

The GA Handicap webpage on mobile looks like an 80-year-old's iPhone screen -- gigantic font that creates tons of pointless white space and you need to scroll five times to read a sentence.

My instinct is that they built the desktop page and then just let the mobile site be as it may off the back of that. Building for desktop basically sums up GA's grasp and management of anything digital.

[thecollective]

Is golflink mates still a thing?

Yes mate, the legacy app. still works

I only use it as it was left over from 2014 when I signed up to get cheaper green fees for the 'Race to Bonville' comps. (no longer an event)

[markTHEblake]

Perhaps, but if this thread has shown anything, there is a market for this product.

Of course there is, i use it too and I like it.

No wonder they wanted it to go away.

Maybe you know for sure that he got the data direct from GA, i dont know that. Considering that GA sells access to the data on commercial terms and doesnt permit unuathorised access or sharing, its very unlikely they did, because then everyone would want ot for free. This public campaign could land the author in hot water legally, and destroy any chance of future success with it.

[Bruce]

I think one of the issues that is at stake here is: Who owns that data?

I didn't give it to them. I paid for them to manage it for me via my affiliation fee. I can't find any T&Cs associated with my affiliation fee that relate to them owning the data, therefore I think it remains owned by me, the golfer.
As such, monetising my access to *my* data is really poor form.

[sms316]

The first use of your GOLF Link Card in conjunction with the GOLF Link System will be taken as your agreement to comply with these Terms and Conditions.

2.2 Cardholders cannot assign any rights under these Terms and Conditions.

A few years back GA sold the rights to the GL page to Micropower (ISG among other things) and of course they introduced the garish ads to make it viable. GA since reacquired the rights to the page and of course they aren�t letting that go.

This doesn�t take anything away from the fact that the page is woeful on several levels. I don�t know of anyone who wouldn�t prefer to pay an extra few dollars in their subs to get the page wiped clean.

I�d also pay extra to do whatever it takes to get Andy Maher off their podcast, but that�s a different matter.

[Jerry Springer]

Seems to be working again

[Pickles]

Golf Australia has been made aware of problems for many golfers who have been using the Handy Cap app.
The problems stem from an upgrade to the app that was released last week.
We are currently working with Handy Cap on finding a technical resolution for users.
A timeline for this solution has been made more challenging by the impending release next week of the World Handicap System.


https://twitter.com/GolfAust

[Jerry Springer]

Interesting, it updated once automatically and refreshed handicaps, and now has the data error again. Pleased to hear that GA are working to fix it.

[Scottt]

The people, united etc.

[3Puttpete]

It seems too quick to be people power. I suspect GA were already aware of the app and have no problems with it.

[Minor_Threat]

Yep working for me, just not getting comp results..

[PerryGroves]

It seems too quick to be people power. I suspect GA were already aware of the app and have no problems with it.

Maybe but with the interweb and twitter you are gawn if you don't control the narrative in the first 24 hours. Not saying there was a "pile in" on GA but they have effectively shut down any increase in whinging pretty quickly.

I will give Scottt et al some kudos in this case.

[AlexMc]

I tweeted Mark Hayes from GA direct and he said he�d look into it. Announcement today saying they would work with Handy Cap rather than against them.

I�ll give them the benefit of the doubt for the moment...

[Steve57]

I tweeted Mark Hayes from GA direct and he said he�d look into it. Announcement today saying they would work with Handy Cap rather than against them.I�ll give them the benefit of the doubt for the moment...

Well done Alex!

[WBennett]

What a great result.

Well done to Scotty, Chris Kane and various others who lead the social media charge.

[Scottt]

Cheers Perry & WB.

Really happy that I keep getting to use the app & pleased for Brad that it lives. He has done such a great service to golfers by building and sustaining it, he didn�t deserve to go down like that.

Thanks to everyone who got behind the initial tweet and also chimed in with their own. Social media can be pretty good sometimes.

[BGH]

Hey guys, just a bit of an update. Still working through the technical/other complications of getting access to the handicap data again. If everything goes according to plan I hope to get a fixed version of the app out this week.

I think one of the issues that is at stake here is: Who owns that data?

I didn't give it to them. I paid for them to manage it for me via my affiliation fee.

Does anyone know how affiliation fees work? It looks like I pay it to my state body. Do they then feed it to GA? Does anyone know if there is a break down of how much of that affiliation fee is actually attributed to maintaining your handicap?

[markTHEblake]

Your club collects the affiliation fee by including it in yoir membership. As of 31/12 the clubs then do a tally of financial members and remit the fees to the State, who then pass on GA's cut. District fees may be paid direct or via the state. Seems a strange question to be asking, because nobody pays their fees directly ? The exact amount for the handicap is less than $10