sweet!  Please keep me posted..  I don't have one yet and i'm hoping my work orders me one for testing since it's my part of my job.  yeah I love my job! :) 

The apps that are popping up, do they require the iPhone to be near by?

B.A.

How go things with the Apple Watch?  Have you tried Hole19 with it?  I just read an interesting review of the Watch and Hole19 on GolfWRX. 

Thanks. J.A.C.

I haven't tried the 19th hole. Someone I played with the other day used that app, and while it looked interesting and has a watch app as well, I currently use Golfshot which is also on the watch and has many more features. May cost a little more, but I think it's worth it. 

My update so far after a few rounds with the watch is I really like it. I am pleasantly surprised with the battery life and feel they drastically under-sold the battery life. My watch lasts for days even when I play. I do take it off when I get home and turn it off though... why would you leave it on, anyway if you aren't wearing it?

As far as the Golfshot app on the watch is concerned, I thing it's pretty good, but not perfect. I would expect them to improve it though. As of right now, it gives you a recommended shot target based on your avg shot length and the hole (just like the regular iPhone app), lets you see hazard distances, and enter a basic score. 

I dislike the fact that I cannot move the GPS image to see more on the watch, and that I cannot enter detailed score stats. So, I ended up using the watch throughout the hole, but entering my score stats on my phone, which was actually fine since it's easier to do that on the big screen anyway. 

You do need to make sure to make the setting on the Golfshot app have a long timeout and to stay connected to the GPS satellites (which I did before anyway). I have mine set at a 20 min timeout The app also tends to use only a small amount of my iPhone battery life. I probably end a round with 60-70% left on my iPhone 6 and I'm doing other things other than playing golf as well. I do not set my screen to 100% brightness, FYI.

When using these apps, I assume your phone needs to be in your pocket for accurate distances, correct?  With the Apple Watch, is that no longer the case?  For example, if you leave your iPhone in the golf cart, will your watch tell you the distance where the watch is or where the iPhone is?

Unfortunately, the watch gets all its data from the phone, so it still has to be in your pocket. But, the good news is it can stay in your pocket, which I have found to far to be great. I do like it. 

I carry my bag and walk almost every round I play.  Would it work with my iPhone in the valuables pocket while the bag is standing right next to me?  Obviously I do not have the Apple Watch yet.

Arccos I have not tried but at $19.99 seems like a good deal...however does anyone have any other useful apps for the iwatch during a golf round?

I've used the GolfLogix app the last 2 rounds.  I have checked the distance I get with my friend who has a bushnell V2 and we have been with a few yards at most. Also as I go past the 150 marker I check and the yardage has been spot on. Overall I'm happy. One drawback is the course we played had a temporary green and the app was still giving me yardage to the old green so at times only a laser can give you the exact yardage.  

the Arccos app on the Apple watch works great.  I have been using it for a couple months now.

I got tired of using my watch to play, not to mention I got a nasty watch tan line. I found it easier to just do what I was doing before and keep my score stats on my phone and use my phone for GPS hole layout when I'm not familiar with the hole. Otherwise I just use my laser when I need yardage. 

Thanks for the update on this. I was going between an iWatch and a Garmin. I went wit the Garmin and have been very happy so far.