CaddieMasterPro -- Version 3.04 Features List

We've been listening to our users. Accordingly, a number of exciting enhancements have been added to Version 2.01d over the past 3 years and are all contained in Version 3.04. Read on to get a quick overview and then optionally download the Version 3.04b Supplementary User Manual for a more in-depth description of what is now possible.

1. Cosmetic Improvements

The gray shadings for many label fields have been altered such that the "look" is now more consistent on desktop computers that are not using standard Windows color schemes. This improved approach is also useful on many laptop computers that use non-standard color schemes.

The coloring of various command buttons and label boxes has been enhanced to maintain a consistent look through out the program.

2. General Program Usage and Calendar-Related Features

2.1 Date Formats

The calendar has always been an important part of the CaddieMasterPro program. Users outside of the US will be pleased to know that a broader range of Windows

System Short Date formats are now supported. The full list of supported formats includes: mm/dd/yy; mm/dd/yyyy; MM/dd/yy; MM/dd/yyyy; dd/mm/yy; dd/mm/yyyy; dd/MM/yy; dd/MM/yyyy; yy/mm/dd; yyyy/mm/dd; yy/MM/dd; yyyy/MM/dd

2.2 Screen Resizing

It is now possible to resize just about every CaddieMasterPro screen. Screens can be increased in size or made to fill the entire monitor screen.

2.3 Screen Positioning

In the past, the main screen would always return to the center of the screen when an overlay screen was closed. The program has now been enhanced to cause the main screen to remain in the earlier designated screen position when an overlay screen is closed down.

2.4 Use of a Period or a Comma for Separating Digits

European users will be happy to know that the program now supports the Windows personal configuration of using a comma (instead of a period) as a decimal separator and a period (instead of a comma) as the thousands grouping separator.

2.5 Improved Help Screen

The Help screen has been enhanced by improving the color scheme to make the material easier to read and a good deal of new support information has been added.

2. 6 Spreadsheet Capacity

The spreadsheet has been expanded to support the display of up to 400 rounds of golf instead of the maximum of the 200 rounds that used to be in place.

2.7 New “Legend” Feature

With the "Calendar active, a new command button labeled "Legend" can be seen as shown below. The clicking of this button will invoke the display of a small overlay screen that will describe the significance of each of the 5 colors used to identify a particular type of golf round. The round types include: a single 18-hole round; 2 or more 18-hole rounds on the same day; a single 9-hole round; 2 or more 9-hole rounds on the same day; 2 9-hole rounds combined to create a “dummy” 18-hole handicap round.

3. Handicap Computation

The standard USGA and RCGA formula is based on using the best 10 of the most recent 20 rounds played to determine a player's handicap. However, these values can now be altered if desired.

A brand new screen has been created to facilitate the Re-Computation of a player's handicap. The sample screen below explains why this may be necessary from time to time. Notice that the screen also shows the standard USGA and RCGA rules for determining the “best round” count when the total rounds played is less than the preferred optimum value of 20.

4. New Score Entry and Display Options

4.1 Better Defaults

When entering scores, it is now possible to set the default status for the entry or non-entry of putts. When entering scores, the user can now invoke or not invoke a new feature for easily converting a 9-hole round to an 18-hole round.

4.2 Improved Color Scheme When Entering Scores

The "Enter Scores - Full" screen has been enhanced to use a better color scheme. The entry of scores and putts are made in white boxes in order to be more consistent with the rest of the program. Also, the displayed scorecard has been reorganized such that score values are entered just below the par for each hole. This makes it easier to instantly compare the gross score with the par of the hole being manipulated.

The labels that appear to the left of each scorecard row are now more “readable” than was the case in the past. Check out the score entry screen just below.

4.3 Improved Entry of Course Rating for a 9-Hole Round

The "Enter Scores - Full" screen has been enhanced for 9-hole rounds. The 18-hole Rating is automatically halved whenever the user chooses to enter scores for just the front 9 or just the back 9. After this has been done, the user is still warned about the adjustment that was made and given the opportunity to make a final alteration. The computed rating is always rounded off to just one decimal position -- as is the accepted standard for all rating values.

4.4 Hole-by-Hole Stats Entry

A major upgrade has been made to the "Enter Scores - Full" screen. If the user chooses to enter hole scores and putts then a new command button will be enabled on the "Round Statistics" tab. The new button is labeled "Hole by Hole Entry" and once clicked invokes the display of an overlay screen (see the sample that follows) where all the performance stats on the stats scorecard can be entered on a hole-by-hole basis.

4.5 Enhanced “Details” Display

With the inclusion of hole stats, it is now possible to display a complete Hole-by-Hole Stats Scorecard as shown below. The user will find this feature useful for analyzing in some detail exactly what went right during a particularly good round or what went wrong during a particularly bad round.

4.6 Improved Handling of Round Green Fees

It is now possible to properly handle rounds for which no fee was paid but should nevertheless be taken into consideration when determining the average green fees paid.

4.7 Improved Handling of Round Wagers

It is now possible to properly handle and report on rounds for which wagers were made but a “break even” situation resulted. Similarly, the program now handles situations where wagers were made but the user chose to NOT enter that information into the program and thus chose to NOT track the winnings or losses when wager results are displayed.

5. Golf Course Maintenance Function

The golf course add/edit screen has been enhanced to support holes with a par of just 2 and 6. The low value has been added to accommodate Frisbee golf courses. For the higher par value, there are now a few golf courses around that have one or more very long holes where a par of 5 just doesn't do the job.

6. Golfer Maintenance Functions

6.1 Retaining the Default Course and Tee When Setting up Golfers

When setting up several new golfers part of the process involves the identification of the golfer's home golf course and tee color. This process has been improved in that the default course, configuration and tee color values are now always the same as what was entered for the immediately preceding golfer.

6.2 Linking a Default Course to ALL Golfers

On the "Add/Edit Golfers" tab of the "Golfers / Calendar" screen, a new command button has been added. It is now possible to select a default golf course, configuration and tee color and by clicking this new button (labeled "Duplicate Course"), the selected course will become the default home course for ALL golfers on file and not just the active selected golfer. This feature has been primarily added to accommodate the new tournament scoring module where all golfers in a competition will be playing on the same course. Hence, this feature will help ensure that the same course appears by default when entering scores for a number of golfers -- one after the other.

7. Display Functions

7.1 A New “Dream / Typical Round” Display

A "much requested" DREAM ROUND function has been added to the program. This function is invoked by clicking on the "Golfers/Calendar" button and then on the "Trend Analysis" tab. Next, the "by Golf Course" option for displaying rounds must be selected. If 1 or more 18-hole rounds with hole scores entered are found for the selected golf course, then a new "Dream Round" command button is enabled. The clicking of this button invokes the display of an overlay screen.

This screen supports the entry of the number of rounds upon which the dream round is to be based. The subsequent clicking of the "Retrieve" button will then invoke the display of a round for the selected course where only the best scores are shown. The result, as you might expect, is typically a very good round that should, in theory, be attainable since every hole score was actually made in some round in the past. Making them all in the same round is the challenge, but one can always dream about it. The display also shows the number of times that a "dream round" score for a particular hole was made.

The above DREAM ROUND feature has been further enhanced to display as "Dream / Typical Round" such that it now includes the option to either show the dream round (as described above) for a selected golf course or to show a typical round, which is the average score for each hole in the selected number of chosen rounds.

Since the Dream Round feature requires 18-hole rounds, the program will display an warning message when only 9-hole rounds are available for a selected course.

7.2 Enhanced Stableford Points Display Option

A major enhancement has been made to the display of Stableford Points on the “Details” screen this is invoked from the Calendar. . The Stableford point equivalent is shown on the "Display of Round Details" screen that is invoked by selecting a round and then clicking on the "Details" button. Having done that you will see a new Command Button labeled "Examine / Alter Stableford Point Values". By clicking on this new button a new overlay screen is displayed.

This screen lets the user do three things: (1) decide if Stableford Points should be based on the golfer's gross score or his/her net score; (2) assign his/her own point value for bogies, pars, birdies, etc.; (3) assign the Point values that will be used to determine if a hole Stableford Point value should be classified as (a) bad -- appears in red; (b) good -- appears in green or (c) average -- appears in blue. Having made all these decisions, the selections can be updated and stored on the database and in this can always be used unless they are again altered in the future.

8. Printing Functions

8.1 Improved Display of Print Selection

The Reporting screen has been enhanced. In the frame where the report selection is made, a prominent label with a blue background color now displays the scorecard or report that has been selected for printing. This will decrease the chances of a user accidentally printing the wrong card or report.

8.2 Create Reports in PDF Format

A major enhancement has been made to the Report Printing module. It is now possible to create a PDF version of all 'non-scorecard" reports. This new feature addresses the frequently-requested facility that allows the user to email a report to a friend or to load a report onto a web site. PDF files can be printed by a recipient by using the free downloadable Adobe Reader program. To implement this feature the screen that displays a preview of a selected report has been enhanced such that a new “Create PDF Doc.” button appears just to the left of the “Cancel” button that has always been present. The clicking of the button invokes the display of an overlay screen that prompts the user to identify an appropriate name for the report and Windows folder location.

8.3 Enhanced Golfer Handicap Listing

A major enhancement has been made to the important Golfer Handicap listing. A new column labeled "Date Range of Current Handicap Rounds Only" shows the time frame in which all handicap rounds were played. This report also now includes 1 or 2 extra lines that can be optionally added for each golfer. These lines show the scores for the last 10 or 20 rounds played with the "best" ones highlighted. With reference to the printing of these scores, the user has the option to choose between (a) gross scores, (b) adjusted gross scores, (c) net scores or (d) differentials.

The selection screen for the “Golfer Handicap” listing report now supports the golfer “active/inactive” status selection option.

The "Golfer Handicap Listing" report has been enhanced to include an option to enter a golf course, a course configuration (if applicable) and a tee color in order to determine the Slope to be used to convert a golfer's PHI to a Course Handicap. Having done that, the user still has the option to enter a different course slope or to bypass entering the course identification information entirely.

8.4 Enhanced “Summary of Golfer Handicap Rounds and Stats” Report

The "Summary of Golfer Handicap Rounds and Stats" report has been enhanced to include an option to select either 18-hole rounds OR 9-hole rounds. This feature will be of particular interest to personal or club users who play mostly 9-hole rounds. The report computes and prints the golfer's current 9-hole Handicap Indicator.

The selection screen for the "Summary of Golfer Handicap Rounds" report now supports the golfer “active/inactive” status selection option.

8.5 Enhanced Scorecard Printing

The CaddieMasterPro scorecard printing has been enhanced such that the card now prints in the dead center of an 8.5 X 11 inch sheet of paper. This positioning will better facilitate the use of a heavier grade perforated and scored paper that supports the simple detachment of the card WITHOUT using scissors. Also, the printed material that appears above and below the actual card encourages the user to use the standard form and the CaddieMaster scorecard holder and explains how the ordering process works. By contacting applicable CaddieMaster sales personnel, it is possible to order both the described scorecard holder and packets of 50 sheets of blank, perforated and heavier-grade scorecard paper.

The title of the Stats scorecard has been enhanced to include the name and handicaps (Index and the Course Handicap) of the applicable golfer. This is useful because that is key information that has always been included on the bottom half of the card but which, because of its location, is not particularly accessible once the card has been folded and inserted into the scorecard holder.

The printing of Stats and Competition scorecards has been enhanced in that the user can now optionally choose a specific date and have that date printed on the card. It is also possible to add additional text to the box that holds the name of the golf course. For example, the tee-off time can be added.

On the sample scorecard that appears below, notice how these new features have been integrated.

Every printer is a bit different and in order to properly center a scorecard on the special paper described in the preceding paragraph some minute adjustments may be needed. Accordingly, the printing of all scorecards has been enhanced to allow the user to make minor printer alignment adjustments and thereby control EXACTLY where the scorecard appears on the paper when printed. Keep in mind that this special paper can be used for the printing of more durable scorecards that do not require scissors to prepare for use.

8.6 Enhanced Handicap Wallet Card Printing

Wallet Handicap cards can now be printed on standard stock paper (Avery form 08371). This size is identical to a standard North American business card. The program will also let the user select which of the 10 cards on a sheet of pre-formatted paper should be used as the starting point. The CaddieMaster Scorecard Holder wallets, which are on sale on the CaddieMaster web site, include a transparent plastic envelope on the face which is the proper size to accommodate the handicap card.

9. Club Version Functions

9.1 Defining a Golfer as Active / Inactive

It is now possible to designate a golfer as being "Active" or "Inactive". This feature will be most useful to users of the Club version. It is needed so that all golfers, just Active golfers or just Inactive golfers can be selected for inclusion on the important "Summary of Golfer Handicap Rounds" report. In future releases other uses for this flag may be determined.

9.2 Linking Golfers to Groups

The program now supports the classification of every golfer to from 1 to 10 groups labeled group A, B, C, etc. up to J. The golfer groups will be used in the new “Round Winners by Gross or Net Score” report as described just below.

9.3 New “Round Winners by Gross or Net Score” Report

A brand new report has been added to the list of options. A baby step has been taken into the realm of tournament reporting. It is now possible to specify a particular date and golf course and all rounds for that date and course will be printed in gross score, net score or name alpha sequence. This feature is particularly useful for Club users who host Club competitions on a regular basis.

Note that this feature, although useful, provides limited functionality and provides far less functionality than the new CaddieMasterPro Tournament Management program.

The sample report just below shows just one golfer, but obviously if several golfers played on the same date and golf course, then a number of names would appear and they would typically appear in either gross or net score sequence.

9.4 New Club Administrator Option

It is now possible to classify a user as either the Club Administrator or a typical club member. The Club Administrator can execute all function but ONLY score-entry functions can be executed by other club members. The Club Administrator identifies his status by entering a secret password on a control screen. It is also possible to define whether a typical club member will be allowed access to the full scores screen, the rapid entry screen or both.

Having implemented the new Club Administration options, the following screen will appear before the CaddieMasterPro program is loaded.