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About
PATANAVI is a cutting-edge mobile application designed to transform how golfers read greens on the course. Leveraging AR (Augmented Reality) and LiDAR scanning, the app detects terrain undulations in real time and overlays intuitive visual cues — including colored slope arrows and distance readouts — directly onto the player's smartphone screen. The workflow is streamlined to just three taps: place an AR Ball at your ball's location, switch to Cup mode, then tap to place the AR Cup. The app immediately displays the straight-line distance between them and regenerates slope arrows relative to the midpoint, helping golfers instantly understand break direction and severity. White indicates flat terrain, blue signals downhill, and red marks uphill sections. The standout AI-AR Caddy feature analyzes the inclination between the ball and cup positions to suggest a specific target line — often expressed in "cups" — giving players a concrete aiming point. A built-in count-up timer also encourages faster play, addressing slow-play concerns at busy courses. PATANAVI is ideal for amateur and recreational golfers who want a technology-assisted edge on the greens, as well as experienced players looking to fine-tune their green-reading skills. The app has been featured on Japanese golf media including Gingol's Secret Golf TV and Erina Ikuta's VS Golf, demonstrating its real-world appeal. Whether practicing or playing a round, PATANAVI compresses complex green-reading into seconds.
Key Features
- 3-Tap AR Green Reading: Place an AR Ball and AR Cup in three taps to instantly generate color-coded undulation maps and slope arrows on your smartphone screen.
- Real-Time LiDAR Terrain Scanning: Scan the green using your phone's LiDAR sensor to detect elevation changes and surface undulations up to 5 meters at a time.
- AI-AR Caddy Putting Guidance: The AI caddy analyzes the slope between ball and cup positions and recommends a specific target line, expressed in 'cups', to guide your putt direction.
- Instant Ball-to-Cup Distance Display: Automatically calculates and displays the straight-line distance between your AR Ball and AR Cup placements for precise distance awareness.
- Elapsed Time Counter: A built-in count-up timer tracks time spent on each green, encouraging faster play and helping reduce slow-play issues on the course.
Use Cases
- A recreational golfer uses PATANAVI before each putt to quickly visualize the green's slope and avoid misjudging break direction.
- A golf coach incorporates PATANAVI into practice sessions to teach students how to read greens more accurately and consistently.
- A pace-conscious player uses the built-in timer and fast 3-tap workflow to minimize time spent on the green and keep the round moving.
- An amateur golfer preparing for a tournament uses PATANAVI to build confidence in their green-reading skills by practicing on different course layouts.
- A golfer unfamiliar with a new course relies on PATANAVI's AR scanning to quickly adapt to the local greens without prior knowledge of their subtleties.
Pros
- Extremely Fast Green Reading: Reduces the time spent analyzing a putt from minutes to seconds, keeping pace of play high and decisions data-driven.
- Intuitive Visual Cues: Color-coded slope indicators (white = flat, blue = downhill, red = uphill) make complex green topology easy to understand at a glance.
- AI-Powered Putting Recommendations: The AI-AR caddy takes the guesswork out of line selection by suggesting a concrete aiming target based on real terrain data.
Cons
- Limited Scan Range Per Placement: The app can only detect undulations within a 5-meter radius per scan, requiring users to reposition for longer putts.
- AI Caddy is Reference Only: The simulation feature provides guidance but is explicitly noted as a reference tool, not a guaranteed line recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does PATANAVI detect green undulations?
PATANAVI uses your smartphone's AR and LiDAR capabilities to scan the terrain. The height of undulations is detected based on where you place the AR Ball on screen. Scanning in a large circular motion improves accuracy.
What is the maximum detection range per scan?
The maximum distance that can be detected in a single scan is 5 meters. For longer putts, you can carry your smartphone along the line to capture a wider area.
What does the AI-AR Caddy feature do?
When you tap the AI-AR caddy button, it reads the inclination between the AR Ball and AR Cup positions and suggests the best putting direction and target line. It's intended as a reference guide to assist your decision-making.
What do the slope colors mean?
White indicates flat terrain, blue indicates a downhill slope, and red indicates an uphill slope. These colors make it easy to understand the green's break direction at a glance.
Is PATANAVI suitable for beginners?
Yes. PATANAVI is designed to be easy to use with a simple 3-tap workflow. The visual slope indicators and AI caddy guidance make it accessible for golfers of all skill levels who want to improve their putting.
