Mapwits Help
Mapwits is the Golfwits companion for creating Golfwits Course Files.
Starting with an aerial photo, architectural drawing or other map information
for the course, a line art tracing is made of each hole on the course.
This is digitized and used to create the final Golfwits Course File.
What do you want to do?
Create course map line art
Create a new course
Edit a saved course
View the glossary
The Mapwits view after completing hole 03 of Homestead Golf and Country Club.
Tools and items needed to create the course map line art.
-
A map of the golf course. This must be a vertical view of the course (looking straight down from
over the course). Scorecards work well for basic maps. Vertical view yardage books are great. The
oblique views (looking at an angle from tee to green) used in some yardage
books are great for yardage checks, but will not work to produce a Golfwits map.
-
Microsoft Paint (included with Windows) to generate and
modify artwork in bitmap format. Another drawing application can be used,
however the following procedures are specific to Microsoft Paint.
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Access to a photocopier.
-
Optional scanner.
Procedures if a scanner is available
-
Enlarge the map of the course using a photocopier until
the hole layouts are 3 to 4 inches long.
-
Using tracing paper, trace the essential features of
each hole (green, tees, hazards, etc.) making sure that the rear tee and the
center of the green are vertically oriented on the page, with all the tees
toward the bottom and the greens toward the top. Be sure the center of
green for each hole is oriented straight above the rear-most tee box.
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Create a file on your computer to save the scanned images in.
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Using a scanner, scan the images in.
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After they are scanned in, click on Setting
then on Region Type then click on Black and White Drawing
and then click OK.
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Left click and drag to box in hole01.
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Right click within this box and then click Change Single Region Size.
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Click the Specify Custom Size button.
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Change the height to 580 pixels, making sure the width is no more than 345
pixels. If the width is greater than 345, change the width to 345 and leave
the height at the proportional number.
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Click OK.
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Save each scanned image as a black-and-white bitmap and
name them with the hole number; for example, "hole01". Be sure to include a zero
in front of all the numbers less than 10.
-
After all holes are completed, proceed to Creating a New Course.
Procedures if a scanner is not available
-
It is good to enlarge the course map to make it easier
to read (as in step 1 above).
-
Create a file on your computer to save the scanned images in.
-
In Microsoft Paint select Attributes from the Images menu and set the following
attributes; width: 345, height: 580, Units: Pixels, Colors: Black and White.
-
Select the Pencil tool from the Tool Box and, referring to your
course map with the hole outline oriented vertically, draw the features
of the hole in Microsoft Paint. Use the left mouse button to draw black
and the right mouse button to draw white (erase). You can use the Eraser
tool to correct any mistakes.
-
Save each drawn image as a black-and-white bitmap and name them with the hole number; for example,
"hole01".
Be sure to include a zero in front of all the numbers less than 10.
-
After all holes are completed, proceed to Creating a New Course.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
The following steps will take you through creating a new
course in Mapwits. The course map line art must be created prior to these steps
(see Creating Course Map Line Art). You will also need a course scorecard.
Getting Started
- Select Open Course from the File menu.
- Navigate to Look in the folder you created the line art in.
- In File name: enter the name of the course. Use a simple,
short name (e.g. "HomesteadGCC") and avoid the use of special
characters like periods, commas, /, \.
- Click Open and you will be asked if you want to create the
file. Click Yes.
- This will open a clear Mapwits screen.
Entering Course Properties
- Click the Course Properties tool
- Under Name enter the course name and basic location.
- Enter Country and Region.
Entering Tee Properties
- In the Course Properties box, click the Tee button.
- Select the Tee # from the drop-down list box. (Note: Tee #1 must be the furthest
tee from the hole.)
- Enter the name for the tee from the scorecard (e.g. "Black").
- Enter rating / slope from scorecard.
- Select either yards or meters for distance measurements.
- Enter yards (or meters) for each hole. You can tab to the next hole to
speed data entry. (Note: Out and In totals will be
calculated when a row is finished - compare these to the scorecard to
confirm accurate entries. If a distance is changed, Tab through the rest
of the row to update the total.)
- Click the Apply button after entering all the yardage information
for that tee.
- Select next tee number and repeat steps 2 through 7.
- All the information for a particular tee can be deleted by selecting Delete.
- After all tees are completed click the Apply button and the Close
button.
- You will see the Tee information displayed in the Course Properties
window. This can be edited by repeating steps 1 - 7.
Entering Handicap and Par Information
- Click the Hcp, Par button.
- Select "Men's" from the HCP/PAR# dropdown.
- In the Name box enter the name used by golf course to specify male gender; for example,
"Men’s" or "Gents".
- Enter the par and handicap (stroke hole allocation) values for each hole.
- Click the Apply button.
- Select "Women’s" from the HCP/PAR # dropdown and repeat steps 3 -
5 for women.
- After both genders are completed, click the Apply button and the
Close button.
- OK the Course Properties dialog.
Building the Course Maps
1. Click the Add Line Art tool 
;
navigate to folder containing line art images and open image for current
hole.
2. Click the Set Top and Bottom of Hole tool 
.
a. Click on the top arrow and drag it down to the top
of green in the line art image.
b. Click on the bottom arrow and drag it up to the
bottom of the bottom-most tee in the line art
image.
3. Click the Set Center of Green tool 
.
a. Click inside the object representing the green in the line art image. See
Selecting Objects. Mapwits automatically
calculates center of green.
4. Click the Set Furthest Tee tool 
.
a. Click on the location of the furthest tee inside the object representing the furthest tee box in the line
art image.
5. It is now time to define the objects of the hole. This should be done working
from the outside in.
For example, if the fairway contains a sand
bunker,
the fairway should be defined first, followed by the sand bunker. To
define an object, click the Fill Map Objects With Region Type tool 
.
Move down the Mapwits Region box clicking on the appropriate boxes and then
clicking inside the referring object
within the line art image. See Selecting Objects.
6. Click the Set Directional Tool 
and put in the amount of directionals
needed for that particular hole; see Directionals.
7. After all objects are correctly defined, click the Save File tool 
.
8. Click the Add Line Art tool 
; open the image for
the next hole and repeat steps 7 through 13 for all holes.
9. You can use the Next Hole and Previous Hole tools 
to check all holes.
10. Select File > Publish when you are finished building the GWC
file.
Mapwits will test the file you made to be sure the essential features for
each hole are included. If there are errors, it will tell you the
errors. You can publish anyway, or you can say No and correct the
errors.
When you elect to Publish your GWC file, Mapwits will put the file in your
Golfwits PC/Courses folder so it is ready to use with Golfwits PC.
The *.gwc file which you have created is now ready for Golfwits! You
can also copy to your Pocket PC for Pocket Golfwits to use.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
- Select Open Course from the File menu.
- Navigate to the folder containing the course file to be edited and open it.
- You will see the course map displayed in the right frame of the Mapwits
window.
Editing Course Properties
- To edit course properties, click the Course Properties tool
.
- To edit yardage values for holes, click the Tee button.
- To edit handicap and par values for holes, click the Hcp, Par button.
For more details see "Entering Course
Properties".
The following actions are performed directly on the
preview box in the Mapwits window and do not require line art
to perform.
Deleting a Region
- Use the Change Hole button to navigate to the hole you wish to edit.
- On the map figure in the mapwits preview box, click on the region you wish to
delete. A black border will appear around the region when you click on
it.
- Right click and select Region Delete.
- Choose Yes to delete the region.
Changing Region Type
- Use the Change Hole button to navigate to the hole you wish to edit.
- On the map figure in the mapwits preview box, click on the region you wish to
change. A black border will appear around the region when you click on
it.
- Right click and select Set Region Type.
- In the Change Region Type dialog box, select the region type you
wish to change to.
- Click OK.
Moving a Region Back
- To move a region behind another region.
- On the map figure in the right frame, click on the region you wish to move
back. A black border will appear around the region when you click on
it.
- Select Region > Move Back
To Add a Region
- Use the Change Hole button to navigate to the hole you wish to edit.
- In the mapwits preview box, right click and select Add Region.
- In the Add Region dialog box, select the type of region you wish to
add from the drop-down list.
- Click OK.
- With your mouse, hold on the left mouse button and draw the region on the
map in the mapwits preview box.
- When you release the mouse button, Mapwits will automatically complete the
outline of the region and color the region.
Moving a Region
- Use the Change Hole button to navigate to the hole you wish to edit.
- In the mapwits preview box, click on the region you wish to move. A black
border will appear around the region when you click on it.
- Right click and select Move Region.
- With your mouse, hold down the left mouse button on the region you wish to move.
- Drag the region to its new location and release the mouse button.
Exporting Line Art
- You can generate line art from a GWC file to use in making major changes.
- For each hole for which you wish to export line art, use the Change Hole
button to locate on that hole.
- Select File > Export Line Art... from the command bar menu.
- Mapwits will create a new line art file in the same directory that your
GWC file is located in.
- You can edit this hole using Rebuild the hole.
After edits are complete, click the Save File button
.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
Click inside the left part of the object near a basically vertical section of
the object's left edge.
Troubleshooting:
- When I click in an object, nothing happens. If you click to the right of a nearly horizontal section
of an object, Mapwits cannot determine the object's edge. Try re-clicking at a place just to the right of a more vertical
section of the object edge.
- When I click in on object, it won't color in. There is probably a
barb, two or more pixels, sticking straight out. To correct this, do the
following:
- Open the line art file for
the current hole in Microsoft Paint or other drawing application.
- Repair the line art by making sure there is no more than one pixel is sticking out within the hole.
- Save the line art file.
- Return to Mapwits.
- Click the Add Line Art button and select the repaired line art file.
- Rebuild the hole.
- When I click in an object, the whole right hand side of the Mapwits window turns
color. There is probably a
hole in the object edge. To
correct this, do the following:
- Open the line art file for
the current hole in Microsoft Paint or other drawing application.
- Repair the line art by making all object edges complete.
- Save the line art file.
- Return to Mapwits.
- Click the Add Line Art button and select the repaired line art file.
- Rebuild the hole.
- When I go to set the bottom of hole, I can't find the bottom arrow.
The screen is probably too small. Right click on your desktop and click on
properties. Next, click on the tab for settings and move the tab in the "screen
area" so it reads at least 800 by 600 pixels.
return
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
- Select Delete from the Hole menu.
- Follow the steps in "Building the Course Map" starting with step
1.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
A directional represent the best line of flight from the tee
to the green. Many scorecards include the
directionals, but if yours does not, use your best guess. A directional
can have as many as two bends in them before arriving at the green.
- Par 3 hole: The directional is automatically set by Mapwits from
furthest tee to the center of the green.
You can proceed to using
the Save File tool .
- Par 4 hole: There will usually be one bend in the directional.
Place the first directional at the point where the bend would occur.
The second directional will be the center of the green, which Mapwits can set
automatically.
- Par 5 hole: There will be either one or two bends in the
directional.
Place the first directional at the point where the first bend would occur.
The second directional would be the point of the second bend, if there is one. The final directional will
be the center of the green, which Mapwits can set automatically.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
You can use the File Organizer in Golfwits PC to organize all your files on
all your computers. Run Golfwits PC and see Help > Contents for
more information.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
View the glossary
Birdie - Finishing a hole one stroke under par.
Bogey - Finishing a hole one stroke over par.
Center of Green (COG) - Actual pin placement within the
green varies, sometimes daily. For this reason, yardage
measurements always use the center of the green.
Chip in - Hitting the ball in the hole from off the green.
Directionals - The course recommended line of flight for a
hole.
Double, Triple, etc. - Finishing a hole two or more
strokes over par.
Drive in Fairway - Drive from the tee lands in the fairway.
Drop - Putting a ball back on the course after it has been
declared lost or unplayable.
Eagle - Finishing a hole two strokes under par.
Fairway - The prepared surface running from the tee to the green.
First Cut - The taller grass portion of the fairway.
Green - The playing surface where the flag and
cup are placed.
Green in Regulation - Reaching the green in two strokes
under par.
Handicap, Course - A difficulty rating assigned to each
hole on a course.
Handicap, Personal - The rating used to measure each
golfer's playing ability.
In - The back nine, or last nine holes of an 18 hole round.
Net - The total number of strokes less personal handicap.
Out - The front nine, or first nine holes played.
Par - The designated number of strokes needed to finish a
hole.
Penalty Stroke - A stroke added when a drop is made.
Region - Any feature on a golf course that is rendered on a Golfwits
Course File - e.g. sand bunker, green, tee box, etc.
Sand Save - Making par on a hole after having been in a sand
trap.
Short Cut - Area within the fairway that is mowed shorter.
Tee Box - The area where the player tees up the golf ball
to start play on each hole. Different course tee locations are
usually designated by color.
Up & Down - When a golfer is not on the green in
regulation but makes par by having only one putt.
Yard Markers - Colored markers placed in or near the fairway
indicating distances from the center of the green. These markers are
typically at 100, 150, 200 and 250 yards.
See Also
Mapwits Overview
