Golf and technology

[Tashyboy]

Got to the course today and was listening to two young whipersnappers talking about there course sat Navs. One had his phone which had an app that showed excellent detail of the course and holes. Showed how far he ball would go with expected yardages from his clubs which was programmed in. The other had his Apple Watch and free app on his iPhone which again showed excellent course plans. All bluetoothed and all singing and dancing. I was gobsmacked looking at the technology now available. As it happend they both had shocking rounds.
But if golf clubs and ball technology has come on over the last 10,15,20 years then the, sat nav technology is not far behind. Found it funny that a lot of folk are against phones on the course, yet I have never seen a phone out so much during a round.
Is it not a distraction looking at your phone all the time, even getting it out to enter scores. Or is it just me being a fossil.

 

[Crow]

It's all pretty sad if you ask me, but then people tend to look a my bag as though I'm a fruitcake.

 

[Jamesbrown]

in this day and age it’d be a distraction to not have your phone in your hand.

Welcome to the 21st Century.

 

[VVega]

How is it more distracting than looking at the yardage book or writing down scores on the card?

Been scoring my every round in Golfshot since 2010. FWIW the technology hasn’t changed much since then - same gps, same google maps and yardage tracking/recommendations.

 

[ademac]

I find it really distracting using too much tech on the course. I was recently given a gps device and am not overly keen on using that.
If it helps peoples games and they like using it then fair play and I definitely think people should be allowed to use whichever tech they like in this day and age, its just not for me.
I am a certified Technophobe!

 

[ademac]

A friend of mine recently started playing golf and said one of his favourite things was being away from his phone for a few hours and "getting away from it all". I get where he is coming from.

 

[Grant85]

It's always reassuring to have a yardage. Especially where you are maybe having to carry a hazard or you are well out of position.

However, on occasion when I've forgot my watch or it's not working, it doesn't make a big difference to just look for the 150 or 100 marker and judge from there.

Distance is only one variable as well. Wind, elevation changes, firmness of ground could all conspire to make a 6 iron distance 2 or 3 clubs different.

 

[Del_Boy]

Been using Golfshot gps since 2008. Think it is great. Start tracking yardage when I’m approaching my ball by the time I’ve stopped me old trolley I’ve got the yardage and am picking my club out the bag. Hardly anytime wasted. When the hole is finished I’ve entered my score putts etc by the time I’m on the next tee or on the green if I’ve putted out first. Tech on phones is also great when your wfh but actually playing golf!!

 

[need_my_wedge]

I used to use a free GPS app on my phone about 4 or 5 years back (Swing by Swing), which is actually a ver y good and useful app. However, I haven't used it for a couple of years now, just don't feel the need. I appreciate that on courses I don't know, the free google map overview can be really useful, and saves a few quid over a paid for course planner but I prefer to use my laser and just zap the pin/ bunker/ tree in front of me. I probably come unstuck at times, if there's a ditch or bunker that I can't see, but it doesn't bother me enough to make me use the app any more.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I use the motocaddy gps app on my phone on my own course, sits on the trolley in a cradle, no issue or distraction using it.
Away courses I use the skycaddie and that sits in the cradle instead, no difference.

 

[IanM]

On the whole, a quick glance at the GPS watch is fast and effective (enough) for club players..., BUT I am waiting for the day when someone gets their laser out to measure a putt.....

Played with someone recently who looked a his Skycaddie for a green side chip...

 

[shortgame]

How is it more distracting than looking at the yardage book or writing down scores on the card?

When I forget my Garmin, I use a phone App that does the same. However, I use it in flight mode - that way I don't get distracted by Social Media notifications etc and her indoors can't bother me either.

Otherwise I find having a phone in hand a huge distraction

 

[shortgame]

On the whole, a quick glance at the GPS watch is fast and effective (enough) for club players..., BUT I am waiting for the day when someone gets their laser out to measure a putt.....

Played with someone recently who looked a his Skycaddie for a green side chip...

I've seen players laser the pin from the fringe 😩

 

[Deleted member 21258]

My son sometimes when we play a round of golf has his phone out (for messaging etc with sound off and sometimes for GPS on some courses)

Whilst I find it annoying that he has his phone out messaging, I try to fight the urge to tell him to put it away most of the time.

Ultimately I would rather he was playing golf with us with his phone out from time to time messaging, than sat at home and not playing golf with us or playing on his own with the phone out.

 

[GregKael]

On the whole, a quick glance at the GPS watch is fast and effective (enough) for club players..., BUT I am waiting for the day when someone gets their laser out to measure a putt.....

Played with someone recently who looked a his Skycaddie for a green side chip...

If DMD become tour legal then Bryson will, along with all manner of laser lines (levels)

 

[User 99]

It's just the way it is. My laser battery went recently while out on the course, I genuinely felt lost without it, like no idea what club to hit, just shows how reliant we become on those things, much like sat navs in cars, you end up following every direction even when you know a quicker way.

 

[Orikoru]

Got to the course today and was listening to two young whipersnappers talking about there course sat Navs. One had his phone which had an app that showed excellent detail of the course and holes. Showed how far he ball would go with expected yardages from his clubs which was programmed in. The other had his Apple Watch and free app on his iPhone which again showed excellent course plans. All bluetoothed and all singing and dancing. I was gobsmacked looking at the technology now available. As it happend they both had shocking rounds.
But if golf clubs and ball technology has come on over the last 10,15,20 years then the, sat nav technology is not far behind. Found it funny that a lot of folk are against phones on the course, yet I have never seen a phone out so much during a round.
Is it not a distraction looking at your phone all the time, even getting it out to enter scores. Or is it just me being a fossil.

Not much different to using a rangefinder or similar, how would it be distracting. I use a GPS phone app, I can get it out while walking to my ball so I have the yardage when I arrive there, no extra time spent. Similarly I enter my score and number of putts into it while walking to the next tee - in fact easier than using a scorecard and pencil since you can do it with one hand rather than two.

I still ignore all my texts on WhatsApp though while I'm on the course, and just reply to them later on when we've finished the round. They don't distract me, they're fairly easy to ignore when you want to.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I know someone who uses his phone with an app. Annoys the hell out of me when he can’t ignore voice, text, email of Facebook messages.
When I asked why not have a separate gps....”they cost too much”.....says the man with a TM3 driver, iPhone latest number......

 

[Orikoru]

I know someone who uses his phone with an app. Annoys the hell out of me when he can’t ignore voice, text, email of Facebook messages.
When I asked why not have a separate gps....”they cost too much”.....says the man with a TM3 driver, iPhone latest number......

Well, what I expect he really meant is they cost too much when your phone does it for free.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Well, what I expect he really meant is they cost too much when your phone does it for free.

But he’s using a driver that’s £300 or so, irons that are changed almost each model revision, a phone that’s a few hundred.........
He also changes his BMW every 2 years.
He could buy cheaper and get just as good results, so I don’t really buy the “too expensive” for a gps arguement.