Golf and technology

[Orikoru]

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.

That's not really the same, you could spend £200 or £600 on irons, but either way you're buying irons. You can spend £2000 or £40,000 on a car, but either you're buying a car. With GPS though, he already owns a top-of-the-range device that does the job (his iPhone) so there would be absolutely no purpose in buying another device.

 

[Norrin Radd]

ban all DMD devices,golf according to some should be played the way it was meant to be ,on links courses, well they didnt have DMD devices back then ,so use your eyes its what they are for ,guess the distance we always used to. get it wrong you either over clubbed or vice versa. you soon learnt to judge the range without the aid of tech.

 

[jim8flog]

I have probably said this before but

Our 13th hole is a relatively short par 3.
You can see where the flag is on the green before you get to the tee and you can see where the teeing area is before you have to go on to the tee.
It amazes me to watch single figure players and others who have been members for over 20 years go to the teeing area with their GPS units before going back to their bags to select a club.
You would think with all that experience of playing the hole they would know what club to select (or maybe one of two) before the even get to the tee let alone the teeing area.

 

[drdel]

Technology still needs you to make the shot. Bring it on.

 

[User 99]

I have probably said this before but

Our 13th hole is a relatively short par 3.
You can see where the flag is on the green before you get to the tee and you can see where the teeing area is before you have to go on to the tee.
It amazes me to watch single figure players and others who have been members for over 20 years go to the teeing area with their GPS units before going back to their bags to select a club.
You would think with all that experience of playing the hole they would know what club to select (or maybe one of two) before the even get to the tee let alone the teeing area.

Forward tee/back flag, middle tee/back flag, back tee/back flag....i think you can see where this is going.

 

[shortgame]

I have probably said this before but

Our 13th hole is a relatively short par 3.
You can see where the flag is on the green before you get to the tee and you can see where the teeing area is before you have to go on to the tee.
It amazes me to watch single figure players and others who have been members for over 20 years go to the teeing area with their GPS units before going back to their bags to select a club.
You would think with all that experience of playing the hole they would know what club to select (or maybe one of two) before the even get to the tee let alone the teeing area.

There's a lot to be said for going through a disciplined process... maybe one of the reasons they're low handicappers...

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

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.

Why do you change Paul? I have the motocaddy app too and I find it excellent.

 

[jusme]

Its a sign of the times, sadly. I see lots of people on phones, primarily for yardages, however It irks the hell out of me when I see someone walking 4 hours with their face stuck to their screen, unable to miss a message on countless life destroying, soul sucking, anti-social media platforms. I have played with such people and you could barely get a grunt out of them. Shocking to see on a golf course and I hope to never play with such people again.

Using any type of GPS device, takes but a few seconds to dial in yardage and is normally done when your waiting on another person to play. It should never slow the game down if used correctly and therefore have no issue with them when used for the purpose of golfing

 

[patricks148]

One of the good things about Hickory Golf is distance a lot of the time is irrelevant. its quite liberating really.

 

[OOB]

One of the guys I play with is always checking his watch and muttering something like 162 to go, when we are 12 paces behind the 150 yard markers.

If its a crux for you that helps then fine, but it's not golf to me, which is a series of estimates about wind, temperature, strike sweetness, personal swing, tiredness, lie, etc. etc. etc.

 

[jim8flog]

There's a lot to be said for going through a disciplined process... maybe one of the reasons they're low handicappers...

I was a low handicapper for about 20 years and I have never needed to use a my GPS or laser on that hole although I sometimes take two clubs to the tee because it can be hard to properly assess the wind direction on the move.

I reckon in an average round I only use my GPS on about half of the holes because I have played there for so long I know instinctively what club to use.

I do find I am using it a bit more often because of age and fading memory though

 

[jim8flog]

I would add that we have both 150 markers and 100 markers on our course.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Why do you change Paul? I have the motocaddy app too and I find it excellent.

Durham County Golf Union don’t allow phones to be used for anything but emergencies during their comps and I play 5-6 of their events each year, I have a skycaddie and it gives the most up to date information on courses I don’t know, distance wise I agree there is very little difference,
Finally, I had the GPS before Motocaddy launched their app.

 

[duncan mackie]

One of the guys I play with is always checking his watch and muttering something like 162 to go, when we are 12 paces behind the 150 yard markers.

If its a crux for you that helps then fine, but it's not golf to me, which is a series of estimates about wind, temperature, strike sweetness, personal swing, tiredness, lie, etc. etc. etc.

All those estimates you reference (plus target elevation, all the slope aspects of the stance and contacts area, nature and behaviours of the landing zone options with, and without spin or shot shape....) remain, and always have been part of the game.

If yardage estimating was such a targeted skill you would remove yardages from at least the par 3 holes on the scorecard! It isn't - the game was generally played with caddies who not only dealt with distances but most of the current estimating elements as well!

Course design elements were, and still are, designed to get into your head - and for most they still do a good job despite any knowledge of actual distances (unfortunately in my case).

In the example you give I would rather they glanced at a device giving them 162 than paced out 12 yrs there, and 12 back (or whatever number to whatever reference point)

 

[HampshireHog]

I prefer a separate GPS, makes it harder for the Mrs to track me down.

Still don’t get why it is OK to play with devices with non-conforming features on the basis they can be optionally turned off. Phones are the biggest culprit but a lot of the modern GPS and Range finders are just as culpable.

 

[User 99]

Still don’t get why it is OK to play with devices with non-conforming features on the basis they can be optionally turned off..

I have a feeling that's the most abused ruling in the game just now, like when was the last time anyone checked someone else's laser to see if the slope is turned off ??

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have a GPS device and a laser. I use the former for looking at distances to hazards (especially on away courses) and use my laser from 100 yards and in as I've worked really hard on my pitching and so want to know how far I have to know what length of swing/speed I need. It has helped. I think getting yardages, providing you know how far ON AVERAGE you hit each club is a benefit. It has to be quicker than mulling over yardage books and especially pacing out distances

 

[Robster59]

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

My phone isn't waterproof. My GPS watch is.

 

[PJ87]

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.

Changes his bmw every 2 years means nothing.... he probably leases it so pays a monthly fee and that updates the car every 2 years.. just because someone appears well off doesn’t mean they are

Bmw, m3 and iPhone all prob on credit / pay monthly. He can justify the car and iPhone to himself but not a gps when he can just use his phone. Irons etc can be on credit .. upgraded every model I know some companies used to do it. American golf still do

I used to be the same but got my parents to get me a watch for my 30th. Not a crime

 

[Grant85]

ban all DMD devices,golf according to some should be played the way it was meant to be ,on links courses, well they didnt have DMD devices back then ,so use your eyes its what they are for ,guess the distance we always used to. get it wrong you either over clubbed or vice versa. you soon learnt to judge the range without the aid of tech.

It might be a noble thought, but we are well past the point of no return.

Plus inevitably you would get guys pacing out distances from yardage markers and studying a yardage book, slowing things down even more.