Lost!

[jim8flog]

Not really a problem on my home course because I have played there for so long.

I would agree with the sentiment though as with me age and deteriorating eyesight has made a big difference, particularly with seeing where the flag is on the green from more than about 150 yards.

 

[Blue in Munich]

just because we can dosent mean we should.

So only ban the uncertainty of knowing the distance, not the uncertainty of hitting that distance by removing the protection that cavity backs & metal headed "woods" give you?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

not saying that at all but the op says he has lost the art of guessing distance and relies far too much on gps measuring devices ,as im sure many others have , if i was a rule maker i would ban them all full stop. the game was invented before dmd and it would survive without them now ,,put some guess work in the equation ,it makes for a better game ,imo.

I’m sorry, but posts like these make no sense to me at all, every aspect of life whether work, family or pleasure has evolved.
Nothing is stopping you from not using dmd’s, but were do you draw the line?
If they make so much difference why hasn’t everyone got one?

 

[User 99]

I recall touring in Europe ten years ago with a note pad for directions, I managed, think I took one wrong turn in 2000 miles, since sat navs became the norm I couldn't tour Europe without one now, you just become so reliant on things that you are used to using but one can still manage with out them but why not make things easier.

 

[Norrin Radd]

I’m sorry, but posts like these make no sense to me at all, every aspect of life whether work, family or pleasure has evolved.
Nothing is stopping you from not using dmd’s, but were do you draw the line?
If they make so much difference why hasn’t everyone got one?

golf is supposed to be a game of skill ,why take away one of the elements that make it what it was.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

golf is supposed to be a game of skill ,why take away one of the elements that make it what it was.

It still is a game of skill - getting distance to a flag in any format doesn’t stop it being a skill. The skill is to hit the ball in the hole. They make clubs that help mishit shots - do you want them banned ? Drivers with bigger sweet spots ? Shoes that are better - could go on and on. Judging distance isn’t really a skill - it’s pure guess work if there is zero reference points

 

[PhilTheFragger]

You are 100 yards from the pin, no wind,
You take your PW ( your nailed in 100 yard club)

Game on . This is going in .......

And proceed to thin the backside out of it resulting in a 17 yard pitch out of the heavy rough.

It doesn’t matter how far it is, you still need to make the shot 👍

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Big fan of GPS devices especially from 100 yards and in where I've invested a lot of time and effort to improve my distance control with wedges. I'll generally laser any shot out to 150 yards an in but after that I'm not competent enough to be that accurate consistently and may take a look at the GPS for a quick guide but if I don't have it I can still usually work it out from where I am in relation to our 150 yard markers. I do rely on it, due to laziness mainly but could probably do without it if pushed

 

[Norrin Radd]

You are 100 yards from the pin, no wind,
You take your PW ( your nailed in 100 yard club)

Game on . This is going in .......

And proceed to thin the backside out of it resulting in a 17 yard pitch out of the heavy rough.

It doesn’t matter how far it is, you still need to make the shot 👍

how do you know you are 100yds from the pin ,dmd or your own eyes .im not decrying people who want to use a dmd but imo i think they should be outlawed .

 

[Imurg]

how do you know you are 100yds from the pin ,dmd or your own eyes .im not decrying people who want to use a dmd but imo i think they should be outlawed .

I respect your opinion on DMDs but...
What do you use to determine distance?
Do you use any markers, course planners or do you literally judge the distance and not use any outside influence?
If you use any means of determining distance other than judgement with your eyes then you are missing a DMD.
A GPS/Laser is simply a modern method.
They are not the work of the devil, all they do is tell you how far it is from point A to point B.
You still have to take conditions into account, choose the correct club and use it satisfactorily in order to get the ball nearer the hole..
There's still plenty of skill in golf without having to guess a distance.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

how do you know you are 100yds from the pin ,dmd or your own eyes .im not decrying people who want to use a dmd but imo i think they should be outlawed .

Both GPS and laser useful tools, I often pace and confirm with the tools.

I’ll take all the help I can get... legally 👍

 

[Deleted member 16999]

golf is supposed to be a game of skill ,why take away one of the elements that make it what it was.

But it’s not the only aspect that has changed and evolved over the years, look at ball and club materials, surely they have had an even bigger impact on making the game less skillful.

 

[Norrin Radd]

I respect your opinion on DMDs but...
What do you use to determine distance?
Do you use any markers, course planners or do you literally judge the distance and not use any outside influence?
If you use any means of determining distance other than judgement with your eyes then you are missing a DMD.
A GPS/Laser is simply a modern method.
They are not the work of the devil, all they do is tell you how far it is from point A to point B.
You still have to take conditions into account, choose the correct club and use it satisfactorily in order to get the ball nearer the hole..
There's still plenty of skill in golf without having to guess a distance.

the first and usually only thing i use to determine what club to use is my eyes .notice i didnt say yardage as i dont use yardage ,i look and take a best guess at what club will be right for me to use . [ its also a dam sight quicker as well]

 

[Deleted member 16999]

the first and usually only thing i use to determine what club to use is my eyes .notice i didnt say yardage as i dont use yardage ,i look and take a best guess at what club will be right for me to use . [ its also a dam sight quicker as well]

Why guess?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Why guess?

Exactly. Many on here find it hard to strike the ball consistently but having the exact distance does add a degree of confidence that you have the right club for the shot. It's supposed to be a fun activity and I want it to make it easier. Also, as we get older, the old eyesight can go a bit and so judging distances and depth perception for some becomes more of an issue

 

[Grant85]

It is very easy to just look at the distance and you get into the habit of always hitting the same club for the relevant distance.

However distance is only one variable. Elevation is important & often very difficult to judge. Wind speed & direction. Air temperature, amount of run etc.

Probably without the device you are also going to allow a bit more margin for error as well but when you have an exact yardage you feel happier going right at it, rather than maybe playing away from trouble.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Why guess?

its how the game was first played wasnt it?
and your arguement of club and ball tech is a totally different issue,dmd are an outside element that back when i started playing ,1973 they werent even thought of .

 

[Deleted member 15344]

its how the game was first played wasnt it?
and your arguement of club and ball tech is a totally different issue,dmd are an outside element that back when i started playing ,1973 they werent even thought of .

Only because the technology wasn’t around

Why is the ball , club and tech different arguments - there are clubs that are around now that weren’t even thought of in 1973 - Hybrids , metal woods , graphite shafts , cavity irons , even Electric trolleys .
When it was first played you weren’t allowed to mark your ball on the green.

Sports move on - and golf is supposed to be the one sport that gets stuck in the olden day’s

 

[Deleted member 16999]

its how the game was first played wasnt it?
and your arguement of club and ball tech is a totally different issue,dmd are an outside element that back when i started playing ,1973 they werent even thought of .

Rubber wasn’t thought of when they made balls stuffed with feathers, where do you draw the line? 50yrs, 60yrs.....etc

 

[PhilTheFragger]

its how the game was first played wasnt it?
and your arguement of club and ball tech is a totally different issue,dmd are an outside element that back when i started playing ,1973 they werent even thought of .

No problem , your choice

Others prefer to use them

No rights, no wrongs, it’s all legal and fair above board , you choose what fits you best and let the others get on with whatever they fancy .

Just don’t go saying it’s unfair as you are guessing and they are not 👍