Foxholer
Blackballed
There are certainly more complicated sets of Rules than Golf.
They have been simplified and changed now, making the game much better imo, but the Rules on Line-outs in Rugby were once horrendously involved!
Mobile phones as measuring devices
- Thread starter Davey247
- Start date
There are certainly more complicated sets of Rules than Golf.
They have been simplified and changed now, making the game much better imo, but the Rules on Line-outs in Rugby were once horrendously involved!
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I only used the chess example as a situation where technology can be better than the human mind alone. So as an example in another sport/pastime of the sort of 'technology better than caddy' situation that I think the R&A may be trying to prevent happening.
Otherwise, as many others have said, I can't see any point in banning the sort of sensors incorporated in many smart phones. By itself a compass isn't much use to the player; temperature and wind speed and direction measurements?; terrain data (height asl and gradients); practice data being downloaded from the cloud? All very interesting but not a lot of use to the player without a clever app.
Don't mistake me - I am not being anti-device here. I am just trying to suggest why the R&A might wish to ban seemingly pretty useless information the player could glean from a portable device.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Though it still appears that scrum halves are still confused by the new rules prohibiting 'feeding' in the scrum.
ger147
Tour Winner
At a guess I would say that apps would be too difficult to police. After all, there are new apps every day and they can be written and sold online by wee guys in their bedroom as well as big corporations, so it makes more sense just to ban devices which could be capable of giving information to the player that the rules bodies deem against the rules rather than trying to police the apps themselves.
On the chess theme, while your specific example was incorrect that was in 1996/7. Chess is a very good example of what technology can be used to do. There is no way you would get a top grandmaster playing a top chess computer these days as the computer would almost certain win convincingly.
On the chess theme, while your specific example was incorrect that was in 1996/7. Chess is a very good example of what technology can be used to do. There is no way you would get a top grandmaster playing a top chess computer these days as the computer would almost certain win convincingly.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
steve_keenan
Newbie
The R&A flowchart is dated Mar 2012 whereas the NEW decision on Mobile phones was made in Nov 2013. Surely with this change and the new compass rule the flowchart needs updating.
rulefan
Tour Winner
The R&A/USGA were supposed to be making a 'clarifying' statement 'at the end of the year'.
Foxholer
Blackballed
No doubt that will happen - if required.
But neither that, nor the Rules should/will be done untill they become effective.
I haven't actually seen anything from either governing body that specifies Compasses are actually allowed. Decision 14-3/18 only clarifies stuff that was in the flowchart already - the reason for my 'Yawn' post.
Can someone provide a link to an authoritative statement about compasses?
rulefan
Tour Winner
http://www.randa.org/en/RandA/News/...cisions on the Rules of Golf_WEB POST(2).ashx
See revised decision 14-3/4
See revised decision 14-3/4
Colin L
Tour Winner
Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2014-2015 p214
Decision 14-3/4 is revised to permit the use of a compass during a round.
Since this does not come into place till 1st Jan, it won't be showing yet in the online Rules.
Decision 14-3/4 is revised to permit the use of a compass during a round.
Since this does not come into place till 1st Jan, it won't be showing yet in the online Rules.
Foxholer
Blackballed
Thanks guys.
That will indeed mean that the Flowchart will require amendment - as it specifically mentions 'Compass'.
But, as Colin posts, that won't show until 1/1/14 either.
As an aside, I can't see what the point was of changing the Decision - though I also can't see what sort of benefit the use of a Compass provides either. That's possibly the view the authorities have taken too - and the bearing is on every Strokesaver I've seen - so probably just 'making things equitable'. I don't see this as any creeping legalisation of Phones as DMDs.
rulefan
Tour Winner
As the RBs have clarified the situation re weather reports, there wouldn't have been a problem with mobile phones used as DMDs. However, Apple decided to build a 'spirit level' into the operating system for iPhones which cannot be disabled!
I have used an iPhone with a DMD app installed for friendly rounds and didn't find it that good. Either the battery runs flat before you complete the round, or else it keeps timing out. My iPhone also has the R&A Rules app installed, which is a bit odd if you are not supposed to use it on the course, and a built in compass, which is not that easy to access if you are also using the DMD app. These days I just use a Garmin S1 GPS watch, which is fully conforming and tells you most of what you need to know. I carry my iPhone switched off in my golf bag, in case of emergencies, or if I need to check a rule from the rules app.
rulefan
Tour Winner
Although the rules app can be used when playing (club & DMD local rule permitting), it is really no more convenient than the little book, which fits in your pocket just as well. It usually takes longer to find the relevant rule than flicking through the book.
Trying to use the decisions whilst playing is a waste of time. In any case most players never have the need to look at them and rule 3-3 is there if really necessary.
I don't really believe the apps are primarily intended for on course use but for reference when the hard copies or PC are not conveniently available.
Foxholer
Blackballed
Tut Tut!
If you are going to devote yourself to criticising/taking issue with/wanting to amend The Rules, you really should try and understand them!Check out the Flowchart here http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-A...dia/RandA/Equipment Notices/DMDflowchart.ashx (which should change tomorrow as the use of a Compass will no longer be a breach).
Use of Rules App, the Iphone Clock or even Internet access to get weather is allowed!
I was referring to the position as it stood before the latest rule changes came out!
ger147
Tour Winner
You were able to use your mobile phone on the course before the latest rule change, just not as a DMD.
rulefan
Tour Winner
If you mean the changes to the Decisions from tomorrow, the only one that has changed is that compasses are now permitted.
The rule relating to DMDs has not changed but there is a decision making it clear that weather apps are (were previously) permitted.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
So now when you are standing on the 6th tee with a gale straight into your face you'll be able to use your compass to inform yourself and your PPs that its a south-westerly and can use your weather app to compare with the weather forecast to see if the forecast was correct - hmmm - quite!
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Foxholer
Blackballed
Indeed! :rofl: And that (and the fact that every course guide has a compass on the page of each hole) could well be why there is no point making a Compass illegal. It may also be that ANY GPS device actually has a Compass capability built in (though maybe not active) anyway!
