Weather Website!!

[wbox]

Hi everyone,

I'm a university student currently working on a dissertation as part of my Geography degree.

I'm trying to find ways to improve the presentation and overall quality of internet weather forecasts - making them more user specific and applying the forecasted weather conditions to where you'll be and what you'll be doing.

As part of my background research, I'm just trying to get an insight into golfers think make the perfect internet weather forecast? What sort of weather information do you need to see? How would this be best presented to you?

If you could spare a couple of seconds quickly noting down ideas regarding the following points, I'd be really grateful!

- What do YOU as a golfer require from an online weather website?
- What are some of the problems you've encountered with them?
- What changes would you suggest be made to them?
- What would you like to see more /less of?

Many thanks!!
wbox.

 

[birdieman]

wbox,
Golfers need to know temperature and precipitation so we know what and how much gear to wear. A wind forecast also helps in deciding which clubs to carry and what ball to play.
Therefore existing websites like the weather channel, met office, bbc etc are all ok by my book.
As UK golfers we fully expect to get the 4 seasons in one day experience on the course so never leave the waterproofs in the car!
Sorry can't offer anything more insightful.

 

[wbox]

Hi birdieman,

So in response to your comments - would you find some suggestion of "what club to carry and ball to play" useful on a website?

What I mean is, would you like the website to suggest these things for you, or even make suggestions as to what sorts of clothes to take out with you?

Maybe the site could suggest where the best weather is going to be in your local area, and perhaps highlight which golf course is going to have the best weather?

Thanks for your comments - keep them coming!!

 

[birdieman]

wbox,
No those decisions a player will always make for himself, he wouldn't look at a website to decide what clothes to take, that's overkill and unnecessary. A little golf experience is all a player needs. Re the ball and clubs we're only talking about changing probably one club from a lofted wood to a low iron to cope with wind so a website wouldn't be nescessary again. The ball - most players will play the same ball whatever but if it is wet and soft then a player might opt for a longer harder ball that doesn't spin so much as he wont need the spin playing to soft greens.
The specific weather online at a course may have some mileage in perhaps tourists choosing where to play but club golfers aren't that bothered about weather unless it's really bad i.e. pouring rain. Showers and wind dont matter.
I take it you're not a golfer?
I dont think you're gong to get very far with this online weather for golf, a general weather forecast is probably sufficient for 95% of golfers.

 

[USER1999]

It's not the presentation that's the problem, just get the forecast right. That would be a pleasant change.

 

[Dave3498]

Weather forecasts are too vague. Too many words/phrases like 'possible, probable, a chance of, likelihood, maybe.' As a golfer I want to know what the weather will be like on my golf course at the time I am going to play. I know that weather forecasters can't tell me that, so from that point of view they are a waste of time. There is too much emphasis given to the weather on the media. I tune in to BBC1(Wales) in the morning, and between 08.50 and 09.15 there are three separate weather forecasts given by three different presenters. They all get their information from the same place so why can't we have one weather forecast for the UK and do away with all these regional forecasts?

 

[Teetotal]

I reckon it will do really well in America - if anyone has been out there you will know they are OBSESSIONAL about the weather. They have an entire channel dedicated to it and in hotels I've stayed in they print off a 5 day forecast and leave it on your pillow at night. In one hotel I stayed in they kept leaving voicemail messages with a weather report. Most of it was as bad as the BBC reports though. Maybe you should look into why weather reports get it so wrong?
Golfers are used to playing in four seasons in one day, esp. in Scotland and Ireland and therefore rarely take waterproofs out of bag as will be bound to be throwing it down at some point if you take them out despite apparent full sun blue sky scenario on first tee.

 

[wbox]

haha thanks for all the comments and suggestions - please keep them coming!