gps should or shouldnt be allowed

kingshankly

lads i was wondering what the general consensus is to the use of gps apparently they can be used in amateur competitions with the clubs permission.
does this give an unfair advantage to a player who has one competing against someone who doesnt, it is also said that it takes away from the skill of judging distances and some gps machines give lay up distances and through information you have entered can select which club to hit which i am sure could be deemed as illegal.
but i would argue in favour of gps,surely if they were unfair the r and a would not have allowed them.the argument they give an unfair advantage is unjust imo because some players have the latest drivers with a high moi,latest spin milled wedges,electric trolleys surely this also could be deemed an advantage.
imo they also speed up the game saving golfers having to step out markers etc.
and although the can give exact distances they cant tell how the wind is blowing or if you have a perfect lie or in the cabbage the player himself has to factor all this in before selecting his club.
my opinion may be biased because i have a sky caddie and found them to be excellent not just for distance left but to find out what distance you are hitting each club.
would be interested to hear some of your opinoins on this subject

FlutterinBantam

NO

Sandwich

kingshankly wrote: »

imo they also speed up the game saving golfers having to step out markers etc.

Its probably a bit King Canute, but for the moment am glad they (or rangefinders) havent been permitted in our club. Will vote against if they are canvassing opinion. Partly due to traditionalism - even though I dont think they would make that much difference to the average (or even very good) golfer. They play to the eternal optimism of the golfer that he can buy a better game through technology though, and so will have a strong attraction for many.

However, main objection, and the one that was a general consensus when discussing them in the club before Christmas, is the opposite to kingshankley - it was considered that they were more likely to slow down rather than speed up play. Club golfers dont really step out markers. But if they had a gizmo that would give them information on each upcomming shot then they would be more likely to spend time checking it at each shot.

Just hit the ball and get on with it.:D

Myksyk

YES. Down with the Luddites!!!!

kagni

Don't really have a problem with them to be honest. I think most golfers won't benefit much from them because they can't hit to specific distances anyway. I have no intention of getting one at the moment, I would need to improve a lot to get any use out of one.

I agree with Sandwich though and think they would be more likely to slow down play than speed it up, imagine the dilemmas some golfers would have picking a club if they know for sure they have an in between yardage.

FlutterinBantam

Most of the gimps playing golf haven't a frikken clue how far a particular club hits the ball.

Get a frikken grip.

take a look and hit it... GPS will make fook all difference to 99% of us players.

kingshankly

cant see it slowing down play i know myself i look for markers which can take a couple of seconds but the sky caddie is on the bag says the distance and away you go i know that in the r&a statement on allowing them the cited speeding up play as one of their reasons

kingshankly

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Most of the gimps playing golf haven't a frikken clue how far a particular club hits the ball.

Get a frikken grip.

take a look and hit it... GPS will make fook all difference to 99% of us players.

thanks for strengthening my argument as you say some golfers dont now how far they hit each club with a gps they can tell how far each shot with each club is going thus improving his game:P

1916

Yes, I agree they should be allowed, whats the difference between GPS and a strokesaver, a yard or 5 out won't matter to my game

soundsham

gps is ok only takes as long to use as strokesavers do

but those rangefinders are banned at my course by local rule as they most definately slowed play.......thank god !!!

you get guys pulling these yokes out when standing on a yardage marker just so everyone else can see they have one!!!!

Nothing funnier than watching a guy dump one short in a bunker after spending 5 mins peeping through his toy.....:p

Garda S Horgan

3 rounds played using GPS and I can say that they speed up play for me, but as a 4 ball it slows down the play. This is becuase I have the gps on teh bag, it says 143 to centre so I havea 9 iron out and I have that done before I even look at the hole. Is that a good thing? Maybe not becuase some of the fun of golf was checking out the shot as you walk to the ball and trying to guage the distance.
So, I've lost that but to be honest it is adding to my enjoyment. Now I'm hitting more confident shots. I hated being 20 yards short cos of crap or hitting a blind shot and guessing distance.
The gps itself speeds up my play but I found that the 3 lads I was playing with would be shouting over for 'yardage' and even taking the gps and running back to their own ball. That will slow down play alot and drive people behind the group insane.
The question for me is that do I find getting distances to be a golf skill and the answer is no. Being able to tell you're 140 from the pin is a skill but it's not specific to golf.
The pro's don't have to figure it out, they have 2 days with lazers and gps and a caddie to write everything down and give them exact yardage on the day.
The pros therefore have a human gps and have the confidence then to hit a shot full or 3/4 and know its accurate.
A GPS provides the same and no more.

Yours in opinions,
GSH.

ShriekingSheet

I was lucky enough to win a rangefinder last year. It was a really top notch one but I found that looking through it to get a yardage slowed me down so I sold it for this reason, and also because they are not allowed in Interclub competitions. It also seems to be hit and miss whether you're allowed used them when playing away in things like Junior Scratch Cups.

So I figured, why would I use something in my home club week-in-week-out that I couldn't use when playing the minority of bigger comps I play and want to do well in?

For me, the mobile-phone type GPS devices are best, if I was in the market. Sure, the range finder gives you the flag exactly but front/middle/back at a glance is much better to have and easier to use imo.

I absolutely do believe they are a huge advantage. To those who claim "sure we don't know how far we hit it anyway", I'd say that's an unfair generalisation. Besides, even if you didn't know how far you hit certain clubs when you bought a device, after 3 or 4 games of using it and learning from any errors, seeing the real numbers you hit your various clubs, anyone would know their yardages very well.

I'm undecided whether it's a good or bad thing for the game. I also don't have a definite opinion on whether they should be allowed or banned from GUI events. What I do know is that I've played a few rounds with a GPS device, and a range finder, and my approach shots to greens showed an marked improvement, something I've no doubt was down to having more exact yardages than ever.

stockdam

I guess they will speed up play. I often have to pace out my yardages to the nearest marker.

Garda S Horgan

I would imagine that a rangefinder would be slow enough. For one, you'll be looking through it to get a reading and also if the green is dipped or raised or there are trees/dogleg then you may either get a wrong reading or find guys walking to a point then taking a reading and counting back to the ball.
GPS is instant and for me, I have the club out before I am at the ball, and the only decisions are the shape and whether it's full or not full swing and the bail out area if I am not going for the pin.
I think, once people are more confident in the club, then they will hit a better shot.
If poeple are hitting better shots then their tempo improves for all clubs and they play better and enjoy the game more.
There is nothing worse than hitting a perfect iron and then finding yourself 20 yards short due to bad yardage markers. If you find one on the round then you lose trust in them.
I found one where the 150 yard was actually 139 yards. After than I decided not to use yardage markers on courses which is why I am glad GPS devices are being allowed.
Yours in golf,
GSH.

Morrisseeee

To the OP's question, answer is 'shouldn't be allowed'.
But.......it got me thinking, I would abolish 'caddies giving advice' in PRO golf also. It would be far more interesting if they had to rely on their own intuition, knowledge, experience and skill (like we all do!!).

theocn

Morrisseeee wrote: »

To the OP's question, answer is 'shouldn't be allowed'.
But.......it got me thinking, I would abolish 'caddies giving advice' in PRO golf also. It would be far more interesting if they had to rely on their own intuition, knowledge, experience and skill (like we all do!!).

And maybe we should all still be using hickory shafted clubs and featheries. There is nothing unfair about using GPS devices, most of them cost less than a good quality putter and they do speed up play.
Our club recently allowed them in competition and while most people still don't use them, those that do definitely think that they benefit their game.

greyc

theocn wrote: »

And maybe we should all still be using hickory shafted clubs and featheries. There is nothing unfair about using GPS devices, most of them cost less than a good quality putter and they do speed up play.
Our club recently allowed them in competition and while most people still don't use them, those that do definitely think that they benefit their game.

Fully agree, those fuddy duddies still living in the early 20th Century really annoy me. If these devices have been approved by the R&A and USGA, I don't see what the problem is.
Most courses have distance markers anyway which give a rough idea of how far you have to the green, but these are really only helpful if your in the fairway. If like me, your hitting your 2nd shot from the wrong fairway, you've a better chance of getting close to the green if you know how far you've to hit, which in turn speeds up play.

Morrisseeee

still be using hickory shafted clubs and featheries

well.........maybe, it might sort out the men from the boys !

those fuddy duddies still living in the early 20th Century

....I hope you're not referring to me !

you've a better chance of getting close to the green if you know how far you've to hit

....obviously ! but let that skill be YOURS and not technology !!!!!!!!, and even then 'you still have to hit the shot'. Even if you are a 'club out' (without GPS) a good-ish golfer would still get the ball close to the green (or hole) if he/she hits a good shot.

And thats my point, its a simple game, and it should be a solo effort ! IMHO, ie. I'd rather see 'skill' win a competition than 'technology' !

edit : > and thats my 1000 post (and I didn't realise it !!!!!!)

theocn

Morrisseeee wrote: »

And thats my point, its a simple game, and it should be a solo effort ! IMHO, ie. I'd rather see 'skill' win a competition than 'technology' !

edit : > and thats my 1000 post (and I didn't realise it !!!!!!)

Congrats on the 1000th post. But if you follow your line of logic your saying that Tiger doesn't have the skill to play properly if he accepts distance advice from his caddy, who would have got his measurements either directly or indirectly from such a device.

When you're playing, do you never look at the distance markers on the course? If you do, then you're taking advantage of measurements probably obtained by laser, and if you don't, I hope I'm never playing either behind or in front of you.

Apart from anything else, the use of such a device does not reduce the skill level involved in playing the game. All it basically does is tell you how far it is to the green or a hazard. You still have to factor in any wind or the lie, plus your ability or inability to hit the ball properly.

Morrisseeee

But if you follow your line of logic your saying that Tiger doesn't have the skill to play properly if he accepts distance advice from his caddy

.....you are stretching the 'logic' to the MAX there, me thinks.
Let me give you an example, Tiger on the 16th at Augusta a few years ago, remember, the best shot in golf, ever !! (probably). Did he use distance markers, or get advice on 'exact' distance from his caddy, no!! (I know it was only a pitch, but it could apply to any shot). He used his 'immence' skill, intuition, determination in getting the ball in the hole. I'd like to see that on every shot.
Another example, could you imagine Ballesteros (at his best) ever using GPS ? No, it would ridicule his greatness !
Note: I hope Technology doesn't ruin golf...... :eek:...but it probably already has
Ye know what I'd like to see happen...........I like to see one of the Majors played where players are only allowed 7 clubs. Imagine that if you will.

theocn

Morrisseeee wrote: »

.....you are stretching the 'logic' to the MAX there, me thinks.
Let me give you an example, Tiger on the 16th at Augusta a few years ago, remember, the best shot in golf, ever !! (probably). Did he use distance markers, or get advice on 'exact' distance from his caddy, no!! (I know it was only a pitch, but it could apply to any shot). He used his 'immence' skill, intuition, determination in getting the ball in the hole. I'd like to see that on every shot.
Another example, could you imagine Ballesteros (at his best) ever using GPS ? No, it would ridicule his greatness !
Note: I hope Technology doesn't ruin golf...... :eek:...but it probably already has
Ye know what I'd like to see happen...........I like to see one of the Majors played where players are only allowed 7 clubs. Imagine that if you will.

I think Tiger's shot was more of a chip than a pitch so a GPS would definitely have been no use, but before his ball landed where it did, I'm sure he consulted with Stevie about the distance to the pin & the wind etc.

Regarding Seve, again I'm sure he hit very few shots without first consulting with his caddy about distance. And how did his caddy get this info? either by using the old measuring wheel or a laser.

All technology is doing is giving the h/c golfer some of the info that a caddy would give, except you can't hurl abuse at the GPS if you balls up your shot.

I kind of agree with you about the 7 clubs, but I think what most needs to be done is some regulation on the golf ball to reduce the distances that pros are hitting.