Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[zinger1457]

Any of you guys use a smart watch for a golf gps? Been using the golf app on my Garmin Vivoactive 3 fitness watch for about a year now, mostly for layup distances and the scorecard feature, always use my laser for approach shots. All the score information is downloaded to the Garmin app on my phone, it's nice to have a history of all my rounds and to be able to review any round hole by hole. While reviewing a recent round found a feature that I didn't know it had. For each hole it keeps track of all your shots to the green and the distances for each shot. It shows the hole layout and a line from the tee to where your drive landed (you'll know if you hit the fairway or not) and shows the distance for that shot then does the same for each shot until you reach the green. Not sure how it knows when you hit a shot, must be by sensing the swing motion. Considering there's no interaction done by the player I was really surprised to how accurate it was, for most of the holes it was right on but there's usually a couple holes where it messes up. Interesting feature, wish it didn't take me a year to figure it out.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Thirty eight degrees? Diehards for sure. But if I lived in that area of the country it may not seem so bad. This time of the year rain and wet conditions is more of a problem. When wet its warm. When dry its cold. But thats winter in Mississippi.

as long as the course is open 38F isn't that bad, if the greens aren't frozen

 

[Big_Hitter]

It was about 38 degrees today but managed one last round for 2018. Actually only 14 holes at Quail Hollow in Boise again as the first five still have snow on them. Hit some horrendous shots, but did birdie one hole and saved a par from a crazy drive on a downhill par three that went over the green and down a hill almost to the road. There were a few other diehards out.

I think CC should be open - not that much snow on it at all and it finally dried out

 

[jcretire77]

I agree and apparently my math skills are degrading. 13 holes, not 14. It's early, but I am wondering if one more at QH is possible today.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I agree and apparently my math skills are degrading. 13 holes, not 14. It's early, but I am wondering if one more at QH is possible today.

you may be able to get on at bushwood - should be in good shape right now

I'd join ya but #gottaw*rk

 

[Huston55]

Winter Golf Inspiration

Thought y’all would enjoy this; especially those in northern climes.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/golf-digest-archive-john-updike-december-golf-1989

 

[Music Lover]

Any of you guys use a smart watch for a golf gps?

I have a Garmin GPS watch...but the only feature I use during a round is distance to the middle of green, and sometimes I'll check the odometer post round to see how far I walked.

 

[robnplunder]

Congrats!

Nice of you to get up at/stay up till 2am to tell us about it.

Thanks!

Without needing to get up in the morning to go to work, I go to sleep and wake up whenever. It so happens, these days, I am going to sleep around 3 or 4 am. That TOTALLY screwed up my club golf tournament participation. They always start at 8:00 am. To get ready, I need to get up at 6:30 am. 3 hours of sleep and playing in a golf competition was no fun and I stopped playing in tournaments altogether.

 

[Dawg52]

Golf? Rain rain rain. When it stops raining the course is too wet to play and when it finally starts to dry..... more rain.

 

[Music Lover]

Golf? Rain rain rain. When it stops raining the course is too wet to play and when it finally starts to dry..... more rain.

All the courses around here are under a foot of snow...there won't be any golf until April.

 

[pb4uski]

I have a Garmin GPS watch...but the only feature I use during a round is distance to the middle of green, and sometimes I'll check the odometer post round to see how far I walked.

+1 but I usually check front, middle and back depending on pin placement... I also sometimes check for hazards (to water, to clear water, traps, etc). At the end of the round I check how long it took us to play.

 

[Bir48die]

Played yesterday. Course closed until noon due to frost. Got 12 holes in then gave up. Was high 30's. Highlight was jumping in a friends cart and riding (he has a heater).

Eight of nine on the front had temporary greens. Hit some decent shots but then you're putting on a bumpy fairway into a coffee can. It can hit something and go a foot off line or just put on the brakes.

Rain on its way and will now begin the sloppy winter rounds where all the balls plug and the search party takes some time.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Played yesterday. Course closed until noon due to frost. Got 12 holes in then gave up. Was high 30's. Highlight was jumping in a friends cart and riding (he has a heater).

Eight of nine on the front had temporary greens. Hit some decent shots but then you're putting on a bumpy fairway into a coffee can. It can hit something and go a foot off line or just put on the brakes.

Rain on its way and will now begin the sloppy winter rounds where all the balls plug and the search party takes some time.

I think we are closed until next week. A few courses are open, namely bushwood, which we can get on as reciprocals.

 

[gcgang]

While the pros were delayed for wind here on Maui, we soldiered on.

The new "pin in" rule will be interesting. On the first four holes, I made 30, 60 and 20 footers keeping the pin in. Sick. It actually may end up slowing play down, as some guys want the pin in after it's been taken out. After 50+ years of tending and taking the pin out, it seems more complicated, having to put the pin in after it's been taken out and people are still putting.

Later I had a 40 foot downhill, downgrain, downwind putt. I asked for the pin to be laid down behind the hole, but I guess that's not part of the new rules.

 

[Huston55]

While the pros were delayed for wind here on Maui, we soldiered on.

The new "pin in" rule will be interesting. On the first four holes, I made 30, 60 and 20 footers keeping the pin in. Sick. It actually may end up slowing play down, as some guys want the pin in after it's been taken out. After 50+ years of tending and taking the pin out, it seems more complicated, having to put the pin in after it's been taken out and people are still putting.

Later I had a 40 foot downhill, downgrain, downwind putt. I asked for the pin to be laid down behind the hole, but I guess that's not part of the new rules.

Did you play @ KK?

Wish I was there.

 

[JoeWras]

I used to be an avid player but have fallen off in recent years.

Then today, I turn on the TV and I'm like, "What the heck?" I was seeing all sorts of rules broken. Or so it seemed.

Oh, I just got the memo, huge changes! A quick review seems like most are common sense, like penalties for accidental touching.

As for the pin in hole rule... A few weeks ago, I also happened onto an old tournament from the 50s (I think) and they were putting with the pin in the hole! I guess this simplifications is kind of a back to the future kind of thing.

 

[gcgang]

Did you play @ KK?

Wish I was there.

No, at the wind tunnel, Maui Country Club.

Another good thing about the pin rule. I always thought the old rule was unfair-if I told you to tend the pin, and you didn't take it out on time and my ball hit the pin, it was a penalty on me. Never had that happen, but never seemed right.

 

[pb4uski]

It just seems silly though that the pin must be in or out but can't be tended. If someone wants it tended why can they have it tended.

 

[zinger1457]

Another good thing about the pin rule. I always thought the old rule was unfair-if I told you to tend the pin, and you didn't take it out on time and my ball hit the pin, it was a penalty on me. Never had that happen, but never seemed right.

With the old rule I don't believe it was a penalty on the putter in all cases, it depended on what the intent was of the one tending the flag. In some cases the penalty is on the putter, other cases it's on the one tending the flag, and in some cases they both get penalized.

 

[zinger1457]

It just seems silly though that the pin must be in or out but can't be tended. If someone wants it tended why can they have it tended.

You can still have the flagstick tended.

2019 Rule: Under Rule 13.2a(2):

There will no longer be a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole.
Players will not be required to putt with the flagstick in the hole; rather, they will continue to have the choice to have it removed (which includes having someone attend the flagstick and remove it after the ball is played).

 

[pb4uski]

Good to know. I thought I had read something somewhere that that you couldn't do that anymore.

 

[JoeWras]

Good to know. I thought I had read something somewhere that that you couldn't do that anymore.

It is now complete choice. Freedom.

More freedom: You also now have the freedom to continue to play with a club you bent after throwing it at that tree.

 

[Midpack]

I’d rather have someone tend the pin, and pull it within 15 feet or so - I wouldn’t want it just left in ever. On long putts unless it’s clear I’ve hit it too hard, I want it pulled to avoid any chance of the pin keeping the ball out of the hole. I don’t want any chance of missing the occasional long putt because of the pin.

BUT, I haven’t talked to my golf buds about it, and I’ll go with the flow. If they all leave it in, I’ll do the same unless I’m close enough to pull it myself. I realize on long putts it’s unlikely I’ll hit the pin anyway. And though I support any attempt to speed up the game, I don’t think the pin was in the top ten reasons for slow play anyway.

 

[frayne]

According to an article by Dave Pelz, it's a no brainer to leave the pin is on all putts.

 

[JoeWras]

OK, glad I'm not crazy. The vintage tournament I saw recently was before 1968, but after 1956. During this period, you could leave the pin in. Arnie Palmer apparently was very fond of that, according to some things I've read.

This guy has a straightforward web site detailing the rules changes over the centuries. It hasn't been updated for 2019 though. But you can check your (un)favorite rule for changes through time.

Historical Rules of Golf

The 1952 code restated that striking an unattended flagstick from anywhere carried no penalty in match play, or from over 20 yards from the hole in stroke play. Striking the flagstick or the person attending it from within 20 yards carried a 2 stroke penalty.

1956 Rule was rewritten. Now the responsibilities and penalties fell to the player, and match and stroke play were treated the same. Two strokes or loss of hole if the player's ball struck the flagstick or the person attending it. No penalty for striking an unattended flagstick from any distance.

1968 penalty of loss of hole or 2 strokes for hitting an unattended flagstick with stroke from the putting green.