Golf Channel GPS putting overlay

[DouginGA]

Watched the golf channel's mercedes coverage again last night. I found the computer generated overlay of where the player should aim and the balls path on the green when putting to be quite interesting yet a bit troubling.

So how long before technology makes this available to the rank and file on their course with a hand held gadget?? When on the green you will whip out the thing and hold it over the ball and the computer data base will calculate and tell you to aim 8" left or whatever to make the putt and there you go. Think it will happen? Did you ever think 25 years ago that you would have a thing in your pocket that would tell how far to the center of the green and how far to carry the water etc.? I can hear the arguments allready, "but the pro's have a caddy with advice and a book that tells them exactly how far/where to aim, yada yada yada".
I remember 30 years ago reading a story about a kid learning to play golf. As he would walk to school he would see a fire hydrant or whatever up ahead and estimate the distance, then pace it off to check his estimate and learn to judge distance. Technology has eliminated the need for this skill thru range finders/gps and I wouldnt be suprised to see in ten years or so GPS etc may eliminate the need to learn to read greens. I know - "but you still have to stoke the putt and have a feel for distance, allow for grain and green conditions etc".

My guess is that putting gps will be coming some day, because somebody can make a buck off it and it is tempting to think that you could play a premium course where you could try it out, and before long all courses will have it just to "keep up". same as cart GPS.

Thoughts?

And I am also gonna bet that pretty soon a transponder of some sort is gonna be put on the flagstick, so skycaddy and the cartGPS will be giving you the yardage to the pin and not the center of the green, if it isnt being done allready.

 

[Dannykos]

knowing its 8 inches left - medium to firm pace, doesn't actually mean that i can hit it like that though!!

 

[SiberianDVM]

DouginGA, dave., and I need to form a Luddite Golf Society.

 

[DouginGA]

DouginGA, dave., and I need to form a Luddite Golf Society.

??? Doc, I thought you liked the high tech (your nikon range finder)??.

I am all for each to his own, whatever makes you happy, But personally I even question the 150 yrd markers when they are pvc pipe in the middle of the fairways. With my luck my ball ends up behind the post and that is my second shot on a par four!
peace

 

[ezra76]

The putting overlay is pretty neat for television veiwers. If it ever made it to the point there was a device to give you that information, it would be an absolute slap in the face to every golfer who played before. I personally think GPS and rangefinders are BS on the course during play. A guy I joined up with had a Skycaddie out on the course about a month ago. On the #1 cap par 4 our tee shots were within 10yds. of each other. He comes over to mine and says, 191 to the front. I pull out an 8iron and stiff a fade to 8 feet. I know that hole, it plays downhill and a left to right shot will just carry all the way there. His hybrid skipped off the back.

 

[SiberianDVM]

??? Doc, I thought you liked the high tech (your nikon range finder)??.

I am all for each to his own, whatever makes you happy, But personally I even question the 150 yrd markers when they are pvc pipe in the middle of the fairways. With my luck my ball ends up behind the post and that is my second shot on a par four!
peace

I could get by with a yardage book: each course should be forced to have one, but where I qualify for Luddite Golf is my desire to bring back persimmon.

Oh, most of those yardage posts will pull out of the ground.

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

I like the putting overlay I track thing. Verry different. I only saw it 2 times and one of them was JB Holmes who missed the hole by 10+ feet left and 20 feet long.

 

[Sandpiper3]

Watched the golf channel's mercedes coverage again last night. I found the computer generated overlay of where the player should aim and the balls path on the green when putting to be quite interesting yet a bit troubling.

So how long before technology makes this available to the rank and file on their course with a hand held gadget?? When on the green you will whip out the thing and hold it over the ball and the computer data base will calculate and tell you to aim 8" left or whatever to make the putt and there you go. Think it will happen? Did you ever think 25 years ago that you would have a thing in your pocket that would tell how far to the center of the green and how far to carry the water etc.? I can hear the arguments allready, "but the pro's have a caddy with advice and a book that tells them exactly how far/where to aim, yada yada yada".
I remember 30 years ago reading a story about a kid learning to play golf. As he would walk to school he would see a fire hydrant or whatever up ahead and estimate the distance, then pace it off to check his estimate and learn to judge distance. Technology has eliminated the need for this skill thru range finders/gps and I wouldnt be suprised to see in ten years or so GPS etc may eliminate the need to learn to read greens. I know - "but you still have to stoke the putt and have a feel for distance, allow for grain and green conditions etc".

My guess is that putting gps will be coming some day, because somebody can make a buck off it and it is tempting to think that you could play a premium course where you could try it out, and before long all courses will have it just to "keep up". same as cart GPS.

Thoughts?

And I am also gonna bet that pretty soon a transponder of some sort is gonna be put on the flagstick, so skycaddy and the cartGPS will be giving you the yardage to the pin and not the center of the green, if it isnt being done allready.

The reason pros have those PERFECT yardages, is because they put the hours in to get those yardages. Nothing but hard work, so you cant use that as a legitamate argument.

And hey, ive been doin that on my walk to school for the past two years! (although i drive now)

 

[warbirdlover]

Well, back in the 80's (?) Rodney Dangerfield had one with a lock-on feature in "Caddy Shack"!! I've been trying to find where he got that...

 

[Garrett]

I personally think its a great touch. A lot of people where talking about the camera trickery that the Golf channel was going to have to do to keep people interested. I think that the PGA is going to be good on its new home.

 

[mont86]

I liked it being a veiwer, I can nevr read the green on tv

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

It's to bad we won't see it at Augusta. That would be something.

 

[kiwi]

At my home track you get 2 measurements, 135 and 150 to the centre. All holes but par 3's. Most courses round here only have the 135 one