Weather info from phones ok

[golfinFF]

I just saw this on twitter

Finally an intelligent decision by the ruling bodies!

If I understand it you will now be able to use the GPS apps on your phone and not be breaking the rules.

 

[jt2929]

I don't see anything about GPS devices on phones in the graphic you posted. Only weather.

 

[golfinFF]

I don't see anything about GPS devices on phones in the graphic you posted. Only weather.

This is true but the reason they were not allowed previously was due to access to weather via an app.

 

[#troy]

I don't see anything about GPS devices on phones in the graphic you posted. Only weather.

This is what prevented Smart Phones to be allowed in tournament play, because they have access to live weather including wind direction/speed. I would think this nullifies this limitation and smart phones would be allowed to be your gps device in tournament play like any other gps only unit.

 

[jt2929]

This is true but the reason they were not allowed previously was due to access to weather via an app.

Ah, gotcah.

 

[Tedfroop]

This is true but the reason they were not allowed previously was due to access to weather via an app.

Not strictly for that reason. Compasses, levels and all sorts of communications and other information is available as well. You could for instance ask your buddy which way a putt breaks on a course you don't play often but he does, there are many factors involved in this.

Reading whats on the card I would assume it is for player safety more than any other reason. I would like to see the decision first though to see how its worded.

This is a real can of worms for tournament play though as there is so much information someone can access besides the weather.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I could see this opening up the smartphone GPS for tournament and handicap play....but I still want to see an official opinion from the USGA that says that.

 

[Playdough]

I read this as if there is weather moving in or you sense weather coming you can look at your phone and check it out. Other than that, its still off limits.

 

[Tedfroop]

I read this as if there is weather moving in or you sense weather coming you can look at your phone and check it out. Other than that, its still off limits.

That's what the wording under "How it affects the golfer" says to me. Its for personal safety as much as anything.

Although for the price and accuracy of them now days, why courses are not required to have a lightning detector on site for public safety is beyond me.

 

[wadesworld]

I could see this opening up the smartphone GPS for tournament and handicap play....but I still want to see an official opinion from the USGA that says that.

I believe officially, they are still not allowed. However, I agree it opens the door to allowing them in the future.

It will not surprise me to see some tournaments which previously disallowed them start to allow them. My GolfWeek amateur tour tournaments for example, allow them.

 

[yoopergolfer]

—Decision 27-2a/1.5 was revised to allow players to go forward 50 yards without losing their right to return to play a provisional ball.

Could someone explain this a little further? I don't follow. I didn't know you could lose your right to a provisional, that doesn't make sense to me. If I hit my ball around a dogleg, get up there and realize it is gone and the stakes are white, you go back and re-tee, hitting your 3rd shot, regardless of how far forward I went. What is the other option?

Just last month in China Mickelson lost his ball after his drive and walked all the way back to the tee, probably 300 yards, and hit 3 off the tee. So if you go past 50 yards, what happens? If the ball is lost, no matter how far you walk, you would still have to re-tee, right? Is it an extra stroke?

 

[Tedfroop]

Just last month in China Mickelson lost his ball after his drive and walked all the way back to the tee, probably 300 yards, and hit 3 off the tee. So if you go past 50 yards, what happens? If the ball is lost, no matter how far you walk, you would still have to re-tee, right? Is it an extra stroke?

Because some people interpret the current ruling too narrowly. Once you go forward to search you can't return and play a provisional so they have defined going forward to look vs. going forward to search.

Why? If you search, go back and hit another one that is the ball in play and you lie 3. The original ball is considered lost or abandonded and can not be played even if found.