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How many of us use a smartphone GPS app when playing?

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SaffaClint

SaffaClint

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I ask this because I was confronted by a senior member a few weeks back when playing a Saturday comp at our course. He saw me using my HTC One X and immediately told me I was in violation of the rules because it was a phone. I know the rules about measuring devices and politely explained to him that it was in fact ok to use a smartphone according to the R&A. He was a stubborn old guy so I turned my phone off and played the rest of the round. I went home and found this chart at http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-in-Focus/Archive/2011/March/DMDs.aspx
I printed it our and took it to the club when I knew he'd be there and handed it to him as proof. He was still stubborn but admitted as there was no local rule and I wasn't in breach and the club would look into making a local rule clearly defining conforming devices. I intend to follow this up because as I explained to him, golf's expensive enough and why should people be excluded from using a free app, nevermind that golf's ruling body says is ok.
I can see the problem with some apps, especially ones like golflogix and most pro versions with their hole flyovers etc which require the phone to have an internet connection and that's a whole other kettle of fish. Anyway, curious to know how many use these apps and if people are aware of the rules. I thought the link might help some people?
 
My personal rule is that I use a GPS but my cell phone is off and in the bag.
 
I turn my volume off, don't have it on vibrate and divert all calls to my house phone while I'm on the course.
 
I use one, but always ask the official before a tournament. I find I use it more just for score logging than yardages nowadays

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Never known it to not be allowed. Tried Swing by Swing once. Found it too time consuming, so up until recently I stuck with my I'm Caddie voice GPS. Yesterday I got a Bushnell Pinseeker. Haven't used it yet.
 
I used the GolfLogix App for a while, it is good for keeping score, putts & fairways/Green in reg, but it seemed the courses I was playing had made some changes that were not reflected in the app, whether it be the Tees were not there or they had changed some holes. Now I just use a rangefinder
 
SaffaClint said:
I ask this because I was confronted by a senior member a few weeks back when playing a Saturday comp at our course. He saw me using my HTC One X and immediately told me I was in violation of the rules because it was a phone. I know the rules about measuring devices and politely explained to him that it was in fact ok to use a smartphone according to the R&A. He was a stubborn old guy so I turned my phone off and played the rest of the round. I went home and found this chart at http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-in-Focus/Archive/2011/March/DMDs.aspx
I printed it our and took it to the club when I knew he'd be there and handed it to him as proof. He was still stubborn but admitted as there was no local rule and I wasn't in breach and the club would look into making a local rule clearly defining conforming devices. I intend to follow this up because as I explained to him, golf's expensive enough and why should people be excluded from using a free app, nevermind that golf's ruling body says is ok.
I can see the problem with some apps, especially ones like golflogix and most pro versions with their hole flyovers etc which require the phone to have an internet connection and that's a whole other kettle of fish. Anyway, curious to know how many use these apps and if people are aware of the rules. I thought the link might help some people?
Click to expand...

If I am reading this right, a phone based GPS is still a violation, but a local rule can be established allowing it.
 
In addition, that flow chart clearly shows that an iPhone or Android phone is in violations because temperature, current conditions and compass are in fact installed as native applications that can not be uninstalled. The rules state that those services must only be available as in a web browser or via a shortcut to the Internet.
 
Ok my bad, so a local rule needs to be in place allowing it. If no local rule is in place then it's a no go. Hmmm, back to the drawing board for me. So it's not just phones that are against the rules in competition, it's ANY distance measuring device. Ah well that's still ok, as much as I misinterpreted the rule I'm still ok as he was using a sky caddie gps during the comp. PHEW!
 
Oops..did not realize it was a rules issue, if it's tournament play I will always ask the rules official prior to teeing off, if its with the "guys" most of us have rangefinders or App's so it's not an issue. But GPS Golf Apps & Rangefinders are so common now, it's usually addressed before needing to ask, either via rules sheet or a sign on the Range/1st tee box.
 
It just depends on whether I feel I need Golfshot or not. Unless I'm in a tournament, if anyone told me that I was violating rules, etc., I'd tell them to mind their own business.
 
I use the SwingbySwing App and I think its a pretty good App andits almost dead on with the gps. Also the best part its free.
 
We have a local rule at our course stating that distance devises can be used but that is excluding phones, so only like range finders and standalone gps are aloud.
 
I also use my phone gps and also as a score card replacement. I put my phone on vibrate and rarely ever use it for anything else on the course. I don't get why some people take the game so seriously its supposed to be fun and relaxing. As far as I have seen where I live and play there has never been any signs up regarding it.

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No phone's are allowed at our course due to the wind & temp measurign issue but gps / range finders are OK to use. My Garmin S1 watch is awesome !
 
Dumbest rule ever. I think people around here realize that and allow phone GPS apps.
 
I use SkyDroid when I am playing by myself..... I don't particularly like using it, but it gives me something to do when I walk the course alone (it gets lonely!)
 
See I've been looking at the flowchart and the text under it and it's ambiguous to say the least. The first question clarifies one point, it asks if the app, not device is capable of measuring other conditions. You then move onto the next question.
Does the device have other applications capable of reading conditions? The answer to that is yes because phones nowadays have weather apps built in.
Then it asks if those functions are only accessible via an internet browser or the internet. To which the answer is yes and as such makes it a conforming device and not in breach of the local rule.
The whole reason I brought this topic up is that most golf apps have the ability to give hole flyovers, touch points on screen to determine carry and layup distances etc but those features are ONLY AVAILABLE IF YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. So if you use a phone and don't have the data enabled then surely it's not in breach of the local rule? I might be wrong but I've read it heaps of times now and that to me seems the correct interpretation.
Then in the question and answer section below this is a reply to a question asking whether a smartphone may be used.
"When an application that measures distance has been downloaded to the device, the application must be restricted to providing only distance information in order to conform to the Local Rule. If there are any other features or applications on the phone that gauge or measure other conditions that might affect a player’s play, such as a temperature gauge, compass or anemometer, this would render the device non-conforming regardless of whether these other features or applications are used or not".

This is doing my head in!
 
SaffaClint said:
Then in the question and answer section below this is a reply to a question asking whether a smartphone may be used.
"When an application that measures distance has been downloaded to the device, the application must be restricted to providing only distance information in order to conform to the Local Rule. If there are any other features or applications on the phone that gauge or measure other conditions that might affect a player’s play, such as a temperature gauge, compass or anemometer, this would render the device non-conforming regardless of whether these other features or applications are used or not".

This is doing my head in!
Click to expand...

Seems that statement is pretty clear... although I find it ludicrous. It pretty much makes any phone or device capable of running apps non-conforming unless all other Apps are omitted.
 
I use mine with golflogix app, as I don't play in tournaments I don't really care I'm breaking the rule as its dumb.

What does it matter if the device can only get the weather via Internet browser or through an app? Either way you have access to current weather conditions!

I'm sure this rule was petitioned for by the companies who sell GPS devices and range finders.
 
SaffaClint said:
So if you use a phone and don't have the data enabled then surely it's not in breach of the local rule? I might be wrong but I've read it heaps of times now and that to me seems the correct interpretation.
Click to expand...

Without data enabled on your phone your GPS won't work. The GPS on your phone is different then a GPS unit in a Garmin or SkyCaddie device. Mobile phones use a system called A-GPS, or Assisted GPS, which uses a combination of Satellite signals and transmissions from cellular radio towers. If you disable the data, it can no longer reliably calculate your position.
 
I use an App or two on my phone to check distances with GPS. With 4G, it's pretty reliable for the most part. The phone though, is at MOST on vibrate if it's not set to silent already.
 
i think most would agree that using a smartphone in non-competitive rounds is not an issue. If was playing in a tournament, I would just avoid the drama and use a laser or dedeciated GPS. You can get a reliable GPS unit for less than 100.00 now.
 
Ive used Skydroid and Golflogix in the past but never in a tournament or a serious round. I currently dont use either though. Not because of any rule though, simply because its a pain to pull my phone out of my bag or out of my pocket all the time to check yardage or input my score.
I find it more fun to use on-course yardage markers or to simply eyeball it and see how close I can guess the yardage.
 
I have a Garmin S1 watch that I use on the course, phone is for pictures only.
 
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