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Using a compass

gmiller598

gmiller598

Par 3 Net Zero
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So Bryson Dechambeau is being “investigated” for using a compass. How exactly could this possibly provide a competitive advantage? He claims to be using it to check for true pin positions but I don’t know how that is even possible.


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Probably involves math. Oddly enough, the only time I saw him actually pull the darn thing out was when he was just using the pencil part of it to make a note in his yardage book.
 
I don't see how this is a thing, but I'd need to hear more about it. I'm going to blame my FIR/GIR misses on not knowing exactly where magnetic north was.
 
Seeing as how the yardage books have North drawn on for each hole so a compass doesn't matter, mostly for use with wind direction and weather reports. I assume it was not a north south compass though. Everyone on tour and most ams who play any tournament golf know you can't use one.

I thought he was using a protractor to figure out how much a putt will break. I think he was basically long handing what the strackaline app does.
 
ntanygd760 said:
Seeing as how the yardage books have North drawn on for each hole so a compass doesn't matter, mostly for use with wind direction and weather reports. I assume it was not a north south compass though. Everyone on tour and most ams who play any tournament golf know you can't use one.

I thought he was using a protractor to figure out how much a putt will break. I think he was basically long handing what the strackaline app does.
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Well, was it a compass or protractor? What do the RoG say about either?

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A compass is not allowed. I honestly have no clue about a protractor. I think it would be legal though. I thought I heard it was a protractor though.
 
I know this guy is supposed to be very intelligent with a background in physics, I believe, but is all of this really necessary? I don't know him, but my perception is that he's just trying to be different for the sake of being different and show everyone how smart he is. The guy obviously has loads of talent or he wouldn't be on tour, but come on. Just keep your head down, your compass in your pocket, and play golf.
 
Just when I thought I couldn't dislike the guy any more than I already do, he pulls out a damn compass and tries to use it on a yardage book. Come on man!
 
Well he was using a compass. A protractor is the plastic half circle. A compass is the expanding metal device that has the pencil connected to it. :D
 
So, how is that helpful? I'm seriously asking, I've never contemplated using one.
OB1theStogie said:
Well he was using a compass. A protractor is the plastic half circle. A compass is the expanding metal device that has the pencil connected to it. :D
Click to expand...

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OB1theStogie said:
Well he was using a compass. A protractor is the plastic half circle. A compass is the expanding metal device that has the pencil connected to it. :D
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It was quite amusing how many people commenting and incorrectly correcting did not know the difference between these two.

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MrMom said:
I know this guy is supposed to be very intelligent with a background in physics, I believe, but is all of this really necessary? I don't know him, but my perception is that he's just trying to be different for the sake of being different and show everyone how smart he is. The guy obviously has loads of talent or he wouldn't be on tour, but come on. Just keep your head down, your compass in your pocket, and play golf.
Click to expand...

So you think this is his hook? Not possible for him to be the way he is because that’s how he is built.

I can tell you that he is Uber intelligent and a cool dude. He has no hook but people love to label him for what ever reason.
 
This would have to be for measuring distances on a course map/green map or something, right? I don't think this would be against the rules because even when you use something like Arccos in "conforming" mode, I think the distance between points is something you get.
 
A yardage book is what, maybe 7 inches tall? And the hole map is maybe 6 inches? So for a 180 yard hole, 1/32" is about 1 yard. You'd have to be pretty good with a compass to be within one yard of the true value. Make it a 540 yard hole and 1/32" is about 1/90". That tells me I don't understand how he is using the darn thing, because he's smart enough to know that as well.
 
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My guess is he is using it to get exact yardage from where he is at. Instead of being good with its about 174, he is figuring that it is exactly 173.6 or whatever. I am a trained actuary so my area of expertise in math is probability but my recollections of geometry are such that I am pretty sure it's possible with a really good compass and a protractor. If you think about it this is how everything on Earth was built prior to 30 years ago when computer drafting became mainstream in construction and engineering.
 
So the yardage books are drawn exactly to scale vs. just being a general schematic/representation?

Kind of find that hard to believe unless they are generated off of some type of sophisticated land base...



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I don't understand anyone being upset about it. It's Bryson, he's a different dude and thinks differently than many of us. I kind of enjoy watching someone with such a unique approach.
 
OGputtnfool said:
So, how is that helpful? I'm seriously asking, I've never contemplated using one.

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Click to expand...

He was probably using it to draw arcs on his green book to determine something. Maybe he used it to aim at the intersection of two or more arcs from the ones he drew on the book.
 
I like Bryson. And especially his response...

He's used this compass/protractor, whatever you want to call it, in past tournaments.

But when you start playing well and/or winning then it comes into question.

He's so right. If he was still MCs or finishing T62 then nobody bats an eye, and clearly the Tour didn't because they never mentioned it to him previously.

Keep being different Bryson. Love it.
 
Otis32 said:
So the yardage books are drawn exactly to scale vs. just being a general schematic/representation?

Kind of find that hard to believe unless they are generated off of some type of sophisticated land base...



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Click to expand...
Maybe the green maps are to scale, but yeah I haven't seen a yardage book be shown to scale. Usually it's more of a perspective view from above the tee box. I've made yardage books using Google earth with more of an overhead view, but even though it's to scale, the scale wouldn't really be that useful given the size of the book. More useful are the arcs I draw to show key yardage off the tee and to the green.
 
I love this guy and really hope he makes the Ryder Cup team.

As for the compass/protractor thing... I got 1 in my bag doesn't everybody else? :p
 
He says he’s been using it since 2016 and nobody has said anything. I honestly don’t see the big deal. I don’t think this gives any sort of unfair advantage.


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KEV said:
I don't understand anyone being upset about it. It's Bryson, he's a different dude and thinks differently than many of us. I kind of enjoy watching someone with such a unique approach.
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Exactly! He's super analytical with his game. Even during a tournament.
That's just how he plays. Yags told us some stories about B.A.D. which makes him using a compass during a round not that surprising.
 
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