Billipo
Birdie Member
Curious if the legalization of Rangefinder use had made Course Designers reevaluate their existing designs or affected new course designs.
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I think it's pretty funny people put so much faith in their arm to throw as accurately as those rangefinders measure.
I've considered doing some testing with a rangefinder out in the field and see if there is something that could be placed on baskets to make the measuring easier. While having never used one it seems that the big issue with those is finding a suitable reflective surface to get a reading off of. I wonder if maybe using retroreflective tape on the center pole or elsewhere on the basket would help in that process.
One benefit of being a noodle arm is knowing you really don't have to throttle down as often as players that throw 350-400 ft.
How far is it? Full send.
I have never had an issue with rangefinder picking up a basket other than in rainy/foggy conditions and I use them all the time in course work. If deer are suitably reflective then baskets certainly are.
My preference would be for them to be illegal for play as I believe judging distance to be an improvable skill but that cat is out of the bag already. I believe i have used one in an event exactly once.
For those of us who play on hills, an exact distance is still only a starting point in the decision and execution.
Likely wide open holes will no longer provide any purpose. I used to think this was a type of hole with value.
If rangefinders become prevalent then likely wide open holes no longer address this challenge, depth perception, and just become boring.
This time of year our club works on our project list. Usually we plant some trees. Maybe it's time to landscape the long open holes and scratch this type of hole from future designs.
Curious if the legalization of Rangefinder use had made Course Designers reevaluate their existing designs or affected new course designs.
I believe rangefinders used to be illegal.
I get the impression that the PDGA yielded once so many people were carrying smartphones, and had access to apps that might help judge distance.
I could be wrong on both accounts.