Widdershins
Double Eagle Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2010
- Messages
- 1,155
There is an article in the newest Discgolfer magazine (Summer, 2010) which is semi-brilliant. Author Mark McGourley recommends using your thumb to estimate distances.
Hold your arm straight out in front of you with your thumb pointing straight up and in line with the basket. Compare the size of the basket with the size of your thumb (or certain parts of your thumb) to estimate how far away the basket is. The farther away the basket is, the smaller the basket appears.
I have poor eyesight and weak depth perception (when players wave at me from other fairways, I wave back but have no idea who they are unless I recognize their walk or throwing motion). I try to make a guess on distance for every shot and when I guess wrong it costs me. Rangefinders are illegal to use in PDGA play. During out-of-town tournaments on little known courses I guess wrong too often.
This method takes some practice but I have been working on it. Start with a known distance (200 feet or whatever) and observe how large the basket is compared to your thumb. Then move to another known distance (250') and compare the size from there. Eventually you will have the system down.
Most baskets are relatively uniform size. Even if the poles are planted at different depths the height of the basket from the top of the chain assembly to the bottom of the cage is pretty similar, so I have been experimenting with this, rather than the total basket height.
If enough golfers do this, perhaps the PDGA Rules will drop the rangefinder ban, which is a dumb rule. On ball golf courses there are accurate tee signs and yardage markings on fairways. In disc golf many tee signs are missing or suspect in accuracy. Yardage markings on fairways are rare (but I love them). Why should distance be a secret? Why should good eyesight be an important skill in the game?
Hold your arm straight out in front of you with your thumb pointing straight up and in line with the basket. Compare the size of the basket with the size of your thumb (or certain parts of your thumb) to estimate how far away the basket is. The farther away the basket is, the smaller the basket appears.
I have poor eyesight and weak depth perception (when players wave at me from other fairways, I wave back but have no idea who they are unless I recognize their walk or throwing motion). I try to make a guess on distance for every shot and when I guess wrong it costs me. Rangefinders are illegal to use in PDGA play. During out-of-town tournaments on little known courses I guess wrong too often.
This method takes some practice but I have been working on it. Start with a known distance (200 feet or whatever) and observe how large the basket is compared to your thumb. Then move to another known distance (250') and compare the size from there. Eventually you will have the system down.
Most baskets are relatively uniform size. Even if the poles are planted at different depths the height of the basket from the top of the chain assembly to the bottom of the cage is pretty similar, so I have been experimenting with this, rather than the total basket height.
If enough golfers do this, perhaps the PDGA Rules will drop the rangefinder ban, which is a dumb rule. On ball golf courses there are accurate tee signs and yardage markings on fairways. In disc golf many tee signs are missing or suspect in accuracy. Yardage markings on fairways are rare (but I love them). Why should distance be a secret? Why should good eyesight be an important skill in the game?
