Virtual Players meetings....Smartphones at tournaments

[DavidSauls]

I think this might be a subject where the phones are supplemental, before we rely on them. It's the problems we haven't thought of that are bound to bite us.

At Charlotte Worlds, everyone had a caddy book. Schedules and course assignments were online. We'd show up at the course, check our hole assignment, grab a scorecard, and head out.

I've played two events with tee-times---The Hall of Fame at the IDGC and Throwing Down the Mountain in Brooksville, FL---where there was no meeting. They worked fine as well.

*

Among the drawbacks, I'd prefer not to be a player without a smartphone, having to ask to borrow someone's phone to see the ground rules, or anything else. Especially if they're busy texting or talking or playing games on their phone at the time.

It will be cool to be able to reach the TD during the event. Cool for the players. Probably less so for the TD, being available to 90 players at any moment. I can't imagine the TD's phone at lunch.

Frankly, I'm happy to be away from phones, of any kind, during tournament rounds.

 

[jcrab66]

No issue with any of the non player meeting events I played in the last year which include the BSF, Worlds and BG AMs, all big tourneys with no pre round player meeting...

 

[Bamm]

If everyone yells "start" when the horn sounds (or traditionally a shotgun blast?), the message gets around the course quickly no matter how big and spread out. I love hearing the yelling from near and far when players do this.....definitely adds to the excitement of the event for me.

I enjoy this as well.......:thmbup:

 

[bradharris]

I think this might be a subject where the phones are supplemental, before we rely on them. It's the problems we haven't thought of that are bound to bite us.

Definitely this. You still supply paper cards, give full instructions at the player meeting, and sound a horn to start. But using an electronic system in conjuction can make the process a bit smoother. But it's always good to have paper and pencil to fall back on.

 

[DavidSauls]

There's still something to be said for players meetings---for getting everyone together at the start of an event, for having a Q&A that everyone can share, for covering odds & ends like lunch, other activities in park, whatever.

10-minute players meetings---because much of the workload has been moved to technology---will be sweet. Maybe people can pay attention for 10 minutes?

 

[wake911]

I think this might be a subject where the phones are supplemental, before we rely on them. It's the problems we haven't thought of that are bound to bite us.

At Charlotte Worlds, everyone had a caddy book. Schedules and course assignments were online. We'd show up at the course, check our hole assignment, grab a scorecard, and head out.

I've played two events with tee-times---The Hall of Fame at the IDGC and Throwing Down the Mountain in Brooksville, FL---where there was no meeting. They worked fine as well.

*

Among the drawbacks, I'd prefer not to be a player without a smartphone, having to ask to borrow someone's phone to see the ground rules, or anything else. Especially if they're busy texting or talking or playing games on their phone at the time.

It will be cool to be able to reach the TD during the event. Cool for the players. Probably less so for the TD, being available to 90 players at any moment. I can't imagine the TD's phone at lunch.

Frankly, I'm happy to be away from phones, of any kind, during tournament rounds.

I thought phone use was illegal during sanctioned tourney play? (personally i like the quiet away from phones. i do use mine for scorecard during casual play though)

 

[DavidSauls]

I thought phone use was illegal during sanctioned tourney play? (personally i like the quiet away from phones. i do use mine for scorecard during casual play though)

Don't hold me to it, but it seems like the restrictions were lifted this year as long as the phone doesn't have an audible ring.

 

[notroman]

A few years ago at the local IOS events the TD announced tee times for second round on Twitter. That way a group could head straight to lunch after finishing their round without having to stick around to see what time the second round starts.

I don't use Twitter myself, but this is one example of how it can be used in tournaments. You can also make a list of all the tourney-specific rules like OBs, drop zones, etc made available online so people with phones can access that information if any questions arise during the round.

You can also tweet questions about rules and OB calls, complete with pictures, if the course is big enough where it would take too much time to go get an official. This is all assuming the area has data coverage.

 

[smyith]

Keep it old school. Don't take away the fellowship of the player's meeting by a bunch of phones.

i actually agree with you on this. Plus how am I supposed to ditch the meeting and get extra warm up time if they did that?

A few years ago at the local IOS events the TD announced tee times for second round on Twitter. That way a group could head straight to lunch after finishing their round without having to stick around to see what time the second round starts.

I don't use Twitter myself, but this is one example of how it can be used in tournaments. You can also make a list of all the tourney-specific rules like OBs, drop zones, etc made available online so people with phones can access that information if any questions arise during the round.

You can also tweet questions about rules and OB calls, complete with pictures, if the course is big enough where it would take too much time to go get an official. This is all assuming the area has data coverage.

honestly this would piss me off. what if no one in the group use TWITter? Heck most people I know leave their phone in the car when discin. I would have to carry my phone and sign up for a TWITter. I like the effort, but I also think a simple text message would work just as well.

 

[Dave242]

Frankly, I'm happy to be away from phones, of any kind, during tournament rounds.

Another excellent point....along with BigSky's missing out on the fellowship point. I personally do enjoy disc golf (not limited to tournaments) to get a break from as much technology as possible and enjoy nature. Forcing cell phones into use would take away from that.

 

[Dave242]

Don't hold me to it, but it seems like the restrictions were lifted this year as long as the phone doesn't have an audible ring.

I have been out of the loop, but if they are allowed then you could use them as rangefinders......Google Maps has a measuring tool (and GPS) that works incredibly well - at least in open areas where the GPS is accurate and you can see the ground/basket on the aerial map. That would be illegal to use, no?


This could possibly be the undoing of the idea to use smartphonea for maps and ground rules (and scoring if/when an app and data collection utility are implemented....and we could have real time scoring for the entire tournament....not just the top 1-2 cards delayed by 10 minutes or whatever).

 

[Dave242]

You can also tweet questions about rules and OB calls, complete with pictures, if the course is big enough where it would take too much time to go get an official. This is all assuming the area has data coverage.

Cool that technology is being used in the IOS. Looks like things are indeed moving in the direction we are talking about here.

There is a recent Q&A that I happened to see made mention of the other day. I looked it up here:

QA 36: Is Video Evidence Allowed for Rulings?

Q:
A spectator managed to capture video evidence of some stance violations and courtesy violations like one player swearing and another drinking during the round. Can any of those video clips or snapshots be reviewed by an official to subsequently issue warnings or penalties?

A:
No. At this point, media evidence such as video, photos or audio clips cannot be used by officials or TDs for making rulings. Only direct visual accounts of possible rules infractions observed by players, spectators or officials may be used by TDs to make rulings.

 

[notroman]

i actually agree with you on this. Plus how am I supposed to ditch the meeting and get extra warm up time if they did that?


honestly this would piss me off. what if no one in the group use TWITter? Heck most people I know leave their phone in the car when discin. I would have to carry my phone and sign up for a TWITter. I like the effort, but I also think a simple text message would work just as well.

Why would a tweet piss you off but a text message is okay?

 

[Casual Squishy]

I have been out of the loop, but if they are allowed then you could use them as rangefinders......Google Maps has a measuring tool (and GPS) that works incredibly well - at least in open areas where the GPS is accurate and you can see the ground/basket on the aerial map. That would be illegal to use, no?


This could possibly be the undoing of the idea to use smartphonea for maps and ground rules (and scoring if/when an app and data collection utility are implemented....and we could have real time scoring for the entire tournament....not just the top 1-2 cards delayed by 10 minutes or whatever).

Everything related to rangefinder restrictions has been removed from the 2013 rules.
And supplement yes, replace no. If they make available an E caddybook they should also make printed copies available, not everyone wants to be forced into buying a smartphone as a "necessary" disc golf accesory or even carry a phone on the course. For alot of people it's the only place they can get away from their phones. Last year there was a tournament that had a special prize if you landed a disc inside a small area on one hole but you had to provide pictures.. On our entire card not one person had brought a phone in their bag. Then again we figured if 4 peoples words weren't good enough, we didn't want the 20$ anyways.. dumbass idea.
(disclaimer, I'd probably break down and buy a smartphone if more tourneys did provide E caddybooks, but I'd want it to be my choice.. )

 

[scarpfish]

honestly this would piss me off. what if no one in the group use TWITter? Heck most people I know leave their phone in the car when discin. I would have to carry my phone and sign up for a TWITter. I like the effort, but I also think a simple text message would work just as well.

Why would a tweet piss you off but a text message is okay?

Because with a text message, a user doesn't have to sign up for a third party service that they may not otherwise would use. They also can receive the message on an antiquated 2G phone. Granted, they have to have phone service.

I don't mind if TD's use new technological means (including social networking sites) to supplement things like player's meetings and communications, provided they realize that not everyone who paid to play uses those things and they still have paper maps, rules etc. handouts and a whiteboard at tourney HQ for those who don't.

 

[Casual Squishy]

Because with a text message, a user doesn't have to sign up for a third party service that they may not otherwise would use. They also can receive the message on an antiquated 2G phone. Granted, they have to have phone service.

I don't mind if TD's use new technological means (including social networking sites) to supplement things like player's meetings and communications, provided they realize that not everyone who paid to play uses those things and they still have paper maps, rules etc. handouts and a whiteboard at tourney HQ for those who don't.

I'm already pissed myself at the whole mandatory facebook era we're in. Bad enough that there's a million "discounts and deals" you can't seem to get without going through a businesses "facebook page" but some DG clubs have gone that way too. It's inconvenient and as annoying as having to give your email for all the things that seem to require it these days.
The privacy backlash is decades away and for now it just gets more and more intrusive everyday.
It's amazing when you think about it how anti social some aspects of social networking are..

 

[notroman]

Because with a text message, a user doesn't have to sign up for a third party service that they may not otherwise would use. They also can receive the message on an antiquated 2G phone. Granted, they have to have phone service.

I don't mind if TD's use new technological means (including social networking sites) to supplement things like player's meetings and communications, provided they realize that not everyone who paid to play uses those things and they still have paper maps, rules etc. handouts and a whiteboard at tourney HQ for those who don't.

Haha, I never said to use Twitter for everything! I was just pointing out how Twitter can help resolve problems quicker and make things easier for the players and for the TD. You don't have to use it if you don't want to. Having the option to would be nice though.

 

[sidewinder22]

Good morning dgers, your mission should you choose to accept it involves navigating your disc through the thick woods and over the monstrous hills to the raised basket obeying all triple mandos and avoiding all hazards. As always, should any member of your card be caught or killed, the TD will disavow all knowledge of your actions and you will receive a 999. And dgers, the next time you cuss out the tree you hit and quit your mission, please be good enough to let us know where you're going and accept your 888. This smartphone will self-destruct in 5 seconds at which point will be time to start your mission. Good luck.

 

[Dave242]

Everything related to rangefinder restrictions has been removed from the 2013 rules.
And supplement yes, replace no. If they make available an E caddybook they should also make printed copies available, not everyone wants to be forced into buying a smartphone as a "necessary" disc golf accesory or even carry a phone on the course.

I was not aware of that rule change. It makes sense as in my opinion, data gathered from a range finder is of minimal value/impact.

If I were running tournaments today, I think I would provide an eCaddyBook for free (at least ground rules and tournament logistics info) and charge something nominal like $1 per page for printed material. More money for the purse.....

 

[jongoff09]

Because with a text message, a user doesn't have to sign up for a third party service that they may not otherwise would use. They also can receive the message on an antiquated 2G phone. Granted, they have to have phone service.

You know you can still see tweets without signing into Twitter right? The user can make all tweets public so they can be seen by anyone.

I personally signed up for twitter so I can get tweets sent to my phone (non smart-phone) via text message that my church sends out. I don't do anything with my account other than keep up with church business via those text messages. Very easy. I'd set up a TDs account to do the same thing if I saw that it would help me get info.

Everything related to rangefinder restrictions has been removed from the 2013 rules.

I see. I wish I would have known that before AM World Dubs. I had my rangefinder with me and my partner and I made notes on those courses with distances from certain objects during practice rounds the day before. It helped a lot, but I was still wishing I could use it during the rounds. Now I know.