Using my GPS annoyed others?

[sean_miller]

There is always at least two sides to a story. I am surprised everyone taking OP's side without knowing all the facts. In fact, I played with someone who had sky caddie and he did take too long for his shot. Most of the guys with sky caddie don't take too much time. But there are few that do, and yes it annoys the heck out of me too when they diddle-daddle around with their gadget.

Why? Just make a point to not "diddle daddle" next time. Sure the OP sounds like he was boasting/gloating about breaking 90, and suggested he needed the technology to do it, but that doesn't mean he was that much of a tool face to face.

[Fourputt]

There is always at least two sides to a story. I am surprised everyone taking OP's side without knowing all the facts. In fact, I played with someone who had sky caddie and he did take too long for his shot. Most of the guys with sky caddie don't take too much time. But there are few that do, and yes it annoys the heck out of me too when they diddle-daddle around with their gadget.

I don't see everyone taking the OP's side... far from it. Most are simply saying that it shouldn't take any extra time to use a GPS if it's used correctly. I've never seen anyone turn their GPS on and off during the round. Turn it on at the first tee and turn it off on 18 green. Why do anything else?

Either you are slow or you are keeping up - GPS time, pre-shot routines, etc., are meaningless as single data points. If you're keeping up, tell him to shove it. If you're slow for WHATEVER reason, speed up.

This is the word. Everytime anyone on a golf forum starts a gripe about slow players, he always points to a certain specific reason for it. After spending the last 4 seasons working as a starter at a busy public course I can tell you unequivocally that the only common cause for slow play is slow players, and those players would be slow with or without a GPS. Some people seem incapable of living at the same time rate as the rest of the world. Certainly there are things that they can do to help themselves out a bit, but too many will never figure it out. I've played with players who I had to prod most of the way around the course in an effort to try and stay close to our proper position. That's no fun for me or for them, but they just never seem to get why it's happening.

Improper GPS use can be a contributing factor, but there is no way that you can point to it as a sole cause for slow play.

[casperino101]

your mate sounds loke a tool! like you said it takes a few seconds! All my buds are always askin for yardage and most of the time i give it without them asking! just sounds like a sore loser, plus he should be concentrating on his own game then he might break 90!

[newtogolf]

In some cases I've seen GPS speed up a guys game because he doesn't have to find the sprinkler heads, estimate difference from his ball to them and to the pin. GPS gives you the distance immediately, assuming you leave it on for the entire round.

[Paradox]

I've been behind a guy using a laser and my God was he slow...he would scope for a minute, hit terrible shots, scope for another minute..so on and so forth. I was also waiting on a guy using a laser on a windy day and he was standing there for a good 30 seconds trying to get the flagstick..then goes to his cart, debates on the club, pulls a club, puts it back, takes a few practice swings..sets up ever so slowly and then hits. Thats all far too long.

[Fourputt]

I've been behind a guy using a laser and my God was he slow...he would scope for a minute, hit terrible shots, scope for another minute..so on and so forth. I was also waiting on a guy using a laser on a windy day and he was standing there for a good 30 seconds trying to get the flagstick..then goes to his cart, debates on the club, pulls a club, puts it back, takes a few practice swings..sets up ever so slowly and then hits. Thats all far too long.

But once again, it wasn't the laser, it was the guy using it.

[zeg]

In some cases I've seen GPS speed up a guys game because he doesn't have to find the sprinkler heads, estimate difference from his ball to them and to the pin. GPS gives you the distance immediately, assuming you leave it on for the entire round.

It's possible that this can lead to a perception that the GPS is causing slower play, though. When you're taking a yardage by walking to a marker and pacing the distance, anyone who is watching will see what you're doing and know that you're actively prepping for your shot. If they see you looking at your screen, it's less obvious that you're not just standing around. Even if you take less time looking at the screen, it may not be perceived as such. Perceptions like that may not be intentional, he may just remember you were screwing around with your GPS every time he looked up, even if it was just for a few seconds.

[Jell0b0y]

This is pretty much why I use a Holder that sets in the cup holder of my cart which both me and the passenger can see it. I turn it on 10 minutes before I tee off 1 so it can fully connect and it stays on till I get to my car to load up. The only thing it takes is a glance to see the front, Back and center of the green yardages and make the decision to pull the club. I also switch to the next hole as I am traveling to the next tee box.

Everyone who rides with me are pretty excited that I have it. I drop them off at there ball tell the the yardage and the go to mine while they are prepping for there shot.

[jetsknicks1]

This is pretty much why I use a Holder that sets in the cup holder of my cart which both me and the passenger can see it. I turn it on 10 minutes before I tee off 1 so it can fully connect and it stays on till I get to my car to load up. The only thing it takes is a glance to see the front, Back and center of the green yardages and make the decision to pull the club. I also switch to the next hole as I am traveling to the next tee box.

That's

exactly the way it should be used.

[Paradox]

But once again, it wasn't the laser, it was the guy using it.

Dude, no one said the laser was slow, just saying that some people just take ridiculously too long when using them. A.K.A. if you're so slow using one, then just give it up and find a faster way to play

[newtogolf]

Dude, no one said the laser was slow, just saying that some people just take ridiculously too long when using them. A.K.A. if you're so slow using one, then just give it up and find a faster way to play

Some people are just slow whether they use a laser, gps or sprinkler heads. I don't see the problem with any of these methods as long as they aren't causing a logjam because of it.

Maybe some courses need to adopt some sort of speed golf so people who just want to run through the course can. I can see it now, shot timers at the tee boxes, turbo charged golf carts, and round time is factored into your score. You could get through a round in less than an hour this way.

[Fourputt]

Some people are just slow whether they use a laser, gps or sprinkler heads. I don't see the problem with any of these methods as long as they aren't causing a logjam because of it.

I realize (I think) that you are speaking tongue in cheek. I'm not a fan of racing around the course... a comfortable round with a fourball on a normal par 72 course should be in the 4 to 4½ hour range. One of the groups I sometimes play with will occasionally go as a group of 5 in 3 carts, and we can finish in slightly under 4 hours without feeling rushed.

Yet I've known groups as small as 2 who can't seem to play in under 4½ hours, and that's just sad. When you watch players like that they are just always screwing around with this or that, and give them a GPS or laser and you are really asking for trouble. It's like they seek out new ways to be slow. But the rangefinding gadget is just another contributing factor for someone who is already painfully slow. I can't stand playing with someone like that, and I hate to follow them. I just can't stand watching them as they attempt to perfect their dawdling techniques.

[newtogolf]

I realize (I think) that you are speaking tongue in cheek. I'm not a fan of racing around the course... a comfortable round with a fourball on a normal par 72 course should be in the 4 to 4½ hour range. :

Definite tongue in cheek. Part of golf is to have some laughs and relax a bit, so there needs to be a happy medium. I agree 4 - 4.5 hours is a very comfortable pace.

[Ignorant]

... a comfortable round with a fourball on a normal par 72 course should be in the 4 to 4½ hour range.

In a cart? Wow, in my region a 4,5 hour round by foot is way too slow for a flight of 4 ...

[Fourputt]

In a cart? Wow, in my region a 4,5 hour round by foot is way too slow for a flight of 4 ...

Most of the courses I play send off golfers from first light with tee times on a 9 minute schedule. All it takes is couple of slow groups, a few ball searches, and you are in that 4½ hour window. The point is that I don't get frustrated until it starts approaching 5 hours. Today is a typical busy Saturday, and I played in a threesome, following several foursomes, yet we finished in 3:45 with a lot of waiting for fairways and greens to clear. It just all depends on how the flow is going. Today it was quite good, with a lot of regulars playing who know the course. It can make a big difference on a summer Sunday afternoon with a lot of twice a year players, husbands playing with ther wives or kids, etc.

[meenman]

Most of the courses I play send off golfers from first light with tee times on a 9 minute schedule. All it takes is couple of slow groups, a few ball searches, and you are in that 4½ hour window. The point is that I don't get frustrated until it starts approaching 5 hours. Today is a typical busy Saturday, and I played in a threesome, following several foursomes, yet we finished in 3:45 with a lot of waiting for fairways and greens to clear. It just all depends on how the flow is going. Today it was quite good, with a lot of regulars playing who know the course. It can make a big difference on a summer Sunday afternoon with a lot of twice a year players, husbands playing with ther wives or kids, etc.

Not to get too far off topic, but sometimes the course can be to blame.

We played a 1:50 front nine (our course does double tee times from 7:30-9:22 at 7.5 minute intervals) only to come around the turn and have 3 groups waiting at the tee box. The starter just laughed and said that we would understand once we played the hole. The pin was put in the worst position possible. If you were long or short on any putt, it rolled off of the green. We were happy to come off of the hole with all double bogeys, but from what I could see there were alot of snowmen put up on that hole. Saturday mornings are the busiest time of the week, probably not the best time to test that pin postion.

[mrprovisional]

There is always at least two sides to a story. I am surprised everyone taking OP's side without knowing all the facts. In fact, I played with someone who had sky caddie and he did take too long for his shot. Most of the guys with sky caddie don't take too much time. But there are few that do, and yes it annoys the heck out of me too when they diddle-daddle around with their gadget.

I didnt stop at my ball and then turn on the caddie. It's already on and it gives me immediate yardage. Because it was one of those days that I happen to hit 10/14 fairways, the buddy I was riding with were way ahead of the other two-some. If his ball was way out of reach from mine, he would request to be dropped off to his ball and he would want me to go to mine and hit. So technically, the only person that was slowing the play down was my buddy from not only bringing all the clubs that he needed, but also I would hear him whine and slam his clubs down if his shot was bad. I say suck it up, your not a pro, and its just a game. Like someone else said on here, he was whining alot. I dont know what else to say. Yes my handicap is not as low asd others, but so far this year, I only broke 90 at least 4 times and its hard to believe my story.

I play with someone who really is a sore loser and cant accept the fact that someone actually beat him. Just another reason why i dont mind playing with him at all because of how upset he gets over the dumbest things.

[dkirk]

When playing my local course, I walk and carry my bag, use my an app on my iPhone for driving distance as well as for keeping my score and statistics (fairway, GIRs, sand saves, and putts). I also carry and use a laser rangefinder for my approach shots. In the last two years of doing this, not once has anyone complained to me about slow play. I've made all of this part of my routine and in fact I can usually play as fast or faster than a twosome in a cart. Many times, the others I'm playing with will ask me to scope their distances which I will gladly do if it isn't a match or doesn't slow our entire group down. On the flip side, there are many things inexperienced and/or inconsiderate players do to slow the speed of play. ie. leaving their bags or cart on the wrong side of the green away from the next tee, looking at every putt longer than 6 inches from every side, not being ready to play a shot or putt when it is their turn, etc., etc., etc. To me, all of these are just more things to learn to block out and deal with so they don't affect my game.