Garmin Tempo Feature in a Tournament Round

[3puttssuck]

This question is in regards to tournament play - 

My Garmin watch has a swing tempo app that emits a pulse to replicate a smooth tempo while hitting balls on the range.  Is it legal to turn the swing tempo on during a tournament round, with or without actually addressing the ball?  In other words, if your timing feels off, would it be ok to turn the app on to get the rhythm in your head while going from one shot to another?

[billchao]

I’m going to say no. You’re not allowed to listen to music to help with swing tempo, so I assume you’re not allowed to have a device that does that by design.

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, 3puttssuck said:

This question is in regards to tournament play - 

My Garmin watch has a swing tempo app that emits a pulse to replicate a smooth tempo while hitting balls on the range.  Is it legal to turn the swing tempo on during a tournament round, with or without actually addressing the ball?  In other words, if your timing feels off, would it be ok to turn the app on to get the rhythm in your head while going from one shot to another?

Rule 4.3   (excerpt)...

(4) Audio and Video.

• Allowed.

» Listening to audio or watching video on matters unrelated to the competition being played (such as a news report or background music).

» But in doing so, consideration should be shown to others (see Rule 1.2).

• Not Allowed.

» Listening to music or other audio to eliminate distractions or to help with swing tempo...

[bkuehn1952]

1 hour ago, 3puttssuck said:

This question is in regards to tournament play - 

My Garmin watch has a swing tempo app that emits a pulse to replicate a smooth tempo while hitting balls on the range.  Is it legal to turn the swing tempo on during a tournament round, with or without actually addressing the ball?  In other words, if your timing feels off, would it be ok to turn the app on to get the rhythm in your head while going from one shot to another?

@billchao and @David in FL are correct. Listening to the "pulse" looks to be "Not Allowed".

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by bkuehn1952

[3puttssuck]

Couldn't be more clear.  Thanks, boys.

[DrvFrShow]

Okay, here's another Garmin related one. I have a Garmin G80 with a launch monitor. I could drop it on the ground about 1 foot away from the ball. It will measure estimated carry distance, swing tempo, and smash factor, swing speed... blah blah blah. Say I just want to check my swing tempo because something doesn't feel right. It won't emit a beep or anything that will aid me. I just make my shot as normal. Would using it that way be legal in any round other than a round with "Muppet rules" that doesn't get reported.

[DaveP043]

15 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

Okay, here's another Garmin related one. I have a Garmin G80 with a launch monitor. I could drop it on the ground about 1 foot away from the ball. It will measure estimated carry distance, swing tempo, and smash factor, swing speed... blah blah blah. Say I just want to check my swing tempo because something doesn't feel right. It won't emit a beep or anything that will aid me. I just make my shot as normal. Would using it that way be legal in any round other than a round with "Muppet rules" that doesn't get reported.

4.3.a(3)

Quote

(3) Information Gathered Before or During Round.
Allowed.

Using information that was gathered before the round (such as playing information from previous rounds, swing tips or club recommendations), or

Recording (for use after the round) playing or physiological information from the round (such as club distance, playing statistics or heart rate).

Not Allowed.

Processing or interpreting playing information from the round (such as club recommendations based on current round distances), or

Using any physiological information recorded during the round.

As I read this rule, you're not allowed to artificially gather information and use that information during the round.  I'd say that "swing tempo" counts as "physiological information".  You CAN gather the data, and then review it once you're done playing.

I'd remind you that some rule violations wouldn't disqualify the round for handicap purposes.  In this case, I think it would disqualify the score, but you'd have to check with the Committee to be sure.

[DrvFrShow]

So basically it's okay to use it only when practicing on the course not when actually playing a round on the course. Because I do want to get carry distances for my clubs off turf conditions with real balls as opposed to mat conditions with range balls. Unfortunately it won't store tempo data so... it'll be course practice w/o score. 

[DaveP043]

8 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

So basically it's okay to use it only when practicing on the course not when actually playing a round on the course. Because I do want to get carry distances for my clubs off turf conditions with real balls as opposed to mat conditions with range balls. Unfortunately it won't store tempo data so... it'll be course practice w/o score. 

In that instance it would depend on when you decide to evaluate the data.  You could take some notes, like "Swing 1, 7 iron on Hole 1" for each swing for which you record data.  You can collect that data all day long, and as long as you don't look at it while you're playing, that is specifically allowed.  

[DrvFrShow]

So in other words if I don't take the time to analyze it while I'm playing it's fine. If I had a caddie, the caddie would be taking the notes. Because the carry distance for say the 9 iron would be the average of the number of times I used the 9 iron, not a single shot. Driver carry I don't care about because I just care about hitting fairway. lol. It's the approach shot distances 140 yds and in or 8 iron to GW. And these would have to be collected over several rounds. Nothing beats on course data.