Will technology allow one to get the "real" distance while watching golf on TV?

[nevets88]

This was a FB post by Mark Crossfield saying 17 at Torrey Pines South was actually 20 18 yards shorter than what the announcers said. I guess you could see on tv where they're teeing it up, and then extrapolate yourself via Google maps. But I'm sure there is an or will be an easier way.

I always thought announcers in some instances work up the yardage distances, if this is so, how often? Lets say it does happen and we eventually get the ability to measure ourselves or from some independent unbiased source the actual distances. Wonder how that would change announcing.

[Mr. Desmond]

Guess I'll put on hold my plans for a plutonium ball....

[MPtheKid]

Interesting point brought up here. Now I understand that tour guys can do some pretty amazing things with the golf ball. They consistently hit the center of the face, can control distance with clubs i.e. hit a smooth 8i 145 or crunch it 170, etc. BUT I do think that the announcers tend to hype the distances that pros are consistently hitting the ball. Every shot seems to be, "Well he's got about 196 to the flag and I he's got 8 iron. God Nick, I think we used to hit 6 iron to that green. Yeah Gary it's unbelievable how far these boys hit it what with delofting the clubs and technology."

Tour pros are amazing in what they can do, but it seems like announcers are set on making it seem like the mere mortals that play this game could never possibly fathom the distances these guys on tour hit. I think it's fair to say that at least some of the time announcers fail to mention things like this ones playing downwind, downhill, and hes only trying to carry to the front of the green and have it release.

[nevets88]

Or put a Flightscope/Trackman on the shot. I would love for that to happen.

[boogielicious]

I recall Tom Watson saying in an interview that announcers are just guessing at what club the Pro uses too.  He would find out after playing what the said on a certain shot and laugh.

[Lihu]

Or put a Flightscope/Trackman on the shot. I would love for that to happen. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/90628/] [/URL]

Interesting topic. It's great that Mark Crossfield made this comment about yardage. The announcers probably go by the scorecard yardages, which I don't really understand. I also wonder why these scorecard yardages differ so much from actual yardages. The only issue with trakman is it does not take wind and changes in terrain into account.

[MS256]

I do think the size of the greens and tee boxes on most of those courses, and the firmness of the greens (compared to the rinky dink courses a lot of us play) can be misleading on the actual carry distance. That said, I used to think they were flat out lying about how far they hit their irons until something accidentally clicked and my own iron shots started going fairly ridiculous distances.

Biggest difference of all compared to most of the courses I play is the amount of roll out they get in the fairways with a driver. One tournament last year they showed the charts on one hole that had a lot of long drives and most of the balls that were well over 300 yards were landing at around 260 yards.

[David in FL]

I recall Tom Watson saying in an interview that announcers are just guessing at what club the Pro uses too.  He would find out after playing what the said on a certain shot and laugh.

I know that a lot of times the caddies will signal the club pulled for the announcers.  Certainly not every time, or every caddy though....

[nevets88]

The only issue with trakman is it does not take wind and changes in terrain into account.

Agreed, but at least we have some kind of context.

Certainly not every time, or every caddy though....

I can see why not though as it might provide an advantage to competitors. Put a photo camera w/big lens on the ground and extrapolate and tell us the iron after everyone's done.

[ccotenj]

well, part of it is that "6 iron back in the day" was probably pretty close to the loft of the 8-iron many guys use...

[Jakester23]

well, part of it is that "6 iron back in the day" was probably pretty close to the loft of the 8-iron many guys use...

Do you think the pro golfers play clubs with the same lofts as we do?

[iacas]

Do you think the pro golfers play clubs with the same lofts as we do?

For the most part, yes, to slightly weaker.

[Jakester23]

For the most part, yes, to slightly weaker.

ok thank you. I wasn't sure how custom their lofts were.

[saevel25]

I do think the size of the greens and tee boxes on most of those courses, and the firmness of the greens (compared to the rinky dink courses a lot of us play) can be misleading on the actual carry distance. That said, I used to think they were flat out lying about how far they hit their irons until something accidentally clicked and my own iron shots started going fairly ridiculous distances.

Biggest difference of all compared to most of the courses I play is the amount of roll out they get in the fairways with a driver. One tournament last year they showed the charts on one hole that had a lot of long drives and most of the balls that were well over 300 yards were landing at around 260 yards.

I agree that they get a lot of roll on the club. Pros are probably getting 20 yards of roll on average. Given those who it farther will get more roll because the ball has more speed.

[Golfingdad]

Hole 17 at Torrey South is a Par 4.  (I think he's probably meaning to say 16)

Besides that, I've always assumed the TV graphics  (Notice that his FB post said "graphics" and made no mention of the announcers - important point) to be just showing the "card" yardages for each hole.  The announcers will sometimes say stuff like "today it's playing yadda yadda," or "they have the tees moved forward today," but I think the TV graphics are always going to show the listed yardages for each hole.

I don't believe that there is any conspiracy, hype, or trickery here at all.

[Spitfisher]

Do you think the pro golfers play clubs with the same lofts as we do?

no, nor loft, nor shaft length, nor golf ball..........

[Hammer 4]

no, nor loft, nor shaft length, nor golf ball..........

For those of us not in know...could you elaborate on this..?