Heartrate Monitors Against Rules of Golf

[klund]

I have been trying to find a decision regarding heart rate monitors available on some of the activity bands and smart watches now days but have not found anything.

Anybody have any information about this?

[Martyn W]

There is no decision. Don't see a problem; I doubt that knowing your heart rate could be advantageous, It might even have the opposite effect of creating anxiety!

[Asheville]

Your purpose matters. See the Exception to Rule 14:

A player is not in breach of this Rule if (a) the equipment or device is designed for or has the effect of alleviating a medical condition, (b) the player has a legitimate medical reason to use the equipment or device, and (c) the Committee is satisfied that its use does not give the player any undue advantage over other players.

 

 

[iacas]

We warned players during check-in at the U.S. Women's Mid-Am to remove FitBits and Apple Watches (etc.) if they thought they ever might check their fitness information (like heart rate) during the round.

Players could still wear an Apple Watch (etc.), but if they could see your heart rate without specifically calling for it, or if they checked their heart rate specifically during the round, they'd be in violation of the rules.

[turtleback]

  On 10/4/2016 at 3:50 PM, iacas said:

We warned players during check-in at the U.S. Women's Mid-Am to remove FitBits and Apple Watches (etc.) if they thought they ever might check their fitness information (like heart rate) during the round.

Players could still wear an Apple Watch (etc.), but if they could see your heart rate without specifically calling for it, or if they checked their heart rate specifically during the round, they'd be in violation of the rules.

Expand  

So is a watch with a sweep hand illegal if used to check your heart rate (aka pulse)?  

I do not understand the rationale of not allowing this.  In what way is seeing your heart rate a violation of the rules?  Now I could see disallowing those devices that count steps, as being potential distance measuring devices, but heart rate?

[mchepp]

The advantage I could see from knowing your heart rate is heart rate variability (HRV). There is a very loose connection to stress. The idea being if your watch told you that your variability was high then you could do some breathing exercises or something to calm you down. 

Yeah, it is a very weak link, but could be something. 

[iacas]

  On 10/4/2016 at 6:09 PM, turtleback said:

So is a watch with a sweep hand illegal if used to check your heart rate (aka pulse)?

Expand  

No. Watches have never been illegal.

  On 10/4/2016 at 6:09 PM, turtleback said:

I do not understand the rationale of not allowing this.  In what way is seeing your heart rate a violation of the rules? Now I could see disallowing those devices that count steps, as being potential distance measuring devices, but heart rate?

Expand  

If I had to guess, it's because, currently, they feel that it's an artificial device used to aid a player in his play.

It makes sense to me, though as with all of these types of things, the USGA/R&A likely need to stay on top of these things. The tough thing about that is how do you decide - and then legislate - what is or isn't artificial and what information can you offer a golfer through new tech gadgets without providing a huge list and making it super complicated? So they do this: they say what's allowed - traditional devices used the way they're typically used. You can use a watch to tell the time or even count off five minutes (or ten or twenty seconds), and nobody can stop you from checking your heart rate the old-fashioned way, but technology that alerts you to calm down before you play your next shot is across the line.

[newtogolf]

  On 10/4/2016 at 7:45 PM, iacas said:

No. Watches have never been illegal.

If I had to guess, it's because, currently, they feel that it's an artificial device used to aid a player in his play.

It makes sense to me, though as with all of these types of things, the USGA/R&A likely need to stay on top of these things. The tough thing about that is how do you decide - and then legislate - what is or isn't artificial and what information can you offer a golfer through new tech gadgets without providing a huge list and making it super complicated? So they do this: they say what's allowed - traditional devices used the way they're typically used. You can use a watch to tell the time or even count off five minutes (or ten or twenty seconds), and nobody can stop you from checking your heart rate the old-fashioned way, but technology that alerts you to calm down before you play your next shot is across the line.

Expand  

Nothing would stop you from checking your pulse though, so it seems excessive to ban a device the provides information one can easily access using other means.  I thought that was why they permitted rangefinders to be used at all levels except the professional tours.  

[iacas]

  On 10/4/2016 at 8:01 PM, newtogolf said:

Nothing would stop you from checking your pulse though, so it seems excessive to ban a device the provides information one can easily access using other means.  I thought that was why they permitted rangefinders to be used at all levels except the professional tours.  

Expand  

Rangefinders are not allowed at all levels. It's still a condition of competition.

Heart rate monitor are disallowed because it's an unusual device, not because you can't get your heart rate some other way.

[jamo]

  On 10/4/2016 at 8:19 PM, iacas said:

Rangefinders are not allowed at all levels. It's still a condition of competition.

Expand  

The wind and weather could be another analogy. You can toss some grass up and get a decent idea of the wind speed, and you can obviously see and feel what the weather is, but you can't use a device that tells you the wind and weather. Similarly, you could put your finger on your wrist and take your own pulse, but you can't use a device that tells it to you. 

[Rulesman]

  On 10/4/2016 at 8:19 PM, iacas said:

Rangefinders are not allowed at all levels. It's still a condition of competition.

 

 

Expand  

It's a Local Rule not a CoC 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Rulesman

[iacas]

  On 10/4/2016 at 9:03 PM, Rulesman said:

It's a Local Rule not a CoC 

Expand  

Yes, thanks. My mistake. Appreciate the correction.

[Dave2512]

I wore a HRM all of 2015 and most of 2016. On the course regardless of the situation my BPM was all about exertion not golf related stress. My suspicion says the fluxuation for walkers would from the the walking, pace, incline etc. Using a cart I stayed between 100-106 and I'm speed golf guy, sitting at my desk I'm 85-92. Even on my stationary bike I have to make significant RPM changes to see big movement.

[klund]

  On 10/4/2016 at 10:39 AM, Asheville said:

Your purpose matters. See the Exception to Rule 14:

A player is not in breach of this Rule if (a) the equipment or device is designed for or has the effect of alleviating a medical condition, (b) the player has a legitimate medical reason to use the equipment or device, and (c) the Committee is satisfied that its use does not give the player any undue advantage over other players.

 

 

Expand  

I will go with (c) here for the tournaments i play. if they agree then i will use it if not i will remove it.

  On 10/4/2016 at 3:50 PM, iacas said:

We warned players during check-in at the U.S. Women's Mid-Am to remove FitBits and Apple Watches (etc.) if they thought they ever might check their fitness information (like heart rate) during the round.

Players could still wear an Apple Watch (etc.), but if they could see your heart rate without specifically calling for it, or if they checked their heart rate specifically during the round, they'd be in violation of the rules.

Expand  

So if you don't access the information its ok?

[iacas]

  On 10/5/2016 at 12:19 AM, klund said:

I will go with (c) here for the tournaments i play. if they agree then i will use it if not i will remove it.

Expand  

Well, you don't get to make that choice. For the USGA national even at which I was a rules official… that decision was "not allowed."

  On 10/5/2016 at 12:19 AM, klund said:

So if you don't access the information its ok?

Expand  

Correct. Just like the revised ruling on lasers with elevation/slope information, and other similar things. You can even check the weather on your phone now because the weather isn't local to the golf course, but is some miles away (typically).

Players in the USGA Championship could wear an Apple Watch, as an example, so long as they didn't access their HR information.

[klund]

  On 10/5/2016 at 12:22 AM, iacas said:

Well, you don't get to make that choice. For the USGA national even at which I was a rules official… that decision was "not allowed."

Expand  

I know, i said if they (committee) agrees.

But either way i can just remove the HR from the screen and i should be ok.

[Asheville]

c) alone is not enough, a) and b) are prerequisites for c).

I will go with (c) here for the tournaments i play. if they agree then i will use it if not i will remove it.

 

 

[DrvFrShow]

So heart rate monitors = illegal, but math is not.

6 seconds of heart beat * 10 = you guessed it.... your heart rate.

12 seconds of heart beat * 5 = heart rate.

Watches with a sweep hand or watches with second display apparently are fine.