Is It Legal For DeChambeau To Use Compass/Protractor?

[rehmwa]

17 minutes ago, iacas said:

 No need for the added OT commentary.

 

I'll own that and try to check it a bit going forward (and also check which forum the thread is in).  Note it was OT commentary in response to what appears to be mostly OT commentary.

Edited June 25, 2018 by rehmwa

[Vinsk]

Unfortunately for the PGA Tour by ‘looking into it’ they’ll probably have to confront BD as to how he is using it. They’ll probably regret that conversation then realize it’s so ridiculous they’ll just let it pass.

[Golfingdad]

2 hours ago, Tiga Tiga Woods Yall said:

If the hole is facing North, he knows it's uphill. South, it's downhill. West breaks to the left. East breaks to the right. Obvious advantage. 

I was making the same mistake for awhile as well, however, you are thinking of the wrong type of compass.  He was using one of these:

Not one of these:

[Tiga Tiga Woods Yall]

11 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

I was making the same mistake for awhile as well, however, you are thinking of the wrong type of compass.  He was using one of these:

Not one of these:

Oh, I never read any of the articles, just the headlines.  Well crap, my joke falls flat. Thanks for the info. 

[David in FL]

I don't like him at all, but for the life of me I can't imagine how he could be doing anything wrong.  Unless I'm misunderstanding, he's just using the compass to measure distances accurately within his yardage book.

You could do the same thing with a pencil if you wanted to...

[Vinsk]

6 minutes ago, David in FL said:

I don't like him at all, but for the life of me I can't imagine how he could be doing anything wrong.  Unless I'm misunderstanding, he's just using the compass to measure distances accurately within his yardage book.

You could do the same thing with a pencil if you wanted to...

Yeah he’s probably not breaking any rules. Not doing anything wrong....just stupid. It’s all nonsense and I wish he’d just play the game instead of all this Wyle E. Coyote/Ralph Kramden nonsense. 

[klineka]

9 hours ago, Vinsk said:

I really just think he’s a clown. 

8 hours ago, Vinsk said:

this guy just annoys me.

4 hours ago, Vinsk said:

He’s just an ass imo.

We get it. You don't like the dude. That has nothing to do with whether or not it is legal for him to use the compass.

 

Back on topic, one thing I think is interesting is that he supposedly has been using a compass for a few years (according to the article) but it is just now getting noticed?? Seems a little strange to me that nobody noticed or mentioned it until now when he is probably in the best season of golf in his career thus far (4 top 5s with a victory, plus 6th in FedEx cup so far this season)

[Vinsk]

22 minutes ago, David in FL said:

I don't like him at all, but for the life of me I can't imagine how he could be doing anything wrong.  Unless I'm misunderstanding, he's just using the compass to measure distances accurately within his yardage book.

You could do the same thing with a pencil if you wanted to...

Yeah he’s probably not breaking any rules. Not doing anything wrong....just stupid. It’s all nonsense and I wish he’d just play the game instead of all this Wyle E. Coyote/Ralph Kramden nonsense. 

Ok. Sorry...just wanted it to be clear..lol. Seriously, I’m guessing they’ll have to determine how he’s using it as to whether it should be allowed. I don’t see how it would be in any violation. Seems like something that would be done during practice rounds but not during actual playing rounds. 

[Shorty]

8 hours ago, krupa said:

There was a decision, 14-3/4 that sounds like it was intended for the directional compass:

Using the geometrical compass sounds like he's using a device to measure distance which, on the surface, sounds like a no-no.

He's using a pair of compasses. Would a ruler be banned? Or a pencil with markings on it?

[krupa]

12 minutes ago, Shorty said:

He's using a pair of compasses. Would a ruler be banned? Or a pencil with markings on it?

I don't know; I wasn't trying to adjudicate it. I was simply pointing out that (a) the only decision I found about compasses was about the magnetic kind and (b) that on the surface, "using a device to measure something" sounds like it would be against the rules.

[Vinsk]

"Read 14-3. It’s not helping him choose a club or do anything that is against the rules," the official said. "He is trying to find the exact spot in the book the hole is located. That would not be a breach of 14–3.

"I can’t see that he’s getting any sort of information that isn’t publicly available.”

Most recent take....

[Golfingdad]

2 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

"Read 14-3. It’s not helping him choose a club or do anything that is against the rules," the official said. "He is trying to find the exact spot in the book the hole is located. That would not be a breach of 14–3.

"I can’t see that he’s getting any sort of information that isn’t publicly available.”

Most recent take....

I don't even get why he's doing it and his reasoning is actually kind of annoying because it doesn't even make sense.  The books already have grid lines on them, so you could easily pinpoint the hole location to a spot that is much more precise than even the arrows and slopes on the grid are shown without needing a compass.

This is just another case of him being quirky simply for the sake of being quirky, IMO.

 

 

[iacas]

50 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

I don't even get why he's doing it and his reasoning is actually kind of annoying because it doesn't even make sense.  The books already have grid lines on them, so you could easily pinpoint the hole location to a spot that is much more precise than even the arrows and slopes on the grid are shown without needing a compass.

This is just another case of him being quirky simply for the sake of being quirky, IMO.

Yeah, that's pretty much my take on it.

So long as he uses it the way compasses are used… I don't think it violates 14-3.

Whatever. Ban green maps/books.

[Valleygolfer]

I heard he just wants perfect circles for the smiley faces he puts on his yardage books. 

[Patch]

I am of the understanding he is opening up his compass to a point that relates to the distance to the pin. He then draws arc, or half circle on his yardage book that shows that distance on a curve. 

He already knows the yardage to the pin. He already knows what club he will use. His yardage book also shows the hills, and valleys on the green. He might be using that curved compass line to show where the better landing areas of the green are, in relation to the pin's location. 

Just a guess on my part. 

[boogielicious]

19 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

To think they said nothing about the abacus and slide rule...

But it makes a pretty curved line to simulate break...

I was in the last class in my High School to learn to use a slide rule. Does that make me old? 

[fishgolf]

16 hours ago, klineka said:

We get it. You don't like the dude. That has nothing to do with whether or not it is legal for him to use the compass.

 

Back on topic, one thing I think is interesting is that he supposedly has been using a compass for a few years (according to the article) but it is just now getting noticed?? Seems a little strange to me that nobody noticed or mentioned it until now when he is probably in the best season of golf in his career thus far (4 top 5s with a victory, plus 6th in FedEx cup so far this season)

Yup. Pretty sure Bryson isn't anguishing that some folks on TST have developed a dislike for him.  As for the compass use, nothing I've found in the rules makes it illegal.  Perhaps all this techy stuff he does is simply his way of staying focused.  They say 90% of the game is played between the ears. He's currently ranked #22, has some impressive hardware, and a growing bank account... I'd stay with what's working.  Next up is his hickory dowser.  

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, fishgolf said:

Yup. Pretty sure Bryson isn't anguishing that some folks on TST have developed a dislike for him.

You keep saying stuff like this and it’s not really true.

Pros looking to make marketing dollars are concerned with how they’re perceived. TST members are representative of golfers. If half of TST members find a pro to be a douche that means something.

Anyway, I don’t care about his use of a compass.