Sports

T.O's sports column

By Tyler Ohmann

04/23/2013

At the end of last golf season the NDHSAA and the golf coaches brought up that Class A is going to begin allowing the use of range finders during tournaments. Class B agreed to see how Class A likes it before pursuing it, but I think that the idea is ludicrous.

Golf is the ultimate game because it takes so much mental capacity to become a great or even good player. Duffers must use their brain to solve mini 'problems' in course management, club selection, shot shape and even the way a putt will break.

Estimating distance to the hole is just another factor in that mental equation and is very much a part of the game.

There are distance markers out on the course to give one an idea of the distance, but it is up to the individual (or their caddy in the pros) to determine a close estimate of that distance and then select a club in which they believe will give them the best possibility of getting the ball close to the pin.

Having a range finder will completely remove that part of the mental game, as the golfer will be able to pull out a device and know exactly the distance and select their club accordingly.

Supporters of this action will say that it would be a fair ruling because everyone would be allowed to use them, but what they fail to understand is that it will ruin the game for three reasons: first and foremost, as I stated earlier, it removes part of the mental aspect of the game; secondly, it will drastically slow down play, as all the players will have to go into their bag, pull out a range finder try and make it work and so forth; lastly, not all players will have access to range finders, sure most of them can either have their parents get them one, or save up to get one themselves, but these things are expensive, and is it really fair to make a kid spend their hard-earned money on a range finder just to keep up with the proverbial Jones’ instead of spending said money on something like prom for instance.

Plus, if I see a guy out on the course over the weekend with a rangefinder dialing in every shot, I assume that he is a hack. Any good golfer knows the game and appreciates it enough to do the honorable thing and estimate the distance with their mind.

The speed issue will be the worst thing, and hopefully that’s what sinks this notion (or better yet, the kids decide it’s not worth it to use them).

At golf meets I always hear coaches chattering and complaining about how slow a group is playing, and even in the pros recently players have been assessed stroke penalties for slow play. Allowing rangefinders is just adding on to that burden, and slowing things down more.

Having to judge distance is part of the game, leave it that way.