[bettingonosports]

I have searched here but not found this in any other threads so am creating a new one.

Well guys n gals the USGA and R&A have altered(updated) the rules regarding DMDs.

Basically these electronic devices have been legal for competition play where a local rule has allowed their use, providing they ONLY measured distance and nothing else. Fair enough I hear you all say, and I fully agree that they should be limited to distance info only.

Well, many on here, including myself, have APPs on a smart-phone such as GOLFSHOT or SKYDROID that only measure distance. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks but these are now totally illegal for competition use, and even if you play in a friendly game with your mates, if they want to be difficult they could insist on you not using it even for the 'friendly' game.

They have banned the use of smart-phone/PDA devices that have GPS APPs on the basis that eventhough most of these APPs only give distance info, the phone also has access to weather info via 3G etc and may also have other APPs that provide other golf related info to help with choice of club/shot. Even if your phone contains any such APPs and you disable them, it will still be classed as illegal equipment.

Yes, the outright ban of these smart-phone systems is a bit of a sledge hammer to crack a nut rule, but logically I can see that they didn't really have much option. I have read a few comments on the net regarding the weather info that could be used to aid the golfer. Any weather info willl be gathered from a weather station, usually an airport or other fixed site where measurements can be taken and will be updated every 15 mins or so. Now obviously weather info from 15mins ago is not really of much help even if the weather station is in the next field unless there is not going to be much change in weather conditions. My home course is 23 miles from the weather station that updates my weather APP, so it is really meaningless for me anyway.

Because the USGA and R&A can not have a rule that is only legal if you play more than a certain distance from a weather station (you may not even know where it is anyway) they have no option but to have a blanket ban.

Just beware folks, you may well have that game of your life on a day you get caught for using your smart-phone and disqualified.

Here is a link to the details from the R&A web site http://www.randa.org/en/Equipment/Equipment-Notices/Archive/2009/November/joint-statement-on-electronic-devices.aspx

Guess I will have to now fork out for that rangefinder.