Putting distance on screen....

[Scott W]

...just watching Bridgestone and noticed on many green the exact distance of a players putt is posted on the big screen before he takes it....does that break any rules?? feels like it should

[mattyarse]

...just watching Bridgestone and noticed on many green the exact distance of a players putt is posted on the big screen before he takes it....does that break any rules?? feels like it should

Why?  That is factual information.  'Opinion' is what is an issue I seem to recall?

[Scott W]

I guess, but if cant measure yardages with a rangefinder for example....

[mattyarse]

I guess, but if cant measure yardages with a rangefinder for example....

But they have stars / marks in the fairway i.e. 100 yard marker.

[Longshot]

Scott's right in the sense that the rules on the subject of distance ascertainment seem a little screwy.

[Tin Pot]

Distance to the hole is regarded as public information, notably you can ask your partners how far it is to the hole.  I don't see why this should be different on the putting green, though I doubt anyone would find it useful, or any more useful than the info their own eyes and pacing is giving them.

[MisterS3]

Distance to the hole is regarded as public information, notably you can ask your partners how far it is to the hole.  I don't see why this should be different on the putting green, though I doubt anyone would find it useful, or any more useful than the info their own eyes and pacing is giving them.

I'm assuming the point is DMD's

[CapnAhab]

Distance to the hole is only public information regarding things OTHER than your ball - so, you can ask "How far is it from that bunker to the hole" but not "How far is it from my ball to the hole". The first is public knowledge the second is asking for advice.

The DMD thing has been done to death already in these forums, but you're right - the whole distance measurement thing does seem a bit fragmented.  You an use a yardage chart that has 100s of distance notes on but you can't use GPS.

It begs the question then - could a player use DMD (within a competition forbidding their use) if the device was used only for the purposes of measuring distances of public information / knowledge?

[Longshot]

Distance to the hole is only public information regarding things OTHER than your ball - so, you can ask "How far is it from that bunker to the hole" but not "How far is it from my ball to the hole". The first is public knowledge the second is asking for advice.

So, getting back to Scott's point, is displaying the distance from the ball to the hole some kind of infringement?

[Stu-Pid]

It actually goes further than just putting as I believe that those screens also display distance to the hole for approach shots as well, so if a player wanted to he could walk up to the green from around 100 yards out and look at the screen for his yardage.  Certainly seems wrong to me given that they can't use DMDs during the round, but they won't gain an advantage so it's all moot really.

[Tin Pot]

So, getting back to Scott's point, is displaying the distance from the ball to the hole some kind of infringement?

No it's not.

[SBL]

I didn't think it was against the rules to ask for or give any distances. My understanding was that you couldn't give information that then goes further, ie what club to use or what type of shot you should play.

[Tin Pot]

I didn't think it was against the rules to ask for or give any distances. My understanding was that you couldn't give information that then goes further, ie what club to use or what type of shot you should play.

And you are right, it's not against the rules.

Decisions 8-1/1 and 8-1/2

Information on distance is not advice – see the Definition of ‘Advice.’

Information regarding the distance between two objects is public information and not advice.  It is therefore permissible for players to exchange information relating to the distance between two objects.  For example, a player may ask anyone, including his opponent, fellow-competitor or either of their caddies, the distance between his ball and the hole.

http://randapublic.loghar.com/flash/decisions/decisions.html