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Option to view distances in metres

• PUHOLINO 1,189 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 12:15 PM

  ronmac58:

  Since most of the world uses the metric system it would be very useful to have the option to show all distances in metres ...

   

  Not a very good idea cause then you'd need to have the club distances stated in metres as well and I suspect that would only cause more bugs.

  I don't understand why anyone would even want this, the distance on our clubs are stated in yards, so (logically) the distance fro m the pin is stated in yards as well. And the putter increments are stated in feet, so the putting distance is stated in feet as well. Why on earth does anyone need to overcomplicate this easy concept?

• lee22sharon 1,419 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 12:29 PM

  PUHOLINO:

  ronmac58:

  Since most of the world uses the metric system it would be very useful to have the option to show all distances in metres ...

   

  Not a very good idea cause then you'd need to have the club distances stated in metres as well and I suspect that would only cause more bugs.

  I don't understand why anyone would even want this, the distance on our clubs are stated in yards, so (logically) the distance fro m the pin is stated in yards as well. And the putter increments are stated in feet, so the putting distance is stated in feet as well. Why on earth does anyone need to overcomplicate this easy concept?

  I agree wholeheartedly!  Some (the learned) persons demand complications just to show case it, others live and work in a metric society.  Fortunately WGT was incepted in the USA, therefore a none metric rule of measure.

  However, this is all mute of course because there is no real distance. it is only inferred.

  MY FOOT,INCH,YARD!

   

• PUHOLINO 1,189 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 12:50 PM

  lee22sharon:

  However, this is all mute of course because there is no real distance. it is only inferred.

   

  Yep, for all I care the distance could've been stated in pubes, as long as I'd know how many pubes my club will carry.

• alosso 21,094 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 12:59 PM

  PUHOLINO:

  Why on earth does anyone need to overcomplicate this easy concept?

  Agreed once more regarding the "yard" distances.

  Alas, there's this rule of thumb to add one foot per inch elevation on the green. "Metrics" get confused (at least I was) when the elevation exceeds 23" and becomes 2 ft or more. We are unfamiliar with the duodecimal conversion - which is not an easy concept - and sometimes get confused.

• puttersman 240 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 2:35 PM

  I believe that all golf played by pro's all over the world is played in yards , feet, and inches, I have watched lots of European events on t.v. and never ever heard them refer to the metric system , so I don't think this option should be implemented.  It is like all airline pilots and control towers must communicate in English.

• alosso 21,094 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 3:18 PM

  No rational discussion is possible against belief.

  Have a nice day!

• PUHOLINO 1,189 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 4:08 PM

  alosso:

  Alas, there's this rule of thumb to add one foot per inch elevation on the green. "Metrics" get confused (at least I was) when the elevation exceeds 23" and becomes 2 ft or more. We are unfamiliar with the duodecimal conversion - which is not an easy concept - and sometimes get confused

   

  I hear you. But if they changed that into  metric, they'd also need to change the putter scale and distance to hole to metric, imagine the scale of confusion if they wouldn't. However, it leaves on opening for special edition "metric clubs" to appear in the pro shop ;-)

  P.S.: IMO, the only real problem with elevation in feet and inches on greens is that if it states 3 feet (not likely to happen though) it could infact only be 2 feet and 7 inches, thus making you overhit your putt by a lot.

• alosso 21,094 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 4:44 PM

  You are right: The metric option would have to be complete, from scorecards to all distances and elevations, including club lengths and scales. This looks like a lot but it's only automatic conversion.

  PUHOLINO:

  P.S.: IMO, the only real problem with elevation in feet and inches on greens is that if it states 3 feet (not likely to happen though) it could infact only be 2 feet and 7 inches, thus making you overhit your putt by a lot.

  This is a subject which we all share, nothing especially "metric".
  Note aside: We would all profit from a metric display here :)

  Our special problem is like this:

  Imagine a putt from the front of green #17 of STA, maybe 80 ft long, 2 ft high. An unsuspecting "metric" player like me takes the numbers, 80 + 2, uses the rule of thumb and performs an 82 ft putt. Unfortunately it will stay 20 ft short. Even now, I have to think about it on every shot, while it's all automatic for others.

• PUHOLINO 1,189 Posts

  Sat, Feb 16 2013 5:00 PM

  alosso:

  Imagine a putt from the front of green #17 of STA, maybe 80 ft long, 2 ft high. An unsuspecting "metric" player like me takes the numbers, 80 + 2, uses the rule of thumb and performs an 82 ft putt. Unfortunately it will stay 20 ft short. Even now, I have to think about it on every shot, while it's all automatic for others

   

  You could've been lucky and it was tourney speed, in that case you'd have the perfect power, a bit strong even ;-)

  But yeah, I completely agree with you. It's a pain to check whether it says feet or inches after the number and then either adding a 2 (if it's inches) or 24 (which could actually be 29), if it's feet. Alas, it's like the caddy on the fringe, it makes us do the work and pay attention, or else...