Proposed New Online Play Guidelines for the Optishot Online Tour - final draft

[JohnMeyer]

Proposed Guidelines edit completed to include handicapping, change of language referecne trajectory settings and more information regarding video. I have only included the OBS guide as other software has not been tested to work and so wouldn't want to advise the use of other software as it is untested.

If people find OBS doesn't work for them due to whatever reason then that is something that would have to be address on a case by case basis

Please review the opening post and again if any issues or feedback lets get them ironed out so the Board can decide if to approve the guidelines ready for next season

[CatMan]

John Just read them and looks pretty good,

On Recordings what are we asking for minimum screenshot but can include more???? That needs to be in there as well...

[MatalaWedge]

I think we can only ask for capture of game itself as minimum requirement. Even that is probably stretching it for some... Great work on this thread by the way.

[JohnMeyer]

Currently the guideline is that they must simply record there gameplay and store it on their local PC as a minimum requirement. This is the least strain on the PC and web connection and the simplest

I think on the rare occasion that a round required verification for whatever reason then at least the person with the poor upload speed or limited data allowance would have to upload only that round and not every round they do

[Buckeye]

Ideally rounds would be available for review either on twitch (archived) or uploaded to youtube.

It was brought up in one of the threads - if the rounds are not available for review, how would we know if people who score poorly or are short hitters are abiding by the rules? If I recall correctly the counter to that was that the handicap would sort it out in the long run, however I think it would be much more simple if the rounds were just available for review. Having the rounds available for review could prevent any animosity between players who wish to review another's particular round, as seen between CatMan and myself the last couple days.

If we say for example that -20 wins a tournament, is it not in our best interest to randomly check players who shoot -10 -15 -5 0 ? Or do we only care about winners or those who score low?

OBS is a low resource piece of software that will automatically upload to twitch. You do not need to have twitch open and streaming for the recording to be uploaded. So there really are no additional resources required other than OptiShot2 and OBS. Once the round is completed or uploaded it then becomes available for any member to review at anytime (until it drops from the archiving on twitch 30 days I think). This effectively allows us all to police each other and should take some of the work load off of the board, not to mention gives the membership a way to monitor the board.

I believe transparency is the best route.

[CatMan]

Ideally rounds would be available for review either on twitch (archived) or uploaded to youtube.

It was brought up in one of the threads - if the rounds are not available for review, how would we know if people who score poorly or are short hitters are abiding by the rules? If I recall correctly the counter to that was that the handicap would sort it out in the long run, however I think it would be much more simple if the rounds were just available for review. Having the rounds available for review could prevent any animosity between players who wish to review another's particular round, as seen between CatMan and myself the last couple days.

If we say for example that -20 wins a tournament, is it not in our best interest to randomly check players who shoot -10 -15 -5 0 ? Or do we only care about winners or those who score low?

OBS is a low resource piece of software that will automatically upload to twitch. You do not need to have twitch open and streaming for the recording to be uploaded. So there really are no additional resources required other than OptiShot2 and OBS. Once the round is completed or uploaded it then becomes available for any member to review at anytime (until it drops from the archiving on twitch 30 days I think). This effectively allows us all to police each other and should take some of the work load off of the board, not to mention gives the membership a way to monitor the board.

I believe transparency is the best route.

I would agree with Buckeye on this, if we are going to have recordings as part of guidelines they should be available...

[CatMan]

I would also add that any player that sees a rule being violated should refer it to the Board for review. Let the Board handle it to maintain good order within threads and forum.. We all are seeing to much bantering going on back and forth between players, no need for this.. And I am not talking about just me and Buckeye.. We need to handle Rules violations in an appropriate manner, and try to do our best to maintain a level of peace on this site..

[CatMan]

I think with a few Touch ups, I see a good Merger with Drafted Proposed Outline with the current Guidelines in Place. As soon as touch ups are added we can present to Board for Review... It would be great to have these in place before 2nd Season Start.

[Buckeye]

I would also add that any player that sees a rule being violated should refer it to the Board for review. Let the Board handle it to maintain good order within threads and forum.. We all are seeing to much bantering going on back and forth between players, no need for this.. And I am not talking about just me and Buckeye.. We need to handle Rules violations in an appropriate manner, and try to do our best to maintain a level of peace on this site..

Agree completely.

I am not advocating for players calling players out. I am only advocating that players rounds be available for review by all other players.

Yes, if a problem is spotted on another players round it should be brought to the board to investigate. I think once the board is finished investigating they may want to issue a public statement if there was a penalty enforced. If the board deems no penalty is necessary, I would think they would at least respond to the individual who spotted the issue privately to let them know it was investigated and no penalty will be brought forth because.......and then give a reason.

Basically as a player it would be nice to know the board takes our issues (good or bad) in to consideration.

I would also assume any rule violation that a player notices would be called on themselves, much like real life. For example, if I am playing my round and suddenly on hole 10 I notice that I have been defaulted back to "foam ball" like we experienced a week or two ago, that is certainly something I would bring to the board and let the board determine if that either had any positive effect on my round or was an honest accident that could be waived.

[Buckeye]

A separate issues (sort of the same) is putting.

Are we requiring a ball be struck while putting? I'm guessing yes and have been playing that way since I was able to strike a real ball, however I am beginning to understand the issues that were raised in the putting thread a couple weeks ago. When I hit a ball with my putter I seem to go off line a lot, especially in t he 4-8 foot range. Speed does not seem to be an issue with me at 100%, but the line certainly is. If I putt with no ball, I seem pretty accurate anywhere in side 15 feet. I don't know if the issue is the ball "slowly" rolling of the front sensor or if my putter is actually twisting some striking a ball and is not obviously with no ball. I tend to putt and have a pretty good short game all around in the real world, so I am not sure.

Just to clarity, are we requiring you strike a ball (if that is your settings) while putting or is putting with no ball ok?

[CatMan]

Yes Exactly Buck, I think what you outlined is a perfect way on dealing with it, but the violators Name does not need to be mentioned but how it was handled, I am not saying you were implying that.

[CatMan]

A separate issues (sort of the same) is putting.

Are we requiring a ball be struck while putting? I'm guessing yes and have been playing that way since I was able to strike a real ball, however I am beginning to understand the issues that were raised in the putting thread a couple weeks ago. When I hit a ball with my putter I seem to go off line a lot, especially in t he 4-8 foot range. Speed does not seem to be an issue with me at 100%, but the line certainly is. If I putt with no ball, I seem pretty accurate anywhere in side 15 feet. I don't know if the issue is the ball "slowly" rolling of the front sensor or if my putter is actually twisting some striking a ball and is not obviously with no ball. I tend to putt and have a pretty good short game all around in the real world, so I am not sure.

Just to clarity, are we requiring you strike a ball (if that is your settings) while putting or is putting with no ball ok?

Not sure on this one, I know that when I have inches left I just tap it in.. But on the bigger scale of what you are asking its a good question... would be interesting to here some responses to this...

[Buckeye]

Not sure on this one, I know that when I have inches left I just tap it in..

Exactly. I do the same. Is that a penalty we need to call on ourselves moving forward?

I think now that we have the woods situation figured out we might want to discuss this and I like definitive:

"always putt with your ball setting - if playing real or foam must always hit a ball" or "No ball is needed during putting".

I don't like a "ball must be used unless inside 2 feet" or something like that.

Just my two cents

[Vincent_Vega]

A separate issues (sort of the same) is putting.

Are we requiring a ball be struck while putting? I'm guessing yes and have been playing that way since I was able to strike a real ball, however I am beginning to understand the issues that were raised in the putting thread a couple weeks ago. When I hit a ball with my putter I seem to go off line a lot, especially in t he 4-8 foot range. Speed does not seem to be an issue with me at 100%, but the line certainly is. If I putt with no ball, I seem pretty accurate anywhere in side 15 feet. I don't know if the issue is the ball "slowly" rolling of the front sensor or if my putter is actually twisting some striking a ball and is not obviously with no ball. I tend to putt and have a pretty good short game all around in the real world, so I am not sure.

Just to clarity, are we requiring you strike a ball (if that is your settings) while putting or is putting with no ball ok?

I guess this is a question worth visiting. I haven't noticed any difference in face angle in using a ball or not, no matter the distance. Maybe I just haven't paid enough attention. I'll do some testing myself. I many times won't use a ball inside 5 or 6 feet for the simple fact of saving myself from having to constantly be replacing golf balls in my feeder or bending over a lot. If I've left my initial putt short/long, I will typically just knock it in without a ball. Worth looking at, I'm just not sure it provides an advantage either way. I'll test some myself tonight.

[Buckeye]

I guess this is a question worth visiting. I haven't noticed any difference in face angle in using a ball or not, no matter the distance. Maybe I just haven't paid enough attention. I'll do some testing myself. I many times won't use a ball inside 5 or 6 feet for the simple fact of saving myself from having to constantly be replacing golf balls in my feeder or bending over a lot. If I've left my initial putt short/long, I will typically just knock it in without a ball. Worth looking at, I'm just not sure it provides an advantage either way. I'll test some myself tonight.

I usually do the same, but lately I have been putting more and more with a ball. What I've noticed is that my face angle with a ball seems to be open 1.5 to 2 degrees. I don't know if that is the result of hitting a ball or if the sensor is misreading.

Regardless, I know a lot of us tend to get "lazy" when putting and simply tap those in with out a ball. I guess my question revolved more around the rules. The new guidelines state you must play with the ball you selected and must use a ball if your set up allow, I am only asking if we are going to take this all the way to the hole as it is written or do we want a "lazy man" clause (ball must be used tee to green) for example written in the final version.