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

[CatMan]

Last Round or Round 2 last Tournament I tried to go through an open spot with my 3 wood, and I thought I had a path though the Trees, for sure thought it would get through... Nope ricochet off something and kicked left, ended up taking and extra shot to get on... Didn't pan out that time...

[JohnMeyer]

Shudda gone round them lol

To be fair isn't that more realistic and ultimately more fun than just setting it to highest and clearing them. If you were hitting 5 wood cudda gone to 7 iron and cleared them easy.

If I'd have designed optishiot that would have been a fixed setting for everything other than wedges or inside 60 yards and if you wanted more loft further out you have to take less club.

But that's not how it is and in that situation you were obviously obstructed so under guidelines if you'd set to highest you'd have been within rules.

I think it's worded well. Just gotta really think, do I need this here or will it look like I'm just searching for yardage. If you are sure you need it, then use it, but use it wisely

[CatMan]

Yes absolutely,

We always need to leave the creativity to the golfer in those situations some of the Greatest golf shots are built on the calculation of getting through a clearing or try to get over and obstacle do I have enough loft.. So it needs to be in the language of the Trajectory Portion.. We don't want to tell another player, oh your being stupid for trying that or you should go under... I think we targeted what we were after by addressing Tee shots and approach shots by addressing Wind and Highest Loft... we don't want to go over board..

[Mike80]

What about fairway bunkers and green side bunkers? I see two different situations here:

Scenario A: The fairway or green side bunker (Not as deep): Should/Could a player put on highest setting to guarantee they clear the lip to get over or should they be required to go with a higher lofted club if they have concern.

Sencario B: Then you have the fairway or green side bunker that is obviously very very deep with a big wall. Here I would say no doubt you could hit on the highest trajectory.

So what are the thoughts on Scenario A? I don't want to map out every freaking scenario there are, but this one I think should be addressed sense we are talking about trajectory and when and when not to use it. Very common situation. And a player could easily put on High saying to clear a bunker knowing that it will give them a big boost of distance.

My Opinion for Scenario A: Player could move trajectory +1 but not Highest Trajectory. If player feels they need more height they are required to select a higher lofted club.

[CatMan]

Yes Mike again the Lip would be considered and obstacle, good point... I think it is the obvious that we are after not the exceptions.. But the language still needs to be in Guidelines...

[Buckeye]

I think any obstruction is fine to increase loft.

The fact is not enough fairway bunkers are hit for the distance gain to be of any significant advantage. Same could be said in the trees. I don't think anyone will be aiming for the trees so they can increase their trajectory to the max for a boost in club distance. The loss of yardage due to bunker penalty out weighs the gain of yardage the max trajectory provides so it is a loosing proposition to aim for a bunker.

I have no issue with max trajectory being used in any "hazard" (trees, bunker etc) or in the short game. The issue lies on the tee or in the fairway / rough on approach shots.

I don't think we need to get to technical on specific shots, mainly because the risk of playing to those areas likely outweigh any gain the trajectory setting provides.

[CatMan]

Good Stuff Buck,

Made some very strong Points!!!

[Mike80]

Yup I agree completely Buck! Just wanted to bring up common situations so we are all on the same page regarding trajectory and obstacles.

We need to be clear in the language we use for the rules and think we need to be very specific and clear on when and when not to use by providing examples of what is allowed and is not allowed. Just saying obstacles isn't enough, otherwise we will have newbies coming in with the same questions. Be specific and state it once in black and white and no more questions about it!

[Buckeye]

The last line should read something along the line of Golf being a game of honor and we expect the same any blatant cheating or unethical uses of the program will be dealt with swiftly.

That sort of is a catch all.

[Vincent_Vega]

Due to the fact that the bunkers in the game are somewhat broken, I don't think there should be a restriction on those. Sometimes a LW on the highest trajectory is the only possible way to even get out of one. I agree with you guys though. Very good points

[braycobb]

Sometimes, a LW on the highest trajectory setting won't get you out of a bunker....just saying.

[Vincent_Vega]

Sometimes, a LW on the highest trajectory setting won't get you out of a bunker....just saying.

This is true. Haha. Your video the other night proved that. Let me re-word that. It gives you the best opportunity of getting out in a reasonable amount of shots. Sometimes it's not even possible.

[sliceomatic]

Typically if you were in a fairway bunker and thought maybe I could get out of this with my fairwood, you would address the ball different. You should see a change in SS and distance. Obviously we can't tell if everyone is addressing the ball like I am in a fairway bunker or standing on the tee but the shot more than likely wouldn't benefit the player.

An idea to moderate rule changes would be to have the each golfer after each round assigned another golfer to watch there recorded round. I wouldn't say you have to watch the entire round but skim through to the parts were some of these "glitches" would be used. If the person finds something they suspect to not correspond with the rules they point it out to a moderator for further review.

[JohnMeyer]

Ok ill review the language and try and make it clearer. I put something along lines of that it must NEVER be used off the tee or for approach shots from the fairway/rough purely in order to gain yardage but is to be used in situations when a higher trajectory is required to clear obstacles or obstructions.

As most of you arent overly concerned by its usage other than for the gaining of yardage i think the above basically allows its use in the ways that most of you would require

[CatMan]

Ok ill review the language and try and make it clearer. I put something along lines of that it must NEVER be used off the tee or for approach shots from the fairway/rough purely in order to gain yardage but is to be used in situations when a higher trajectory is required to clear obstacles or obstructions.

As most of you arent overly concerned by its usage other than for the gaining of yardage i think the above basically allows its use in the ways that most of you would require

I like that language John, perfect