5% Boost Protee Rules

[Iquinn4]

Hi all. I’d like you to weigh in below with your opinion. There has been a large amount of discussion in the TGC 2019 discord group about the allowance of 5% increase to ball speed in the settings of TGC 2019 during tournament play. My understanding as to why this 5% adjustment on settings was allowed was due to the sensor systems that were used before SkyTrak and gc2 took over the LM market. I think I’d be safe to say that 95%+ aren’t using these sensor systems that need adjustments to settings to be closer to accurate. Uneekor is a new LM gaining popularity too but has no possible way to adjust ball settings in TGC 2019. Therefore they would be on an unfair playing field if others are increasing their ball speed. Thank you to wizard of coz for trialing a society event with no boost. The stacking of the leaderboard was much different and more competitive but we would need a bigger sample size to make that statistically significant. I’d like to get your opinion on allowing 5% adjustments vs. no adjustments to spin/ball speed in a forum thread that we can track and tally. I hope this thread can help provide feedback to protee in decision making on this topic.

Below are a few reasons why I think 5% boost or 5% adjustment to settings in society play is no longer needed and outdated.

1. Many people playing in these tournaments have no idea what boost is and aren’t playing with it.

2. 5% is different for all players. It is actually a disadvantage for shorter hitting because 5% of 180 mph ball speed is more than 5% of 130 mph ball speed. It creates disparity amongst players.

3. It allows players to play with more than 14 clubs in their bag. For example I can put just 5% boost only on my driver so I can hit the 290 yard par 4 green when driver is selected and also hit the same shot to the 270 yard par 4 green using driver with the 3W selected in the game.

4. It rewards just bomb on gouge and rewards inaccuracy off the tee while penalizing others. For example if I am playing a 500 yard par 5 and I use 5% boost and hit it 290 into the heavy rough my adjusted yardage with penalty is about 235-240. You can still get home in two. Without boost and 270 into heavy rough your adjusted remaining yardage is 266. Definitely can’t get that home in two.

My vote would be NO for 5% adjustments.

[Iquinn4]

Could be confusing and inequitable though. Driver ball speed of 130 on gc2 and SkyTrak are likely similar but if SkyTrak has boost now its giving them an unfair advantage.

[nickm52]

I'm in the no boost camp. I have had a skytrak before I bought my GC2. I know the differences between the systems and while their is a slight deviation in numbers it really has had no effect on my scoring. My concern with the philosophy allowing boost is that in golf no swing is perfectly consistent and we have to adjust our game to our swing and playing conditions. Even in a real life tournament we have all seen where groups with different starting times get more favorable conditions. You just have to play the ball as it lies. Also most of the courses are not over 6,800 that we play on the tour.

In my opinion, the bigger issue in fairness is that shots outside of the fairway are not penalized enough. Watching some of the ghosts and seeing people taking lines that no one would take in real life cheapen the experience.

Nonetheless, I still find the sim a great way to keep my swing in the off season while having some fun competition.

[simmb]

Those that have made the move from Skytrak to GC2 would you say it has improved your scoring regardless of boost? I would say on a good day Skytrak costs me anywhere between 2-6 shots per round, on a bad day it can be in double digits.

[Iquinn4]

I'm in the no boost camp. I have had a skytrak before I bought my GC2. I know the differences between the systems and while their is a slight deviation in numbers it really has had no effect on my scoring. My concern with the philosophy allowing boost is that in golf no swing is perfectly consistent and we have to adjust our game to our swing and playing conditions. Even in a real life tournament we have all seen where groups with different starting times get more favorable conditions. You just have to play the ball as it lies. Also most of the courses are not over 6,800 that we play on the tour.

In my opinion, the bigger issue in fairness is that shots outside of the fairway are not penalized enough. Watching some of the ghosts and seeing people taking lines that no one would take in real life cheapen the experience.

Nonetheless, I still find the sim a great way to keep my swing in the off season while having some fun competition.

Completely agree with cheapening the experience. It’s just bomb and gouge with no course management. Boost incentivizes distance and minimizes accuracy and course management. In these ultra short competitive rounds I’ve resorted to just hitting 2-6 iron off the tee so i can have a somewhat realistic approach into the green. Almost every par 4 is 360 and shorter and it’s just drive and chip. Albeit very entertaining and fun experience. Just think it’d be more fun and competitive without boost.

[wbond]

Straight putting patch fixed a big issue. The only place i see the skytrak being an issue would be the short game, there is a disadvantage there. You either have to have the short game on so it reads all the time and deal with the rollout due to spin or turn it off and you may have to hit over and over until it reads. If you have over 150mph ball speed, you can be losing some there as well, but for the most part the courses are still playable under that speed.

Those that have made the move from Skytrak to GC2 would you say it has improved your scoring regardless of boost? I would say on a good day Skytrak costs me anywhere between 2-6 shots per round, on a bad day it can be in double digits.

[Fantastish]

If they could make a level of rough that actually penalizes you, there would be a big difference in strategy. The more accurate drivers of the ball could compete with the bombers of the ball.

[Wizard of Coz]

Yeah I usually just play away from hazards and O.B. many times aiming for the rough but that's how i play outdoors too.

[mthunt]

The only true penalty would be spin reduction which I doubt is possible. Big changes like that are too much to change. Bottom line is it's not outside. It's a game.

[Tommyseb]

really? you think a spin penalty is not possible? i think it incredulous that HB could make a golf game in this day and age where they completely disregard the fact that in the rough you will undoubtedly get some spin penalty, more often than not when i'm playing IRL i'll and i'm in the first cut or semi rough i don't chose an extra club, but i do factor in a spin reduction.

[shwag33]

If they could make a level of rough that actually penalizes you, there would be a big difference in strategy. The more accurate drivers of the ball could compete with the bombers of the ball.

Right. Links courses have no defense at all. The high grass should effect the ball like trees.

[Wizard of Coz]

High grass sure but generally the links courses ive played give ample room to stay away from it.
The biggest defense ive found is wind on them. When it's blowing it's tough. One hole comes to mind 150yd par 3 I was trying to get to with a 230 yd carry hybrid. Oh boyeee!
Arcadia Bluffs michigan I think it was hole #16

[cmckelvmi]

For what's worth I vote no boost until we can regulate it. I realized everyone on here and that plays TGC are all honest and on the up and up. However, there are the outliers that will cheat to win a 'game'. We have all played with the guys that miraculously always find their ball in the deep rough or the guy that fluffs the ball up for each shot. I imagine there are guys in the sim world that would make their boost greater than 5% or make there spin correction better than allowable . Until we can regulate and make it a clean slate for everyone, then NO Boost for you!

[Iquinn4]

Some people use boost that don’t need it... you know who you are

[mthunt]

Some people use boost that don’t need it... you know who you are

Ya. Lots of people.

[Ports]

My set up is accurate and have no need to use boost.

[Iquinn4]

Ya. Lots of people.

And that’s the problem

[Jwheels9876]

Here are my thoughts.

1.if you own the Gc2, regarded by most as the most accurate indoor launch monitor out there and you're using boost then you're just taking advantage of a rule made for people without your superior technology when you shouldn't be honestly.

2. I've seen guys with 165-170 and higher ball speed hitting bombs on skytrak so if you're hitting it 150 mph and saying you're getting shorted IDK if that's the case at all.

3. Most people don't even know how far they carry a club on average until they spend lots of time on a launch monitor. They think because they roll a driver out to 250 that that's their yardage when in fact they carry it 230 or something. Almost every single person who I've brought to my sim has complained that their yardage seems way short yet somehow mine is perfect go figure.

4. Putting is a different animal. The skytrak sucks at short putts giving you random 3 degree offline readings. Plus we are all putting off different mats and materials, we are not on the same greens when we play but we do all tee off from a tee above the mat making it equal as can be.

5. If you live in the Andes at 22,000 feet and carry your driver 450 yards, when we play at pebble beach in a tournament, guess what, your 22,000 foot elevation doesn't make it to California with you. I get you wanna match your real life distances but do that on your practice range and take it to the real course with you, it's not really a valid excuse to use boost IMO.

just my opinions. I don't care what they vote on or decide, I don't use boost merely because I want to know the truth about how far my ball goes and take that outdoors with me to help improve my game a bit. Straight putting I don't care about either, I think that's more fair for everyone honestly and I don't use that either and I don't really notice much of a difference but I have GC2 which is fairly accurate but not perfect either when putting.

[cmckelvmi]

Haha, the guy loopy on Vicodin is making more sense than most of us lucid folks! Great points, Wheels!

[Iquinn4]

Here are my thoughts.

1.if you own the Gc2, regarded by most as the most accurate indoor launch monitor out there and you're using boost then you're just taking advantage of a rule made for people without your superior technology when you shouldn't be honestly.

2. I've seen guys with 165-170 and higher ball speed hitting bombs on skytrak so if you're hitting it 150 mph and saying you're getting shorted IDK if that's the case at all.

3. Most people don't even know how far they carry a club on average until they spend lots of time on a launch monitor. They think because they roll a driver out to 250 that that's their yardage when in fact they carry it 230 or something. Almost every single person who I've brought to my sim has complained that their yardage seems way short yet somehow mine is perfect go figure.

4. Putting is a different animal. The skytrak sucks at short putts giving you random 3 degree offline readings. Plus we are all putting off different mats and materials, we are not on the same greens when we play but we do all tee off from a tee above the mat making it equal as can be.

6. If you live in the Andes at 22,000 feet and carry your driver 450 yards, when we play at pebble beach in a tournament, guess what, your 22,000 foot elevation doesn't make it to California with you. I get you wanna match your real life distances but do that on your practice range and take it to the real course with you, it's not really a valid excuse to use boost IMO.

just my opinions. I don't care what they vote on or decide, I don't use boost merely because I want to know the truth about how far my ball goes and take that outdoors with me to help improve my game a bit. Straight putting I don't care about either, I think that's more fair for everyone honestly and I don't use that either and I don't really notice much of a difference but I have GC2 which is fairly accurate but not perfect either when putting.

Are you on drugs?!? Haha hope you feel better soon!

[Jwheels9876]

Yes I am and thank you lol

[bloynoys]

For me, the 5% is huge because I live in Denver and the 5% gets me close to my outdoor distances (it's probably 6% actually).

[Wizard of Coz]

True but he plays this as practice for his game outdoors. I get it. He isn't playing in Florida. He is playing in his Denver cave and outside his cave in Denver weather permitting.

[bloynoys]

And I get the argument that well if we all played a tournament at Pebble then I wouldn't have that boost, but most of my rounds will come in Colorado so learning course management with those distances is biggest thing for me.

[Wizard of Coz]

I think for many it's real competitive and many call it cheating even though it is in the rules of this game. Im not speaking for thunder but have experienced this phenomenon quite heavily on discord. Its the so called purist that can't use 5% but doesn't want you too either. The same fella that isn't so pure to not accept 6ft gimmies or turn straight putt patch off.