Caddie Corner: Get tech savvy on the links
You and I have played with the guy who steps off every shot to the centimeter.
He then figures out the placement of the flag on the green, not happy with the red, white and blue flags for front-middle-back. The same guy, who never practices, then skulls his seven-iron 36 feet to the left and starts counting off the distance again.
Well, no more of that. (Note: Almost. He’ll still probably walk to all four sides for first of three putts).
Coming soon (in some cases already here), to the four Lincoln city courses — Holmes, Mahoney, Pioneers and Highlands — a laser golf gizmo to help golfers measure the distance to the pin.
Dale Hardy, director of golf for City Parks and Rec, said the new Laser Link product will be available soon, if not already there as a demo.
The Laser Link system, used at more than 1,500 courses around the country, is available at Firethorn, Omaha Country Club, Yankee Hill and Arbor Links, among others in Nebraska.
The new flagsticks are already in place at Highlands and Mahoney. The top of the stick has a little reflector built in. You aim and shoot at with the hand-held laser beam (phaser-looking) device. Instantly, you get a reading for the distance to the pin from your device.
“It’ll cost from $3 to $7 or so per round once we figure out the market,” said Hardy. “The idea is to speed up play and add convenience for the golfers.”
Hardy said the range-finder gives the exact distance from the rough, bunkers, the trees and to the pin.
He said that in the future, the city courses may add a reflector stick to the tee boxes, so you can hit your drive, walk to your ball, shoot the beamer back and know you hit that driver 271 yards (yeah right).
The range-finders are not allowed in USGA events or on the PGA Tour, but Nebraska is one of 31 states that allow their use for state tournaments.
Rob O’Laughlin, president of the Madison, Wisc., Laser Link said the Tour’s reticence is due to tradition.
“It’s an image thing with the Tour, like shorts and riding in golf cars,” he said.
The benefit of the laser system over the GPS system is that you get the measurement to the flagstick rather than a generic front-middle-back of the green distance.
The city courses’ red (100), white (150) and blue (200) yard indicators — markers, sprinkler heads and short flags at Highlands — and some courses —Woodland Hills, for instance — have long used a GPS system in their carts. HiMark and Wilderness Ridge sell the hand-held versions. Wilderness Ridge uses the I-Caddy, which sells for $349 for color and $249 for black and white. (No word on HD availability).
HiMark sells the Laser Link and rents the equipment, too. The rent rates are $5 for nine holes and $7.50 for 18 holes. Which, if you have a foursome, and share, sounds like a deal.
Mahoney Golf Course reported brisk sales in the equipment, which goes for $279, and a cheaper model for $119.
For Cardinals fans who can’t wait to find out how their team is climbing up the standings, some courses have a GPS system in the cart with a sports ticker crawl on the bottom with the latest sports scores and news updates.
There is no report that the video game Golden Tee is available in the golf carts, but the feature can’t be that far off.
Tourney times
The 100th Nebraska State Amateur tournament starts July 22 and runs through July 25 at the Country Club of Lincoln.
The Lincoln Men’s City tournament is scheduled for July 25-26-27 at Highlands, Holmes, Mahoney. The Lincoln Girls City tournament is July 30-31 at Holmes and Highlands. The Boys City tournament is Aug. 5-7 at Pioneers, Mahoney, Holmes. The U.S. Amateur Sectional is July 28 at Fremont Country Club and the U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier is July 25 at Willow Lakes in Bellevue.
Reach Caddie Corner at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.
He then figures out the placement of the flag on the green, not happy with the red, white and blue flags for front-middle-back. The same guy, who never practices, then skulls his seven-iron 36 feet to the left and starts counting off the distance again.
Well, no more of that. (Note: Almost. He’ll still probably walk to all four sides for first of three putts).
Coming soon (in some cases already here), to the four Lincoln city courses — Holmes, Mahoney, Pioneers and Highlands — a laser golf gizmo to help golfers measure the distance to the pin.
Dale Hardy, director of golf for City Parks and Rec, said the new Laser Link product will be available soon, if not already there as a demo.
The Laser Link system, used at more than 1,500 courses around the country, is available at Firethorn, Omaha Country Club, Yankee Hill and Arbor Links, among others in Nebraska.
The new flagsticks are already in place at Highlands and Mahoney. The top of the stick has a little reflector built in. You aim and shoot at with the hand-held laser beam (phaser-looking) device. Instantly, you get a reading for the distance to the pin from your device.
“It’ll cost from $3 to $7 or so per round once we figure out the market,” said Hardy. “The idea is to speed up play and add convenience for the golfers.”
Hardy said the range-finder gives the exact distance from the rough, bunkers, the trees and to the pin.
He said that in the future, the city courses may add a reflector stick to the tee boxes, so you can hit your drive, walk to your ball, shoot the beamer back and know you hit that driver 271 yards (yeah right).
The range-finders are not allowed in USGA events or on the PGA Tour, but Nebraska is one of 31 states that allow their use for state tournaments.
Rob O’Laughlin, president of the Madison, Wisc., Laser Link said the Tour’s reticence is due to tradition.
“It’s an image thing with the Tour, like shorts and riding in golf cars,” he said.
The benefit of the laser system over the GPS system is that you get the measurement to the flagstick rather than a generic front-middle-back of the green distance.
The city courses’ red (100), white (150) and blue (200) yard indicators — markers, sprinkler heads and short flags at Highlands — and some courses —Woodland Hills, for instance — have long used a GPS system in their carts. HiMark and Wilderness Ridge sell the hand-held versions. Wilderness Ridge uses the I-Caddy, which sells for $349 for color and $249 for black and white. (No word on HD availability).
HiMark sells the Laser Link and rents the equipment, too. The rent rates are $5 for nine holes and $7.50 for 18 holes. Which, if you have a foursome, and share, sounds like a deal.
Mahoney Golf Course reported brisk sales in the equipment, which goes for $279, and a cheaper model for $119.
For Cardinals fans who can’t wait to find out how their team is climbing up the standings, some courses have a GPS system in the cart with a sports ticker crawl on the bottom with the latest sports scores and news updates.
There is no report that the video game Golden Tee is available in the golf carts, but the feature can’t be that far off.
Tourney times
The 100th Nebraska State Amateur tournament starts July 22 and runs through July 25 at the Country Club of Lincoln.
The Lincoln Men’s City tournament is scheduled for July 25-26-27 at Highlands, Holmes, Mahoney. The Lincoln Girls City tournament is July 30-31 at Holmes and Highlands. The Boys City tournament is Aug. 5-7 at Pioneers, Mahoney, Holmes. The U.S. Amateur Sectional is July 28 at Fremont Country Club and the U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier is July 25 at Willow Lakes in Bellevue.
Reach Caddie Corner at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.
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