Incorrect Yardages

[SCUDMAN]

Has anyone ever had an incorrect yardage CONFIRMED at worlds, just wondering?

[TheDoctor]

At worlds I would be very suprised if you had an incorrect yardage confirmed.  There is a huge jump in professionalism from districts to worlds.  I would bet on my life that there has been incorrect yardages posted at locals and districts.

[BigDuck]

Locals for sure.  A lot of the time the host is also competing, this has always seemed a little shady to me.  Especially when the grid crew knows who is hitting because they radio it in ( I have seen this done on two different occasions)

[IrishBomber]

If this is true it is a shame.  There really is no way to tell for sure, with out binoculars, especially when you get into the 370 and up range.  Call me naive but I always assumed everything was on the up and up at every level of this competition.  Thoughts from anyone else?

[stroz]

Everyone is human. Balls get missed and yardages may not come in clear over the radios. I can tell you that we have never cheated for anyone!!! All the years that I have run locals I have only one once. Heck I think they kick the ball backwards because it's me.lol.

I use to have the same people work the grid for me for six years. However because of people aiming at them while warming-they said no more after getting hit by balls from the range.So I had LDers that were already going to worlds help in the grid for me at Districts as well as myself. If you have never worked a grid give it a try once-it is not any fun. Trust me it happens at all levels and we all try out best to not let that happen.

With that being said just because you may think you hit farther then the what they are calling back don't assume. Either trust the people running the event or don't compete there. It's one of the biggest hassle of running an event. Someone always thinks they got screwed. If you don't trust me or my grid workers then don't compete but please don't ever question the yardages called back because you think you hit that one better then any of the others.Or on the O.B. call because the ball kicked funny in the grid. It happens. Hey if anyone ever wants to work a grid I would be more then happy to let you help me out to see how tuff it is.

Sorry for the long reply but I hear this every year. It has caused me to rethink sometimes why I run locals and Districts.Its not for the money I can say that as the amount of time I have to take off to run events far out ways what I get back as well as taking care of all the people that help out. I guess it's because I love this sport and want it to grow that I keep running what I hope everyone thinks are top notch evnts so that they want to come back again and again.

[cmccurdy]

Great answer Stroz. I worked Stroz's grid this year at Districts, and there is no way in hell anyone was favored. There are LDA folks there as well. I really do not believe that anyone has been screwed intentionally, in order to favor the host. I have been witness to too much bitching and moaning about the ball that was lost, never found, or incorrectly measured. I don't buy it. Stand in the grid for 6 hours or so, and you will see every conceivable bounce imaginable. Also, I can see a ball at 370, and so can a lot of other people, so it would be very hard to slip something by everyone watching. Sit in the stands at an event and listen to the competitors guess a yardage before the call from the grid...they are pretty close most of the time. Just my thoughts on the subject. Hit it, listen for the #, and then hit the next one. Shake the guys hand if he beats you, and try again at the next event.

Chris

[Sodzilla]

I think mistakes happened a lot more in the past than they do now, since many of the people hosting events have been doing it for a number of years.  Here are four that I remember from 1996 and 1997:

I saw a very well-hit ball get lost in the grid because it was filled with range balls from all the guys aiming for it while warming up.  

One local grid was only 330 yards long, and it was drawn so crooked that when the site director had to try to extend the lines to measure two shots which were eventually recorded at 386 and 384 yards (by two different competitors), we found that it was nearly 80 yards wide at that point.  It was also impossible to get an accurate measurement on either ball, and most of us thought the 384 yarder was longer.  The grid was so hilly beyond 320 yards that we couldn't see the grid workers or the balls.  There were also rocks in the middle of the fairway which sometimes caused balls hit down the middle to carom out of bounds, and a sand trap at 365 (where my ball ended up).

At a local event there was a fence running diagonally through the middle of the grid.  There was also a creek running diagonally behind the grid from 340 to 355.  Most of the balls were plugging because it was so wet, but one competitor got at least a 20 yard bounce off the top of the fence.  About an hour before the end of the competition, the kids hired to work the grid decided to go home because it was too hot.  There were three competitors left, so two of us would work the grid while the other person hit, and then we'd rotate.  Vince Ciurluini hit 351 yards to win that day right at the end (that was a fun one, eh Vince?).  Earlier he had also hit one that we couldn't find and were afraid that it might've flown beyond the grid into the creek, but after all of us went out in the grid and searched for it for 10 minutes we found it plugged at 336.

At a district event I saw inexperienced grid workers call a ball OB when it flew well past them; since they hadn't seen it, they assumed it missed the grid.  We could see the ball from the tee (using binoculars), so we told them where it was, and they walked 30 yards back and found it a yard in bounds.  

Here's one I read from earlier this year (scroll down to "Controversy overshadows win in Finals"):  http://havocdriving.typepad.com/ldblog/2006/05/index.html

I personally haven't been to any events in a long time where I felt mistakes were made which could have affected the outcome.  The locals have been well-run, and Mike Ambriz was assisting at the three districts I attended this year.  I can't think of anything they could've done to make things more fair for the competitors, short of building a huge wall to nullify the wind!

[SCUDMAN]

WOW!! I wasn't trying to imply that any cheating or favoritism was going on, more along the lines of miscommunication or hearing the wrong number. I know that one competitor at worlds this year was given credit for his 3rd ball, which knocked him out by a yard, instead of his 4th ball which would have advanced him to the next round, a case of miscommunication. This 4th ball was witnessed by roughly 20-30 people in the bleachers, some with binoculars & range finders. I don't believe anything shady was going on at all, just a slip up. I think the worlds have some inproving to do in this area. Some of the approximate yardages being called back after each ball were as much as 10 yards off, leaving hitters in the dark about where they stood, especially in the early rounds in the week, I think it got better as the week went along. I heard that there were Mesquite locals working the grid along with LDA staff.

[IrishBomber]

My key phrase was "if this is true"  I was not assuming it was and I want to take this opportunity to thank Glen Stroberg and every other individual who hosts locals and districts through out the country and runs the grid for their hard work and dedication to the this sport that I too love and want to see grow.  
I am from Chicago and I haven't been to any qualifiers outside of my district so I am biased in saying that Glen is a class act and a overall great person.  Outstanding club builder as well.  I apologize if it appeared that I was being a little bitch and infering that foul play was going on.  Not the case at all!  I take this sport very seriously and my main thought is and will always be, may the best man win.  If I don't qualify or go to Mesquite, it is all on me, pure and simple.  That is the beauty of individual sports, you are in charge.  Thanks for the time.

[stroz]

John not to worry. It was not direct at anyone but to everyone. Remember we are all human and mistakes happen. and with only 2:45 and 6 balls things are not going to be exact.

Yes there probably locals working with LDA staff as they spend roughly 12-14 hours a day during the finals week in the grid. They get tired and the guys on tee may not hear the number correctly because of wind in the mic or not holding the button long enough for the guys on the tee to hear. Balls still are being hit and the guys still calling balls in the air.

Maybe to elimanate the OB problem there is none. As long as it stops between the lines its in. That ends the questions of in or out.Signs would be like tress or other objects on the golf course. Hmmmmm like playing golf.

[DwightGA]

Not sure if this really is in the same subject, but in 2005, I went to a local in South Carolina. The grid was about 340 and then it ran out of grid and became woods. When I pulled up, guys had been hitting for a couple of hours and I noticed some of my LD buddies were there competing. So my first question was, "How in the heck is this working out"? Because I knew that some of them had to be flying it into the woods or either rolling it in there. Well, the way we settled it??? Where ever your ball ended up, they measured it. It was the biggest cluster**** I have ever seen. 4 of us hit it in the woods on the fly and sure enough we only had enough attempts to take 3 guys to districts. But luckily for me, (yes, I was the odd man out) the LDA allowed me to get into the districts.

After it was all said and done, I would have been better off staying my ass at home. Could have saved a lot of money and time. I missed going to Worlds by 3 yards. Thanks a bunch Bart Hartsell!  

Oh, at the districts in NC, the grid ran out in the 380 range. We had a couple of guys go into the woods there, but luckily it never happened in the same group where it mattered.

But, I believe one guy hit it in there during the shoot-out and that was his only ball "in bounds." Well, because other balls might have gone in the earlier, who was to say this was his actual ball? It looked to me his ball had no chance of staying in, but the first ball they found in the brush, they called it his and in bounds. Not trying to bitch, because I can imagine it is tough working the grid, but "weird" things do happen from time to time.

Dwight Pope <-------Retired (again), cause I suck!

[BigBo]

I think every drive I hit it Dallas was missread. I know I hit every drive 350 yards and all of them were inbounds. LOL!!!! Now for the real truth.
If my nerves were in check and the grind had of been 100 yards wide,
I would have made it to worlds. So if you come up short don't blame it on
the grid keepers. LOL!!!!!
Bigbo

[hardshaft]

I was at a local in Missouri a couple years back, hitting the ball long but not the straightest. I watched the flight path of each of the balls I hit as well as those of the gentleman I shared the tee box with. He was less straight than I and I didn't think he hit the grid at all. At any rate, I caught one true enough that it stayed straight and I, as well as others pegged it at over 360 minimum. When the distances came back I was amazed that it was measured at 312! WTF? My fellow competitor...372 to advance to the next round. Not that anyone was cheating, it could have been my own fault, I never checked the numbers on the balls that were waiting for me on the tee box. Something that has never happened since.

There has been one other occasion when the distance hit by a competitor was questionable. If I'm at one end of the grid and the guys doing the measuring are right there I really can't argue can I?

Jamey Ferrier

[bwolverine]

I always offer my hitting partner some of my balls - seems to work for me.

[wallock]

I for one have solid evidence of 'unfairness' at the local level.

Where I hit they had one tree in the middle of the range, 330 yards out. (5 feet tall maybe) I hit it with my last ball and they would only give me the distance to the tree.  I missed the cut by 12 yards or so.

That sucked and I didn't want to make a big deal about it.  It wouldn't have felt good winning without knowing my TRUE yardage.

But it's a new year and I'll just compete somewhere else next time.

[mikder]

I had a very similar occurance with a tree. It was in the middle of the grid at about 360. i nailed it on the fly, and was only given credit for 360.  The guys on the grid confirmed that i had hit it.  

The one that angered me the most was at a local qualifier. My previous shot had been called OB at 370. Nearly 20 yards farther than the posted best.  My next ball i hit even better and dead straight down the middle. the called back 318.  Not even the site director thought that measurement was anywhere close to accurate but that's what i was credited for.

[IrishBomber]

I thought we put this baby to bed, but oh well.  I understand everyone's frustrations on both ends of the argument.  All trees aside, l have always found it best to scout out local qualifier sites.  Now, I already hear the problem with that, some are a couple hours away perhaps more, no problem, that is why this great Incepta long drive community is here.  Unsure about a site, leave a post, I can almost guarantee you someone on here has hit there and can tell you about it.  

My favorite part of locals is all the different driving ranges out there and all the different characteristics of them.  For example, Deer Haven in Wisconsin has a mound that favors the right side of the grid.  Carry it about 340 or so and hit that mound, extra 40 yards no problem.  I watched Joe Shovald 400 club it off that very mound.  I love that site becuase I qualified for my first districts there last year, first and foremost, but also because if fit my eye.  Some grids, like golf courses, are not going do fit your eye, or have a tree in the middle, or some drunk hitting with his shirt/shoes off and a house arrest ankle bracelet on,  etc.  My advice, choose your locals wisely, if you can.  If not, fly those F!*$n trees!!!  The best of luck to all in 2007!

[BigBo]

All need to try San Saba, Texas if they have any locals this year.
fairway is flat  They use hole number 16 which is 600 yards long, no trees and very flat. One hitter at a time so there is no mixup on who's ball it is and they pickup the balls in the fairway each time. yardage is clearly marked with white lines and yardage markers on the sides.
Bigbo

[wallock]

...some drunk hitting with his shirt/shoes off and a house arrest ankle bracelet on,  etc.

I have seen this before on the course - a guy with an ankle bracelet!  I think I would just wear slacks, but apparently their in style.

[mikder]

I remeber the house arrest guy.  I was waiting for him to strip down to his g-string with a fluffy bunny tail!