101st Edition Of Vermont Amateur Championship Is One Of The First Sanctioned Events To Allow Rangefinders In Competition
Rutland, VT, July 30, 2007 â?¦ By being one of the first to sanction use of rangefinders, The Vermont Golf Association improved pace-of-play by more than 30 minutes per round during the 2007 Vermont Amateur Championship. Played at Brattleboro Country Club, in Brattleboro, Vermont, July 10-12, 90% of the players in the 105 player field utilized the SkyCaddie®, the #1 Rangefinder in golf, during the three-day competition won by Trevor Murphy of St. Johnsbury Country Club.
Slow pace of play, which continues to be one of the leading complaints among golfers and tournament directors nationwide, is generally made worse by a golfer’s need to obtain course information from walking off yardages, searching for course markers or stopping to calculate distances from a yardage book. In contrast, the SkyCaddie, utilizing its GPS technology, provided real-time yardage and distance data as soon as the golfers arrived at their ball without wasting time associated with the other methods.
"The pace-of-play this year was considerably faster than in the past Championships," said James Bassett, Executive Director, Vermont Amateur Championship. "I feel that we have shaved 30 to 40 minutes per round. This is due to the fact that almost every player used the SkyCaddie."
The SkyCaddie is a hand-held GPS device designed specifically for golfers to measure distances to any point on the golf course. The product utilizes the same global positioning system used by the U.S. Military, but in a highly portable handheld device, about the size of a cell phone, to accurately compute distances to any point on a golf course.
"What amazed me was the accuracy and speed of play. I have never played a Championship at that pace," said Todd Rainville, 2005 Vermont Mid Amateur Champion. "The SkyCaddie really works well and kept the field on pace for a much more enjoyable round."
According to 2007 Champion Murphy, "It really helped with the yardages. The SkyCaddie gave me accurate yardages on every hole and it gave me confidence to select the correct club and swing freely."
Another example of the device’s expanding impact on the game of golf, the LPGA selected the SkyCaddie to be used in LPGA broadcasts, so that on-course announcers at ESPN and The Golf Channel could enhance the telecast by having real-time, accurate distances for LPGA players, from tee to green, during their round. Today, SkyCaddie is the official rangefinder of the LPGA. Other professional tours utilizing the SkyCaddie’s advanced technology in competition include the ECCO Tour, the Euro Pro Tour and the Euro PGA.
Earlier this year, the Mississippi Golf Association became the first state association to sanction rangefinders in its State Amateur Championship.
About SkyGolf
SkyGolf, www.skygolf.com, is a solutions integrator that leverages the convergence of proven technologies, including GPS, Internet, mobile handsets and proprietary content to provide an instant answer to the oldest question in golf, "How far?" While respecting the game’s traditions and history, SkyGolf is committed to using its advanced technology responsibly to improve pace-of-play, enhance golfers’ enjoyment of the game and ultimately increase participation for the good of the game.
About The Vermont Golf Association
The Vermont Golf Association was organized in 1902. The seven charter members of the organization were the Dorset Field Club, the Ekwanok Country Club, Montpelier Country Club, Waubanakee Country Club of Burlington, Old Pine Country Club of St. Johnsbury, Mt. Anthony Country Club of Bennington, and Rutland Country Club. Annual dues were $10.00 per year. In 1903, the Barre Golf Club became a member. The first Vermont Amateur Championship Tournament was played in 1902. Paul Waterman of Ekwanok Country Club was the first winner.
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