Is Silence Really Golden?

[brutalbrutus]

This might be fun or a complete trainwreck of a thread... either way it should be entertaining...


https://www.pdga.com/news/silence-really-golden

Is Ball Golf the Right Model?

As you know, the ball hitters have come to the conclusion that they can only swing the club effectively in complete silence. That results in a tremendous amount of effort to control spectators at events. There are legions of marshals assigned specifically to make sure that the gallery is dead quiet at the moment of the sacred swing. That's right — we have attempted to construct an 18-hole sports church, or maybe a library. Admittedly, part of the reason for the silence is it makes the activity seem more important. The fact is, there's no real reason that silence is required to execute a golf swing. It's all about the context that we have chosen to create. We need only compare a throw with a player shooting a foul shot in the NBA finals; there are 30,000 people screaming and the player calmly strokes it through the net. In many ways, it's a challenge similar to putting in both bolf and disc golf.

Of course, other sports insist on this same kind of silence. Bowling traditionally quiets the crowd prior to the player's approach to the line. However, there is a current series of tournaments that actually encourages fans to express themselves as the bowlers are playing. It should be noted that there doesn't seem to be any reduction in the effectiveness of the bowlers in that noisy environment, and it's clearly a good bit more fun for the spectators. Speaking of which, we have some history of that ourselves. In 2008 at the Pro/Am World Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Jay "Yeti" Reading won his first (of, count 'em, five) World Putting Championships in a theater in front of 1,000 fans. As Yeti recalls, it was hard to keep the crowd completely quiet for the three finalists. So, rather than chance being distracted by some random yahoo, Yeti decided to encourage the crowd to cheer him on during his putts.

It was epic. They hooted and hollered and Yeti drained putt after putt to take the title.

 

[Jay Dub]

So, rather than chance being distracted by some random yahoo, Yeti decided to encourage the crowd to cheer him on during his putts.

This is what I think the silence is trying to prevent. All quiet then at the worse moment some one screams. Loud constant noise is not a distraction, they give a few examples and I agree.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

I wish you'd both shut up.

:\

 

[Monocacy]

Should be like baseball. Hey PUTTER hey PUTTER PUTTER hey PUTTER putter MISS!

But seriously, noise doesn't bother me. I putt just as poorly whether noisy or quiet.

 

[Jay Dub]

If someone says "nice" after you release the putt is it their fault you missed?

That's what we should be discussing.

 

[aredoubles]

The Nantucket Open has had a Razz Round for several years, posted on YouTube. The players seem to do okay, and have a good time as long as nobody is physically interfering. GBO tried their own version of it this past year, but it was a little too manufactured and cringey, as you might expect from DD.

I think it'd be easier to tune out a cicada-like swarm of noise on a lead card, rather than playing with a very small gallery in the woods where one or two people might whoop at the wrong time.

 

[jakebake91]

Should be like baseball. Hey PUTTER hey PUTTER PUTTER hey PUTTER putter MISS!

But seriously, noise doesn't bother me. I putt just as poorly whether noisy or quiet.

Baseketball rules would be even more fun!!!

 

[DiscgolfStu]

I may be wrong, but the etiquette for most individual sports calls for silence. Team sports, loud as sh*t.

Personally, I like the noise and don't enjoy the feeling of everyone shutting up and holding their breath while I putt. Lot of pressure!

 

[jakebake91]

I have two boys at home, a 5 year old and a 1 year old. I forget what this silence thing we are talking about even is!

 

[Nova P]

Baseketball rules would be even more fun!!!

With or without the legendary Speedo man?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylmJKJ2Pm7Y

Caution: video contains Speedo man doing whatever a Speedo man can.

 

[jakebake91]

With or without the legendary Speedo man?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylmJKJ2Pm7Y

Caution: video contains Speedo man doing whatever a Speedo man can.

Obviously the only answer here is WITH. Think of how hilarious that'd be.....oh the things you can't unsee.....

 

[Cgkdisc]

I think the problem with allowing talking or vocal "harassment" similar to basketball, football and some other team sports is it may not be applied uniformly among all competitors. Yes, the home team has the advantage in team sports but the number of home and away games equals out over the year. In the case of disc golf, certain players may be vocally abused much more than others due to personality or perhaps due to their sponsor.

 

[jakebake91]

With or without the legendary Speedo man?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylmJKJ2Pm7Y

Caution: video contains Speedo man doing whatever a Speedo man can.

Top 3 pro disc golfers you DO NOT want to see in a Speedo.....and go!!

 

[Future_Primitive]

Obviously the only answer here is WITH. Think of how hilarious that'd be.....oh the things you can't unsee.....

Be careful what you ask for as you might just get him as a partner. I've played a few rounds with a rowdy bunch of DG'ers known for shenanigans and working people. Only rule during the round is dont touch the thrower or their disc, anything else goes and its generally a mob the whole round. (CHAAAAA )

Anyways, one year they hosted an Ace Race and one of the "gentlemen" decided to work everyone else by playing the event in only his underwear and shoes. It was something. Even worse the course was a small 9'er converted to 12 holes for the event so you passed by other groups constantly. :gross:

 

[F. Howl]

One good thing about silence is it builds suspense. This moment would have carried less weight, if dubstep was playing in the background, and people were chatting and cracking open beers, yelling "my life!", etc:

 

[Jay Dub]

We used to throw rocks or rock like things at people's drive after they released the disc.
We had to do it from behind the tee and not interfere until the disc was released.

Not very many discs were hit with these rocks.

Of course this was casual and involved a small group.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

To be honest, the only significant events I've seen in person have been big name events held at the Toboggan: Great Lakes Open & USADGC... but I've been to more than a few of them.

The number of incidents where crowd noise/behavior was a factor are pretty low. Not sure anything needs to be done.

IMO, the bigger problem is how easily stuff breaks my focus.

 

[Jay Dub]

PGA #16 at Scottsdale encourages crowd noise, players seem to do fine there.

 

[Jimb]

People talking during my preparation and during my throw or putt doesn't bother me. A change from silence to noise can be distracting for sure.

I will be quiet, myself, during people's throws, though. I have some interesting friends who get all out of whack with any noise at all. And the only time a car drives by, or a dog barks, or shots are fired is always when they're throwing.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Most of the time... I'm too busy dealing with the voices in my own head to worry about what other people are doing/saying...:|

Also, between the 7 or 8 years I spent in jr bowling leagues and the group I used to disc with on the weekends, you get used to it pretty quickly.