[Maths-Education] Golf balls and calculators

[John Monaghan]

A lot of interesting parallels with calculators in the extract below. Such
controversy is, of course, not uncommon in sport nor am I saying anything
new re the parallels with calculators (see, for example, JV Wertsch, 1998,
Mind as Action, OUP). However, as it was in yesterday's newspaper I thought
some readers may be interested.

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Golf

Big hitters put ruling body in a dilemma 

Ball technology threatens to reduce the challenge of this year's Open

David Davies
Guardian

Wednesday April 25, 2001

Golf is under threat at the very highest levels from the onrush of new
technology. The Royal and Ancient admits that there is grave concern,
particularly concerning golf-ball development, and that it is changing the
nature of the sport. 

Peter Dawson, secretary of the R & A, the body that controls the game
worldwide, with the exception of the United States and Mexico, said
yesterday at the Open Championship press conference: "A lot of people had
their eyes opened at this year's US Masters when they saw the distances the
ball was being hit. It was particularly obvious at the 18th and it would be
my guess, and I stress this a personal opinion and an estimate, that the
new balls have moved the game up by 10-15 yards." 

The 18th at Augusta is all uphill and players were routinely carrying a
large fairway mound that had previously been unreachable. "What we don't
want," said Dawson, "is for the game to become a series of drive, wedge;
drive, wedge; drive, wedge holes. There is a definite concern that it could
be. We want players to be tested right through the bag, every club.