Other Sports What's the lowest score that a machine could get in golf?

**Rain Man** · 07-20-2014, 07:04 PM

I was at a restaurant tonight, and they had some golf match with Mark Rypien, Annika Sorenstam, and some E-List celebrities. I was watching a putt go wide, and thought, "I bet you could design a machine to putt for you."

It then made me start thinking about using a machine for an entire golf game. Could you design a machine that could account for wind, elevation, temperature, length, etc., and score a perfect 18? If so, could a machine do it consistently?

My initial reaction is that, if we can put a rover on Mars we can probably design a machine that could score an 18 in golf. But then again, you have wind gusts and temperature microfluctuations and tiny little twigs blowing on the ground that probably can't be predicted.

I don't think you could design a machine that could hit a hole in one every time. But I bet NASA or DARPA could design a machine that could do something like this consistently on 18 holes: 2 holes in one, 14 2's (one drive, one putt), and 2 3's (one drive, two putts). That would be a 36 over 18 holes.

But I'm not a golfer, so what do I know? What do you think?

Poll to follow after I spend ten minutes studying the lay of the land and making practice polls.

View Poll Results: Two-part robot golfer question.
Part 1. Could a machine be designed that scores an 18 at least once in 1,000 games of golf?	2	3.64%
Yes	12	21.82%
No	25	45.45%
I don't know. I just watch golf for the wrecks.	5	9.09%
Part 2. What is the best score that a machine could consistently average in golf?	2	3.64%
18	4	7.27%
19 to 25	5	9.09%
26 to 32	4	7.27%
33 to 39	10	18.18%
40 to 46	7	12.73%
47 to 52	6	10.91%
53 to 59	4	7.27%
60 to 66	1	1.82%
67 to 73	1	1.82%
74 to 80	4	7.27%
Over 80	7	12.73%
I don't know. I just watch golf for the commentating.	3	5.45%
I don't believe in machinery.	4	7.27%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 55. You may not vote on this poll

07-20-2014, 07:04 PM	Topic Starter
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3138491 VARSITY	What's the lowest score that a machine could get in golf? I was at a restaurant tonight, and they had some golf match with Mark Rypien, Annika Sorenstam, and some E-List celebrities. I was watching a putt go wide, and thought, "I bet you could design a machine to putt for you." It then made me start thinking about using a machine for an entire golf game. Could you design a machine that could account for wind, elevation, temperature, length, etc., and score a perfect 18? If so, could a machine do it consistently? My initial reaction is that, if we can put a rover on Mars we can probably design a machine that could score an 18 in golf. But then again, you have wind gusts and temperature microfluctuations and tiny little twigs blowing on the ground that probably can't be predicted. I don't think you could design a machine that could hit a hole in one every time. But I bet NASA or DARPA could design a machine that could do something like this consistently on 18 holes: 2 holes in one, 14 2's (one drive, one putt), and 2 3's (one drive, two putts). That would be a 36 over 18 holes. But I'm not a golfer, so what do I know? What do you think? Poll to follow after I spend ten minutes studying the lay of the land and making practice polls.
Posts: 141,584