Rocket Golf - Has anyone else thought of this?

[Zeus-cat]

Rocket Golf would be like regular golf except you would launch rockets instead of hitting a ball. Maybe it would be more like Frisbee Golf.

I haven't worked out all of the details, but the basic idea would be:

1. The “hole” would be a circle of 50 feet (or other reasonable distance)around a marker in the ground.

2. Two teams (2-4 people) play against each other. Teams are needed as the team needs to carry a portable launch pad, motors, rockets, parachutes, etc.

3. There might need to be a limit on the number of rockets and/or motors a team could carry. Maybe 5 or 6 rockets. I don’t know about the motors.

4. A round consists of 3 holes instead of 9 to keep the number of motors burned down to a reasonable number and to keep the “game” to a reasonable length of time.

5. Motors would be limited to A, B and C.

6. Parachutes, streamer or gyro recovery rockets allowed. No gliders allowed.

7. No launch rod angles of more than 30 degrees from the vertical for safety reasons.

8. A one stroke penalty is assessed for any rocket that lands in a tree or other obstacle that can’t be recovered from the ground (no tree or obstacle climbing for safety reasons).

9. Teams launch their first rocket from the tee. Second and subsequent launches are made from the spot where the rocket lands until the team lands a rocket in the target zone.

10. Teams can use any rocket, motor or recovery system they want for any launch, so long as it is a safe combination.

Obviously a large place with few obstacles and few people around would need to be used for the course. Obviously a large place with few obstacles and few people around would need to be used for the course.

 

[skycopp]

Very interesting. I bet it could be played out at the desert.

What about rocket dodgeball?

 

[Initiator001]

Doug Frost made a presentation about 'Rocket Golf' at NARAM-32.

He was selling Rocket Golf T-shirts, too.

It never caught on.

 

[RoyAtl]

Doug's game was meant to be played on an actual golf course. Rockets were used to get on the green, and once on the green, you would switch to a regular ball and putt into a regular hole in the usual way.
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However, using Zeus-cat's idea as a starting point, a long field could be used with a motor power limit and a somewhat standardized rocket where, on average, it would take three or four flights to get from one end to the target, or you could do it in a smaller squarer field by going from one corner to the next.

The "hole" I would envision would be a 25 ft radius, and that final shot would be scored lower the closer you got to the actual center. 25-20 = 1 shot, 20-15 = 0.75, 15-10 = 0.5, 10-5 = 0.25, and within 5 ft would be 0.

I see some potential in this. It would be a tad expensive as it would take at least a pack of motors per "hole".

 

[SCE to AUX]

Wouldn't such a game be a violation of the NAR safety code? Specifically:

"8:Flight Safety. I will not launch my rocket at targets..."

Of course, spot landing contests also violate this...

 

[shrox]

Maybe saucers would be good for this.

 

[Bazookadale]

Wouldn't such a game be a violation of the NAR safety code? Specifically:



Of course, spot landing contests also violate this...

you're not launching "AT" a target rather recovering in a target area.Semantics I guess.

 

[DexterLB]

That's not launching AT targets, but launching upwards, and using mind-control to make the rocket land at the target

 

[DexterLB]

eek, 2 replies while I was posting my reply!!! that was fast!

 

[Micromeister]

Quit some time ago (mid to late 1970's??) Rocket golf was presented by one of the old timers, as a Spoof on Disc Golf. and had a short and lively discussion peroid thur several articles in the Model Rocketeer mag. I Don't really recall all the whys and where fors. but it was more or less very close to what you've proposed but on a much grander scale as it was intended to to at least 9 holes. I thought it a bit silly myself so I really didn't pay that much attention. I'm sure Bunny and some of the other NAR over the hill guys will be able to give you more thoughts on the old game which was loosely an extended movable multi launch form of parachute and Streamer spot landing alot like your porposal.

"Spot landing" is not at all like "launching rockets against ground targets". and doesn't violate the safety code

 

[shreadvector]

I am as excited by Rocket Golf as I am by Rocket Broadway Musicals.

(Although the musical of Planet of the Apes certainly looked interesting....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vb9fyyzxI4

 

[troj]

Something quite similar was discussed as a possible option for Rocket Challenge, and those of us on the rocketry side of the table discouraged it.

Why?

Think about the claimed activities by the ATF to try to demonstrate that our rockets can be used to hit ground targets.

Now, think about the image that such an activity sets, and whether or not "accurately recovery on target" is really something we want to encourage, or set the image that we think is a good thing.

Image matters when it comes to this kind of stuff.

-Kevin

 

[falingtrea]

Something quite similar was discussed as a possible option for Rocket Challenge, and those of us on the rocketry side of the table discouraged it.

Why?

Think about the claimed activities by the ATF to try to demonstrate that our rockets can be used to hit ground targets.

Now, think about the image that such an activity sets, and whether or not "accurately recovery on target" is really something we want to encourage, or set the image that we think is a good thing.

Image matters when it comes to this kind of stuff.

-Kevin

Heheh, so you are saying that Spot-Landing, that has been in the Pink Book for ages, puts forth some sort of negative image?? :confused2:

 

[RoyAtl]

Wouldn't such a game be a violation of the NAR safety code? Specifically:



Of course, spot landing contests also violate this...

That rule is covering using model rockets ballistically without recovery devices. Yes, it isn't worded very well.

 

[RoyAtl]

Maybe saucers would be good for this.

nah, unless you like playing real golf with wiffle balls on a regulation course!

 

[H_Rocket]

How about A Motor Golf Ball Loft? Sort of a a small field variant of the J bowling Ball Loft (I believe it spawned the Warp9 Motors) that raised such a stink a few years back.

We could also do 1/4A Ping Pong Ball Loft

and for John

1/8A Macrame Bead Loft

 

[RangerStl]

:roll:

 

[RoyAtl]

Houw about A Motor Golf Ball Loft? Sort of a a small field variant of the J bowling Ball Loft (I believe it spawned the Warp9 Motors) that raised such a stink a few years back.

We could also do 1/4A Ping Pong Ball Loft

and for John

1/8A Macrame Bead Loft

Nah, all those sound boring (ok, maybe the Bowling Ball isn't boring, but for a different reason ). Egg Lofting would be boring were it not for the egg's fragility.

 

[H_Rocket]

Tell you what...

They say they are tossing up a 16# bowling ball and then yell heads up, trust me, you listen.

 

[RangerStl]

That's gotta be rough on the putting greens...

 

[Pantherjon]

Well, wouldn't it then be considered a 'hole in one'?:roll:









































































Provided of couse it lands on the green!

 

[rocketcrazee]

Hi

You could always use one of these

https://www.rocketstore.co.uk/shop/product.asp?numRecordPosition=8&P_ID=564&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=127

Then play it from the tee area too the target, just using the foot pad and count the number time that it takes to get there

 

[Mikus]

Badminton anyone?

https://www.rocketrytoday.com/astronbirdie.html

 

[MarkII]

I'm trying to work out the rules and strengths for a variation of Rock-Paper-Scissors called Cluster-2Stager-Glider. So far, I've got:

Cluster - Strength: boosts faster (or lifts more mass, stronger). Weakness: CATO. Gesture: fist

2Stager - Strength: flies higher. Weakness: staging failure. Gesture: two fingers

Glider - Strength: stays in air longer. Weakness: red baron. Gesture: flat hand

I haven't decided yet whether it makes sense to use the strengths but not the weaknesses, or to use both features in the game strategy. A third alternative would be to use the weaknesses but not the strengths, which, now that I think of it, could be kind of interesting!

Other strengths or weaknesses could also be used instead of these, though. So far, I have spent almost 15 minutes working on this.

I'm still trying to work out what each choice defeats, and why. Any suggestions?

MarkII

 

[MarkII]

Another way to think about the Cluster-2Stager-Glider distinctions are:

Cluster = strength (stronger)

2Stager = speed (faster)

Glider = endurance (longer)

MarkII

 

[MarkII]

[Note to Moderator: to be fair to Zeus-Cat, so I don't hijack his thread, it might be better to move my previous two posts here to a new thread in the Watering Hole, to be called "Rocket Games: Cluster-2Stager-Glider". There it can live or die on its own terms, without affecting the discussion in this thread. I would do it myself if I knew how. Thanks. - MarkII]

 

[georgegassaway]

How about Rocket Baseball?

Or Rocket Softball?

Admission is $5.00.

OK, well, these pics are from a launch that BRB helped with last Friday, at Bragg Middle School, in Gardendale, Alabama. Approximately 300 students built and flew their own Alphas. So, there were about 300 flights, all day long.

The launch site was the baseball/softball field from Gardendale high school , which is next door to the middle school. The “sports nickname” used by both schools is “Rockets”.

For more photos from that launch (there are 300 photos), use this link:

https://birminghamrocketboys.com/BRBGallery/main.php?g2_itemId=127402

- George Gassaway

 

[georgegassaway]

A few more pics, below.

BRB members who helped with the launch were:

Randy and Verna DeArman, David Rowe, Steward Jones, Ron Witherspoon, Suzy Kraft, and myself.

- George Gassaway

 

[shreadvector]

Did you give everyone of the first-time-flyer students a certificate and report the total to the NAR?

https://www.nar.org/2006/08/nars_50th_birthday_celebration.php
https://www.nar.org/pdf/50Kkids.pdf
https://www.nar.org/pdf/50KAward.pdf
https://www.nar.org/fly50K.html
https://www.nar.org/fly50Kresults.html

We handed out 77 of them yesterday to the 2 scout groups that attended our club launch. The kids and parents love them.

 

[Verna]

Did you give everyone of the first-time-flyer students a certificate and report the total to the NAR?

Yep.

Verna
<www.vernarockets.com>