second was Lee's post pertaining to handicapped folks.
or maybe there are just a bunch here that think this game should not be playable by the disabled.
You make a good point Dave and it highlights yet another problem for a game developer trying to provide a concept that is suitable for everyone.
One of the main irritations of competitive play in PG for me and probably for competition admins was that all swing methods had to be catered for. It led to separate comps for each swing method for the sake of parity and in some cases it was deemed necessary to ban controllers. None of these solutions was fair or suitable and the playing field tilted while it was trying to stay level. It also leads to accusations of cheating whether that was true or not. The perception of cheating when scores become outrageously low is more damaging than if there was actual cheating.
There will be people here who will say that we should be able to use whatever method we like. But - consider this. What if there was only one method? What if there was no choice?
Maybe people have to discard their old prejudices and habitual swing methods of 30 years in the interests of fair and equitable gameplay for the sake of inclusion and robust competition.
A long, long time ago and before PG was released there was a lot of speculation and debate on this forum about what the swing method should be and issues such as the implementation of the avatar. I took my usual thinking position - outside the box.
I reasoned that an avatar wasn't necessary - especially considering, in real life, that we don't see ourselves from a third person viewpoint. In light of the swing methods that were eventually implemented I could also argue that the swing meter for 3 Click and Motion Swing (and the real time swing using the avatar as a meter) aren't necessary and, considering the controversies that arose around swing methods, could be considered detrimental to fair competition.
Conventional thinking argues that a form of meter is needed as a guide for power and control. The trouble is people have a preference for a certain swing method excluding the others and this causes the schisms that grew from that.
I have always maintained that a golf game, if it wants to be a simulation of real golf, only has to provide the 'emotion' of the real game. It only has to provide a means to 'play' golf like a professional. I don't see what a 3 Click circle or a sliding mouse has to do with that ideology. I'll put it this way. A developer has to build a game with good physics, golf rules and the courses - exactly like PG has now. With that in place anyone can pick up the sim and be relatively competitive but variables such as - experience, nouse, determination, green reading ability, nerves of steel, courage, knowledge of the real game, local knowledge, club selection etc. etc. will sort out the leaderboards - not the ability to click a mouse button or push a tiny little stick with all the huge disparity that comes with various computer equipment.
As I said back in the Rubbish threads, traditional thinking has got the whole PC golf industry into a niche of its own making.
So the method I put forward was to simply have a 'LAUNCH' button to 'hit' the ball. In that way every player can swing and play like a Pro without having to learn and master some awkward piece of plastic. All the swing methods available in PG actually corrupt the 'simulation' of a professional golfer. There are still guys who, in essence, play like a 20 handicapper (with respect). Unless you are a masochist this doesn't encourage playing a PC golf game. It should bring scores closer together and stimulate close competition. It would definitely be inclusive of people with physical disabilities.
While reading the original Rubbish thread it was apparent there was support for a LAUNCH method - but this was prior to the release of PG. Once PG was playable the good ol' 3 Clickers were back in their comfort zones and when MS and then RTS were introduced did little to sway the 3C crowd and it was only for the adventurous. And then there were controllers. (I knew they would cause problems.) Eventually the populace split into disparate groups, competition suffered, waves of people left (even G), there were cheating allegations, developers abandonded us, strange people were elected to governments, the coronavirus hit, the climate warmed, ice caps melted.
There would be difficulties associated with LAUNCH but nothing that rivals the difficulties of trying to have all those swing methods trying to fit into a tiny box.
Before I finish I'd like to draw your attention to a video I made showing how golf looks without the avatar. To me it looks fabulous. Very immersive. The ball flight seems much clearer in a way. I couldn't be bothered putting it in this post or linking to it. Search for 'Rubbish Redux' thread and go to post #35.
TL;DR
I'm at work so I have plenty of time on my hands. But not for long - I'm on the aged pension in four months. I might have even more time on my hands but I won't have to wear socks (or pants for that matter (a sarong if you don't like that vision)).
