Golf

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Golf Course, Golfing

Category

Sports, Activities, Recreation, Tourism

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the location of facilities for playing golf

	Source	Description
	Slovenia 2015	Golfer in full swing position, ball, flag
	Dutchicon	Golfer in finishing position of a full swing, element indicating movement
	SSRS	Golfer in finishing position of a full swing
	SADC	Golfer in finishing position of a full swing
	ÖNORM A 3011	Golfer in full swing position
	CNIS	Golfer in full swing position
	PRTCS	Golfer in full swing position
	Erco	Golfer in full swing position
	HSSS	Golfer in full swing position
	BS 8501:2002	Upper part of golfer in full swing position
	O'21	Head and arms of golfer in full swing position
	TAC	Upper part of golfer, ball
	RTA Algarve	Human figure in putting position
	DER	Human figure in putting position
	Scheiber	Human figure in putting position, golf flag
	O'24	Diagonal arrangement of clubs, balls, flags on pole ending in circle, curved lines
	Dreyfuss	Golf club and ball
	O'72	Bottom part of putter and golf ball
	Pacific Bell	Bottom part of golf club and golf ball
	BS 8501:2002	Golf flag, bottom part of golf club and golf ball
	swisstopo	Golf flag in center of arc at bottom
	SIS	Golf flag in center of elliptic area at bottom
	BTA 1989	Golf flag and number 18 (indicating number of holes)
	UKFC	Triangular golf flag
	Dreyfuss	Triangular golf flag on pole with base
	Dreyfuss	Golf ball on top of tee

Discussion

When Gehringer (1976) examined five pictogram variants for the referent Golf in an Appropriateness Ranking Tests, a pictogram showing a human figure playing golf despicting a full swing position was ranked best. This led to the development of symbol No 130 - Golf of ÖNORM A 3011. Brugger (1995) checked this pictogram using the Comprehensibility Estimation method, where it reached a mean score of 74.

The aspect of familiarity with this sport among respondents is of significant relevance for understanding specific variants:

While the score for symbol No 130 of ÖNORM A 3011 was about 10 % higher among younger subjects (Brugger, 1995)
people with insufficient knowlege of golf judge variants with a golf flag and a number indicating the number of holes as least appropriate (Gehringer, 1976).
Variants showing a putter or golf club and a golf ball only probably allow no clear differentiation between golf and mini golf for unexperienced persons.

Two later studies indicate that renderings of a golfer in full swing position might be superior to pictograms showing a person in putting position: while the first was correctly identified by 100 % of the respondents (students) in a study conducted in Hong Kong (Ng & Chan, 2007), only 83.9 % of the responses concerning the latter could be classified as correct when Fiori (2008) examined the pictogram variant labeled as DER above. But scores for both variants examined were better than results before.

Recommendation

Golf

Based on test results available we recommend the use of a pictogram like Public Information Symbol No 130 of ÖNORM A 3011 part 8, as it is well comprehensable and allows excellent differentiation from Minigolf.

Tests of pictograms of referent Golf

Brugger, Ch. (1995): ÖBB / ON Testserie 1995, Teil 1 Verständnisschätzungen nach ISO 9186. Report to ÖBB GD 02 (Austrian Railways) dated January 1995, Vienna.

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.

Gehringer, J. (1976): Reihungstest über 18 Begriffe aus dem Sportwesen - Priorität I. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated January 1976, Vienna.

Ng, A. & Chan, A. (2007):The guessability of traffic signs: Effects of prospective-user factors and sign design features. Accident; analysis and prevention. 39. 1245-57.