Measuring Yardages

You can try and get your yardages off of the markers at the range but I've found that the only way to get accurate consistent results is by using a laser range finder.

I was often finding my yardages were off only to realize the range or course in question was moving the teeing areas around. In these circumstances it was impossible to be consistent. Now I always use the range finder for all vital shots unless I'm really familiar with the course and the proper yardages there.

You'll be suprised how much more accurate your shots get once you know what your exact yardages are and the exact yardages to your targets.

How much are those?

You can get them for in the for 150ish, but you can spend 3 or 4 hundred without blinking an eye as well. I think the Bushnell yardage pro tours are about 175-200 on ebay and they seem to come highly recommended.

Its hard to judge distances. Its probably a big weakness for many golfers. I got a good idea of my distances only after hitting a lot of range balls and course time. I don't think you can calculate your distances in one sitting. Its just something you'll acquire over time, but something you should stay focused on as you increase your playing ability.

The 2 local courses I play do a good job of putting yardages on sprinkler heads, par 3 tee boxes (stone in the ground), and using embedded 200/150/100 yd. markers. I realize these are to center of green, but it still helps you learn which clubs are going how far.

Not as good as a rangefinder, but much better than guessing IMHO.

I recently purchased a rangefinder and it makes golf even that much more fun. It's invaluable knowing your exact distances on shots. Sprinkler heads and other markers only tell you your distances to the green but it's great to have something that tells you how far you are from a hazard, dog leg, etc... One of the best golf purchases I have made. My only problem is that sometimes I have a tndency to take it out too much.

I recently purchased a rangefinder and it makes golf even that much more fun. It's invaluable knowing your exact distances on shots. Sprinkler heads and other markers only tell you your distances to the green but it's great to have something that tells you how far you are from a hazard, dog leg, etc... One of the best golf purchases I have made. My only problem is that sometimes I have a tndency to take it out too much.

Can I know which one you bought?

Thx :drinks:

I got the Bushnell yardage pro sport 450 (I'm pretty sure). I got it new at a Cabela's for $149. That's the cheapest place I could find it. It's a "hunting" one but it is the exact same thing. Bushnell uses the same technology in all rangefinders.

Hey, thanks!

I'll look for this one too :drinks: I'm actually looking for the Bushnell Rangefinder X500. I only want to know the distance, so... :D

Oh I sorta got this wrong. I meant finding out my distance that I hit my irons(e.g. finding out on the range when no ones about)), not how far to the green....

But thanks for all the input, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to apply all this to a range session.

Josh

For course i dont know i preint out a yardage book if avalible and take my Range finder and laser it from were i am and then write it down for later. At my home course i have a very well cover yardage book but carry my range finder just incase i am somewhere i never been before!

Go out to a par five and drop 5-10 balls at the 200 mark say with your 7 iron. Line up at the flag and fire away. Take the average of the pattern and that is your "yardage".

If you play one course frequently, you could try using Google Earth. I just checked it out for the first time yesterday. It has a ruler function where you can measure exact distances which I think is incredibly helpful on par 3's and off the tee on par 4 & 5's.

I did this for Bethpage Black yesterday and wrote down all the distances from different tee positions to different pin locations. The only thing that isn't accounted for is elevation. Google Earth has an estimated elevation on the bottom but it doesn't seem to be quite accurate.

bleclair, you and I must have both been visiting thesandtrap.com yesterday... I did the same thing for my home course last night. distances seem pretty accurate, but like you said, elevations are suspect. it does give you a good feel for the flow of the course though - high points to low points. In general, helps me understand the breaks on some of the greens. They mostly break towards to course's low point. Great tool!

I too am looking to improve my KNOWN yardages. I am looking at buying a Bushnell rangefinder for this year. Take a look at my bag and you can see my yardage book. I mainly play the Carry Distant number into greens. If I hit the shot a little bit off, I know that it will end up FLAG High.

UPDATE: Bushnell Laser Rangefinder in the bag since last Tuesday, March 20th. IT IS TOTALLY AWESOME. Even at the range yesterday it paid for itself. I found mine on ebay for $120!!!!!! Best confidence builder I have ever bought!

Laser Range finder.

2 ways.

One is to bring a shag bag of balls and laser a distance to a target and hit x iron to that target and see what the greater dispertion is (more than likely your yardage for that particular club)

The other way is to use the range finder on the course and chart your distances and results. Over time you will see the pattern of what your club distances actually are.

I find the on course method to work better as you can also get "carry" distances based of pitch marks on the green as well.

For me, I just look for the nearest yardage marker, see where the pin is, and just guesstimate from there. I know my distances pretty well and can calcualte wind and elevation pretty darn good too.

It would be easier with a lazer. Much easier.

Go out to a par five and drop 5-10 balls at the 200 mark say with your 7 iron. Line up at the flag and fire away. Take the average of the pattern and that is your "yardage".

Hmmm, I might have to try this on one of our munis. They close pretty early, so I could out and hit some balls on the flat straight holes (there's only ONE). I tend to figure out how far I hit my clubs based on playing the same course week after week in league.

I walk...

Seriously. Hit some shots as was mentioned and pace it off.

-mini

Buy yourself a measuring wheel like surveyors use, it'll cost you $50 maximum. Go to ebay and search for "measuring wheel", there are always plenty of them on auction.

Then you get yourself 50 balls of the type you play with and go out early one morning when the ground is damp and hit 30 or 40 7 irons. Walk out to the middle of the grouping and walk back with your wheel to where you hit them from. You now know exactly how far you hit an average 7 iron. Now do the same thing with the rest of your irons, spread it out over a few days if you like. Go back and do it often, it will change as you improve or get worse or change clubs or shafts or .....

One other thing, if you get one of the measuring wheels that makes a clicking sound every time it measures a yard, try using it so that every time it clicks your foot hits the ground. If you do it often enough you'll be able to get yourself to have a pace exactly a yard long, always useful.