Kinda Fun Just to Guess

jda · July 27, 2023

Battery ran out on my rangefinder and I have forgotten to replace it for a few weeks. I stopped looking at the pin locations on the card and just take a look at the green, take a look for the 150 pole and just guess at what to do. My scores have not been any worse and my percentage of great shots has gone up - like 8-10 iron shots within a foot of the hole. I usually go 100% by look and feel from 100 yards, and in, so maybe this is not a big deal for me.

I will say that I can be somewhat cavalier about my game anyway. Around a 2.0 index and that is firing at every pin and trying to carry every ditch at any course from any tee box.

Most of all, this is just kinda fun and relaxing.

Anybody else enjoy just winging it and not getting all precise all of the time?

Bankable · July 27, 2023

I'd imagine as a 2.0 index you have quite a bit of muscle memory (eyesight memory?) for how far distances are. I have a buddy who used to work at a course and he can call distances within 5 yards of the range finder consistently. Myself I always use the range finder and have never looked at the pin locations.

Mikey_HACKilroy · July 28, 2023

I use my GPS app, but as I practice I find that my instincts are getting better for shot distances when I guess which club I'm going to use before looking. I'd say I'm accurate with my selection about 60% of the time.

Technology is great, but nothing replaces experience and instinct. It's built out of years of context and memory.

hoselrocket256 · July 28, 2023

Recently picked up a garmin golf watch, nice to be able to glance at your wrist and have the yardage. Before that I just took a guess in relation to the yardage plates

kmay__ · July 28, 2023

Never used anything but the markers from a kid when I first started playing until about 4 years ago when I started using a gps watch. Its nice to know the number, but it can cause you to overthink shots sometimes I think. I'm reminded when I play with my pops, he's never trying to "hit a number" per say, he's trying to "hit a shot".... meaning there's more than one way to make the ball travel X number of yards, which is kind of a lost mentality now.