Making your own yardage book

[Fowler]

Yardage books should count as equipment, so I guess this is the right part of the site.

 

Do any of you guys have yardage books for your home course? I was thinking it's probably a very important thing to have to get a leg up on the competition at the club.

 

I've heard about homemade versions, but also online software that makes them.

 

Just wanted to get a consensus of who has them and how to make them.

 

Thanks

[paul1406]

I decided to make a yardage book for my home course. I hand made it (took about 10 rounds) and doing some homework. I recommend getting something online. Hand drawing took a lot of extra effort. The most valuable aspect in mine was labeling the contours of the green. Really helped me develop my bail out on the approach.

[lilnorthup]

Sometimes, when I'm playing a new course, I'll use Google/Bing Maps in my browser and the downloaded Google Earth program to make my own. Google Maps often has more recent and more clear photography, while the Bird's Eye feature on Bing can give you a decent perspective on vertical features like tree height and elevation changes or hills. I'll then use Google Earth, snap screenshots of each hole and arrange them on a piece of paper in MS Publisher/Word/Powerpoint or something, usually 2-3 holes per page. I'll print the sheets out, and write in measurements taken from the measurement tool on Google Earth. I'll usually mark a few distances from the tee box to certain things I can see in the picture like a tree or bunker, and a few more from identifiable markers to the green.

It is a bit time intensive and I only do it if my score is going to matter, like a tournament or something. I've found that the yardages from Google Earth are pretty accurate and have usually been pretty consistent with markers I end up seeing on the course. One of the tricks is knowing where to measure off the tee boxes, especially if you don't know which ones you'll be playing from, but you can usually make a pretty good guess and adjust the measurements on the course by knowing where you measured from on the computer and how far away you actually are from that point.

It certainly has helped me. Sometimes I'll step up to a tee and what I would want to hit based on the view conflicts with what I should play according to the paper, and the paper is most often right. It's also great for angles and views into the green and where you have room for misses and seeing around doglegs. One of the biggest problems is not being able to see how the greens are contoured, unless Bird's Eye on Bing has a decent shot, which is not as often as I'd like.

I'd be interested in knowing how the online or software services are, if anyone has experience with those. If they are accurate, it may be worth the money to save the time and effort.

[SteveL1]

The Google Earth tip is awesome! I'm going to Mesquite, NV in 2 weeks and playing a couple of new courses this year. It was great to be able to view the holes to see where trouble is and to give me an idea of what to expect. I can see that it would take a while to chart 18 holes that way but if you are the type that takes it seriously, it's a huge advantage.

Thanks for the tip!

[ninothing]

i have a couple courses that have been put together that are in a PDF format. I am trying to figure out the best way to print them out and bind them in a flipbook type format.

[ej002]

Do a seach, there are some very excellent examples of how to do this on this site. I think they are in the college player area.

[Shankorama]

What I did for my home course was I bought a memo book and snapped some screenshots of the holes and copied and pasted them into a word document. Sized them taped them in and am going to the course to fine the yardages.

[MarkFromTheUK]

Most of the time I use a laser, but before I decided to buy one I used a Strokesaver yardage book, plus a yardage matrix that I created when I had an "anorak" evening.

Basically I listed every yardage in 10 yard increments from 70 to 250 yards, and worked out how far away I would be from the flag or green if I was 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 or 50 yards left or right from a point measured in said strokesaver book. Of course, it requires me to accurately judge how far away from the nearest yardage disc or course feature I am, but I worked on each of my steps being around 1 metre, then I converted it to yards in my head.

A laser is much easier!

[Arizonalefty59]

[quote name='MarkFromTheUK' timestamp='1351293303' post='5851949']
Most of the time I use a laser, but before I decided to buy one I used a Strokesaver yardage book, plus a yardage matrix that I created when I had an "anorak" evening.

Basically I listed every yardage in 10 yard increments from 70 to 250 yards, and worked out how far away I would be from the flag or green if I was 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 or 50 yards left or right from a point measured in said strokesaver book. Of course, it requires me to accurately judge how far away from the nearest yardage disc or course feature I am, but I worked on each of my steps being around 1 metre, then I converted it to yards in my head.

A laser is much easier!
[/quote]
Yup invest in a laser!

[Hateto3Putt]

[quote name='MarkFromTheUK' timestamp='1351293303' post='5851949']

A laser is much easier!
[/quote]

Agreed. Especially on your home course.

[cristphoto]

[quote name='Hateto3Putt' timestamp='1351339723' post='5853813']
[quote name='MarkFromTheUK' timestamp='1351293303' post='5851949']
A laser is much easier!
[/quote]

Agreed. Especially on your home course.
[/quote]

I agree. What is the point of keeping a yardage book when a laser can give accurate readings from infinite locations?

[thejuice]

I'd like to chime in on the laser comment. I own a Leupold and agree that being able to shoot points on a course is most accurate but having just a laser can be limiting because of blind spots like doglegs and uphill shots. I was lucky to get a Garmin gps watch as well and having both (which is expensive) is the best situation you could ask for. With that said, I'd recommend a solid gps system to help you mark your yardages if you have a course with a lot of blind shots and a laser if you have a pretty wide open layout.

[schneidm10]

Definitely agree with getting a laser or GPS. Makes life so much easier. One way that I think a book could help would be mapping the contours of greens. If you measure the depths of contours, false fronts, etc., it could help with approach shots in carrying certain slopes or using them to your advantage. I play the same course all year pretty much but still forget about certain little slopes and how to carry into certain portions of greens.

[Fresh.]

I've been using Google Earth and 5x7 index cards. You can set the appropriate zoom level and put the index card up against the screen and trace the outline of the hole and hazards. I've found that this works really well because the index cards are thicker stock and they're pretty easy to keep together with a clip or ring. I suppose you could always print out the hole and glue them on the index card - but I like the pure outline because it leaves more space for other comments.

I use a laser as well, but there's still something nice about hand-rolling a yardage book - especially for noting the green contours.

[l.oviedo27]

I know this is a super old thread, but I'd love to know what info you guys used, and how you structured it. I'm building an app to do this at the moment. it will have GPS distances to hazards and to carry hazards, and to the green front/center/back. it will have notes sections for your tee shot (club selection, and free form notes), and a notes section for your approach, as well as the ability to select your ideal 'miss' target, to get you thinking about bailouts etc. it will have a zoomed in map of the green with a drawing overlay so you can draw the undulations on the green, and write notes about the green.

 

the app will also take your score and keep your stats for you, so you don't have to be doing 30 things, and can just use the app for scoring. after you have good notes on the course, you use it as your scorekeeping/distance app and all your notes are right there! it's called NoteCaddie, and I plan on having it in the app store this season for iOS. check it out at www.notecaddie.com

[dave412]

I have a small bound book that i bought from the internet somewhere. it has graph paper inside. for the 6-8 courses i play most often, i did some recon beforehand and drew the general shape of the green. while playing, i added some general contours. nothing too detailed.. ridges and general slopes. some of them i have depths and widths paced off.. i do this so that on future approach shots, ill know basic areas to aim for to stay below the hole. i dont use it for reading greens at all.. its just some extra knowledge.

 

then below that, i have a notes section. ill put my aim points in there, the club i typically hit to leave a certain distance in to the green. just general strategy stuff. this notes sections is a super confidence booster. i know my lines, clubs, it just makes me feel automatic. especially handy on par 3's. I use a garmin handheld to get all of my distances, so this book includes zero yardages. its all just course management and general green slope info.

 

it took some time to make, but it really helps me make super good and confident decisions. and im adding notes and things a long the way. its a super handy little book.. i dont use it on every hole, but i always have it on me so that i can take a peek if i want. it was a fun little project to start, and it really helps me.

[l.oviedo27]

I have a small bound book that i bought from the internet somewhere. it has graph paper inside. for the 6-8 courses i play most often, i did some recon beforehand and drew the general shape of the green. while playing, i added some general contours. nothing too detailed.. ridges and general slopes. some of them i have depths and widths paced off.. i do this so that on future approach shots, ill know basic areas to aim for to stay below the hole. i dont use it for reading greens at all.. its just some extra knowledge.

 

then below that, i have a notes section. ill put my aim points in there, the club i typically hit to leave a certain distance in to the green. just general strategy stuff. this notes sections is a super confidence booster. i know my lines, clubs, it just makes me feel automatic. especially handy on par 3's. I use a garmin handheld to get all of my distances, so this book includes zero yardages. its all just course management and general green slope info.

 

it took some time to make, but it really helps me make super good and confident decisions. and im adding notes and things a long the way. its a super handy little book.. i dont use it on every hole, but i always have it on me so that i can take a peek if i want. it was a fun little project to start, and it really helps me.

 

My app will allow you to do this without having to manually draw the green. :) and your distances will be there in app. If I can just figure out how to add an image, I can show you the screenshot, I bet it looks pretty similar to what you have.

[dave412]

ya, sounds really awesome! id definitely be interested in trying it out when you have something up and running!

[ashpga]

Look up Deerslayer's instructions. Very thorough and they look awesome.

[Bill302]

While a laser or GPS is fine for yardage, I have developed topics graphical,maps of the greens . It has saved me sberal times when I was eyeballing the breaks and was in reality way off. It may be J st me but I have rrouble with putts that cut acres ss a ridge early in the putt.

[Andrew Bond of Glencoe]

My old Country Club had some insane greens. One year I injured my back so bad I couldn't play for two months. So I spent some of that time mapping every green with an electronic green reader.

 

I was really good at putting that course after that.

 

My old Country Club had some insane greens. One year I injured my back so bad I couldn't play for two months. So I spent some of that time mapping every green with an electronic green reader.

 

I was really good at putting that course after that.

[Sneakbox]

www.flaghunting.com makes custom yardage books for any course in the world. Send an email on the site for prices.

[NC IA Hacker]

Look up Deerslayer's instructions. Very thorough and they look awesome.

 

Where would you find those at, looking at making my own for my home course.

[GaryKr]

Look up Deerslayer's instructions. Very thorough and they look awesome.

 

Where would you find those at, looking at making my own for my home course.

 

 

Just google deerslayer yardage book

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/201876-yardage-books/#entry1328729

[payerasjl]

call me old fashioned, but i have a home made yardage book for my club course (where 99% of my 90+ yearly rounds take place). However, i went a slightly different route and rather than map out yardages, its more of a greens and landing spots book.

 

I used a laser to map out key landing spots (dispersion and safe zones) and really focus on the greens. They come in very handy when the weather is different (wet course means i cant land the ball where i do when its dry because instead of hitting the "speed lots" in the fairway it will plug, against the grain putting vs with the grain etc). All kinds of little yedi mind tricks that are good to review. I know most of these things by heart, but when the skins get heavy and the nerves get going...the minute or so i spend reviewing these things helps calm me down and lower my heart rate.

 

fairways and greens my friends!

[bobfoster]

I've played my home course dozens of times. Possibly several hundred. I know every green in my bones. You do not need a yardage book for your home course. The pros need them for courses they play once every couple of years.

[dimitrib]

I liked 3up golf's tutorial on making your own yardage book, but http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/201876-yardage-books/#entry1328729 y deerslayer is just as good.

[Dsevans8]

Awesome idea for an app. I will admit that having a yardage book seems overboard, but I can see where they would come in handy even if you have played the course hundreds of times. To each their own I guess.