Dialing in Club Distances

[smarshal75]

Range Work versus Course Play

I am having a terrible time figuring out club distances. For example, at the driving range I am regularly carrying the ball 150 to 155 yards with my 8-iron. When I head to the course, I am carrying my 8-iron 160 to 165 yards. Is there a tried and true way of determining club distance? I am wondering if the low compression range rocks are my problem.

[mrnoncontactsports]

I cant help you with your problem but I can agree that this has happend to me to. Ill nail my 7 iron and watch it fly 160 yds and then I get on the course and I gain 10 yds easy. I dont know for sure but it must be the balls right or am I crazy. :)

[Ducky]

Purchase a laser range finder with slope adjustment.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

Is there a tried and true way of determining club distance?

 

I'm fortunate enough to play at a private club where I can goof off on the course without other golfers bothering me. Here's what I do:

 

* Mark/Identify groups of 2-3 balls with small dots, or something where you can identify the balls individually. I use a small "a", "b", "c", and so on.

* Drop 2-3 "a" balls at the 175 yard marker, and hit (what I think is) my 175 yard club.

* Walk to the 150 marker

* Drop 2-3 "b" balls at the 150-yard marker, and hit (what I think is) my 150 yard club.

* Walk to the 125 marker

* Drop 2-3 "c" balls at the 125 marker, and hit (what I think is) my 125 yard club

 

This pretty much determines my yardages, depending on how you find your balls on the green. Hitting multiple balls from each yardage also gives you a good statistical average, and helps eliminate bad swings. What you'll find is that you may be either spot-on, or perhaps 10 yards short or long.

[packerfan1]

Around here, the muni where I regularly play is pretty slow most Saturday and Sunday evenings....I have done the same thing as the poster above....get out on a hole and drop a few balls at the 150 marker, etc. and dial in my yardages with my irons.

 

As long as there is nobody for a hole or two behind me (which isn't unusual on either of those evenings, especially in the fall), this is an effective tool to check your yardage. An average of 3-5 balls usually gives me a good idea what is going on.

 

I also have a par 3 'executive course' near me that helps me to dial in yardages...I do the same drill there, when the course is quiet.

 

Then again, I know the shop and grounds crews at both courses, as I am a frequent customer, so they might 'look the other way'...but most times nobody knows I am doing this on the course, except me. Just choose a slow time when the course is close to empty.

[larrybud]

I am having a terrible time figuring out club distances. For example, at the driving range I am regularly carrying the ball 150 to 155 yards with my 8-iron. When I head to the course, I am carrying my 8-iron 160 to 165 yards. Is there a tried and true way of determining club distance? I am wondering if the low compression range rocks are my problem.

 

 

 

First off, make sure the distances at the range are accurate. 2nd, driver balls stink. They've been beating 1000 times and some even have some of their dimples worn off.

[tm8838]

Some range balls are also limited flight balls. You will hit your irons relatively the same distance but less than a real golf ball. The other thing to do is to do what was mentioned a couple of posts above is to go to your course and hit balls and find out how far you hit them. The only differnce I would say is go to a relatively flat par 5 and go to the 250 yard plate and hit 5 wedges and go to where they are and if you hit them all "good" they should be relatively close to each other, then figure out how far you hit your wedge. Then go to your 9 iron and so on and so forth. If you have a laser for yardages that will help in finding how far you hit each club.