http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/localknowledge
or better
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/2...ret_weapon.html

Note the one post about Merion, where the Walker Cup will be played. The only yardage help is from the caddy. No other devices or milestones, and I would love to play a course like that. I have never seen such a course, and it seems like this is the way golf was meant to be played. I'd like to see a pro tour event played like this.

What do you think?

Definitely would be a cool aspect that you could add to the game.

No yardage markers...ya that seems like fun ....Caddie knowledge I can live with, but playingon my own without one.....neddless to say the Bushnell Pinseeker would be in full effect. Let me ask, when they publish their course Yardage from the tips do they say, "we don't know"? DUmb idea IMO. All the above assuming you don't have a caddie.

Stupid. Just stupid. Thats all I got. Stupid. How great would it be to here your caddy say"ummmm....It looks about like 195 to clear the hazard, but maybe longer."

Next time you play, don't look at the GPS or yardage markers and guess on your yardage ever shot. Voila! You're playing a course just like that.

How's that gonna work for the U.S. Open in '13?

Tatertot,

I don't know where you play, but every course I have ever played has yardage markers on every hole, and many of them have markers that are pretty obvious. Even if they are evergreen trees along side the fairway. So no, it is not the same.

And to others, there is nothing wrong with a yardage marker at the tee box, but other than that, think of the challenge it would be, and how golf was once played, without devices to tell you the yardage to the bunker, green, or pin.

Not very authentic unless you're playing with hickory shafts, etc Don't be half-assed about it.

The only thing I see this doing is slowing down the place of play.

Players, amature and pro alike, will both do whatever they can to determine yardages as acturately as possible. Having aids to faciliate that determination only act to speed up play.

Golf is not the test of ones ability to estimate yardages. Isn't this sport hard enough already?

The caddies are very good and they know the yardages. Every round is played with a caddy.

It's Merion. If they tell you to put away the rangefinder, you do. After all, you're playing one of the world's greatest courses with some of the world's best caddies. I think with that, one could suck it up and not play with exact, down to the yard, yardages.

Lack of markings sounds like a way to increase revenue by "forcing" people to hire caddies. When it comes to the purity of the experience, I would consider referencing a sprinkler yardage/milestone to be much less grievous than the outside influence of a caddy telling you the line of a putt or advising you on what club to hit or where to land it on a green.

As for how it will work for a major? Same way it does at any other course, the pro's caddies will be out during practice rounds with yardage books stepping and lasering distances from every notable object. They'll probably have a hand drawn map of every sprinkler head and its yardage. Just because they can't use those devices in a round of play doesn't mean they won't be all over the place during practice. They'll have plenty of accurate yardage references.

The article says that devices for "lasering" distances are banned. They aren't even allowing Walker Cup players to bring their own caddies. The Walker Cup is run by the USGA, just like the U.S. Open. If Merion is unwilling to bend its rule for the Walker Cup, what makes you think it will acquiesce for the Open?

Seriously? You think they would ban players caddies for the open? Even Augusta did away with that. Not going to be an issue.

Walker cup players don't have professional caddies that make serious money.

Again...during PRACTICE rounds, I would expect the caddies to be using every device they want to measure anything they want. I wouldn't be surprised to hear a pro's caddy hired a local caddy to walk the course with him in order to get the best notes possible. As far as I know, there aren't a lot of rules for the practice round. Once they're playing the COMPETITIVE ROUND, then they may rely on the caddy notes. I would guess even at the Walker Cup, the players may walk the course early in the morning to measure distances and mark their notes OUTSIDE OF THE ROUND OF PLAY.

Really, banning any of the devices at the PGA level would make little difference. For example, I'm sure Callaway would be glad to take every useful piece of data from the satellite photography they use for uPro maps to build a paper coursebook with every yardage (including every sprinkler head) and all the pertinent slopes to aid their sponsored players. From what you see on TV coverage, caddies seem to rely on their notes and stepping off distances more than any other devices anyway. When you consider everything these players and companies have on the line with every major, you can be assured they're not going to be blindly guessing any yardages.

Seriously, you don't think Merion will bend its rules for the USGA. They absolutely will. In fact I would pretty much guarantee their agreement in hosting the event gave the USGA complete control over the rules of play for the week. I'm pretty sure the pros brought their own caddies at the 1981 Open. If the USGA wants to add a bunker or two, I wouldn't bet against it. Want to make a par 5 into a 4 for the week? No problem. I'm also fairly certain the grounds will have plenty of motor carts roaming about with TV crews, VIPs, and rules officials. And given that it's a private club, I'm guessing they may even boldly waive the requirement that all guests play with a member.

Outside of the Open. I really think the unmarked, use a caddy system would be fun to play. I don't think it really results in a more "pure" golf experience than playing a marked course. And, personally, the cost of using a caddy every round is out of my price range. But as a concept, it does sound like a nice twist. Kind of like the wicker basket pins, it makes it a little different - a bit harder to read the wind - but doesn't really change the game.

70% of golfers don't need yardage anyways because their ball striking is so inconsistent. I love Marion and the history of the game and think this a great idea since it's private club and their members are like minded.

I guess I just don't get it. You arbitrarily pick a piece of technology to "ban", and think you are producing a more "pure" golf experience. Are they going to be using mowers to cut the greens? Modern mowing technology has far more influence on todays game than laser rangefinders. Are the players going to be able to use tees, or will they pick up a handful of dirt to tee off on the next hole? For that matter, are they going to have tee boxes or do you just measure 1 club-length from the hole like the "good old days". I'm not saying I have a problem with it. They are a private club and Merion is one of the greatest courses in the world. I just don't understand the thought process.

I think going to the full extent of trying to re-produce golf as it was at the beginning of the 19th century is a bit much. Of course technology has changed the game (clubs, mowing heights, golf ball) but not using rangefinders or yardages seems to be the easiest way to achieve that. It would be tough to be get members to try and find old equipment to play with (especially the ball) but they could easily change mowing heights.

I wonder if they play the ball down all year long as well.

Played merion many times- buy the yardage book in the proshop and call it a day. Look at the trees or the grass for the wind since the stick doesn't move. And always pull the pin when chipping- those flags are like rebar

Exactly, the yardage book has yardage to the middle and of the green from every sprinkler head on the course. It's not a complete guessing game out there as some people have implied. The book also has great yardage info to certin bunkers. Also, the pro-shop even sells the more detailed yardage book, which was made for the 2005 US AM. In addition to the the yardage to the middle of the green, it provides distances to the front and back edges of greens.

Range Finders are banned, however they were allowed for GAP ( Golf Assoc of Phila) Team Matches this spring, because Range Finders are allowed during GAP sactioned events.