20 replies to this topic

[eric_b]

Ever get to a hole that's a hard dog-leg where you can't cut the corner and wonder "how many yards is it to the corner?"  Or how about a hole with a creek running across the fairway, "how many yards is it to cover?  Should I lay back?  If so, how many yards is that?"  Sometimes you get lucky....you can see the 200, 150 or 100 stake and you back-calculate....but sometimes your left with nothing.

This happened to me yesterday....hard dog-leg left with massive trees at the left corner (so i couldn't cut it).....couldn't see any yardage stakes (turns out it was in a depression in the fairway i couldn't see from the tee)....so I thought "looks like I can hit driver to the corner....I guess?"  Yeah....air mailed the fairway, right hand rough rough and went right through the trees beyond the rough to hear SPLASH....turns out there's a house there with a pool in their back yard.  Granted, I crushed the drive (by my standards) and it was stupid lucky to make it through those trees....but my question is: why don't they put the distance to the corner on the hole sign (the sign that shows a picture of the hole and gives the yardages from all the tee boxes).  

I've been to courses where they do this....260 to the creek, or 190 to the corner, etc etc etc.....why don't they all do it?  

This is my new pet peeve.

[puttingmatt]

Although some courses will give you info about any hole you play,
I have found that my GPS is what I depend on. What a great tool !!!
It is like having a caddie !!!

[Aithos]

I used to guess, now I have an iPhone and golfshot so it tells me what the number is...

[eric_b]

I realize a device can help me.....gps, rangefinder....but I'm cheap.....and I don't want to be one of "those guys" that spends several minutes consulting the gps and considering clubs only to fat or thin it.....i'm too high a handicap to get the most out of those devices....i just wanna know when I'm likely to lose a ball due to course features....

[Beatupfender]

The devices give you a quick read, so there's little time spent consulting them. Besides, it's better to spend 15 seconds looking at your GPS than 3 minutes looking for your ball. Another thing: the money you save on balls can go towards buying a unit. And the satisfaction of a round played with more enjoyment is priceless.

[Solutions Etcetera]

eric_b, on 30 April 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:

I'm cheap…..

Sorry, Can't help with that.

Quote

and I don't want to be one of "those guys" that spends several minutes consulting the gps and considering clubs only to fat or thin it.....i'm too high a handicap to get the most out of those devices....

My experience has been that it takes only a few seconds to get a number on a good GPS. Some are more complicated then others. If I am ever in doubt, I just touch the screen where I want to land it and it gives me a number. Takes much less time than agonizing over a guess and the indecision that brings when pulling a club.

[dhillis]

I used to struggle with this also, especially being new to the game and not being familiar with my distances at all times or the layout of the courses I was playing.  I invested in a rangefinder and it has made course management much easier to deal with.  I put the rangefinder on the scan feature and it lets me scan the ground to find a good distance for my club choice.  It has also helped that I am in my second year and now have a pretty good idea how far I hit the ball.  

The biggest improvement has been really concentrating on managing the course whether I have played it before or not. I usually just a grab a club or two short, usually two clubs short, if I know a hazard could be in play.  That takes the fairway firmness and unusual bounce out of the equation.  Even though some of my tee shots are shorter by doing this, I'm usually much more relaxed and prepared for the next shot as opposed to getting all worked up because I'm in the rough or searching for my ball.

Playing from the fairways really drops my scores as I used to always be in the rough or hazards.  Not to mention a long iron in the fairway is always easier than trying a hero shot from the rough or hazard, even if you mishit it on occasion.

As far as the rangefinder goes, as long as you are prepared to use it upon arriving at the tee or your ball, a quick shoot with it takes a few seconds and actually expedites club choice and decision making.  It has also helped me commit to the shot so I'm not standing over the ball wondering whether this is a good idea or not.  If I'm not committed I always do something abnormal in my downswing that causes a mishit, as opposed to addressing the ball knowing it's a good plan and firing away without worrying about swing thoughts or manipulating the club to avoid trouble (which usually finds trouble anyway!).

[596]

Skycaddie has that information by the time you get to the next tee.   The thing knows where you are on the course and brings up the next hole before you get there..  ALL my friends ask me hazard and corner yardages as we are getting out of our carts.  The information is on the unit even before they ask.   If you want yardage for a layup.....then the yardage remaining to the green, yep does that , too.   Takes about 15 seconds to do this.  Much faster then guessing and much more accurate.  Saves a ton of time and saves a ton of strokes.

My home course has 3 holes that yardage to an arroyo is marked on a sign on the tee.  But it gives only yardage "to" the arroyo, not the yardage to "clear" it, which can be another 30-40 yards beyond the front edge.  Oh, my GPS does that!!

[jtoker1369]

I use golfshot on my iphone.  It takes minimal time to find my yardage and select a club.  I know my club yardages,  so when the phone says it is 155 to the water,  i know what to hit.   The trick i have found to the phones is to turn it on and let it starting "finding you"  before you get to your ball.  It is a huge help to know distances to stuff and to help determine what club to hit.  Golf shot costs $30 and it may be one of the best $30 i have spent on my golf game.  

BTW I am also a high handicapper.

[bcp]

I use a skycaddie and I am very careful not to be one of 'those guys' who is constantly fidgeting with it and delaying everyone as a result.  I keep it on greenview and in the cupholder of the cart 90% of the time.  I will occaisonally use it to check yardages to carry a hazard, etc, but try to always do so prior to my turn to hit.  I find it is a great tool, but I primarily just glance at it quickly to get get front, middle, back yardages.  

I must admit I have a friend who is one of 'those guys'.  He has one of the new callaway upro gps units with a ton of features.  He is enthralled by it and incredibly slow because he is alwyas jacking with it- he even puts it in standby mode between shots!

[MichiganMike]

dhillis, on 30 April 2012 - 10:39 AM, said:

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Playing from the fairways really drops my scores as I used to always be in the rough or hazards.  
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The new clubhouse leader in my hunt for the day's best comment.

[78blades]

LOL, on of the many reasons I have a laser range finder.

On a side note about range finders/GPS; personally I wish they were banned in tourny's & money games cuz to me knowing the distances you can generate with said club and developing a eye for distances is part of the game. Now with that said, I do use one cuz it dose make a difference, especially at 120 and in for me.

[MichiganMike]

78blades, on 01 May 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

LOL, on of the many reasons I have a laser range finder.

On a side note about range finders/GPS; personally I wish they were banned in tourny's & money games cuz to me knowing the distances you can generate with said club and developing a eye for distances is part of the game. Now with that said, I do use one cuz it dose make a difference, especially at 120 and in for me.

I hear you, but to me those devices are just a time saver. In theory they don't give you any new information.  At a minimum all courses have a 150 stake.  There's nothing preventing a player from pacing off every shot to get the same info a device can generate.

Though in practice I have to admit those devices more often than not end up slowing things down.  It drives me nuts when I get paired with someone who uses then on every shot. Do you really need to pull in out when your ball is 2 steps from the 150 stake?  Thanks buddy for telling me you've got 148 to a middle of the green flag.

[CowtownTexas]

GPS's are great, but nothing beats a good yardage book.  I'd suggest buying one next time you visit the course.

[Rock Chalk Jayhawk]

The Garmin Approach S3 will show you distances to doglegs and you can enter and save customizable yardage points, all in the form factor of a watch. You can move the pin around to where it is located on the green.  The Garmin Approach G6 will do this and much more, in the form factor of a handheld unit.  

www.garmin.com/golf

[78blades]

MichiganMike, on 01 May 2012 - 04:05 PM, said:

78blades, on 01 May 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

LOL, on of the many reasons I have a laser range finder.

On a side note about range finders/GPS; personally I wish they were banned in tourny's & money games cuz to me knowing the distances you can generate with said club and developing a eye for distances is part of the game. Now with that said, I do use one cuz it dose make a difference, especially at 120 and in for me.

I hear you, but to me those devices are just a time saver. In theory they don't give you any new information.  At a minimum all courses have a 150 stake.  There's nothing preventing a player from pacing off every shot to get the same info a device can generate.

Though in practice I have to admit those devices more often than not end up slowing things down.  It drives me nuts when I get paired with someone who uses then on every shot. Do you really need to pull in out when your ball is 2 steps from the 150 stake?  Thanks buddy for telling me you've got 148 to a middle of the green flag.

(lol) I hear you too and have played with ppl like that. Actually about a year after range finders/GPS units came out they did  a study on pace of play with & w/o distance devices and it was found that they speeded the round up by an average of 14 minutes. I still wonder about that.

I like my range finder and it does help confirm my decision and extremely helpful inside 100 yds cuz those are all feel shorts for me. Since i practice 100 yd, 75 yd, 50 yd & 25 yd shots I have developed a feel for those shots. But each to their own and best to do what works best for you.

[PingG10guy]

Just bend it like bubba...

[dhillis]

MichiganMike, on 01 May 2012 - 03:41 PM, said:

dhillis, on 30 April 2012 - 10:39 AM, said:

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Playing from the fairways really drops my scores as I used to always be in the rough or hazards.  
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The new clubhouse leader in my hunt for the day's best comment.

Haha, I just read my post again and realized how dumb that sounds!  I was trying to emphasize how easy it is to out play the fairway on doglegs, especially in firm conditions, if you don't pick the right club...

[19tholer]

I just came back from a trip on the RTJ trail. All new courses to me. We had 2 foursomes, a couple GPSs and my range finder.
    Guys in my group ask me for yardage all the time. Doesn't slow up play. Just the opposite. One quick look and I got it. I've had mine for about a year and you can get pretty good with it.
      
It's a lot of fun to use on new courses. You're going to hit into trouble. That's a given. But it helps you avoid some needless trouble. My favorite is shooting how far away  the woods are on a dogleg. Very helpful. Depth perception can be way off on hilly courses
.I always ask if the guys in my group want help at the start., I say "just ask". Otherwise, I say nothing.

Edited by 19tholer, 01 May 2012 - 04:49 PM.

[dhillis]

[/quote]
Though in practice I have to admit those devices more often than not end up slowing things down.  It drives me nuts when I get paired with someone who uses then on every shot. Do you really need to pull in out when your ball is 2 steps from the 150 stake?  Thanks buddy for telling me you've got 148 to a middle of the green flag.
[/quote]

I used to think the same thing, but I've found that some yardage markers are way off on the middle of the green yardage.  I don't know if the stakes get moved during course maintenance or what, but I've seen them off 15 yards, which is a big difference.  With the help of my rangefinder, I'm beginning to have an "eye" for the yardages, so it helps when I think something doesn't look right.  

Speaking of having an "eye" for the distances, it would seem prudent to use a rangefinder to develop that skill so when you are in competition or money games you feel more confident in your ability to pick the right club.  

I guess it's much like a calculator, if you get too dependent on them, you end up struggling with basic math, but if you pay attention to its abilities you become more knowledgeable.

[kellygreen]

eric_b, on 30 April 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:

I realize a device can help me.....gps, rangefinder....but I'm cheap.....and I don't want to be one of "those guys" that spends several minutes consulting the gps and considering clubs only to fat or thin it.....i'm too high a handicap to get the most out of those devices....i just wanna know when I'm likely to lose a ball due to course features....

Considering the story you shared with us, I would disagree with your being "too high a handicap" to get the most out of a GPS.

Nothing drives me crazier than to have pured a shot...only to have it find trouble because of a bad yardage.