Golf Yardage Books

[Goose]

Golf Yardage Books

I think I get what you are saying. I’m not sure they are more accurate than a laser for the exact pin but a yardage book does paint a much more complete and complex view of things. I kinda get it

A yardage book with a pin sheet will give you the same distance number as a rangefinder, but will also show more detail.

Using a rangefinder, I shoot the flag at 150. I am in between clubs and the pin looks to be in the middle. I hit an easy 9 iron thinking that if it goes long I am still on the green.

Looking at my yardage book I see that it’s 135 to the front of green and the pin is on 15 and 5 from the left. Green depth is only 20. That leaves me 5 paces behind the pin. Now I’m hitting a hard PW because I can’t hit my PW far enough the fly the green and even if I hit it a little fat I’ll still make the green.

And to take it even further. The pin is 5 from the left with a total width of 15. That means I can aim directly at the pin with intentions of hitting my stock fade. If it fades I’m in middle of the green. If it goes straight I’m “flag hunting”

Obviously this would be for a new course. Home course knowledge makes books somewhat obsolete.

Thinking my way around the course like that is a lot of fun to me. Reminds me of playing in my teens. Learning how to “play” mentally and not just hitting straight golf shots.

 

[NullNomad]

I've often thought about doing it on a regular basis more and more. I'm a pen and paper kinda guy in the first place, the last thing I want to be dealing with when I play golf is an electronic device, outside of a rangefinder. I recently used one on my home course and it was one of the most satisfying rounds I've ever played. Something about grounding yourself back to the basics of navigating a course with a yardage book and instinct.

 

[BlueHen2006]

Many years ago when I went down to Myrtle Beach, most courses had them so my dad and I used them, was first time really seeing other distances and was fun to have the extra info available. I haven't used one since, but also don't see them at the courses I play really. I think one of these days I will try out an online GPS app to see if it helps at all, since the last time I played a local course I had a lot of holes where I think I pulled a club too much (3w over 5w, driver over 3w), and it might have cost me a few shots, knowing the real distances would have helped me more.

 

[MagicSpell]

A yardage book with a pin sheet will give you the same distance number as a rangefinder, but will also show more detail.

Using a rangefinder, I shoot the flag at 150. I am in between clubs and the pin looks to be in the middle. I hit an easy 9 iron thinking that if it goes long I am still on the green.

Looking at my yardage book I see that it’s 135 to the front of green and the pin is on 15 and 5 from the left. Green depth is only 20. That leaves me 5 paces behind the pin. Now I’m hitting a hard PW because I can’t hit my PW far enough the fly the green and even if I hit it a little fat I’ll still make the green.

And to take it even further. The pin is 5 from the left with a total width of 15. That means I can aim directly at the pin with intentions of hitting my stock fade. If it fades I’m in middle of the green. If it goes straight I’m “flag hunting”

Obviously this would be for a new course. Home course knowledge makes books somewhat obsolete.

Thinking my way around the course like that is a lot of fun to me. Reminds me of playing in my teens. Learning how to “play” mentally and not just hitting straight golf shots.

Just out of curiosity, how many courses provide this level of detail on a daily basis? Granted, I mostly only play local muni courses but about the best advanced information we can get is the flag being front, middle, or back.

 

[Goose]

Just out of curiosity, how many courses provide this level of detail on a daily basis? Granted, I mostly only play local muni courses but about the best advanced information we can get is the flag being front, middle, or back.

Pin sheets are hard to come by if you’re just playing a Saturday round with the boys. Some nice courses have them, but mostly private/traditional places.

All the individual tourneys I play have them available.





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[Drumdog]

I used to buy them for courses I have never played before while on vacation, but not on any of our local courses.

 

[OGputtnfool]

Just out of curiosity, how many courses provide this level of detail on a daily basis? Granted, I mostly only play local muni courses but about the best advanced information we can get is the flag being front, middle, or back.

Heck, the greens crews around here are lucky to get that right sometimes.

 

[OGputtnfool]

As has been said, this info (to bunkers, over bunkers, over the green, etc.) can all be had from several different golf apps. Pair that with a range finder to get exact to the pin distances and I can't imagine how a book could be better.

I've used them before, but most for souvenirs from a course. I did make my own cheat sheet with distances from trees/landmarks to bunkers/center of green/etc. back in the day.

 

[links_slayer]

I like picking them up before playing a new-to-me course if available. They're also a nice souvenir.

 

[OldandStiff]

I keep books. They're handy, a good souvenir, etc. I'm just old enough to still appreciate them I guess. And I keep and USE books on the courses in NE, even my regular ones. Sad fact of living in remote area is that if you're expecting to have a solid cellular/GPS connection at all times you're going to be very disappointed. One of my favorite courses has basically no service. It's part of the bliss if it, really. In those times I find yardage books essential.

Neither one of the phone apps I use are very convenient/intuitive for making hole specific notes in either. So there's that.

 

[mancest]

So as I’m playing more and more golf, I’ve been thinking about yardage books. How many of you use them? Do you create them from scratch or buy them from the course if they carry them? I noticed a few pretty cool sites out there where you can use templates to create a professionally looking books.

Thoughts, yay or nay? Do you feel they improve your game or not?


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I used to buy the course provided ones, but since I got Arccos I just look at my phone.

 

[DataDude]

I really like when courses use the red, white, and blue flags to tell you whether the pin is front back or center. I also like the pole on the 150 yard marker for par 4's as that is generally a really good place to aim off the tee on an unknown course. Other than that a GPS watch center of the green yardage is essential for me. I only use my rangefinder for hazard distances and short game shots anymore.

 

[Parrot]

I really like when courses use the red, white, and blue flags to tell you whether the pin is front back or center. I also like the pole on the 150 yard marker for par 4's as that is generally a really good place to aim off the tee on an unknown course. Other than that a GPS watch center of the green yardage is essential for me. I only use my rangefinder for hazard distances and short game shots anymore.

My home course has red, white and blue flags for front, center and back. I like them for the most part but what the greens crew considers front, back and center is sometimes quite confounding. A red flag on the front portion of the back left part of a kidney shaped green (imagine 10 to 4 on a clock) on an uphill par 5 isn't helpful. Thank goodness for rangefinders.

 

[-CRW-]

The books are nice, but I'd be good with similar images of a course (hole by hole) provided on the course/club website. This is a local public course that does it well:

https://www.blackhorsegolfclub.com/north_course/

My son had a tournament there a week ago and the tournament did not allow GPS/Phones, only laser range finders with no slope. So it was nice to get an idea of the course layout ahead of time with some yardages around bunkers and other strategic spots on the course.

We printed them out into a little book before the tournament.

 

[radiman]

I could see some benefit to a yardage book in some situations. Otherwise, I have grown quite fond of my SkyCaddie SX500 to give me yardage to hazards and landing areas. I am not a fan of phone apps as I tend to just leave it in my bag or cart. In the past, I have found those apps to significantly drain my battery.

 

[radiman]

The books are nice, but I'd be good with similar images of a course (hole by hole) provided on the course/club website. This is a local public course that does it well:

https://www.blackhorsegolfclub.com/north_course/

My son had a tournament there a week ago and the tournament does not allow GPS/Phones, only laser range finders with no slope. So it was nice to get an idea of the course layout ahead of time with some yardages around bunkers and other strategic spots on the course.

We printed them out into a little book before the tournament.

That's interesting. I thought the GPS units were allowed assuming they didn't make club recommendations or provide slope adjusted yardage. Was it a local rule or have things changed?

 

[olperfesser]

I have the yardage book from my club, free with membership. It used to come in handy, before I had a rangefinder. I find that I am pretty accurate just eyeballing it now that I know the course.

 

[-CRW-]

That's interesting. I thought the GPS units were allowed assuming they didn't make club recommendations or provide slope adjusted yardage. Was it a local rule or have things changed?

This is the rule that all the junior programs follow in our area:

DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICES POLICY:

The STPGA allows the use of distance measuring devices in all sanctioned events. A player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a function of a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his/her play (e.g., gradient, wind-speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 4.3 (see penalty structure below).

Note #1: The use of phones, PDA’s, watches, and hand-held devices that are capable of serving a function other than measuring distance are not permitted to be used in any capacity (exception below). This includes smart phones, tablets, and smart watches.
Exception: As an exception to Note #1, a player may use a phone to take a picture of a rulings situation should a rules official not be immediately available.

Note #2: Use of GPS yardage systems installed on golf carts is not permitted at any time. Spectators must not relay any yardage information displayed by a GPS system in a golf cart. A player who breaches this policy will be subjected to the following penalties:

FIRST OFFENSE: Two (2) stroke penalty
SECOND OFFENSE: Disqualification.

Additionally, players may share their distance measuring device and information pertaining to yardage with fellow competitors at their discretion provided such action does not cause an undue delay.
Should there be a question on the legality of a certain distance measuring device, it is recommended that all players contact the STPGA office and speak with a member of the STPGA Junior Golf staff.

 

[OldandStiff]

Just out of curiosity, how many courses provide this level of detail on a daily basis? Granted, I mostly only play local muni courses but about the best advanced information we can get is the flag being front, middle, or back.

You usually have to play the nicer courses to to get a yardage book with good pin sheets. My home club has a poor man's version on the card that's usually appreciated. Has shape and depths of the greens, and 4 lettered zones for the pins. Then the standard course map on the back so you can see the layout, hazards, bunkers, etc. When you tee off on 1 there's a board that tells you which position they're in that day. I've known other courses that do something similar. It's one of the more economical ways they try to differentiate themselves from the standard locals.

 

[Mmaynard11]

Inkscape software.


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Is the software easy to use?


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[zbeekner4]

I’ve never created my own although I’ve looked at online course tours and made detailed notes if I’m playing a course for the first time in some type of tournament.

I’ve always thought it’d be great if courses let you use a yardage book for free during your round so long as you return it.


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[Goose]

Golf Yardage Books

Is the software easy to use?


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It’s involved, but not terrible if you know your way around a computer.

File layout and print layout is the worst part.


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[CanaryKid]

I buy one at every course I play, but that is because I collect them as souvenirs. Some guys collect ball markers, others pitch repairers, etc ... with me it is yardage books. The problem is that some courses now are not reprinting them when stocks run out, as they say GPS devices mean that golfers no longer buy them.

 

[InTheRough]

If you're in a competition where they don't allow electronic devices, it pays to get one and scout the course with your rangefinder on a few practice rounds ahead of time and make some detailed notes as to where you hit shots from.

 

[Bryndom]

It’s involved, but not terrible if you know your way around a computer.

File layout and print layout is the worst part.


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Would agree with this. I use InkScape and have a template to the format of print out pages (does need to be cut down, but I print and cut mine at office depot)... I use google earth pro to get the course layout and trace them in Inkscape and Google can show slope and distance. If I'm lucky enough to have a course on either GolfLogix or Greenslopes or something, can use them for the slope/green data.