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Do away with yardage indicators of all types, basically?

Phil75070

Phil75070

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Since the USGA has limited the information that can be used for green reading as the ability of golfers to read greens using their own judgment is an essential skill that should be maintained should the same principal be applied to gauging yardages? Should there be no use of DMEs, very limited info in yardage books if they can even be used at all, no distances on sprinkler heads and maybe just go back to 150/200 yard markers, stakes or small bushes placed on either side of the fairway like in the "old days"? Should both the ability to read greens and the ability to gauge distances both be considered "essential skills"? If so why and if not why. Interested in opinions.
 
I think they're both essential skills, and having tools to help you doesn't diminish those skills. Even with information on the way putts break, you still have to detect subtle movements, and pick a line congruent with green speed and your intended pace. Same thing with distance control from the fairway - just knowing the yardage doesn't diminish ability to account for wind, temperature, pin placement/ intended target, etc.

In theory the tools should just help you make decisions faster. If it's taking longer, then the issue is with the player, not the aids.
 
I would not be in favor of this interpretation, for professionals nor amateurs. If we are trying to grow the game and make it more enjoyable in a timely manner, I don't think this would be a step in the right direction. Reading 3 inches of break vs visually measuring 170 yards is quite a difference and I think that would be met with harsh resistance.
 
Well that certainly would go completely against and In the opposite direction of golfs pace of play initiatives. (Not that the tour cares) but public golfers and amateurs would be greatly affected I’d think. Negatively


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The ability to gauge distance varies a lot between people. Some can't do it all, others can be with in a couple yards so I think there needs to be markers of some sort. (my course has distance to center on the sprinkler heads and 150 poles in the fairway.) I have use my rangefinder to get more precise, but I can get pretty close by the markers on our course.
I think in tourney play you should have to rely on course markers only (no range finders GPS) that way is would be fair for all. Just my opinion on it..
 
Personally I don't think the new rule change is that big of deal. How many of us have those books anyways? 10%? maybe even less...Having to rely only on course markers only would slow the game to a halt. Distance measuring devices speed the game up in my opinion.
 
I wear a Bushnell GPS watch during my rounds of golf and find it's very helpful when I choose which club I need for my next shot. I find it really helps me to not overshoot or under shoot a shot as often. Before I got this watch I use to judge distance by the colored stakes along the side of the fairways. They were helpful but not as helpful as my GPS watch
 
I played my first 2,000 rounds without a laser or gps measuring device and it was not a problem. I did do alot of pacing from sprinkler heads or yardage markers but for me it only added about 10 minutes per round. I would certainly hate to go back to those days where I didn't have a laser, it's just so much easier and faster. Taking away yardage books and measuring devices would slow down the game for amateurs, IMO, and just because someone has a yardage doesn't mean they can make all the other adjustments for wind, lie, temperature, elevation, etc. I see very few golfers hit more than a couple approach shots pin high during a round. Besides, this cat is already out of the bag.
 
I need all the help I can get. GPS watch is an essential part of my kit. Without it, I would never be near my targets.
 
Imo the very nature of the game is built on distances. Its why we have different clubs to use from different distances. Everything about golf is based on distances. I dont see a reason where guesstimating distances should be the means. I see nothing wrong with knowing precise distance. I think the game is more than hard enough without having to guess distance. I dont think guesstimating distance needs to be part of ones golf skill set. I could however almost understand the thought,... but I wouldnt be a fan of it.
 
I don't think I've ever seen anyone with a yardage book or a greens thingie, though they do sell them in our pro shops.

That said, I have some eye issues, and don't have 3D vision, so gauging depth is really quite a trick for me. My MD eye doc calls it "2.5D vision" - I can see enough up close and it doesn't bother me driving except at night, but I do have some issues guessing how far it is to the pin. I rely on my Shot Scope to help me out here. If they did away with the GPS, I'd proably still use my Shot Scope or a range finder. If I played in tournaments, that's another thing entirely.

Our courses here have markers at the 150 yard out point - stones or green posts or birdhouses, which is kind of fun. When my SS was down, I used those with okay success, but not every course has them. And pacing off sounds like it would take a LOT of time!
 
I'd be in favor of doing away with impeccably detailed yardage books. There's nothing more boring to me than watching a player decide between a soft 8 or a hard 9 to play a 150 and a half yard shot. Taking away the pin point accuracy will force trusting your gut instinct.

I also don't always have fun watching guys shoot -25 week in and week out. It doesn't matter if you win with +5, you still win. I think, if you're playing at the top tier of a very lucrative sport, you should be challenged by all available means.


Let the amateurs keep playing the game as we do. But how many of us really are using GPS, and a laser for every shot. I know I'm not. I own the stuff, but it's not necessary to play the game.
 
Nah, I think knowing the yardage is very different than having a green break map, exact yardages can be easily obtained by walking it out, so having a GPS or Laser is just getting rid of that nuisance in the game, break maps are giving the player accurate information that cannot be easily had some other way, you have to use your eyes and feet, which is a skill.

As for the detailed yardage books used by Pros, they did the work to get those yards, they walked the course and yes used lasers, but they didn't have to use the hardware, they could have just walked it out, so I have no problem with that.
 
Wow we took a ruling that affects mostly pros in the amount of info they can have on the greens to let’s just do away with all help. The tour is making this decision in the effort to speed up pace of play which to date there’s no data to support either way on this one.

Removing yaradage stakes, sprinkler markings, measuring devices that help choose clubs and shots as well as aids on the hole would be gong the opposite direction and asinine imo. The measuring devices and aids are not even the top 3-5 things that are the cause of slow play imo. Once again the USGA going after the wrong thing.
 
Unlike reading greens, no "skill" is required to ascertain golf course yardages.
 
No.

Those putting "maps" in no way compare to yardage markers. Yardage markers only provide a yardage, unlike those putting books that provide degree of slope, how the putt breaks, percentage of break, etc. It takes the art out of putting.
 
Surprised I haven't heard from the "purists" and those that think the use of rangefinders slow down play. They are out there because I've read those comments in other threads! :act-up:
 
You really want to watch me pace off 50 yards. Worst idea ever
 
I would say get rid of the green reading books but not the yardages.
Every sprinkler head should have a yardage to the middle of the green and there should be 100-150-200 yard stakes as well.
 
ntanygd760 said:
You really want to watch me pace off 50 yards. Worst idea ever
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Oh I am certainly not advocating for removing any yardage indicators, nor am I against the use of laser rangefinders or GPS devices. I used to be a devoted user of GPS until I did the research and found out just how inaccurate even the best of them can be at times and I love my rangefinder. I was just carrying the USGA ruling on the use of published green info and the fact that reading greens has been determined to be a tested skill in the game of golf to a potential logical conclusion that the judging of distances could possibly be considered a "skill" as well. Having read comments from a number of purists that rangefinders and GPS devices shouldn't be allowed and that they slow the game down I expected more of them to jump an and agree with that hypothesis.
 
Phil75070 said:
Oh I am certainly not advocating for removing any yardage indicators, nor am I against the use of laser rangefinders or GPS devices. I used to be a devoted user of GPS until I did the research and found out just how inaccurate even the best of them can be at times and I love my rangefinder. I was just carrying the USGA ruling on the use of published green info and the fact that reading greens has been determined to be a tested skill in the game of golf to a potential logical conclusion that the judging of distances could possibly be considered a "skill" as well. Having read comments from a number of purists that rangefinders and GPS devices shouldn't be allowed and that they slow the game down I expected more of them to jump an and agree with that hypothesis.
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Why do you write "judging distances" ? Golf courses have always provided yardage distances, whether it be on the scorecard, posts or bushes alongside fairways, sprinkler heads etc... There is no "judgement of a 150 yard distance". 150 yards is 150 yards.
As for "purists" making a claim laser rangefinders slow the speed of play, the fact is that in the "pre laser days" players had the (time consuming) habit of counting their paces to find yardages.
 
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I may have snap reacted. I also don't agree with the rangefinders add time theory. You are right about the gps being way off at times. They are great for distances from tee ect but random point A to random point B not so much. I equate the green reading books to rangefinders with slope so it sort of makes sense. Honestly I don't care a ton about the book after the one I had half way done of my home course died in a computer crash.
 
Snickerdog said:
The ability to gauge distance varies a lot between people. Some can't do it all, others can be with in a couple yards so I think there needs to be markers of some sort. (my course has distance to center on the sprinkler heads and 150 poles in the fairway.) I have use my rangefinder to get more precise, but I can get pretty close by the markers on our course.
I think in tourney play you should have to rely on course markers only (no range finders GPS) that way is would be fair for all. Just my opinion on it..
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What's so unfair about allowing everyone to use a device to measure distance?
 
Before I got my first rangefinder, I went out on the course that I played most one day and walked off yardages between many landmarks. I had fairly detailed notes with yardages from the tee box to spots of interest on each hole. I walked off yardages between landmarks, etc. I knew the depth of the tee boxes and greens. I basically built my own yardage book. I think it helped greatly. Now, I just use the GolfPadGPS app and I appreciate the confidence it gives me to know that I only have [insert yardage here] to carry the water, corner, etc. off the tee.
 
OGputtnfool said:
What's so unfair about allowing everyone to use a device to measure distance?
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Never said it was unfair to allow rangefinders. That is fine for everyday play and casual play. In tourney play you should be able to use the sprinkler heads and fairway makers. If you are in a tourney you are probably good enough to pace off a few yards.
Someone earlier said something about pacing off 50 yards, I have never been on a course where a marker or sprinkler head was that far apart that you would have to do that.
I play with a guy who is generally with in 1-2 yards of what my rangefinder says when he paces it off. He can just "see" it.
 
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