Have you ever noticed how many different kinds of distance markings are used on the golf course? Before beginning a round of golf – especially on an unfamiliar course – it’s a good idea to find out what kind of marking system is being used. You can ask in the pro shop or check with the starter. Sometimes it’s even mentioned on the scorecard.
Some possibilities:
- GPS on your motorized cart. (If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’m a walker. So if yardages are only provided by the GPS system, I’m at a disadvantage. I think that golf courses need to provide yardages for both walkers and riders.)
- Yardage books (usually for purchase in the pro shop)
- 150-yd stake, pole or disk
- Colored disks in the fairway (generally blue = 200, white = 150, red = 100)
- Yardage indicators on cart paths – a colored line or number
- Disks along the side of the fairway in 25-yd. increments
- Specific yardages on sprinkler heads
These days the hand-held GPS device is becoming more popular. I guess I’m old-fashioned in believing that determining yardage is part of the mental part of the game. I enjoy using the course markings to figure out my yardage.
As important as accurate yardage is, I realize my limitations as an amateur golfer and don’t get hung up on whether the yardage is 135 or 139, I’m not good enough to hone in to that extent. I only need an estimate and then I can take into account some other factors, i.e. pin position, wind, slope of the fairway, etc.
Furthermore for me (and most amateurs) there’s an optimal distance, beyond which I have no club in my bag that’s long enough. I laughed when I saw a sprinkler head that said, “Just hit it!”
Taking all this into account, you should be able to figure your distance quite rapidly and make your club selection. Don’t model the pros on this issue; they often take a lot of time making a club selection, because it really does make a difference to them.