Learning your distances

[Redskins21]

St Andrews.

Nevermind.. Long trip from Sheffield

 

[Shooter McPowick]

GPS watch more than anything. I got the garmin S60 early in the year and it keeps track of the distances. The height of winter is vastly different to summer though so its a contant adjustment through spring and autumn.....

 

[Grant85]

Defiantly worth having an idea, however surely you would work this out through regular play?

In my mind I hit a 7 iron 150 yards, and I work other distances off this (6 iron 160 yards, 8 iron 140 etc). Ultimately this may be true with a nice new ball, on a warm summers day with a gentle breeze. And that's if I middle it.

Range near me, Mearns Castle, has a top tracer installed in the bays. Definitely not getting those kind of distances up there on a windy winters night.
I also always feel that you are hitting uphill at the Mearns Castle range. At least for the 1st 40 or 50 yards.

Genuinely not sure if I'm kidding myself on - but I do suspect the range balls and winter temperatures make a fair difference.

 

[Redskins21]

Defiantly worth having an idea, however surely you would work this out through regular play?

Regular play is the issue. Struggling for time on a weekend at the moment so figure it will help me score better for now if I go into those occasional rounds with a better idea on distances.

 

[User 99]

GPS watch more than anything. I got the garmin S60 early in the year and it keeps track of the distances. The height of winter is vastly different to summer though so its a contant adjustment through spring and autumn.....

Excuse my ignorance but how does a gps watch learn you your distance If it says 173 to the middle of the green, how far does my 9 iron go

 

[User 99]

Regular play is the issue. Struggling for time on a weekend at the moment so figure it will help me score better for now if I go into those occasional rounds with a better idea on distances.

That's the time of year fella, very light and horrible weather gives all of us little time just now. Trackman or GCquad but as I said I personally wouldn't do it indoors.

 

[SteveJay]

Excuse my ignorance but how does a gps watch learn you your distance If it says 173 to the middle of the green, how far does my 9 iron go

Some GPS watches, including my Tom Tom, can provide last shot distance as can tracking devices like Game Golf or Arcoss, albeit total carry and roll, but can be useful if you know how to interpret the data and make adjustments for conditions, roll etc.

 

[User 99]

Some GPS watches, including my Tom Tom, can provide last shot distance as can tracking devices like Game Golf or Arcoss, albeit total carry and roll, but can be useful if you know how to interpret the data and make adjustments for conditions, roll etc.

Hitting your 8 iron the middle of the green at 145 away to the first isn't giving you your average though is it ? What if you mis hit it and it only goes 125 ?

 

[Redskins21]

That's the time of year fella, very light and horrible weather gives all of us little time just now. Trackman or GCquad but as I said I personally wouldn't do it indoors.

Is doing it indoors not a good idea to get consistent data though? Allowances would obviously then need to be made out on the course but should give me a better idea of gaps, if not exact distances.

 

[patricks148]

i though people just took the distance of their best ever hit downwind downhill on a hot day with each club and called that the average

well thats what i do anyway

 

[Dando]

My 8 iron goes about 165 so I just add 15 yards for a 7 etc and subtract 15 for a 9.

I worked out the 8 iron distance by practicing at the range and hitting the 150 target so then added 10% to get the distance with a normal ball

 

[User 99]

Is doing it indoors not a good idea to get consistent data though? Allowances would obviously then need to be made out on the course but should give me a better idea of gaps, if not exact distances.

If it works for you, go for it

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I used to guess from using GPS on the fairway and on tee shots and over a short period you know the most likely distance you will hit it.

IMHO you do not want to use a average measure, I would use the most likely distance you hit your iron (ie. mode going back to maths), Average will be similar if you remove the bad miss hits or the fliers I would have thought.

Hope that helps

 

[chrisd]

I think it takes more than a few shots to work out an average, quite a bit more than a few if it was to be done correctly

I'd have thought it was more likely to depend on how consistently the swing is

 

[HankMarvin]

I'd have thought it was more likely to depend on how consistently the swing is

Bit of truth in that but even for a good player it would be more than just a few, wouldn't you agree.....

 

[chrisd]

Bit of truth in that but even for a good player it would be more than just a few, wouldn't you agree.....

Nope

 

[SammmeBee]

My 8 iron goes about 165 so I just add 15 yards for a 7 etc and subtract 15 for a 9.

I worked out the 8 iron distance by practicing at the range and hitting the 150 target so then added 10% to get the distance with a normal ball

How far does your 5 iron go then?!

 

[jim8flog]

Originally I got mine from hitting lots of balls on a practice ground and pacing the distance..

More recently I got mine from a GPS and playing a just 2 clubs over a 9 hole course and using this a reference.

In the main though my comes from playing 2-3 times every week on the same course.

 

[Dando]

How far does your 5 iron go then?!

210

 

[Imurg]

210

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