Yardage Books vs New Technology

haha - tee time is all I need to get me out the scratcher.

just to quantify though, dotting around getting the yardages from the book when used to glancing at the gps is hard work (from a golf point of view, of course its not hard work in terms of a proper job - I do have some sense of realism, not much, but some)
 
I tell you what. I'd have played much better today with a GPS.

I visited/played a regular course (a "proper" challenge) of mine (not my home) and despite years of playing there, I got muddled and messed up all the way round.

It's the ONLY course where I play, that the yardages are to the front of the green.

So, I'd pace things out, and say something like "ok, 132 to the front, but the green is 32 long, that makes 1/2 of 32 (16) plus 132 to the centre.....ok, so 148 to the centre, but I reckon the pin is back right, so that means I can probably go 150. 150, ok, so that's in-between irons, so do I go up or down. probably up, that's what I always do, but then again, I have been through the back before, so maybe coming up short is safer. BUT, look at the size of that bunker short right, oohhh, don't want to go in there, so after all, I'll hit the longer club. BUT, if I could just take a few percent off and avoid the pull, I could fade it bang on, and whey-hey, a birdie for the taking....

******** Disaster.

OK, so I hit 4 irons stone dead, but the rest were as inconsistent as my state of mind.....

- - - - -

At mine, the yards are to the centre and none of the greens are that big, so you don't need to worry "front or back"....

- - - - - -

My brain is fried......
 
GPS has the edge as far as accuracy over course guides, but a course guide does show you the lay of the land, so unless you have one of the new map layout style GPS systems I'd always plump for using the GPS in conjunction with a course guide.Though there is a lot to be said for doing your homework & checking course layouts online before even reaching the course to familiarise yourself.
 
SkyCaddie SG3 for me, as some mentioned, its a revelation. Scored my first Eagle on Saturday, 1st Par 5, Dogleg left. In the Winter its a Drive, down the middle, then a 7 iron for position, in the middle of the fairway, walking up to the ball, I can see flag at the front, about 10yds on, I park up level with ball, I glance at SG3 109 to middle of the green, PW out of the bag, setting up to play.
After a nice easy swing, lovely connection, woolop, straight in the hole, no effort.

Thanks to GPS, it speeds up my game and gives me confidence, just to hit the shot.
 
Yardage books for me. Don't have the money to shell out on a GPS unit and also being fairly new to the game I don't think that I have consistent distances everytime in my irons yet so even knowing the exact distance won't guarantee anything! Tend to use yardage books, 150 markers, and eye to gauge the distance, not to mention how I'm striking on the day!
 
jonesuk, there is another side to gps that you're missing.
don't know your distances yet? use the gps to tell you - you can mark every shot not just the driver. alternatively if the gps tells you its 120, you go for a 9 and overhit, you now know that 120 is a soft 9 or good PW.

use the force :rolleyes:
 
jonesuk, there is another side to gps that you're missing.
don't know your distances yet? use the gps to tell you - you can mark every shot not just the driver. alternatively if the gps tells you its 120, you go for a 9 and overhit, you now know that 120 is a soft 9 or good PW.

use the force :rolleyes:

I did this with all my wedges Sunday afternoon. As I have 3 new wedges I wasn't 100% sure how far I was hitting them, so went up to the pactice area and hit about 150 balls and measured the distances. I must say the results opened my eyes.
 
GPS for me but on a new course i'll still buy a yardage book so that I can get the shape of the hole and see all the trouble thats on it. A nice overview of the hole is still necessary to let my brain register all the relevant details to make my shot choice.
 
Oh my god, whatever the hell happened to judgement ??


Judgement....what's that then? :D

Without opening the whole GPS debate again ( at least not for another couple of weeks) If it's ok for the pro's to be given their distances, then it's ok for me.
 
jonesuk, there is another side to gps that you're missing.
don't know your distances yet? use the gps to tell you - you can mark every shot not just the driver. alternatively if the gps tells you its 120, you go for a 9 and overhit, you now know that 120 is a soft 9 or good PW.

use the force :rolleyes:

I do know my distances but unfortunately they do tend to vary a bit depending on how I'm playing on the day (unofficial 28 handicap so still learning the ropes and can have some good and some (very) bad days!)

This year will be my first full year in golf so would rather spend the money that I have at the moment and this summer on lessons and upgrading clubs (especially need a new driver soon!). I guarantee as soon as I have money and I play more then I will be a GPS convert!
 
jonesuk, most people will hit varied distances with their clubs even when I played off 6 some of my shots varied in distance, I think you have to be exceptionall well practiced and competent to hit consistant distances.

If GPS or similar gives people the belief that they hit accurately and consistantly enough to out-do a yardage chart then its a good thing for them I suppose, but yardage charts give obstacles, lay of the land and distances that after years of establishment must be reasonably accurate.
 
GPS for me (would you expect anything less after banging the SC drum all of last year). I had marked my club yardage book up with loads of reference points (taken with SC5) to use in competitions but now we have a local rule allowing GPS devices I'm in clover in competitions.
 
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