Yardages

How are the yardages posted at the tee box measured? Is it the distance to the front of the green, center, or back? I know that the red, white, and blue flags mean that the pin is front, middle, or center.

In most cases; center

Yardages are to the center of the green.

Pin flags differ from course to course (at my course, red is front half, yellow is back half)... so ask before you go out.

"Official" yardages, like on the scorecard and tee boxed are measured from a given point on the tee box, down the middle of the intended line of play to the centre of the green.

They normally originate from the architect's design but get amended as construction is done and the course changes over time.

on the subject of yardages what are peoples feelings on yardage markers- the course i've learned to play on hard exact yardages on every sprinkler so when I go and play a course where theres just a stick 150yards out I'm less sure of what to hit.

The pro's get markers on the ground where ever they place so why shouldnt everyone else!

Good point well made Prowlsta. I played one of the new courses up here called Archerfield back in October. Every sprinkler head on the course on the fairway has a yardage to the front of the green stamped on it. Not only that but you get a little attachment on your scorecard that tells you the position of the pin on the green on the day, yards from front yards from left or right. I wish every course had that (and its surely not a huge job). It makes clubbing that much easier.

D.

Is that the new club out by Dirleton- Is it any good- I hear its going to be awesome- a bit like Kingsbarns? Is it expensive?

St Andrews has the yardages on every sprinkler- even on the Strathtyrum and its a mickey mouse course

I gotta say, if I had more yardages available to me, it'd be easier to hit shots confidently.

Absolutely amazing Prowlsta. best course I ever played. It's £15000 debenture plus 1500 a year. I played the Fidra Links and i swear to god some of it reminded me of augusta. Superb course in amazing condition. Perfect, if I had the cash I would be there right now.

D.

We have yard makers on our sprinklers as well, except, I don't really like to trust all of them. I've played the course so much over the years that I've pretty much memorized what club i need to use for each shot on the course. Most of them are wrong. For example, the par 3 that I live on has 3 different marks posted. On the teebox sprinkler, it says 170, on the sign saying #7, it was 135, and on the score card it says 145. It plays about 160.

However, I like those new courses that have the GPS computer's in them. They have the drawings of the course and usually give acurate markings, and they know where the pin is placed also so they provide even more accuracy. The most I have seen them off is one or two yards max. And then that course has 3 markings on each sprinkler, to the front, middle, and back of the green which is nice.

They look like this:

__________________
• Callaway Big Bertha Fusion Irons 3-PW,SW, LW (Nippon 990 UNFX)
• Callaway Big Bertha Hawkeye VFT Professional Series Woods 11D, 17D (Sys 60R)
• Callaway ERC Fusion 3w - RGS (RCH Sys 55R)
• Taylormade Rossa CGB Fontana Putter(Temper)
• HX Tour / HX Hot

• Fedex Kinkos Classic 2005 Champions Tour Staff

I find yardmarkers are only a basic indication, just cause I'm 150 metres out don't mean i pull my 7 iron. If it's uphill I may need a 6 iron if it's down hill I may need an 8 iron. One par 3 I played on is 109 metres (120 yards) I use my 9 iron, while the par 3 going back is 130 metres (143 yards) I use my pw. I Played on a 223 metre par 3 (245 yards) I use a 5 wood and land back of green, I only carry 190 metres with a 5 wood, it helps when the tee in 20metres higher than the green.

Yep - those GPS cart are T-riffic!

I wish I had one for every course.

I agree but having the exact yardage is the best starting point. Once you know the yardage you can take the surroundings into account; eg. I hit 8 iron 155-160 so if I've got 160yards and its uphill I hit 7, downhill is an easy 8. There's nothing worse than hitting a shot straight at the pin only to find your 15 yards short/long when you couldn't have hit the shot any better!

<oops> wrong thread. Sorry

uh, what?