Knowing my yardages, is this important?
As golf is a sport where we constantly hit golf shots to varied targets at different distances, yes it’s very important to know how far you hit each of your clubs!
Ok, how do I find out how far I hit each of my clubs?
If this is something you have never considered or think you have a rough idea of, you need to book in for a gapping session with your local PGA Professional who has a launch monitor like Trackman 4. The great news is that the whole bag can be done within an hour with the use of a launch monitor, which is much quicker than the process used to be, pre-launch monitors and much more accurate!
** Please Note** (Very important is the golf ball being used to do the gapping session, premium golf balls such as Pro V 1’s or TP5’s are best for this and if it’s an indoor fitting studio the Titleist RCT (Radar Capture Technology) balls give perfect accurate numbers. Launch monitors do have a 'normalize' software which can convert range balls flight and spin to how a premium ball would perform; however, it won’t be as accurate, take the time do get this done properly).
To book in for your gapping session, please click the link below to my online booking diary:
From the gapping session you want to make sure you know your carry distances with all your clubs from SW – Driver, as well as roll out. For me I think the most important thing to know is your carry, as this is what we have full control of as a golfer, and we don’t always know how the ball will react once it lands. The other reason is all the hazards on the golf course are on the ground whether it be bunkers, water, or ditches. If we know how far we can carry each club we know what club will make sure we carry the hazard. Roll out is also important to know as this will vary with different clubs, lower lofted clubs will naturally have more roll out once the ball lands due to less loft. This can be useful if there is danger in the fairway off the Tee and you want to lay up, or there are hazards over the back of the green.
Now you know your yardage, how does this help.
This is the first step towards playing better golf is better decision making on the course. The truth is, in a round of golf we are going to hit poor shots, but we don’t want to miss our targets long or short because of incorrect club selection, that’s poor decision making. Knowing your yardage isn’t the only factor with decision making but is a huge piece.
This is very important to consider also when looking at buying new golf equipment. You should make sure you seek PGA Professional advice on the correct gapping of your equipment, for example you don’t want too big a gap between clubs and likewise clubs going the same distance as each other. Depending on which brand you decide to go for and which head model, you need to see how they fit in with your current set. For more advice on why custom fitting is important please click the link below to my custom fitting blog:
What is a custom fit and why is it important? (acego1f.co.uk)
Correct gapping means you have all yardages covered and you have a club that will go the appropriate distance required for the shot you are playing.
Course planners/ GPS devices/ Range Finders
Ok so we know our yardages, we know our gapping is correct and you’ve been practicing your yardages. Your now on the golf course, how do you know how far you have to your target?
There are several ways to find out how far away you are from the pin, here’s the main ways:
- 1. 150 yards markers:
Most golf courses you play will have 200/ 150/ 100 yards marker out on the golf course, this could be a post on the side of the fairway or a disc in the centre of the fairway. Its worth checking in the Pro shop if these yardages are to the front or centre of the green as this can change at different Golf Club’s. The only negative with this process is it can be time consuming to pace from your ball to the yardage marker to work out your distances.
- 2. Course planners
Nearly every Golf Course you visit there will be a course planner available to buy from the Pro Shop. A course planner will have a picture of the hole from an aerial position showing the layout of the hole, where the hazards are, how far it is to reach or clear these from the tee, plus different yardages to the green. These can be from the back of bunkers, sprinkler heads in the fairways, or trees. The great thing with a course planner is there is a lot more options to get yardages from than just the marker posts. They also give you layout of the hole which is great, especially if its blind tee shot and you can’t see the fairway, picking lines can be difficult, course planners help with this.
**Pros TIP** (At the front of a course planner it will normally note if the yardages are to the centre or front of the green, this is very important to know as this could be 15-20 yards difference in distance.)
- 3. GPS Devices/ Range Finders
In the modern game now, it is not uncommon for a golfer to have a GPS device of some sort, whether this be a watch, a device that can be connected to the bag or in fit in your pocket. Modern electric trolleys now have built in GPS which has become extremely popular, this can cut the cost down of buying 2 devices and you aren’t needing to charge two separate things before you play. Finally, you have your range finders (Bushnell) they have been the leaders in the golf industry for a long time, range finders give you the exact yardage to your target from wherever you stand, you just point and aim. There's no question having GPS or a rangefinder in your bag is the easiest way to find out your distances on the golf course, plus this dramatically increases the pace of play as the information is instant. Its also the most accurate. If you would like to see the latest GPS devices available at the best price, please click the link below:
GPS/RANGEFINDER (acego1f.co.uk)
Conclusion
Better information = Better decisions. It’s clear to say knowing your yardages is very important and how you go about finding this information is even more important. Knowing your yardages with the correct information out on the golf course will reduce unforced errors, result in better course management, and save strokes off your round.
To book you gapping session click here:
