Is it illegal to write yardages on your wedges?

**chriskzoo** · August 10, 2009

Despite being a single digit handicap, I actually don't play more than once a week or so and tend to forget how far I hit some of my wedges on 1/2 and 3/4 swings. Is it illegal to just write those on a small sip of paper and tape it around the wedge?

I generally hit:

Pitching Wedge:
Full: 117
3/4: 96
1/2: ?

Gap Wedge:
Full: 90
3/4: 75
1/2: ?

Sand Wedge:
Full: 75
3/4: ?
1/2: ?

60 degree
Full: 60
3/4: 40
1/2: ?

I know it seems weird, but when I get into that 50 yard range, I completely blank on what I should hit.

**Smarf** · August 10, 2009

In Pelz's Short Game book he mentions this technique and states that it is indeed legal, and he recommends it.

**Zeph** · August 10, 2009

You are not altering the club in any illegal way and it is no different from having a book or piece of paper in your pocket where you keep the distances, so no, it's not illegal.

**enis750** · August 10, 2009

i do something similar, although not on my clubs
at the start of each round, I write on the score card what yardages each club is from SW up

Example: (full swings)

56-85
52-115
PW-125
9-150
8-160
7-170
6-180
5-190
4-200 +

so at a quick glance, I know what club to hit when i find out the correct yardages
and then fill in the gaps on 1/2, 3/4 swings depending on conditions and wind
I also write my GIR, FW and putts

**DavidFehertysBike** · August 10, 2009

No its not illegal. I do the same thing on my 58. I have mine written on masking tape attached right below the grip. A rules offical told me at a state tournament once, if the marker tape were to rub off during the round somehow, id be DQ'd... WTF is that about?

**allin** · August 10, 2009

No its not illegal. I do the same thing on my 58. I have mine written on masking tape attached right below the grip. A rules offical told me at a state tournament once, if the marker tape were to rub off during the round somehow, id be DQ'd... WTF is that about?

I believe he was misinterpreting the rule about changing a clubs playing characteristics. Bent clubs etc are covered by this rule.

**Muttface** · August 10, 2009

...a rules offical told me at a state tournament once, if the marker tape were to rub off during the round somehow, id be DQ'd... WTF is that about?

You would technically be playing with a club that has been altered during the round. The same way that you cannot "legally" write the yardages on the club during the course of a round. For the OP, yes it is legal but you can't do it during the round; you can do it before or after.

My understanding is that you can use written material (i.e. a yardage book or chart) so long as it's been "published" or created before a round. You could in theory walk around with a copy of Ben Hogan's swing book and refer to it as you play. However, if I understand the rule correctly, you would not be able to make notes in the margin during the round to be used during that round.

RC · August 10, 2009

Yeah, I do it all the time:
Driver: 468-512 yards
3 Wood: 435-449 yards
Rescue wood: 405-424 yards
3 iron: 375-390 yards
4 iron: 350-365 yards
5 iron: 320-340 yards
6 iron: 295-315 yards
7 iron: 280-290 yards
8 iron: 266.87 yards
9 iron: 240-250 yards
PW: 220-230 yards
SW: 200-210 yards
Lob: 50-200 yards
Putter: 1 inch to 50 yards

Of course these are internet yards, but it helps a lot.

The reason I am joking here is because the exact shot is always different and dependent on many factors. Yesterday I hit a 7 iron from 181 yards, and the same 7 iron from 118 yards... each shot called for a totally different kind of shot shape and conditions. Of course you should know well your nominal distances with each club, so don't misunderstand. However, my averages with a club change each day.

**Zeph** · August 10, 2009

You would technically be playing with a club that has been altered during the round. The same way that you cannot "legally" write the yardages on the club during the course of a round. For the OP, yes it is legal but you can't do it during the round; you can do it before or after.

Many clubs have stickers attached from factory. If one of these should fall off during a round, you are breaking a rule?

**Jay-Bird** · August 10, 2009

No its not illegal. I do the same thing on my 58. I have mine written on masking tape attached right below the grip. A rules offical told me at a state tournament once, if the marker tape were to rub off during the round somehow, id be DQ'd... WTF is that about?

He's wrong. You could certainly have the marker tape rub off during the round and it'd still be the same club.

***iacas*** · August 10, 2009

You would technically be playing with a club that has been altered during the round.

Completely incorrect.

The same way that you cannot "legally" write the yardages on the club during the course of a round.

Also completely incorrect. Heck, you can sandpaper your grips before every swing if you don't make them non-conforming (by making a flat spot or something). You can stick a tee in the grip end of your clubs - that's legal. It's not altering the playing characteristics of the club.

However, if I understand the rule correctly, you would not be able to make notes in the margin during the round to be used during that round.

You understand wrong. That's like saying "you're not allowed to have a new swing thought in the middle of a round." You can create whatever you want during a round.

And to answer the original question, I have four yardages written on each of my three wedges. I almost NEVER refer to the lob wedge, because that's my "oh crap, I'm shortsided with a bunker and the green sloping away from me" club, not my "3/4 swing from the fairway" club... but I refer to the yardages on my sand wedge quite a bit, then adjust for conditions from there.

pweenie · August 10, 2009

Completely incorrect.

All the above are absolutely correct.

Carry 4 wedges and you can have 12 precise distances (subject to daily conditions) with the same swing As Pelz says the only thing that alters is the length of the swing. I mark my wedges with the distances that I hit each one using a 7.30, a 9.00 and a 10.30 (as in clock) length back swing. The follow through is the same on all of them.

**sean_miller** · August 10, 2009

People write directly onto their wedges? Is it that hard to keep a piece of paper (or cardboard or business card) in your bag? So where would you write this information? On the face or back of the clubhead, on the shaft, or the grip?

I think you guys should get the yardages tattooed on your left forearm, swingthoughts tattooed on your right forearm.

radycardia · August 11, 2009

I think this is a great tip. I only play a few times a year and I have no clue how far I hit any of my clubs. Maybe I should just play more.

MurphDurph · August 11, 2009

x2 on that it's a great tip. I normally play about 2 times a month. Right now I'm sidelined recovering from right ACL surgery. 2 weeks out now. Hopefully I'll be able to get out at least once while the weather's still nice and get my yardages down, I can't remember any of them right now.

***iacas*** · August 11, 2009

People write directly onto their wedges? Is it that hard to keep a piece of paper (or cardboard or business card) in your bag? So where would you write this information? On the face or back of the clubhead, on the shaft, or the grip?

I write my yardages in a spreadsheet (makes it easy to draw a border and blacken the top, which says "PW" or "LW" or whatever), print them, cut the little rectangle, and tape it onto the underside of my shaft at the bottom of the grip.

The label reads (for example): PW 125 110 85 45

**sean_miller** · August 11, 2009

I write my yardages in a spreadsheet (makes it easy to draw a border and blacken the top, which says "PW" or "LW" or whatever), print them, cut the little rectangle, and tape it onto the underside of my shaft at the bottom of the grip.

hmmm . . . you make that sound sort of logical. Do you do that for all your clubs?

**Sowbug2000** · August 11, 2009

Yeah, I do it all the time:

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