Yardage Book

[right handed phil mickelson]

I am teaming up with my golf professional at my course to create an official yardage book (since I have good handwriting ) and what I would like to know is what do you think the best range finder is?

I need a range finder that goes up to 300 yards or so maybe, and some reflector sticks to put on the green for the yardage book. Anybody know a good one thats not a ton of money?

[Lovgoel]

If you are serious about making a strong yardage book, I'd highly consider using a laser range finder instead of a GPS. I have a Bushnell 1500 Pinseeker that is deadly accurate and really easy to use. You're likely to find someone at your club that has one (it's one of the more popular models) and will probably help you with the measurements. Also, you wouldnt need reflective sticks at all. you could just have someone stand on the green and hit them with the laser to get an accurate reading. You could also check out ebay, I think there are some going for around 200, and they are accurate way further than 300 yards.

This sounds like a fantastic project! I think i might consider doing this with the pro at my club now...

[iacas]

Leupold GX-I. And just use a mirror or something - you'll want to work in a two-man team and measure not only to the centers (and fronts, and backs, and over any bunkers and swales in the greens) but also to fairway bunkers, and other things, not all of which may give you a lip or an area to hit with the laser.

Don't go with a GPS at all. Too inaccurate.

[microcrayfish]

Or you could just save the money all together and just get one of those yard measuring wheel things and pace it out. Kinda like this thing but you can probably find one that's not so flash and way cheaper.

[mkrolewski]

To build a yardage book, you are really drawing a scale map of the course. You need accurate measuring equipment to measure both distance and angles.

In the old days, one would use a transit and steel measuring tape. The simplest tool is a good commercial gps which outputs coordinates. You need only stand at or over the object to get a position. There are differential gps systems which use the satellites and a second local gps unit to create a more precise measurement. Both systems are rentable.

You should do good job of measuring the greens. You need to: determine the center's coordinates, the width and depth of the green.

Additionally it would be useful to have an approximate outline and orientation of the green. This involves a lot of distances from the center at many angles. If the greens are highly undulated, a map of the green contours is useful.

You of course need to determine what is useful to the golfer. Generally I would think some idea of distance to doglegs and through doglegs, water carries and layup areas. Distances from a notable objects on or near the fairway to the green. Driving distances from each tee box to some definitive object on the fairway.

[Fourputt]

Or you could just save the money all together and just get one of those yard measuring wheel things and pace it out. Kinda like this thing but you can probably find one that's not so flash and way cheaper.

That is a bad way to measure a golf course. It would inflate the measurements when going up and down slopes. And there is no way at all to use it to measure a carry across water.

Laser is the only way to go.

[joshiemac25]

We had a couple of college students last year try to start a business doing this for some local courses. Part of it was for a class assignment, and I ended up being a staff advisor for them to bounce ideas off.

They did a few holes of a course here local for a proof of concept that I found to be really interesting. They first walked the course with "Wilderness" GPS receivers. They would start each hole at the tee box(es). They would start a track (just a path that they walked) and walk the perimeter of the tee box. They would then save the Tee Box Track. They would then walk the perimeter of the fairway and save the Fairway track. They would do the same for the green, then the basic outline of the hole and any hazards, and everything would be saved in it's own track.

They would then go back to their computers, download the tracks into the GPS program and create a hole based on the tracks. The nice part was that they had the outline of the entire hole from that data. They would export the completed holes into photoshop. They then printed the hole layouts, and went back to the course with the GPS unit and laser rangefinders, along with a large reflective (foldable) photo disc (for reflecting the laser rangefinder). They measured necessary distances (1 guy with the sheet and rangefinder and gps, the other with the reflective disc) and hand wrote them onto their sheets, and made sure the reference points on the GPS matched that on the printed sheets.

They then went back to the computer, went into photoshop added the typed distances, added some simple colors (blue for water, light green for greens & fairways/tee boxes, dark green for rough, and added in some top down view trees in forest type areas). They added out of bounds lines and some land markings (large rocks, bridges, etc...)

They produced some very nice work. Unfortunately, they couldn't get any of the local courses to buy into the idea (which was a requirement of the assignment) and had to abandon the project and find another project. This was disappointing as the detail in the small sample was amazing.

This seemed to work for them, and while it is a two step process, I think it takes the guesswork out of how each hole is shaped and gives you two points of reference (GPS for outlining and Laser for distances). I was really impressed with their work and wish the courses would have been more interested.

[Mr3Putt]

I am teaming up with my golf professional at my course to create an official yardage book (since I have good handwriting

If you're working with another "target" person, just about any laser rangefinder will give you accurate numbers. I've not seen one that won't target 300+ yards to a reflective target. I had an old 400 series Bushnell that shot flag reflectors (prism type) at over 700 yards. If your target guy holds up a bicycle reflector (or something similar) you'll be fine. Heck, at 300 yards all he needs is a white tee shirt! Look on Ebay or Craigslist for "Bushnell 400", you'll be able to get one for less than $100. It will more than fill your needs. When you're done, sell it for what you bought it for. Good Luck.

[Chief Broom]

Google Earth

[right handed phil mickelson]

ok thanks for all your replies I will look at the Bushnell and your leupold iacas, and what I meant in the original post by 'range finder' is a laser. Just to clear that up. I never wanted to use a gps because even though it still is accurate, its not deadly accurate.

[right handed phil mickelson]

and no im not using google earth lol.