Why do courses lie about how far their holes are?

[Wisguy]

The longest hole at a nine-hole muni course in my area was, for many years, listed at 400 yards.  The fairway sloped so steeply downward from the tee that they installed a stop light with a switch supposedly 275 out in the middle of the fairway because the typical landing area for drives was out of sight of the tee box.  I have played that hole at least 20 times and never once hit the green in two.  The two times I've ever been pin-high off the green (I've never overshot the green) were times I've bombed big drives way out there that I figure went at least 270-280; both of those drives left me with a 4 iron second shot.  The best drive I've hit on the hole was a long draw that followed the right edge of the fairway until it gently arced back toward the middle of the fairway, stopping dead even with the light switch, supposedly leaving me 125 to the hole.  It looked one hell of a lot longer, but I semi- trusted the yardage markers and hit a perfect 9 iron, which I figured should have gone at least 135.  It came up a good 25 yards short of the green.  Now the downhill slope is certainly delofting irons somewhat and may be robbing some distance, but nothing like that much.  I figure the hole is really about 430-440 yards.  I haven't played that course in several years, but I see that the current score card has the yardage listed at 405yds.  I'd like to play it with my GPS and see how far it says the hole is.

[trackster]

The only bet i would have is that the 5th hole green was not there originally  Like i said I have only been playing a few years.  I guess I could ask someone in the club house.  I surveyed the rest of the holes using google earth and most of them were within 20 yards of listing.

On a side note, I check and in order to hit a 300 yard drive on our driving range you would have to land one on hole #2's tee box.

[RPMPIRE]

Originally Posted by trackster

On a side note, I check and in order to hit a 300 yard drive on our driving range you would have to land one on hole #2's tee box.

Range balls are limited in ball fight and distance compared to a premium ball. I'm just guessing but you're hitting maybe 30-40 yards shorter with the range balls.

At some courses I've played, there are some markers or emblems that show where the measurement of the hole starts and the actual tee markers are usually not where that marker is. Considering some tee boxes are fairly long to allow for some turf restoration, I would say a hole can be +/- 0 to 15 yards depending on where they place the tee markers. Either way, it's usually good to have a range finder or GPS because I doubt tour players even look at the displayed yardage of a hole and just go straight to their yardage books.

[Putridgasbag]

Ours has a couple of holes with tees that aren't listed on the card. Our short par 3 that topped out at 127 yards has a non listed tee that plays an insane 161. Luckily that one isn't used that often as the green is made for wedge shots not mid irons. The 18th has a tee that turns a reasonably tough 363 yard par 4 into a really tough 400 yarder. The course also has a lot of dog legs and elevation changes and can be quite tricky for distances, some holes play longer and others shorter than the yardage. GPS sure has made it easier.

[WUTiger]

On some courses in our area, the longer holes play shorter. You can look deep into the trees and see the shaggy, true "back tee" that is only mown and tee-blocked for tournaments.

Courses may do this to combat slow play.

[tuffluck]

There are plenty of 520 yard par 5's I play that are 500 to the front of the green or 540 to the back, it just depends on which GPS app you are looking at.

Also there is a par 4 440 yarder at a local course I play.  I drive pretty long, about 280 on average, but even when I've hit my best drive I am always hitting a 3 hybrid or 3 wood into the green on the second shot when I should be hitting a 9 iron.  It's as flat as a hole can be, but either the distance is shockingly off or there is constantly an oncoming wind when I play.  I haven't actually done a GPS on that hole yet, but no matter some holes can definitely trick you distance-wise.