Anybody else use a "YARDAGE CARD" ??

[RetroJFrancisco]

Nope, I play by feel and 100% feel, i'll spot the yardage markers on a course and work from there.. 150 could be a full wedge or a soft 8, 200 could be a hard 7 or a smooth 5 ect ect.. Have tried yardage books and for some reason they make me swing almost robotically.. Its like I cant think outside the box and pull of different shots/swings.

Just me though.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by Unkynd

Your yardages are pretty similar to mine.  I don't use a card... and some days my 7i will go 145.... some days it will go 160... I adjust during the round based on how I'm hitting the ball, course conditions, etc.

How far do you hit your driver?

I've  been focusing way more on easy tempo & hitting fairways ... a good drive for me is 240-250.

[Lefty-Golfer]

Originally Posted by RetroJFrancisco

Nope, I play by feel and 100% feel, i'll spot the yardage markers on a course and work from there.. 150 could be a full wedge or a soft 8, 200 could be a hard 7 or a smooth 5 ect ect.. Have tried yardage books and for some reason they make me swing almost robotically.. Its like I cant think outside the box and pull of different shots/swings.

Just me though.

this is me...well i actually the same clubs with quite a bit less yardage - like 150 is an smooth 6 or a hard 8! but the thought process is the same.

i have found one more stick and smooth is virtually always the better option!!

[JonMA1]

I don't use a card but my yardages are pretty easy to remember and I normally stick with them. As bad as my game can be, I'm really happy that my club distances are as consistent as they are (I'll regret typing that as I'm now doomed for failure).

Sometimes I do go by feel though. The other night my distances just felt shorter overall, maybe because it was very windy. On a 129 yard par 3 with a lake in the front of the green, I opted to go one club up and it landed a few yards beyond the flag (center location). Made me feel like I knew what I was doing if just for that one hole (It's the little things...)

How do some of you figure out which club to use for a bad lie - rough, hillside, etc.? Those are the shots that kick my butt.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

I don't use a card but my yardages are pretty easy to remember and I normally stick with them. As bad as my game can be, I'm really happy that my club distances are as consistent as they are (I'll regret typing that as I'm now doomed for failure).

Sometimes I do go by feel though. The other night my distances just felt shorter overall, maybe because it was very windy. On a 129 yard par 3 with a lake in the front of the green, I opted to go one club up and it landed a few yards beyond the flag (center location). Made me feel like I knew what I was doing if just for that one hole (It's the little things...)

How do some of you figure out which club to use for a bad lie - rough, hillside, etc.? Those are the shots that kick my butt.

That's where having a good feel for making different shots with a given club comes in handy.  This is why I recommend playing occasionally with a short bag to force yourself to make shots with different clubs than you normally would.  Then when you are in a situation where you are forced to play one of those shots, it's  not as uncomfortable because you've done it before and have a better understanding of how to use the clubs in a less conventional way.

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

That's where having a good feel for making different shots with a given club comes in handy.  This is why I recommend playing occasionally with a short bag to force yourself to make shots with different clubs than you normally would.  Then when you are in a situation where you are forced to play one of those shots, it's  not as uncomfortable because you've done it before and have a better understanding of how to use the clubs in a less conventional way.

Thanks. I'll have to try that sometime, I like the idea of being creative on the course. How many/which clubs do you prefer to carry?

Recently, I started using different irons for my short game and it has worked out well so far. Come to think of it, that's kind of a "feel" part of the game as well.

[jefkve]

I don't have a card, but I should probably go through the exercise of putting one together. I know my approximate distances and will adjust on course if they're carrying a bit further/shorter. I must say though, that I love the idea of having the partial swing distances for each of my wedges....Going to have to make that a priority once I can find a range that doesn't use range limited balls. (No wide open spaces nearby to play with my wedges).

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

That's where having a good feel for making different shots with a given club comes in handy.  This is why I recommend playing occasionally with a short bag to force yourself to make shots with different clubs than you normally would.  Then when you are in a situation where you are forced to play one of those shots, it's  not as uncomfortable because you've done it before and have a better understanding of how to use the clubs in a less conventional way.

Thanks. I'll have to try that sometime, I like the idea of being creative on the course. How many/which clubs do you prefer to carry?

Recently, I started using different irons for my short game and it has worked out well so far. Come to think of it, that's kind of a "feel" part of the game as well.

Just quickly since it's OT, but I've gone with just 6 or 7 clubs many times on my home course.  Selection can change just for variety.  Sometimes I'll just carry my 51° wedge, with an 8I, 6I, 25° hybrid, and 3W, along with the putter.  That gives me most of the distance ranges, but keeps my imagination active in selecting shots.

[WUTiger]

I had a yardage card two years ago just for my wedges (Pelz style). But, I changed my wedge mix over the winter, and haven't redone it yet.

[BuckeyeNut]

I don't need no stinking yardage card....

Sincerely,

This guy

[luu5]

Why should having yardages written down contradict playing by feel? They are just reminders, then you can play by feel whatever around those numbers.

n.b. I do not use these...

[RetroJFrancisco]

Originally Posted by luu5

Why should having yardages written down contradict playing by feel? They are just reminders, then you can play by feel whatever around those numbers.

n.b. I do not use these...

I found it nearly impossible to play by feel when I had a specific yardage in my head, after all.. Nobody thinks the same, some people find visualisation of shots very hard and I would say that a yardage book would be much more suited to that kind of player. (This is totally my opinion and it could be way off)

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by cipher

I fear full wedge shots.

funny, how we all approach the game differently ... I live for full wedge shots when my set up shot gives me the perfect distance in - its the one shot I have the most confidence in.    I fear the 50 yard "feel" pitch shot which usually winds up much farther away than a 100 yard full wedge shot.

[boil3rmak3r]

funny, how we all approach the game differently ... I live for full wedge shots when my set up shot gives me the perfect distance in - its the one shot I have the most confidence in.    I fear the 50 yard "feel" pitch shot which usually winds up much farther away than a 100 yard full wedge shot.

I'm with you on this... Give me a full 60*, 56*, or GW, and it's all green lights! I'm working on developing feel for the partial wedges.

[MS256]

The first few years I played golf I drove people in my group crazy with my club selections. I would just hit whatever club I was in the mood for from just about any distance. As people often do, somebody would ask what I hit and if they made the mistake of going by what I hit they would likely be way off (and had about an equal chance of being way long or way short).

I just went by the feel of the club in my hands and hit the shot just like I would do if I was hitting infield or outfield practice to a baseball team. I wouldn't change bats to hit a deep fly to centerfield or a soft liner to the shortstop.

I guess I've conformed to how the rest of the golfing world approaches it now and I try to know my distances and I try to pick the right club. I do still occasionally have a problem with wedges when out of the clear blue one of them goes way longer than it's supposed to go on what's supposed to be a "normal" shot. For that reason I still often use a pitching wedge for 80 to 100 yard shots to force me to play a feel shot, especially into island greens where long is wet.

[scottgerweck]

Maybe this is more particular to my area than I think...

I know "my yardages" in my head but, living in the pacific northwest and playing year round, I've developed a healthy respect for how much the weather impacts distances--not just roll, which is obvious in wet climates, but carry distance. Playing in 45* weather with high humidity can be more than one club shorter in carry distance than 90* and dry. I try to get a feel for how far the clubs are going to go each day in comparison to my basic standard assumption.

Besides all that, I've found I play much better when I let go of the idea there is a "right" club for a given shot. While I'd almost always hit a SW (56*) from 105 (assuming neutral weather/wind conditions), there are times I launch a LW (60*), and times to go with a GW, PW or even longer club with a particular type of flight or spin for the best chance to get it where I want it.

Golf has evolved into 'dart throwing': hitting it high and long with little roll. This is okay and it's important to know what club to hit in those scenarios as more and more courses are setup with that in mind (knowing your yardages!), but if you play some true links golf and embrace the way those courses work, you start thinking differently about shotmaking choices.

[DReynolds86]

I like the idea of putting the distances on the shaft of your clubs. Good thought.

[anthony]

I did at the beginning of the year for my 60 yd and in shots, but I've memorized them. It's helped tremendously. I plan on doing the same for 70-115/120. I know a lot of people play purely by feel at these yardages, but knowing exactly what I'm going to hit for 50 yds (half 50 degree wedge) inspires confidence when hitting those shots. It also gives you a nice base to adjust the shot when it's downhill, uphill, heavy rough, etc.

70 yds up to a stock 50 degree is my next yardage group to figure out. I really like the idea of laminating a card to put in your pocket or something like that.