Getting my distances

[Grip n Rip]

What is the best way to figure out your distances correctly with your clubs. When on the range I will hit say a 7i 160ish then I can get on the course and throw it behind the green. Is hitting into a simulator accurate? Or is there a better way to try and get all my distances in check

[JP golf]

Personally, I like to go to the course when I have a day off during the week and walk a round by myself.  I'll take the range finder, and not play for score.  I'll drop balls at certain yardages and play to the pin.  I'll hit about 5 shots from the same spot and mark my yardages including how far I'm flying the ball.

Every once in a while, I have a buddy I play with that will play with me doing the same thing.  We have to drop within 10 yards of each other and play CTP's for cuts.  We alternate choosing yardages and can't pick the same yardage two holes in a row.

ONLY DO THIS IF THIS COURSE IS OPEN...  You will be surprised how fast you play through... Your not worried about your tee ball... just pick it up and go drop at the yardage you are working on on that hole.

If you can't do this, just start marking your own course yardages... Keep a little book just for your yardages and mark them off.  You'll be surprised how much it helps when you know how far you carry the ball with your irons.

[Strandly]

What is the best way to figure out your distances correctly with your clubs. When on the range I will hit say a 7i 160ish then I can get on the course and throw it behind the green. Is hitting into a simulator accurate? Or is there a better way to try and get all my distances in check

Yeah this is a pretty big annoyance for me too.  I don't trust any of the markers on driving ranges and course markers don't seem much better.  I wish I could just rent a nice, accurate range finder for a couple days and measure all my clubs at the range.

[PirateJim]

I agree that your best bet is hitting balls on the course and measuring.  If you don't have a range finder a smart phone GPS app will work nicely.  You will need to hit enough shots to get a decent average working (10 shots?), and it is less useful if you don't use the same ball you always play with, or if you don't always play the same brand/model.  I really only worry about the short irons and wedges for this exercise, but that's just a personal decision.

[MS256]

Yeah I wouldn't put much faith in yardage markers at ranges, or the quality of their golf balls.

I trust course yardage markers a little bit more that that but I have seen some that were off.

(Including a 150 yard mark painted on the cart path where I work that's off by 15 yards).

Doesn't take long on the course with a range finder or a GPS to get a pretty accurate assessment of yardages.

Knowing the exact yardage is usually the least of my problems because I have to make adjustments as I go along anyway depending on whether I had my Cheerios for breakfast or not (or something).

[saevel25]

For me it was trial and error. Basically I would laser or gps the distance to the pin, then hit the club. If I struck it well and it goes long, then I know that club goes a certain distance.

[14ledo81]

Yeah I wouldn't put much faith in yardage markers at ranges, or the quality of their golf balls.

I trust course yardage markers a little bit more that that but I have seen some that were off.

(Including a 150 yard mark painted on the cart path where I work that's off by 15 yards).

Doesn't take long on the course with a range finder or a GPS to get a pretty accurate assessment of yardages.

Knowing the exact yardage is usually the least of my problems because I have to make adjustments as I go along anyway depending on whether I had my Cheerios for breakfast or not (or something).

This for me to.

My distances definitely seem to fluctuate.  Maybe not solely due to the swing.  Could also be conditions.  I have a rough idea how far my clubs go.  If I am 140 out on the first hole, and fly my 8 iron to the back of the green, I realize the ball might be flying a little further for me today.

Most of the time, I am at a distance where any one of 3 clubs could get me on the green, 9 iron front, 8 iron middle, 7 iron back.  I am not good enough to be worried about nailing my distances exactly.  I am pretty much just trying to get it on the green.  Also, my swing is at a stage where a solid hit with an 8 will fly farther than a crappy one with the 7.

[dave s]

Rangefinder, for sure.  I've been slowly but surely dialing in club yardages from wedges up to hybrids.  I now understand within 5 yards of each club the distance they go.  Factor in the conditions of up or downhill, wind speed and direction and I'm hitting a lot more shots accurate distances these days.

dave

[Grip n Rip]

I agree that your best bet is hitting balls on the course and measuring.  If you don't have a range finder a smart phone GPS app will work nicely.  You will need to hit enough shots to get a decent average working (10 shots?), and it is less useful if you don't use the same ball you always play with, or if you don't always play the same brand/model.  I really only worry about the short irons and wedges for this exercise, but that's just a personal decision.

Any apps you would recommend?

[MS256]

This for me to.

My distances definitely seem to fluctuate.  Maybe not solely due to the swing.  Could also be conditions.  I have a rough idea how far my clubs go.  If I am 140 out on the first hole, and fly my 8 iron to the back of the green, I realize the ball might be flying a little further for me today.

Most of the time, I am at a distance where any one of 3 clubs could get me on the green, 9 iron front, 8 iron middle, 7 iron back.  I am not good enough to be worried about nailing my distances exactly.  I am pretty much just trying to get it on the green.  Also, my swing is at a stage where a solid hit with an 8 will fly farther than a crappy one with the 7.

I seem to not know my own strength and speed from day to day (or something). My distance can vary quite a bit on well hit balls with the same trajectory on what I perceive as "full swings".

For that reason that's just not the way I play from a mental perspective. I try to pick the "right club", as best I can, and then I swing as fast as I think I need to swing to reach the target. The only way I can really explain my thought process is it's the same as if I had a bat and wanted to hit a fly ball to the centerfielder, then hit the next one over his head, and than hit one over the fence. My most successful distance control in golf comes the same way.

If I just walked up there and made a "full swing" I have no idea how far that will go and it won't be the same every time. It's like my throttle is messed up and I never have a clue where the top end is.

All of that is aside from balls that are not hit well (which of course can do anything).

When somebody says something like "My pitching wedge is my 140 yard club" I always think, well it's my 140 yard club if I want it to be but it can also be my 150 yard club, my 130 yard club, my 120 yard club and so on depending on how fast I want to (or can) swing that day.

I've always driven teammates in team games completely nuts when they ask me what I hit on a good shot. After playing with me a few times they usually don't even bother to ask after hitting a ball on a 150 yard shot and telling them I hit a PW and the next day on a 150 yard shot and telling them I hit a 7 iron.

My son is exactly the opposite. He wants to know (and does know) how far each club goes and he plays just fine that way. Just doesn't work for me.

[JP golf]

When somebody says something like "My pitching wedge is my 140 yard club" I always think, well it's my 140 yard club if I want it to be but it can also be my 150 yard club, my 130 yard club, my 120 yard club and so on depending on how fast I want to (or can) swing that day.

I've always driven teammates in team games completely nuts when they ask me what I hit on a good shot. After playing with me a few times they usually don't even bother to ask after hitting a ball on a 150 yard shot and telling them I hit a PW and the next day on a 150 yard shot and telling them I hit a 7 iron.

This is why one of the things that drives me crazy is when people ask others what club they hit.  I might ask what yardage you played, but I won't ask what club you hit...  That is really funny to me...

PS...  I think a range finder is an awesome investment!  I feel lost when my battery dies and I'm playing a new course and don't know how accurate the yardage markers are...  When I was playing good, I would get pissed if I knew I hit a 145 yard shot from 145 only to find out the marker was 10 yards off lol...