Do you know your distances. Really?

[Dave2512]

Yes, I get that it's attached to the cart, though as I carry my bag that wouldn't affect me. But my question remains - is it within the rules to use it in competition?

It would affect you here, there are courses where walking isn't allowed. Not that you'd want to. Some holes are 300-400 yards apart when they wind through houses and under streets.

http://www.usga.org/equipment/overview/Distance-Measuring-Devices-FAQ/

[Hoganwoods]

I have a GC2 so I know my carry distances very well with both sets of clubs.

[mdl]

What is weird is guys playing better than 5.1 golf are still winging it. I look at the GPS every time, there are holes at a few courses I play that are 10-15 yards off on the sprinklers. I am thankful most around here went to GPS carts.

I agree.  Though the course markers at my courses are essentially NEVER 10-15 yards off.  Maybe 0-3.  But yes, it's almost unbelievable that guys who play better than 5.1 don't know pretty much exactly how far their shots go.  And in fact are so clueless about their distances that they are at risk of airmailing a green when they know within 1 yard how far the pin is.  That's just ridiculous.

Of course, I find its weird that @MS256 doesn't have consistent stock shot distances.  I mean, how can you not just have a "regular" swing?

[Dave2512]

I agree.  Though the course markers at my courses are essentially NEVER 10-15 yards off.  Maybe 0-3.

It's just a few odd markers here and there. A few weeks ago my GPS lost power and was rebooting so I couldn't get a number. There was a sprinkler about 5 feet away that had a marker on it 101 yards. So I grab a club and made good for me contact. It lands short of the green right up against the lip of a bunker, it was way short, the bunker is about 10 feet from the green. Something seemed wrong so I stood there for a minute and the GPS lights up and starts doing it's thing and stops at 122 yards. I think in this instance the head marker was just engraved wrong or on the wrong head and nobody figured it out or cared enough to change it. Though the 150 poles at this course can be off quite a bit. Probably because some doofus thought it would be funny to move it. The same guy that drops marshmallows all over no doubt.

The real issue is some courses aren't well marked here. My home course has had GPS carts from day one and will probably always have some cart mounted measuring device. Finding a marked sprinkler head there is rare. If I see anything it's a USGA plaque, they even have them in the fairways there but just at even distances. You would have to pace it from pretty far unless you were right next to it.

[14ledo81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdl

I agree.  Though the course markers at my courses are essentially NEVER 10-15 yards off.  Maybe 0-3.

It's just a few odd markers here and there. A few weeks ago my GPS lost power and was rebooting so I couldn't get a number. There was a sprinkler about 5 feet away that had a marker on it 101 yards. So I grab a club and made good for me contact. It lands short of the green right up against the lip of a bunker, it was way short, the bunker is about 10 feet from the green. Something seemed wrong so I stood there for a minute and the GPS lights up and starts doing it's thing and stops at 122 yards. I think in this instance the head marker was just engraved wrong or on the wrong head and nobody figured it out or cared enough to change it. Though the 150 poles at this course can be off quite a bit. Probably because some doofus thought it would be funny to move it. The same guy that drops marshmallows all over no doubt.

The real issue is some courses aren't well marked here. My home course has had GPS carts from day one and will probably always have some cart mounted measuring device. Finding a marked sprinkler head there is rare. If I see anything it's a USGA plaque, they even have them in the fairways there but just at even distances. You would have to pace it from pretty far unless you were right next to it.

I think my "laser eye" could have picked up 20 yards difference at that range..................

[rdsandy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

What is weird is guys playing better than 5.1 golf are still winging it. I look at the GPS every time, there are holes at a few courses I play that are 10-15 yards off on the sprinklers. I am thankful most around here went to GPS carts.

You use it all the time? Over here the use of rangefinders and GPS is banned in competition, and I thought the USPGA rules were that rounds played with the assistance of a rangefinder or other distance-measuring device were invalid for handicapping purposes. Am I wrong about that?

GPS and rangefinders are allowed in the US and can be used for posting handicap rounds. Basically anything that is used to lower your handicap would be allowed just as things that would raise your handicap are not, like posting rounds you played in the snow.

[David in FL]

Yes, I do.

[Missouri Swede]

I think in this instance the head marker was just engraved wrong or on the wrong head and nobody figured it out or cared enough to change it.

A course at Purdue figured out a way around this problem

[BuckeyeNut]

My 6-iron carry distance is 186yds 1' 4"

[14ledo81]

My 6-iron carry distance is 186yds 1' 4";-)

So what club do you hit when you are 186 1'1"??? Just cut it a little? :)

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Yep it's attached to the cart. Kind of tough not to. Also handy for refilling my beer order on the 8th hole when it displays the number for the bar/restaurant.

Yes, I get that it's attached to the cart, though as I carry my bag that wouldn't affect me. But my question remains - is it within the rules to use it in competition?

Virtually all clubs have enacted the authriozed local rule allowing electronic measuring devices as long as theyony measure distance.  The local rule doesn't even have to be in effect to use a round for handicap.  It is unusual for any club level competition to disallow them.  The Colorado Golf Associatin allows the for all of it's competitions.

[Shindig]

Yes. Maybe. I think so. I'm pretty sure I know to within a few yards, both the pattern and the general distance range. On occasion, I'll come up surprisingly short or long, even in calm conditions. Like my last tournament round on Sunday, where I accidentally hit a particular green in regulation, much to my surprise (I was aiming to come up short). So what I'm going to do: next time (in fact, next several times) I'm in a non-tournament round, and I hit a shot in relatively calm conditions without a significant change in elevation, I'm going to use my GPS to measure it -- whether it's struck perfectly or not. I used to use this to record driving distances; it occurs to me now to use this for other clubs. I'll also be able to take advantage of course conditions to determine things: if I struck it well but it ends in a bunker, that might tell me a carry distance but not total. I'll make notes of this and see what I end up with.

[Valleygolfer]

Nope I don't. I don't have any irons. When I get them I plan to hit the track with 10 provs, letter/number each one and hit them all with the 6 iron. Make note of ones that were hit well and record the average of distance as the baseline. Then add or subtract 10 yards per club. I used to be dead on with my Ping I10s but I had mixed results with the MP33s. Some shots would go an extra 10-15 yards when pured.

[jmejones]

Club	Loft	Yds
Cobra Bio Cell +	12	carry 250/270
Callaway Xtreme	15	245
Callaway	18	235
Nike VRS Forged	22	215
NIke VR Pro Blades 5	27	205
Nike VR Pro Blades 6	31	185
Nike VR Pro Blades 7	35	170
Nike VR Pro Blades 8	39	160
Nike VR Pro Blades 9	43	148
Nike VR Pro Blades PW	47	135
Nike VR  A	52	125
NIke VR SW	58	105
Cleveland LW	62	90

according to Foresight's GC2/HMT

[flintcreek6412]

A course at Purdue figured out a way around this problem

Looks like #18 at Ackerman.   My wife gets a kick out of it every time we play.

[sopel10]

Play in the early spring in the Midwest and you learn your distances fairly quickly (together with using a rangefinder).

Every shot, including a drive, either plugs, or makes divot and hops a foot forward.  (I assume nobody from the "How long is your drive" thread has ever played in these conditions. No more 270-290 carries haha).

This has definitely helped my game, as good as a GPS is, which I use together with a rangefinder, my distances were never dialed in as good as with me using the laser.

[14ledo81]

Play in the early spring in the Midwest and you learn your distances fairly quickly (together with using a rangefinder).

Every shot, including a drive, either plugs, or makes divot and hops a foot forward.  (I assume nobody from the "How long is your drive" thread has ever played in these conditions. No more 270-290 carries haha).

This has definitely helped my game, as good as a GPS is, which I use together with a rangefinder, my distances were never dialed in as good as with me using the laser.

Certainly.

In the spring, I routinely hit 210 - 220 yard drives.  Like you said, I can see the ball mark in the fairway.

In summer conditions, those drives can become 250 yarders.

[jmejones]

Club

Loft

Yds

Cobra Bio Cell +

12

carry 250/270

Callaway Xtreme

15

245

Callaway

18

235

Nike VRS Forged

22

215

NIke VR Pro Blades 5

27

205

Nike VR Pro Blades 6

31

185

Nike VR Pro Blades 7

35

170

Nike VR Pro Blades 8

39

160

Nike VR Pro Blades 9

43

148

Nike VR Pro Blades PW

47

135

Nike VR  A

52

125

NIke VR SW

58

105

Cleveland LW

62

90

according to Foresight's GC2/HMT

Switched to Nike Vapor 3 (225 yds) -P, Nike Toe Sweep 56 and 60, and  Powerbilt AFO DFX TOUR Black Driver 10.5.  Distances within +/- 2 yds.