Ava Romero
Knowing how far you hit each club in your bag is a great way to improve your game and shave a few strokes off your score. There are many ways to find your golf yardages, from using a golf simulator to a launch monitor, a rangefinder, or even a yardage book or app. You can also calculate your yardages manually, but this requires a lot of practice and experience to account for variables like wind, humidity, temperature, lie, swing development, and equipment changes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Finding yardage | Use a golf simulator, launch monitor, or rangefinder |
| Golf simulator | Rent time in a simulator bay or use a launch monitor like PRGR |
| Launch monitor | Rapsodo MLM2Pro Launch Monitor or Trackman |
| Rangefinder | Laser rangefinder like Red Tiger |
| Yardage guide | Breakdown of yardages for each club in your bag |
| Yardage types | "Stock" (average distance), "Max" (maximum distance), "Punch" (distance when taking a little off the club) |
| Other yardage types | Yardage to the front and back of the green, yardage to the pin |
| Apps | BlueGolf, Arccos Caddie, Arccos Golf, Golf Swing Central |
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What You'll Learn
Utilise a golf yardage guide
Golf yardage guides are a great way to improve your game and decision-making on the course. These guides are tables or charts that provide a breakdown of the yardages you can achieve with each club in your bag. The aim is to give you data-driven insights to make more informed choices and improve your scores. The guides are tailored to individual golfers, taking into account factors such as age, gender, skill level, and swing speed.
To create your own yardage guide, you need to gather data on the yardages you achieve with each club. This can be done using a golf simulator, launch monitor, or rangefinder at a driving range. You can also utilise a golf coach's expertise to fine-tune your technique and optimise your yardages. Once you have your data, calculate your average and maximum yardages for each club, also known as "stock" and "max" yardages.
It's important to note that your yardages may change over time as your technique, strength, and flexibility evolve. Therefore, it's recommended to update your yardage guide periodically, especially if you notice significant changes in your distances. Additionally, external factors like wind, humidity, and temperature can impact your yardages, so try to account for these variables when gathering data.
Once you have your yardage guide, you can use it to make better decisions on the course. For example, when approaching a green with a bunker in front, knowing your "cover" yardage (distance to carry the bunker) and "yardage to the pin" will help you select the right club for the situation. You can also use your guide to identify gaps or overlaps in your club yardages and consider adjusting your set makeup accordingly.
There are various ways to keep your yardage guide handy during a round. You can print it out, laminate it, and carry it with you, or save the information on your phone using apps like Arccos Caddie.
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Use a golf simulator
Golf simulators are a great way to find your golf yardages and improve your game. They can provide accurate swing speed numbers and data on your swings. You can use a simulator to get an accurate swing speed number, which will help you understand how far you can expect your clubs to go when hit well. Devices like Trackman, Skytrak, and XGolf are popular options. These simulators can be found at local golf courses or centres, and some TopGolf locations. You can also rent time in a simulator bay if you don't have access to one.
Using a simulator, you can measure the carry and/or total distance of each club. This will help you understand the average distance you achieve with each club, which is an essential aspect of strategic play. For example, you should expect to hit a 7-iron between 130 and 160 yards, and each iron should vary by about 8 to 10 yards.
Simulator yardages are generally considered a good way to get an understanding of your club distances, but they may not perfectly reflect real-life performance. For example, one golfer noted that the simulator showed they pulled the ball more than they do in reality. However, carry yardage tends to be pretty accurate, give or take a few yards.
In addition to using a simulator, you can also use a launch monitor, such as the PRGR, to accurately measure your swing speed. This device costs around $200 and can be a great tool to add to your arsenal.
By using a golf simulator and launch monitor, you can gain valuable insights into your swing speed and club distances, which will help you make more informed decisions on the course and improve your overall game.
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Measure yardage with a rangefinder
Using a rangefinder is a great way to measure yardage on a golf course. They are a super useful tool for golfers of all levels, giving you highly accurate distances to the flag or hazards in front of you.
There are two primary types of measuring devices: GPS units and hand-held laser rangefinders. With a GPS device, you only need to step up to your ball and look at the device to see the yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, as well as any hazards. However, you won't get the exact yardage to the intended target, such as a flag or a specific tree. For that, you need a laser rangefinder.
Laser rangefinders work by beaming a laser at the target, which reflects back to the device. The time it takes for the laser to reflect back is used to calculate the distance. To use a laser rangefinder, stand next to your golf ball and hold the rangefinder steady with two hands. Aim the rangefinder at the biggest part of the object you're trying to measure. If you're measuring the distance to a flag, aim at the flag. If you're working out how far away a water hazard is, aim at one of the red stakes marking where the hazard starts. Most golf courses now have reflectors on their flags, which makes it easier to pick up the yardage.
Some rangefinders have a ''PinSeeker' feature, which allows the device to focus on the pin and not background objects. Many also have magnification lenses to give you a crisp view of what you're aiming at. Rangefinders with a ''slope' feature will give you a distance that takes into account how much yardage the terrain in front of you will add or take away from the distance between you and the target. For example, if the flag is on a slope above you, you will have to hit the ball further as the incline will stop the flight of the ball prematurely.
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Calculate your stock and max yardages
"Stock" yardage refers to the average distance you hit each club, while "max" yardage is the maximum distance you can hit each club. To calculate these yardages, you can use a combination of methods, including golf simulators, launch monitors, and range finders.
Golf simulators and launch monitors are effective tools for gathering data on your swing speed and club distances. You can rent time in a golf simulator bay or use a launch monitor like the PRGR, which measures speed accurately. By tracking your club's carry and total distance, you can determine your stock and max yardages.
Another method is to use a range finder at a driving range or on a golf course. This approach is less precise and requires more effort, but it can provide valuable information when combined with other data sources. Additionally, you can refer to golf club distance charts that provide average distances for different types of players based on factors such as age, gender, and skill level.
To calculate your stock and max yardages, it's important to consider factors such as wind, lie, swing development, and equipment changes. These variables can impact your distances, so it's essential to adjust your calculations accordingly. Additionally, your swing speed influences your yardage, and it is related to your technique, flexibility, fitness, and height.
By utilizing these methods and considering the various factors that can affect your distances, you can effectively calculate your stock and max yardages for each club in your bag. This information will help you make better decisions on the course and improve your overall performance.
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Understand how to adjust for wind and elevation
Wind can be a challenge for golfers, but if you know how to play it correctly, it can be an advantage. When facing a headwind, you need to hit into it, so go up in your club choice and try to play the ball back, staying ahead of the ball with your sternum. For a strong headwind, remember that it will hurt your shot more than a tailwind will help it.
For a tailwind, go down a club, and play the ball forward in your stance. For side winds, your target will be a little more into the wind, so be prepared for extra loss in distance, along with the sideways movement of the ball. To get a sense of the wind direction, throw some grass up into the air to see what it's doing. You can also read the flag or the treetops to understand the wind by the green, which may be different from where you are standing.
When it comes to elevation, the 15-feet formula is a popular method. For every 15 feet of elevation change, add or subtract one club. For example, if you are 150 yards from the pin and would usually use a 7-iron, but the green is 15 feet uphill, switch to a 6-iron. If the green is downhill, you would use a 9-iron.
While there is no simple formula for wind and elevation, experience and good judgement will help you make solid decisions. Understanding your game and your distances will enable you to adjust your club choice and shot selection accordingly.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to find your golf yardages. You can use a golf simulator, a launch monitor, a range finder, or a laser rangefinder. You can also use a yardage book, either in physical or app form, to overlay a yardage book on top of a satellite image so you can look at distances on the actual hole.
A yardage guide is a breakdown of the yardages that you hit each of the clubs in your bag. It includes information such as loft, \"punch\" yardage, yardage to the front and back of the green, and stock and max yardage.
Yardage guides are meant to help you optimise your decision-making on the course. For example, if you have a 155-yard approach shot but know the most you can get out of your 8-iron is 150 yards, you can make an easy decision to club up to your 7-iron.
Finding your golf yardages takes practice and experience. It is important to keep your information updated each season and throughout the year, as weather, course conditions, elevation, and your health can influence your yardages. It is also important to note that your yardages may change with adrenaline during tournaments.
