How do you measure how far you hit your clubs?

[Sean]

I realize this is a strange question but, well, how do you do it?

I see a few problems in doing it, short of a range finder.

1. Don't trust the yardage at the ranges
2. Range balls suck, possibly even limited flight kind.
3. The premium balls at the range are either cut up or just been smashed too many times
4. Hitting off mats
5 Hilly range, can't even really get a good judge where it hit (let alone even using a range finder)

Let alone a host of other problems.

I actually trust the markings on the courses I play but there's no real way to really work an 'average' out of that.

How do you guys do it?

[ezra76]

I've played enough to know my distances based off the yardage markers at the course. I also learned to play on a course with no markers whatsoever. Basically I've built up this knack for being able to judge my distance needed by feel more than a yardage. There are occasions I'll take a GW from one 150marker and a 21* hybrid from another.... I'll bet this really helped you, huh.

[Sean]

I'm actually pretty good, by my estimation anyway, at picking the right club to hit where I want to but I'd still like to have that extra bit of knowledge to help out. I need every edge I can get

[lamebums]

The markers at my courses are pretty good - and I've learned through trial and error what works and what doesn't. When I'm just behind the 150 marker and I stick a 7 iron right in the middle of the green, I know I've hit it 155-ish, and that's how far, more or less, I should hit it. Bad yard markers are annoying, though - I've learned how to guess pretty accurately, even without them.

[mont86]

Originally Posted by lamebums

The markers at my courses are pretty good - and I've learned through trial and error what works and what doesn't. When I'm just behind the 150 marker and I stick a 7 iron right in the middle of the green, I know I've hit it 155-ish, and that's how far, more or less, I should hit it. Bad yard markers are annoying, though - I've learned how to guess pretty accurately, even without them.

155-ish I like that, thats pretty much how measure on the course. If I'm within 5-7 yds I'm happy...more like ten yds.

[SilverUberXeno]

There are definitely times I'm standing by a yardage marker and I say "I'm raising the bullshit flag on this one." If I really feel like the yardage is off, I go with my instinct, not the marker. And usually I'm right. Either that, or I can hit my 8 iron 190 yards.

Maybe I'm just that herculean, or maybe the guy riding the fairway mower doesn't have a degree in trigonometry. You be the judge.

[Bossman641]

I've pretty much just learned my distances through trial and error. That, and the fact, that I've played my courses soo many times that I know what I need to hit from just about everywhere.

[MGP]

I play mostly by feel when it comes to club selection and I play a lot of shots that people would think are "weird", for instance I might hit an easy low punch 4 iron into a 150ish yard par 3 hole that has no front trouble but the pin is back on a deep green. You probably don't want to watch which clubs I hit out on the course, I've screwed up more than a few people who have.

I do have a pretty good idea how far I hit everything in the bag though. My GPS has come in very handy this year as I've been playing new irons (twice) and needed to measure a few shots to get the distances dialed in. I end up measuring at least 4 or 5 shots almost every round even if I don't use the GPS for much more than basic yardages. It's a handy device for things like that.

WBL posted in another thread about the range being useless for ranging your clubs and I agree 100% with that. The best way is to go by what you actually hit out on the course with the balls you regularly play.

[$2 Nassau]

There really is no way of doing it, unless you want to buy a couple hundred of "your balls" and go out to the range, with a range finder.

Sounds strange, but an indoor simulator might be your best bet.

[Eracer]

I usually measure all iron shots on the course with a rangefinder. Over time, this has given me a set of usable yardages.

I don't care one bit how far I'm hitting my irons at the range. I'm looking at ball-flight and trajectory. And my wedge shots are always to targets that are 1/2 to 3/4 max distance. This helps me work on feel.

[VtDivot]

I measure myself against other golfers by height

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by VtDivot

I measure myself against other golfers by height

Don't sell yourself short...you're a hell of a slouch.

[OmegaG5]

I work it out by experience, conditions and feel.

Experience comes into play when you hit the same holes on the same course two or three times a week, and especially on the par 3 holes.

Let me use one of our par 3s as an example. It is 153 yards off the white tees and 143 off the yellows. But it has a long tee box and so those distances can vary quite a lot. Add to that, the pin can be at the front of the green, or 30 yards further near the back. Essentially therefore, it can play anything from around 170 yards to 135. Where is it today? A 9 iron or a 5 iron??? (for me).

Then factor in the wind! It can play with a strong wind from behind to strong in front. +/- 2 clubs.

It came home to me even more the other day when I played a "three clubs and a putter" competition, and I was armed with only a 4i, 7i and SW. I had to go for it with the 7i, and it was definitely too short a club! The hole was playing about 160 yards to the pin.... and I wanted a 5i or perhaps a 6i.

I have never hit a 7i so far! This is where the "feel" comes in. I did it! What it really proved is that I always "under hit" my clubs by taking it steady and comfortably. In this instance I had to take a bigger faster swing and really go for it. I knew I did! I put it 4 yards past the pin.

........by experience, conditions and feel.
ON THE COURSE.

R.

[Pa Jayhawk]

I own a GPS and a Range Finder. I primarily use a GPS on my home course, so I get a pretty good idea of my averages just by playing and knowing the exact distance each time I hit. I hit enough balls in a week to give me a pretty good idea just from memory. It also has an option to measure a shot, but I don't think I have ever used it yet. When I used to go to the range, which I rarely do anymore, I would use the range finder. Although usually the ranges I have been to have balls that are probably not the best for judging distance.