Fore! Who's playing golf, yo-

[My Pet Powder Goat]

i personally like trying to figure out yardage by markers. range finders seem sort of like cheating.

fuck that, slows play.

[guroo270]

I'll throw in my .02 on this. I grew up playing a course that was extremely well marked. As in, laser marked yardages about every 5 yards, to the front, middle, and back of the green, markers usually scattered so that if you walk up the left side, middle, or right side, you'll run into one every 15 yards. Then I left my spoiled childhood and started playing courses that only had 100, 150, 200 yard markers. Pooooor me. I know.
As a person that almost always plays by feel, I didn't mind this that much, but after a while it just got old, and my scores were suffering. Not just because I didn't know my yardages, but I couldn't figure out the yardages of my clubs anymore and my distance control was going in the tank.
Now, in the early days of sky caddies, they were the bane of my existence as a caddie. People would ask me yardages, then pull it out and say, "Nice work, you were only 2 yards off." But these things had a 3-5 yard error margin, and this drove me nuts.
Few years later I started playing with my father in law who had one, and I found myself stealing it all the time. He got me a sky caddie for christmas, and it's instant, accuracy to a yard, and my distance control is about as good as ever. Really enjoy this thing. Although, with these new apps, I have to say that $300 for one, and the new SGXw is $400 fucking bucks. Can't say they are worth the money anymore.
I really prefer the laser monocular ones best, but my hands shake so they are tough to use. I would like to say they are cheating, but the pros have caddies that get a yardage to the T, and then offer further advice. So if anything they are still a step below what the pros get to use.

[wooley12]

I find I can miss the green from 155 just as easily as from 159. I do like to know "How far is the water" from off the tee. More helpful I guess if you're playing to the 6th green from the 5th fairway.

[wooley12]

[QUOTE=My Pet Powder Goat;3648197

my only Grip is that it sometimes kicks you out of the app if you need to txt or call etc. be nice if it stayed in view on the scroll down bar at the top instead of making you reboot the app back to the hole your on.[/QUOTE]

We have a rule in our league that if you need a cellphone on the course, it must be set to "vibrate only" and must be carried next to your boys in you undershorts.

[guroo270]

Speaking of group rules, my dad was recently kicked out of his 3 head cover group when he picked up a hybrid 4 and 5h. Driver, 3 wood, and one other of your choice.

at least he's not one of those complete fucktards that has a head cover for each iron. I'm repulsed by those things. And yes Wooley, I agree that the yardage finders are by far the most useful from different fairways/ odd angles, or severe upslopes and downslopes.

[spook]

fuck that, slows play.

get better at math and eyeballing. i take almost no time figuring out yardages. and the places i play are marked 200, 150, 100 with a few more in between. i just pace from the last marker as i walk.

[4matic]

Rangefinder makes things so much easier and faster. With huge modern greens you can easily be 5-10 yards off based on the course markers. Plus, you can easily measure carries and hazards on one scan with the laser.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

get better at math and eyeballing. i take almost no time figuring out yardages. and the places i play are marked 200, 150, 100 with a few more in between. i just pace from the last marker as i walk.

it's fine on courses you're familiar with, but on new courses they are heaven sent...and as pointed out its invaluable on weird angles, playing from other fairways, difficulty with line of sight etc, but agree that within 75yrds its all feel and eyeballs.

[wooley12]

Some people it won't help. True tale.

Brother - "How far to the water?"
Me- "200 yds"
Brother -Whack!! Ball in the pond by 20 yds.
Me- What did you hit?"
Bo - "2 iron"
Me- "How far do you usually hit your 2 iron?"
Bro - Oh, about 220.

[RockChalk]

get better at math and eyeballing. i take almost no time figuring out yardages. and the places i play are marked 200, 150, 100 with a few more in between. i just pace from the last marker as i walk.

Many courses are not well marked at all, especially those that sell a $20 yardage book in the clubhouse...

I have found myself using lasers/apps a lot off the tee to determine carry distances, point of reference distances, etc...

Get better at math? you dumb?

Apparently we have the rainman of golf in our presence.

[spook]

it's fine on courses you're familiar with, but on new courses they are heaven sent...and as pointed out its invaluable on weird angles, playing from other fairways, difficulty with line of sight etc, but agree that within 75yrds its all feel and eyeballs.

yeah, i play the same 3 or 4 courses all the time. i use the course map and the flyovers on youtube to make myself a course cheat sheet and then use the polecap colors and pace off from the last marker. when i play i take notes and then update my cheat sheet. it works well enough for my skill level. my bigger problem becomes decisionmaking and remembering that the distances are to the center of the green.

[spook]

Many courses are not well marked at all, especially those that sell a $20 yardage book in the clubhouse...

I have found myself using lasers/apps a lot off the tee to determine carry distances, point of reference distances, etc...

Get better at math? you dumb?

Apparently we have the rainman of golf in our presence.

i was giving him a hard time for his initial response. relax. i still wouldn't use an app or a rangefinder. i'm not good enough for it to matter.

[TahoeJ]

get better at math and eyeballing. i take almost no time figuring out yardages. and the places i play are marked 200, 150, 100 with a few more in between. i just pace from the last marker as i walk.

It's easy to eyeball distances to the center of the green, but not the specific distances on the greens themselves. That's where the range finders really come into play. They save a lot of time and are definitely a good thing. And no offense, but a 5 yard difference probably means a lot less to you (currently) than it does to some of us.

[RockChalk]

Fair enough.

Harvey Penick stated that Jones(?) could eyeball yardages to within a foot or so back in his day- pretty impressive.

Edit: To any of you who have not read the Little Red Book- do it, regardless of where you are at with your game. In my mind, it is the Bible for golfers of ALL skill levels.

[spook]

And no offense, but a 5 yard difference probably means a lot less to you (currently) than it does to some of us.

none taken. i know where i stand. i was also an oregon track and field official for more than a decade and marked javelin and numerous other implements for everything from multiple olympic trials to ncaa and conference championships, so i have a fairly accurate eyeball.

[spook]

Fair enough.

Harvey Penick stated that Jones(?) could eyeball yardages to within a foot or so back in his day- pretty impressive.

Edit: To any of you who have not read the Little Red Book- do it, regardless of where you are at with your game. In my mind, it is the Bible for golfers of ALL skill levels.

i've got the sample of penick's book on the ipad and am trying to figure out which two books to buy or i may just have to spend some of my own money instead of just the $25 gift card i got and get a few more.

[Steven S. Dallas]

you can track shots, putts, and you can click around for target distances.

SkyDroid has the shot tracker feature, as does GolfShot lite. But I will check out Swing by Swing (on your phone next Friday).

I completely see the value in that feature but always forget about and stop using it somewhere around the fifth.

[skiballs]

With all the talk of rules and what not in this thread , I am curious .
Do any of you guys play competitive golf ( usga , state or local golf association ) tourneys ?
I mostly play these type events , not because I'm that good ( I have my moments ) , mainly because you play in threesomes and slow play is not tolerated .

[RockChalk]

With all the talk of rules and what not in this thread , I am curious .
Do any of you guys play competitive golf ( usga , state or local golf association ) tourneys ?
I mostly play these type events , not because I'm that good ( I have my moments ) , mainly because you play in threesomes and slow play is not tolerated .

When I was living in MN I played in a few MGA tourneys, mostly just paid the dues to keep an index.

Trying to decide what to do now that I am in the Bay Area- I have been mulling over a few options, NCGA, Presidio GC, as well as a few other North Bay club options.
- Any advice?

[MotherFucker]

Indian Tree is $33...Fuck it, I'll look for more later. I was thrashed at work today. Fucking around in 45 degree water all day just sapped the life out of me. Haven't been this exhausted since climbing my first 14er, shit.

Everyone one else feel free to make some suggestions.

Lake Arbor is $21, City Park is $26, Willis Case is $26. I wouldn't mind getting out to Fossil Trace but it's $50. If we make it on GolfNow for later in the afternoon, a few interesting choices pop up.

[madmike]

I don't mind paying a bit if someone wants to play a nice course. I'm not hitting very well at the moment, but I'll make do.

If not, how about Willis Case? I've heard it's pretty decent and have been wanting to play it. I don't care what time. I rather sleep in when I can, but I'll get up to get a round in.

[guroo270]

With all the talk of rules and what not in this thread , I am curious .
Do any of you guys play competitive golf ( usga , state or local golf association ) tourneys ?
I mostly play these type events , not because I'm that good ( I have my moments ) , mainly because you play in threesomes and slow play is not tolerated .

I played in a few JGANC events as a kid, and graduated to the AJGA but never amounted to anything. I couldn't seem to get away from bent grass, which if I could have done over I would have avoided like the plague. I have yet to play anything competitive after that. Although, I did win a PRO V1 from Das the other day, but to call that round competitive for either of us would be a complete joke.

Indian Tree is $33...Fuck it, I'll look for more later. I was thrashed at work today. Fucking around in 45 degree water all day just sapped the life out of me. Haven't been this exhausted since climbing my first 14er, shit.

Everyone one else feel free to make some suggestions.

Lake Arbor is $21, City Park is $26, Willis Case is $26. I wouldn't mind getting out to Fossil Trace but it's $50. If we make it on GolfNow for later in the afternoon, a few interesting choices pop up.

Gonna be in Cali (Morgan Hill, San Jose, Pleasanton) for the next week. See you guys when I get back. And WHY on earth were you in 45 degree water all day?

[skiballs]

When I was living in MN I played in a few MGA tourneys, mostly just paid the dues to keep an index.

Trying to decide what to do now that I am in the Bay Area- I have been mulling over a few options, NCGA, Presidio GC, as well as a few other North Bay club options.
- Any advice?

NCGA is the way to go , my old man lived in Napa and used to play a lot of their events .
Best way to get on some golf courses you otherwise wouldn't get to play .
Isn't the Cali state Am at pebble every year ?

[spook]

i would love to get competent enough to play in some kind of organized competition. you just have to have an official handicap, don't you?

by the way, i love dufner. he seems like the anti-tiger. and i love tiger as a player, too.

[guroo270]

Colorado mags - you need to know about a show. It's called golf at altitude. They go around doing fly overs of all the colorado courses and you can get an idea of what they are like. I highly recommend setting your dvr to record every new episode. It could help you guys which course to play. If you want a tour of 10 or so local courses, come over and we can watch some of them. I currently have:
Brekenridge, Columbine, Saddleback, Green Valley Ranch, Kennedy, Broadlands, Bear Dance, Riverdale Dunes, and Indian Peaks.

Channel 725 - Altitude HD