[Richard Boult]

This thread reminds me of old discussions with my son about using calculators to do simple math. To this day (now in college), he can't add and subtract numbers in his head worth a damn. My mother used to read me each price off her grocery receipt on the way home from shopping and make me add them up in my head to make sure the cash register knew how to add.

I imagine experiences like that have made me tend to lean towards valuing feel and "eyeing it" on the golf course too. I have the same attitude about wedges. I just carry a PW and SW and use feel to determine how far back to take my swing. I don't choke up a certain amount for one distance or take it back half way for that distance... I just visualize the shot I want and let my body figure it out from there - just like I do putting or throwing a ball.

I got a chuckle out of all the complaints I heard from golfers the first few weeks that Monarch Dunes was open last month, since it didn't yet have the sprinklers marked with yardages! They had this big bright black and white 150 marker in every fairway, but that didn't cut it for most of these guys. After about a week, the course crew was out spray painting the numbers 100 and 200 in every fairway to keep the complainers under control until the sprinklers were marked.  Unbelievable!

Needless to say, you won't find a range finder in my bag But I certainly don't mind if others use them.

[Willie_Dow]

Brad

Re dates:  Being in Florida I don't have my research material, except for "Rough Meditations".  But I think it was the late 50's when Jack played Gene in the North South and won.  It was possibly the last amateur event Jack played.  I can remember how many comments developed about the slow play of that match.

[Dan King]

John Vander Borght writes:
The advantage of having readily available yardages is that it does take some edge away from those who have played a course more frequently.  In tournaments that seems to be a good compromise to me.

Yeah, it would be unfair to give someone an advantage just because they bothered doing their homework.

Dan King

"be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.
 --Robert Baden-Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts)

[ForkaB]

John Vander Borght writes:
The advantage of having readily available yardages is that it does take some edge away from those who have played a course more frequently.  In tournaments that seems to be a good compromise to me.

Yeah, it would be unfair to give someone an advantage just because they bothered doing their homework.

It's not "homework," Dan, its "cheating."  What's wrong with creating a (reasonably) level playing field?  Do you really think that in a college final, some people should be allowed "open book" status and others should be required to use only their brain?

[Sean_A]

John Vander Borght writes:
The advantage of having readily available yardages is that it does take some edge away from those who have played a course more frequently.  In tournaments that seems to be a good compromise to me.

Yeah, it would be unfair to give someone an advantage just because they bothered doing their homework.

It's not "homework," Dan, its "cheating."  What's wrong with creating a (reasonably) level playing field?  Do you really think that in a college final, some people should be allowed "open book" status and others should be required to use only their brain?

Rich

"Cheating" is bit OTT even if it is in quotes.  If things are really going to be level, yardages books (commit the info to memory), guns and markers should not be allowed, nor caddies, trollies and buggies for that matter.  Might as well go whole hog.  Players should only be allowed 8 sticks (probably limiting the lofts to something between 15ish and 50ish).  Perhaps I am just a sick SOB, but that is the way I see it.

Ciao

Sean

[ForkaB]

Sean

A agree and said it many moons ago on this site.  So did Dan King.  I'm shocked that he has come out now in favor of yardage books.  Sic transit gloria Rex .....

[JohnV]

John Vander Borght writes:
The advantage of having readily available yardages is that it does take some edge away from those who have played a course more frequently.  In tournaments that seems to be a good compromise to me.

Yeah, it would be unfair to give someone an advantage just because they bothered doing their homework.

Dan, what if their homework consisted of going out and creating their own yardage book?

Or for the guy with the late tee time to do his homework by walking the course and seeing where the holes were while the guy who teed off first didn't get that chance?

Gene Andrews should be that anti-christ to all of you who feel that yardage books and hole indicators should be abolished.   He came up with idea of the wiffle balls on flagsticks also.  He seems to have also been the Dave Pelz of his time in regards to the short game.  The link below is to his bio, quite interesting:

Andrews Bio

For those who don't read it, he played with Nicklaus at the US Amateur in 1959 and was on the Walker Cup team with him the next year.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Rich Goodale,

If a competition is held on the member's home course, everyone is on an equal footing.

And, if it's held at an outside venue, who has an advantage, the possible member or two who belong to the golf course ?

Most significant tournaments provide practice rounds in these parts.  Playing a practice round, making notes and pacing distances puts everyone on an equal footing.

And, tournaments are held once in a blue moon versus everyday play at home courses.

It never ceases to amaze me when a member of 40 years asks a caddy who's been at the club for a week, what club to hit, or how far it is to the green.

It's pure laziness and represents a long history of personal detachment from the golf course.  Let that golfer suffer the consequences of ignorance.

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