Should courses with no markers on the sprinklers or on the side of the fairways have distance markers? Should golf be played in its traditional way, where, one has to carefully and accurately estimated the distance and conditions?

One point of reference should be enough to get a visual on distance. Anyone who can't estimate where they are, with just a barber pole, should really take up bowling.

Ask a caddy?  Don't most golfers consult the cart GPS?

Yardage markers are so 20th century

Universally, golf courses have been thoroughly marked and measured.They are wrought with conspicuous accessories that reveal yardages. Too often distances are spray painted on cart paths. Many courses also use a series of colorful disks in the center of the fairway to expose distances in fifty-yard increments. Most other clubs utilize distinctive shrubs, wooden posts, tree monuments, and birdhouses as yardage devices. Still others attach yardages to the large array of irrigation heads. If this were not enough, each sprinkler head ordinarily contains different distances to the front, the middle, and the back of each green. Often the color of the flag will denote pin depth as well. Sporty little “pin sheets for the day” may be distributed or even posted in golf carts which diagram green shapes. The global positioning satellite (GPS) system is the latest novelty. Indeed, a variety of markers, maps, props, gadgets and measurements typically spoil our native landscapes.
   
Too many golfers depend on yardage markers to determine precise distances. What happened to the acquired technique of "eyeballing" a golf shot? The art of feeling and sensing the depth and distance to the hole is much more interesting than calculating yardages based upon an assortment of gadgets and numbers.

In my opinion, golf courses wear subtleties quite well. Understated yardage accessories, are much more attractive especially when kept to a minimum.

Dunlop

Yes, Hamilton..... Lush, plush conditioning has had an impact as well.

Today, emphasis upon yardages has produced automatic golfers. Exact distances determine required clubs for the programmed swing. The game has become too mechanical, particularly on plush green surfaces where the ball's reaction can be anticipated with certainty.

Lets get back to our roots!

Yardages become ineffective and meaningless on courses with firm playing surfaces. Dry, lean conditions require the golfer to determine not simply where the ball will land, but more importantly where the ball will come to rest. Some forethought must be given to the lay of the land as quirky bounces and extended rolls become an integral part of the equation. Just as the element wind makes golfers think and ponder, firm playing conditions also force golfers to step back and size up distances and trajectories accordingly.

By turning off the water, the yardage accessories that blemish many of our classical venues will become less important to us all.

Dunlop

I would personally prefer a world which had no yardage markers, no "pin sheets", not "course planners" or even hole yardages.  However, this is a quixotic preference, and I understand that the concept of "knowing your distance" is here to stay--even for the 99% of us to whom it means not much more than a bucket of warm spit!

If you need to have them, sprinkler head markers are the best.  Non-obtrusive to the overall "wa" of the course, and yet easy to find.

I still have great fun in casual games just playing funny little shots that have no relevance to yardage, but I can't make myself carry that mind-set over to more serious games.  'Tis a pity, as I probably hit the ball closer, more often with those little bump and runs than with those soaring irons that theoretically are "dialed in" for distance.......

I like clearly marked yardages on all sprinkler heads from 300 yards to 50 yards to the pin (no trees, bushes, or shrubs).  I also like 150 yard "barber shop" poles.  For those of us who can't see well and seldom get to play most courses more than a couple of times, these aids are important.  Even at my home course which I've played hundreds of times, being able to verify my perceptions quickly improves my pace of play.

Perhaps due to my European upbringing (a little too frugal for my own good) and to a few bad experiences, I don't much care to play with a caddie.  Having 8 people congregatged on a tee, fairway, or green just takes away from the experience.  When I do take a caddie, I only want the distances to hazards, from my position to the middle or front of the green, and the cup location in yards from the middle or front.  Though I understand the societal benefits of a good caddie program, I tend to agree with shivas about the role of caddies beyond just simply carrying clubs and attending to the maintenance of the course on behalf of their principals.  

Shivas

We are getting a bit off topic, but I started a thread a couple of years ago on the lines of "Caddies, who Needs 'em!", and I still agree with the principle, even though the blue blazer brigade dumped on me strongly then for my heresy......  One of my many fantasies that I know will never come true is a British Open (or Masters, US Open, etc.) where the players have to loop for themselves and have NO yardage charts, pin placements, etc.  Now that would make golf more of a sport than the corporate technology fest that it is now.  Can you just see Woods, Singh, Daly, et. al yomping their bags up and down the hills of Augusta, all by themselves and all the time trying to make a score?  Magic!

So why does golf have a rule that the caddie can give advice.  As far as I'm concerned, he shouldn't be able to do anything other than carry the bag, find balls, replace divots and rake traps.

And why should the caddie even be allowed to carry the bag?

When the Casey Martin/cart deal was going on, the most disappointing item I heard was Tom Watson, my boyhood hero, say that riding in a golf cart was not real golf.  I wanted to reach through the TV screen and tell all the professional golfers that having a caddie carry your bag wasn't real golf either.  

But to answer the question, discs at 100, 150 and 200 are fine by me ...

I've never understood the theory behind the caddy being able to give the player advice in the first place.  I hate to say this, but what a stupid rule!

Does Brett Farve get to run up into the stands in the middle of a game and ask his mom what play to call?

Does Kerry Wood get to jump on a cell phone and ask his high school coach what to throw to Gary Sheffield on 3 and 1 with a 2 run lead and runners on first and third in the 5th? (wait a second -- dont' answer that -- Fox might try to do a joint venture promo with Sprint to force us all to watch him do it!   )

Does Pete Sampras consult with his coach in the middle of a match on whether to go to the net after a backhand on clay or whatever (clearly, I don't know squat about tennis!)

Brett Favre has his plays called into him from a coach sitting high up above in a warm press box.

Kerry Wood gets signals from a catcher who frequently gets them from the manager or pitching coach.

At least when it comes to tennis you got it right.  Pete couldn't get coaching or advice during his matches.

As for markers, I like the Kirby pop-up markers.  They are easier to find than sprinkler heads and are less obtrusive than barber poles or non-native trees and bushes.  Having them every 25 yards on both sides of the fairway works well for me.

Mike, caddies have provided much of the lore of golf and I, for one, would hate to see them go.  I'd rather pay for a caddie than a cart and a GPS system.  Imagine how much less of a great story the 1913 US Open would be without Eddie Lowery walking alongside Francis Ouimet.  Or Nicklaus' victory in 1986 without his son by his side all the way.  Or how much less fun playing TOC or Pine Valley would be without the colorful caddies you meet there.

Can you just see Woods, Singh, Daly, et. al yomping their bags up and down the hills of Augusta, all by themselves and all the time trying to make a score?  Magic!

Make it even better: Make 'em all wear those white caddy duds!

John

That's EXACTLY the sort of "very rare" caddy I was talking about.  Is she still there?  If not, is Oakmont still worth playing?

Dan

GREAT IDEA!!!  Once we get those bozos used to wearing a competition uniform a competition ball can't be far behind!

I'm not into the zen-like golf experience or the golf as life stuff, but I had an epiphany at North Berwick's West Links a few weeks back.  

Having already walked and carried 18 in the morning at Kilspindie, I was joined by two young locals on the first tee at North Berwick.  We played speedily with no yardage markers to be found.  Not wishing to be the anal American, I eyed yardages and guessed.  I was one over through thirteen!  Those of you who have witnessed my pathetic game know how remarkable that is.  

I did ask the young lads to confirm a couple of distances coming in and both times I was within ten yards of their estimates.  Regretably, Perfection and Redan did me in as I had not walked and carried 36 in a long, long time, but the point was clear - distance markers are an unnecessary crutch that feed the insecurities of the golfer who does not confidently strike the ball, and remove the burden from the player of identifying the best leave when the shot is not well struck or the judgement of distance is slightly off.  

Amusing ancedote from that round.  Stewart closed out Ross on the 16th green 3 & 2.  On the 17th green, Ross needled Stewart as he stood over his first putt:  "Need I remind you that you four putted here last week?"  Without looking up, Stewart replied:  "Need I remind you that the match is over!"

Mike